We know that Ford also used its NAIAS spotlight to roll out an all new line of full-size Transit and smaller Transit Connect commercial vans, but believe us, the assembled press was much more excited about the biggest surprise of the show when an early peak at the 2015 F-150 descended from the ceiling of Joe Louis Arena. Called the Atlas Concept, Ford tipped its hand on a few details that could make the next F-150 the pickup to beat. Active wheel shutters, grille shutters and an automatically deploying chin spoiler help improve aerodynamics and a next-generation EcoBoost engine with start-stop technology would return substantial fuel economy improvements over today’s trucks. Unfortunately, no specifics were released about the engine but some other technologies like a 360-degree camera system and LED lighting are sure to make it to production trucks before long. The styling is also an unqualified home run and should allow Ford to steal the truck talk at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. Read more…
Kia unveiled its new large front-wheel drive sedan, called the Cadenza. No, Kia did not name the car after a piece of furniture; that would be a credenza so have no fear of a companion model named the Davenport. Rather, Kia’s newest member of their ever-more-stylish lineup takes a musical theme originally introduced by the small Forte. Now that we’ve gotten the nomenclature out of the way, we can say that this attractive large sedan fills the spot left by the forgettable Amanti sedan that vacated the Kia lineup after 2010. The Cadenza is regarded as Kia’s premium sedan. On sale in other markets since 2009 this updated model debuts in America in the 2nd quarter of 2013 as a 2014 model. As a premium vehicle the Cadenza features standard equipment such as leather seating, dual zone automatic climate control with rear seat ventilation, Smart Key keyless entry, 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat and Bluetooth wireless technology. Available features include a full-length panoramic sunroof with power retractable sunshade, HID headlamps, Nappa leather seats, a memory enabled 12-way ventilated driver’s seat, adaptive cruise control, Blind Spot Detection system and a Lane Departure Warning System. Powered by a 293 hp 3.3-liter V6 with 255 lb-ft of torque mated to a 6 speed automatic, the Cadenza joins a competitive premium sedan segment but doesn’t promise to lead the pack from the stoplight. Regardless, with its successful track record with the Forte and Optima we are eager to get behind the wheel of this stylish sedan and see just how much this car carries on the Kia family heritage. Read more…
The future of Nissan’s crossover lineup should be bright if the Resonance concept is allowed to inspire their styling. We like the profile a lot and when toned down for production the front and rear should make a great next-generation Murano. The interior is also a beautiful exercise with a light and airy design and technology overload. The concept is said to be powered by a hybrid all-wheel drive powertrain with a CVT doing the shifting duties like in many Nissans so it’s probably safe to assume we’ll see a hybrid Murano in the near future. As long as it looks as good as the Resonance we won’t care what powers it. Read more…
Cadillac showed us the Converj concept a couple years back in the anticipation that the luxury brand would find a way to incorporate the extended range electric vehicle capabilities of the Chevrolet Volt into a sporty and luxurious coupe. Cadillac has shown us photos over that time, in both publicity shots as well as deliberate ‘spy’ photos. The 3-letter nomenclature proliferating the Cadillac line (save the Escalade) meant revising the name into ELR. Overall, the proportions of the ELR have changed somewhat from the Converj, but the overall effect is very true to the concept. Rather than referring to the ELR’s extended range powertrain as the Voltec, Cadillac uses the EREV (Extended Range Electric Vehicle) designation. Cadillac claims it is the first full-line luxury automaker to incorporate such technology, using a gas engine generator to recharge the batteries on any drive longer than 35 miles. The 35 miles is about 3 miles shorter than Chevrolet claims with the Volt, likely due to the slightly more aggressive nature of the ELR, which packs an electric drive unit capable of 295 lb-ft of instant torque. Cadillac neglected to announce pricing, but we would expect it to be significantly higher than the Volt’s $39,145 base price before $7,500 federal tax credit.
Because the NSX remains two years away, Acura used the rest of its NAIAS time to show the assembled press the 2014 MDX Prototype that strongly hints at the production version which will get its own debut soon. Like springtime soon. Which means basically everything you see here will be available in showrooms later this year. This prototype did not have an interior so we can’t comment on that but the MDX remains powered by the 3.5-liter V6 but should get a bump in the power ratings. Super Handling All Wheel Drive will be offered but a front wheel drive MDX will now be available for those in warm climates. A longer wheelbase will allow for more second row legroom and improve ride quality. We like the handsome, refined lines of the new look and we’ll be sure to bring you the full report when we drive the production MDX later this year. Read more…
Acura more or less stole the show last year with the debut of the NSX Concept and the news that it would be developed and built right here in America. To keep that excitement alive they used this year’s show to roll out an updated NSX Concept to curious journalists wondering how the road to production is treating the original Japanese supercar. From what we saw, it’s off to a great start. The exterior changes are mild and mostly for aero management and cooling purposes, but the biggest news was the proposed interior in this concept that previews one possible configuration for the production NSX. However, Acura was clear that this is only a proposal and not an approved design, since the production NSX still has two years of development left. Hopefully the wheels don’t reach production since they play some strange optical tricks on the eye. We like our wheels to look round, thank you very much. Read more…
When you put three AT Editors in a hotel suite with enough technology to make the local NBC affiliate jealous it’s a miracle anything gets done. We managed to put down the pizza and peel our eyes from the seven—yes, seven—screens we’re utilizing just long enough to gather our thoughts and discuss the highlights of what we expect to see when the doors of COBO Hall swing open tomorrow. We also put our pride on the line and declared our individual picks for North American Car and Truck of the year, which will be announced before the show kicks off Monday morning. We’ll be up before the sun to bring you the latest from Detroit and we won’t quit until the gelato runs out, so check back Monday evening as our Day 1 coverage goes live.
Quite honestly we’ve been smitten with the Veloster since the very moment Hyundai rolled it out on the floor of the 2011 NAIAS as a concept. To say that there are some pretty big expectations placed on this little hatch / coupe would be an understatement. Let us explain.
The cat’s out of the bag. We like the Nissan Quest. But before the comments flood in saying that we have sold our enthusiast soul to the transportation devil let’s first examine why we like this minivan. It’s good at what it does…period. Would we prefer a station wagon over this hauler of the soccer team? That goes without saying, but when it comes to upright rolling family boxes, the Nissan edges ahead.
We think it’s safe to call this, the 2012 Mini Cooper S Coupe, the sportiest car in Mini’s line up. Compared to the standard Cooper the Coupe has lost a pair of seats and a whole lot of cargo room. But it’s also lost its fun care-free attitude in favor of a hard edged wanna-be track car. And we’re not sure we’re sold on it.
