Steve Purdy's Motown Motor Show Review Plus His Best and Worst Awards

DETROIT AUTO SHOW 2006
A Motown Motor Show Review

By Steve Purdy
Detroit Bureau of TheAutoChannel

Optimism pushed to the fore through all the dismal news about troubles in the US auto industry at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week. The NAIAS is one of the most important motor shows in the world and is covered by nearly 7,000 media types from around the globe. Dozens and dozens of fresh new production, concept and design exercise cars and light trucks are revealed at the more than 40 press conferences that keep the press busy for three full days before the show opens to the public in mid January.

We saw optimism manifested at Chevrolet’s stunning introduction of the concept Camaro. It was like being in the center of an electrical storm as the Saginaw High School marching band’s percussion section rumbled down ‘Chevrolet Main Street’ followed by 4 classic ’69 Camaros, two of which were burning racing fuel, wafting that wonderful aroma over the pressing crowd. Then came the star of the show, the aggressively styled reinterpretation of the much-loved Camaro, with GM’s alpha car guy Bob Lutz at the wheel. Some grousing ensued from purists and skeptics but after a few days of exposure it became apparent that it could be an iconic - and therefore somewhat controversial - design.

The mood at Chrysler was upbeat as well as they presented nearly production ready concepts like Chrysler’s full-size sport-utility called Aspen (I sure hope no one associates it with the old Dodge Aspen), Dodge Caliber (Neon replacement) and front-wheel-drive Jeep Compass (first Jeep not designed for off-road use). A couple of wild concepts punctuated the Chrysler presentations, a tank-like Chrysler Imperial luxury sedan and the retro Dodge Challenger. Over-the-top entertainment, including the new Jeep Wrangler crashing through a 30-foot wall of lattice and vines, then through a plate glass window and a blizzard of tissue paper leading the Aspen reveal, show that Jason Vines, VP of communications, still has the touch.

Ford always uses Cobo Arena, with flashing lights, booming music and pyrotechnics to introduce concepts and future products. We saw no diminution in Ford’s efforts as they introduced three versions of the crossover SUV based on the acclaimed Fusion architecture as well as a concept Lincoln called MK-S slated to become the next full-size Lincoln. Purely a fun concept, the huge F-250 Super Chief truck with V-10 power reminded this reporter of the big yellow Tonka Truck on the Ford stand a few years ago. The legendary Carroll Shelby was there to present the Shelby 500 Mustang. Touting Ford’s dedication to environmental responsibility the likeable Billy Ford talked about leadership in ethanol burning vehicles and hybrid technology as his team introduced a sweet and stubby silver sports car, called Reflex, with diesel hybrid power making zero to 60 mph in less than seven seconds. Young Mr. Ford boldly stated his company’s goal to “retake the American marketplace.”

Toyota and Lexus continued raising the bar for everyone in several segments introducing the Yaris, their newest entry in the little car, or entry level category, two weeks ago at the Los Angeles show. Here in Detroit Toyota presented the soon-to-be-released sixth generation Camry and Camry Hybrid as well as a new large luxury sedan, the Lexus LS460L concept, featuring heated, cooled, reclining rear seats, a body temperature sensor and a self-parking ability. More technology and outside-the-box thinking characterized the Toyota F3R minivan concept featuring seating like an ‘L’-shaped couch on the back and side, reclining and swiveling driver and passenger seats and a very Japanese fascia, attractive but almost cartoonesque, that may be a hint of future Sienna styling.

Across from the Toyota stand are the exotics. Ferrari’s new FXX gives

a hint of the next generation super car and won the “Excellence in Functionality” award from the respected Eyes On Design judges. Maserati premiered an “Executive” version of the sexy Quattroporte (four-place) sport sedan and Rolls Royce added 6 inches to the already huge car. Lamborghini knocked my socks off with a reincarnated Miura, one of the most beautiful sports cars of all time.

The Germans, clustered at the south end of Cobo Center, all had fresh and expensive new production products as well as a few concepts. Most notable was Mercedes first-ever full-size sport-utility on a stretched ML platform, meaning unibody rather than body-on-frame like most full-sizers. At BMW I was drawn by the high-performance display section featuring a proposal for a Z-4 M coupe. BMW’s MINI brand trotted out a little sport wagon

loosely based on the popular Austin Mini Traveller of the 1960s. Volkswagen’s Eos is a graceful hard-top/convertible with smooth but complex mechanism, based on Passat, powered by one of the best power trains around these days, the 2-litre turbo with 200 horsepower mated to the lightning quick 6-peed Tiptronic transmission.

The Asians, nearly all of whom have been posting substantial gains in the US market for the past 10 years, continue to press ahead relentlessly. Nissan and Honda introduced new entry-level cars to slot under their predecessors. Called Verge and Fit respectively they push in under the Sentry and Civic, which get a little bigger with each redesign. The Nissan Urge concept sports car, meant to provide the ambiance of a motorcycle, was honored as “Most Fun” by the students at the prestigious Center

For Creative Study. Mazda’s Kabura concept, perhaps a preview of the next generation RX8, won many awards for aesthetics and innovation. I’d just call it “way cool.” Mitsubishi, struggling to survive in the viciously competitive world market, offered a little electric car concept and an Eclipse Spyder. Kia and Hundai are in the hunt with new production cars that continue to under price the competition and still offer the longest warrantee period available. Kia’s Soul concept sports car shows a thrust toward marketing to hip youngsters. Subaru offered the B5 TPH Hybrid with an electric motor between the engine and transmission.

