We didn’t expect a follow up to the mighty GT supercar at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, but that is exactly what we got thanks to Ford’s heavy emphasis on performance and nobody on the AT Staff is complaining. With a far more expressive and modern design this time around the new GT looks ready to line up next to anything from Lamborghini or Ferrari, and with a twin turbo V6 making 600+ hp sitting midship, the performance should be exceptional. Large carbon ceramic brakes and performance tires from Michelin are also included and the best part by far: Ford is building it next year.
Not content to have the Chevrolet Camaro nipping at its heals with such headline models as the ZL1 and Z/28, Ford has added a track package to the Mustang portfolio dubbed the Shelby GT350R. Ford claims the GT350R is the most track-capable production Mustang ever and yet is fully road-legal. Some of the enhancements above and beyond the standard Shelby GT350 include the industry’s first ever carbon fiber wheels, Ford’s first production V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft, and a specially tuned suspension. The deck-lid features a wild rear wing constructed of carbon fiber as well as a revised front splitter to maximize down force. The GT350R manages to be the most powerful naturally aspirated production Ford engine in history with more than 500 fire breathing horses and north of 400 lb-ft of twist. If this combination of power, performance and style isn’t enough for you, just wait. Ford Performance is promising at least 11 more tantalizing vehicles by 2020.
It was a little surreal to be watching a full blown Alfa Romeo press conference at the North American International Auto Show, but there we were bearing witness to the storied manufacturer’s American return. And amid all the history and beautiful old race cars was the realization that the brand is starting off with a bang thanks to the stunning 4C coupe and now Spider. The Spider shares the same 1.75-liter turbo four with 237 hp sent through a 6-speed dual clutch paddle shifted transmission to the rear wheels. Alfa was proud to announce that the curb weight remains about 2,500 pounds providing a significant savings compared to rivals from Audi, Porsche and BMW. As for pricing, we’d expect a starting point in the mid-$60k range.
Nissan has pulled back the cover on the first major redesign to its full-size Titan pickup truck. Rather than reveal the entire Titan lineup, Nissan focused our attention on a model that is sure to set the truck apart. The Titan XD straddles what Nissan calls the ‘white space’ in the truck market. Nissan observed that there are no V8 diesel pickup trucks in the light duty market; if one wants a V8 diesel they must upgrade to a heavy duty truck such as a Ford Super Duty, Chevrolet Silverado HD, or GMC Sierra HD. Keep in mind both the Ram 1500 3.0-liter diesel and heavy duty 6.7-liter diesel models are b0th six cylinders. To fill that white space, the Titan XD offers a 5.0-liter V8 turbo diesel developed by Cummins. This segment busting diesel provides 310 horsepower and a staggering 555 lb-ft of torque that is transferred through a 6-speed Aisin automatic transmission. All of this innovation is hidden below all-new sheet metal that unfortunately looks alarmingly like a last generation Ford F-150. While Ford has its aluminum bodied F-150, Ram has a range extending V6 diesel and General Motors has the not quite full-size Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, it appears that Nissan may have found a large niche in the truck market with the Titan XD.
Chevrolet followed up the new second-generation Volt with a good look at what kind of full electric vehicle it intends to offer in just a few years. The Bolt Concept is targeting a $30k price (after government subsidies) and a 200-mile range from an all-new GM developed battery pack. The Bolt certainly looks ready to transport a young family around with good space for four and an easy to access hatch for cargo. We’re glad to see the styling isn’t nearly as off-putting as the BMW i cars and we’re glad to see GM hasn’t let soft sales of the first gen Volt slow down its plans for electric development.
Loyal Chevrolet Volt owners have proven a valuable resource to GM Team members tasked with following up the ambitious plug-in hybrid with an all-new 2016 model. From faster acceleration to better charging cord storage, Volt owners led GM toward a more conventional looking sedan inside and out that now features much improved usability. Engineers redesigned every powertrain component for reduced weight and improved efficiency. A larger capacity battery now supplies 50 miles of electric range before firing up the 1.5-liter I4 to keep the juice flowing. With a 200 pound weight loss, Chevy expects 41 mpg when the gas engine is running. Cheap gasoline won’t be around forever, and when it’s gone you might find yourself liking what the new Volt offers.
With the industry’s best sales year since 2006 in the books, we are expecting a party when the doors open on the 2015 NAIAS. And if there’s one thing that will bring the Automotive Trends team together, it’s a party with free food and drink. But this year’s Detroit Auto Show promises much more than just cheap champagne thanks to a heavy focus on performance. We have heard rumblings of a reborn Ford GT supercar, a even hotter Shelby GT350 Mustang, a Cadillac CTS-V with just 10 less horsepower than the new Z06 Corvette and, at long last, a production Acura NSX. Bold styling will also vie for the spotlight with concepts like the Buick Avenir and Infiniti Q60 gracing show stands. To bring it all to you we’ve packed up the office, bought out the Costco candy aisle and stocked the hotel mini fridge in an attempt to bring you all the video highlights from the Motor City in the days ahead. You can also follow us on Twitter @automotvtrnds for news as it’s happening.
You might be getting tired of reading about the Mazda3’s greatness on these pages, but we’ll never tire of proclaiming it so long as Mazda keeps pushing it to the head of the class. This week’s example is the fully loaded hatchback version with the gutsy 2.5-liter I4. With sweet steering feel, handling that chews up any corner and responsive brakes there really isn’t much left for us to ask Mazda for. That’s especially true now because for 2015 Mazda has listened to the vocal enthusiasts among us who want to do their own shifting with the more powerful 2.5-liter and made the stick the standard transmission with both engines. Better rest up because it sounds like you might be hearing some more about our favorite small car once we get our hands on one of those.
Toyota wants to move the latest Highlander onto more buyers’ radar and they’re doing that by toughening up the style to attract more men and refining the family friendly features to keep it’s female fan base from straying to the competition. We like what they’ve done inside with smart designs like the massive center console, useful full-width dash shelf and teen-friendly second row captain’s chairs. Toyota has given us less to get excited about under the skin with carryover engine and a 6-speed automatic that doesn’t push any envelopes. Do we recommend the total package or suggest a pass? Our latest video review has that answer.
We’re a weird bunch. For many reasons probably, but primarily because the AT staff is part of that slim subgroup of auto enthusiasts who believe the only way to improve on a BMW 3-Series is to extend the roofline and add a liftgate. In other words, we would spec our 3 as a Sport Wagon. So you can imagine how happy we were to have a week with the latest Sport Wagon after first fearing that BMW may stop importing the cargo-friendly version when the latest generation debuted. Yes, we would like the option of a 6-speed manual and rear wheel drive in place of the all-weather capable xDrive setup that BMW wrongly assumes everyone wants, but there’s still plenty to love here as you’ll see in our latest video review.
