The Audi Le Mans Concept car, on display at the 2004 NAIAS, was very appropriately named for that little endurance race that Audi tends to win now and then. The Le Mans plainly signaled what the production R8 sports car would look like, sans show car specific LED headlamps. The structure was composed of an aluminum space frame wrapped in carbon fiber and alumiunm body panels. Powering the concept was a 40-valve twin-turbocharged 5.0L FSI V10 cranking out 602-hp and 533 lb-ft of torque. Channelling the power to all four wheels (quattro) was the six-speed sequential manual gearbox from the Lamborghini Gallardo.
Kia promised that the KCV III, their concept for the 2004 NAIAS, would be as fun to drive as it was to look at. I guess that depends on the driving you intend to, as forward motivation was provided by a 2.0L 4-cylinder putting out 145-hp and 140 lb-ft of torque. Kia then routed that power to the front wheels and set the rear on a torsion beam axle. Not exactly the stuff sports car fantasies are made from. Still, the KCV III made for an interesting design study for Kia. Along with the very curvaceous body it featured an all glass roof comprised of three sections that would stow at a touch of a button, allowing you to enjoy the open air ambiance regardless of the weather.
Once upon a time ago, a healthier Chrysler churned out and brought to the streets concept cars by the droves. One such concept that seemed to be on a surefire track to the assembly line was the ME Four-Twelve. Debuting at the 2004 NAIAS, the ME Four-Twelve sported a 12-cylinder quad-turbo mid-mounted engine good for 850-hp and 850 lb-ft of torque. The body was made of carbon fiber and as a result the car weighed in at just 2880-lbs. Sadly, the ME Four-Twelve was sent to the Walter P. Chrylser museum so as not to compete with its then stable mate, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.
Volkswagen has been teasing us with the idea of a mid-engined roadster for quite awhile now. One such example is the Volkswagen Concept R, shown here on display at the 2004 NAIAS. The R made use of a 3.2L V6 for propulsion and had 261-hp and 240 lb-ft of torque on tap. The seats were fixed in place and for the driver to adjust the seating position he had to actually electrically move the steering wheel, pedals, and instrument cluster “block” back and forth. The seats, though immovable, were filled with an active foam that would adapt to the body contours of the driver and passenger.
The Lincoln Mark X (Mark Ten), debuted at the 2004 NAIAS, was an elegant luxury roadster built off of the Ford Thunderbird platform. It featured a power folding glass roof that would neatly stow in under 30 seconds without infringing upon the 15-cubic feet of leather lined trunk space. Behind that expansive chromed egg-crate grille was a 3.9L aluminum V8 channeling 280-hp and 286 lb-ft of torque through a 5-speed automatic to the rear wheels. Sadly, the Mark X wouldn’t make it past the show circuit and that awful cheese-grater grille found its way onto the 2006 Navigator and the 2007 MKX.
The Honda S2000 is sitting in the spotlight at the 2004 NAIAS.
Journalists look on as the Saturn Curve is moved from its stage debut to its show display stand at the 2004 NAIAS.
The Saab 9-2X combines Swedish quirkiness with Japanese engineering in this Saab / Subaru hybrid of a hatch, seen here on display at the 2004 NAIAS.
Porsche’s Carrera GT supercar is the center of attention at the 2004 NAIAS.
The Subaru B9 Scrambler is oddly appealing with it’s polarized windshield and wide bug-eyed face. This hybrid drive sports car concept was shown off at the 2004 NAIAS.
