Ford Motor Company has literally stamped out millions of Explorers since its introduction back in 1990. So as the SUV market fizzles and the crossover market boils what is Ford to do with its perennial hot cake seller when the customer suddenly demands waffles? More than just add a fruit topping, that’s for sure. What you see above in the Explorer America Concept shown at the 2008 NAIAS is a full-fledged, car-derived, high-riding unibody crossover. Come launch time we’ll find one of two EcoBoost (that’s greenie speak for turbocharged and direct-injected) engines under the hood. The base model will get a 2.0L 4-cylinder with about 260-hp and 280 lb-ft of torque on tap. The optional upgrade engine will be the 3.5L V6 already making its rounds in the Flex, Taurus SHO, MKS, and MKT with roughly 340-hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. Next question is whether or not we’ll get a unibody Sport Trac to take on the minivan derived Ridgeline?
The 2007 Saturn Sky was nothing short of brilliant. Not only was this Kappa platform roadster drop jaw gorgeous, the Sky and its Pontiac Solstice twin could carve corners with the best of them. Yet the base vehicle with the 2.4L Ecotec and its automatic gearbox left us wanting. Enter the Redline you see pictured above. Under the hood is a 2.0L turbocharged and direct injected four-cylinder with 260-hp and 260 lb-ft of torque on tap, coupled to a proper manual gearbox feeding the rear wheels. But alas the glory would be short lived as the economic crisis of swapped partial derivatives and the like would force these cars onto the pages of history just as things were getting exciting.
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.
When it comes to easily identified and unique looking cars, there aren’t too many that stand out in a crowd more than the 1997 Plymouth Prowler. There were only 457 of them built that year, all wearing purple metallic paint. Sadly, this factory “hot rod” was all show and no go as it only had a 214-hp 3.5L V6 under the hood paired to a 4-speed automatic. But considering that most Prowlers racked up the bulk of their miles on the car cruise circuit, this is wholly appropriate. We spotted this paticular model at the 2009 Back to the Bricks.
In the winter of 2009 at the NAIAS, Cadillac rolled out the Converj Concept. The Converj is a luxury 2+2 coupe featuring GM’s extended range electric Voltec powertrain. There are 220 lithium-ion cells onboard capable of storing enough energy for 40 miles of travel without using a drop of fuel. More impressive is the 273 lb-ft of torque available instantly, for claiming stoplight superiority, and 120 kW of power. To further lessen dependence on the grid or the pump the Converj utilizes regenerative braking and has a glass roof housing solar panels. But at the end of the day this is still a Cadillac, and as such occupants are treated to an interior trimmed in Winter White suede, Midnight black leather, polished aluminum and wood accents and even a headliner made of silk.
Getting behind the wheel of the 2005 Ford Thunderbird is like stepping into a time machine. Sans the Flux Capacitor. No, settling into the T-bird takes you back to a time when the waitresses at A&W flew on rollerskates to your car. If you are an empty nester this car is the perfect weekend getaway vehicle for you and the misses. You can put the top down and relax as the Thunderbird will serve up a compliant, comfortable ride free of harshness. Under the hood is Ford’s smooth-running 280-hp 3.9L V8, ready to provide a little extra spirit to drive, but mostly just ready to cruise.
Mercedes-Benz took a traditional approach (sort of) with the 2011 E550 Cabriolet, shown here at the 2010 NAIAS, and equipped it with a classic soft top. Creature comfort, however, is still Mercedes’ top priority as the Cabriolet features the AIRCAP and AIRSCARF systems. The AIRCAP utilizes a pop-up net above the windscreen and a draft-stop deployed between the rear seats to cut down on turbulence. With AIRSCARF each seat is equipped with HVAC ducts that gently blow warm air around the occupants neck to compensate for otherwise less-than-ideal ambient conditions during top-down motoring.
The vehicle pictured above is really the Ford Flex cleverly disguised as the Fairlane Concept. Ford showed their new take on people moving at the 2005 NAIAS to much acclaim. The Fairlane feature “French-opening” doors that eased access to the third row, as well as all-LED lighting upfront. But the real story here was how much of the concept Ford was able to deliver to the streets in the form of the Flex. Many of the gimmick features were lost, but the basic shape that inspired so much fanfare carried into production untarnished.
Few automakers know how to dress up an engine bay nowadays. Too many times a gorgeous engine is covered up with flimsy plastic covers to hide the “dirty” engine or muffle noises coming from under the hood. As automotive enthusiasts we appreciate hearing a good engine note from behind the wheel and especially like to be able to show off what is under the hood. Nothing says “I hate the feel of grease under my finger nails” more to fellow car guys than popping open the hood to reveal an acre of black plastic. Note how the 4.2L V8 Audi RS 4 engine pictured above is devoid of such atrocities save for the clever carbon fiber name plate adorning the throttle body.