And, the big news of course: the Chinese are coming. Last spring the

notorious Malcolm Bricklin announced plans to bring the Chinese Chery automobile to the US by 2007. We haven’t heard much from Mr. Bricklin lately but now the Geely Automobile folks introduced their little sedan in Detroit and laid out a plan to Americanize, then federalize and begin selling here in 2008. It’s an ambitious plan but there seems little doubt that China will become a major player in the global auto industry and Geely has the distinction of being the first to be shown in Detroit.

SHUNPIKER’S BEST-OF-SHOW AWARDS

Best New Display: Nearly all the 40 or more displays at the

NAIAS are new or substantially freshened. Ford wins my best new display award for the dramatic 360-degree (mostly video screen - 108,000 sq.ft. with 2400 led screens) at the entrance to their new display. Video of products, locations and art stream around steadily while the ceiling and floor continuously change color. After a half dozen passes through and a few stints of standing and watching I didn’t see a repeat. On the other side of the arena Volkswagen had some really exciting off-road rally footage, probably Paris-Dakar. GM’s new display seemed rather incongruous and convoluted but a massive, probably 75-foot-wide video screen across the entire end of their area, glistened with HD quality. I sure hope the video for the public at GM is more than what was playing as the press was hanging around.

Most Significant New Car: Toyota's bread-and-butter

Camry and Camry Hybrid, with which they are poised to take over the number 1 slot for world-wide automobile production. Styled with a tip of the hat to Chris Bangle (often criticized for the bold styling of the BMW’s back side) Camry is thoroughly modern though a bit vanilla - vanilla with sprinkles, Toyota insists. The hybrid version will get 43 mpg in the city.

Best Concept Car: The Chevy Camaro for sure. Though

quite controversial among the media this week, I give it top marks for courage and for content. Iconic design must, by definition, inspire some controversy. With 400 horsepower from a small-block V-8 and independent rear suspension this Camaro will scream. Chevy and GM really need this one and I, for one, love it. Close seconds in the concept car category are the Dodge Challenger and the Mazda Kabura.

Car Company Most On Top Of Its Game: Honda not only

won the prestigious North American Car of the Year and Truck of the Year for Civic and Ridgeline but Honda's respected Odyssey and Ridgeline won their respective categories in the International Car of the Year competition as well. And Civic was a finalist in its class.

Best New Little Car: Dodge is replacing the rapidly

aging Neon with a wonderfully detailed and exciting sporty 5-door called Caliber. Priced below the Neon it looks and feels like way more car. With lots of competition from other fresh entry-level products, this one is my favorite because it has the most personality.

Most Interesting Characters at the Show: David E. Davis, the dean of automotive writers, and Carroll Shelby, racer and car builder, both accepted lifetime achievement awards in front of the assembled journalists of the world. Shelby turned 83-years old on the day of the award and notwithstanding all his replaced parts (third heart, second kidney) he looked great. His best advice, “Always try to be the person your dog thinks you are.”

Best Manufacturer Hospitality: (very important category to

we always-hungry-and-thirsty-journalists) Chrysler, again, for hosting the Fire House, a now legendary gathering place in the temporarily converted fire station across from Cobo Center, where drinks are served by Chrysler execs and tons of money generated for the Detroit Fire Department. Watch Deter and Miss Michigan bumping into each other spilling beer in an effort to serve the hardworking and deserving press.

Most Exciting Press Conference: By far Camaro for

the thrum of a marching band percussion section, the smell of racing fuel and the dramatic lead-up to the presentation of the car. If you could have harnessed the electricity in Cobo during that show you could have lit the city of Detroit for a week.

Most Unexpected Use of Materials: Ford's concept

truck called F-250 Super Chief has polished walnut floors inside the cabin. You’ll notice another trend in wood, that is, that most of the wood trim in upscale automobiles is of a much lighter and grainier wood than in the past.

Best Entertainment: Chrysler for bringing Slava,

an internationally acclaimed troop of clowns, to entertain as well as crashing a Jeep Wrangler through a 30-foot wall of vines then through the front window of Cobo Center.

Car I’d Most Like to Own: That lovely little Volvo

C-30 concept coupe with hints of an early 70s P1800 ES. Powered by a turbo inline-5-cylinder of around 250 horsepower it will be out in Europe this year and perhaps here next year. We can only hope.

Silliest Semantics: Toyota’s cabin air filter called "Plasmacluster Ionizer."

Best New Mechanical Innovation: Just to go BMW one better, Lexus introduced a new 8-speed automatic transmission in the big, luxurious LS 460L. “Why not just go to a CVT,” you ask? Well, what would be the fun in that?

Most Anachronistic Car: Still the Mercury Grand Marquiswith more than 3 feet of overhang front and rear.

And . . . drum roll please . . . my award for

Best of Show

is . . .

Camaro!