In an attempt to convince us it wants to be known for style and performance as much as quality and comfort Lexus rolled out the stunning LF-LC Concept and promptly made a compelling argument. The big coupe looks great from every angle except the front where the gaping grille needs to be toned down a notch or seven. Lexus claims the rear-wheel drive LF-LC utilizes a hybrid powertrain but the real story is inside where the 2+2 cockpit is sumptuously finished in contrasting leathers and wood yet someone manages to neatly integrate two 12.3-inch screens and touch screen controls on the center console and both doors. Read more…
Rather than take the route of its German competitors and stablemates, Audi chose not to unveil a convertible model in chilly Detroit. Rather, Audi unveiled the Q3 Vail crossover. Though Audi has not promised to offer the Q3 in the US market, they promised that it could go on sale in the US as soon as the end of 2013. If such a vehicle were to be sold in the US, it would be powered by a 2.5L inline 5 cylinder engine with 314 hp and 295 ft-lbs of torque. Read more…
In an effort to look concerned about the environment and offer a bit of a discount on their entry offering Continental range, Bentley has developed a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 to motivate the Flying B in place of the 6.0-liter W12 that they’ve used for almost a decade. (Don’t worry, for those wealthy clients who aren’t as concerned with saving polar bears the W12 remains available.) Horsepower comes in at an even 500 while torque maxes at 481 lb-ft. An 8-speed automatic sends power out to all four wheels and all the usual Bentley luxuries remain available. Read more…
Cadillac might have sold the CTS as its 3-Series competitor when it debuted a decade ago but the truth is the CTS has always been a bit too big and heavy to match the stalwart 3-Series punch-for-punch. In an effort to make the fight more interesting Cadillac introduced the ATS that measures within an inch of the Bavarian in every important dimension. The result is a tidy sport sedan with short overhangs and a lot of design details borrowed from the full-size XTS. Read more…
BMW’s big unveiling in 2011 was for the North American debut of a car that many wanted to purchase but that BMW refused to produce in sufficient volume. Rather than taunt the media this year with the 1M coupe as it did last year, BMW chose to show off the newest variation on its mainstay volume seller 3-series. Read more…
Volkswagen used its press conference to tout its first Jetta Hybrid and found a fun way to package an electric car within its latest Beetle with the two-seat E-Bugster Concept. The concept would have a 100 mile range thanks to a nearly 700 pound lithium-ion battery and a 114 horsepower electric motor. Read more…
Germany’s iconic sports car manufacturer chose to unveil the cabriolet edition of its newly released 911 in the most unexpected of venues. The state of Michigan has historically been such a small market for Porsche that they abstained from displaying a single car at the show for a couple of years. Combine that slim sales volume with a city that normally experiences single digit temperatures several months out of the year and the unveiling of a bright red Porsche 911 Cabriolet at Detroit’s Cobo hall is as unexpected as Detroit’s warm weather this week. Read more…
As if the idea of a Smart pickup wasn’t funny enough, the big wigs brought in funnyman John Lovitz to entertain the assembled press and try in vain to convince us that an “urban pickup” from Smart was a sound idea. We can’t even pretend to get on board with this one. Read more…
The SL roadster has been around a long time and the sixth generation that debuted today looks equipped to carry Mercedes’ flagship roadster banner long into the future. For starters the standard engine is now the superb 4.6-liter twin-turbo that produces 429 hp and a gargantuan 516 lb-ft of torque. Tasked with motivating an SL that is now 275 pounds lighter than the outgoing version (hooray!) SL drivers will be rewarded with a 0-60 mph run of only 4.5 seconds. Read more…
Having just celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011, Chevrolet is keen on establishing its predominance with the ever important young car buyer. There was much talk about how the car has a diminished importance in the eyes of the under-30 crowd due to their ability to interact from their own homes through social networking sites and smartphones. In order to adapt and attract that younger generation, Chevrolet introduced one production model and two concepts. Read more…
