If the recent Los Angeles Auto Show was the first truly "green" exhibition in the US, then this week's Detroit Auto Show remains, as it always has been, a throwback to a time when gas was under 50 cents a gallon and the only question about engine size was "How big?"
(Photo - Cadillac's hydrogen-fueled fuel cell EV 'Provoq' concept).
Cobo Hall is once again redolent of that peculiarly-American fragrance of Aqua Velva and testosterone ... A high-octane combination which kept Detroit quite literally on top of the world for the past 100 years. But Chrysler is now a privately-owned company, coming off a horrible mixed marriage, one we now know was built on lies and which never seemed would work; General Motors trots out a 600-horsepower Corvette ZR1 and now can't decide if the high-mileage Chevy Volt, intro'd here last year to great fanfare, will ever be built; and Ford must keep on a happy face, while the president of Toyota, making his first trip to Detroit since rising to Japan's top corporate spot in 2005, accepts Ford's perennial title of "World's #2 Carmaker."
Known, too, as the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), the frozen hallways and exhibition spaces of downtown's Cobo Hall have been opened once more to greet the world, give the domestic car-makers a place to unashamedly pound their chests and welcome industry executives and motoring journalists from around the world ... including Toyota's Katsuaki Watanabe.
Toyota bypassed Ford in 2007 to become the second-biggest car-maker in the world, and is expected to replace General Motors as #1 by Detroit show time next year, displayed a new crossover to be built in the USA called Venza, but also gave Westerners a rare and unexpected look inside how Japanese executives communicate the needs of their company to their employees. (Photo - Katsuaki Watanabe, president of Toyota, speaking in Detroit). Reminder: Click on any photo to view it in large format.
Speaking through an interpreter and gesturing with his hands and arms more than the usually staid "Japan Inc" executive might on his home turf, Watanabe, at an open press conference, not only scolded those in Toyota who have blamed suppliers on recent quality problems which have resulted in unprecedented numbers of Toyota and Lexus vehicles being recalled, but also asked everyone in Toyota to take personal responsibility for quality and, thus, the future of the company. High quality equaling high sales equaling a company which won't have to lay-off employees is a proven philosophy which has brought Toyota, since its 1957 American introduction through a single dealership in North Hollywood, California, to being in contention for replacing GM as the world's dominant vehicle-maker. Not bad for a 50-year corporate history.
Let's start with a look at the 2009 Toyota Venza. Toyota is calling Venza a "crossover sedan."
The press material tells us that "all aspects of Venza’s engineering and design were targeted specifically for the North American market where it will be sold exclusively. Venza was engineered at Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., and designed at Toyota’s Calty design studios in Newport Beach, Calif. and Ann Arbor, Mich. Venza will be assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK), in Georgetown, Ky. The development focus of the Venza design team was to create a new crossover vehicle that shifted away from the more traditional SUV styling themes that tend to dominate the segment."
The Venza will go into production later this year as a 2009 model and will initially be offered with a 3.5-liter V-6 engine mated to a six-speed automatic with sequential shift and will produce 268 horsepower and 246 pound-feet of torque. A four-cylinder model will go on sale shortly after the launch of the V6; Camry offers a similar mix of V6 and I4 engines, and the 4-cylinder engines outsell the more-expensive V6 models by almost two-to-one. Sporty and popular twenty-inch wheels come standard with the V6, while nineteens will be offered on four-cylinder Venzas. No word yet on whether all-wheel drive will be available; clearly Subaru Outback and Forester buyers are targets for the Venza. Pricing should start near $20,000.
Cadillac, as always, was a big-hitter at Detroit, with their Provoq concept (pictured above) and a two-door take-off on their very successful and Motor Trend "Car of the Year"-winning CTS, the CTS Coupe Concept. The GM division is hitting big notes with their CTS, and a natural outgrowth of the sedan style is the coupe, and Caddy seemed to hit as many home runs with this concept as they have in the last year with the sedan version of their CTS. Although based on the sedan, the CTS Coupe shares only the instrument panel, console, headlamps, front fenders and grille with the production model. 
Cadillac media material says: "The CTS Coupe, of course, ascertains the sedan’s 3.6L V-6 engines, including the 304-horsepower Direct Injection power plant. The Coupe Concept also is designed for a new 2.9L turbo-diesel being developed for international markets. This new engine, tailored for use in the CTS, will deliver an estimated 250 horsepower and 406 lb.-ft. of torque. A six-speed manual transmission backs the engine, sending torque to an independently sprung rear axle. The CTS Coupe’s sport-tuned suspension gives it a slightly lower ride height than a production CTS – a look enhanced by the car’s rakish shape and large, 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels."
Cadillac has put much effort into the car's interior, and the press material says: "Custom-trimmed sport seats from Recaro are located in all four positions. They support the grand-touring nature of the car and are covered in rich, black and suede-like microfiber material, with yellow ochre-colored inserts. The yellow ochre color provides dramatic contrast with the black surrounding trim, but is a subdued hue consistent with the interior’s overall feeling of refinement. Yellow ochre stitching also is used throughout, including the seats, instrument panel, shifter knob and more." (Photos Below: From top, Ford's 2009 F-series, Dodge's 2009 Ram, Chevrolet's Silverado).
Ford, Chevy/GMC and Dodge still fight the traditional battle of the "Big Three"; Toyota's Tundra has not
made, at least yet, the major inroad into traditional American pickup sales which that company had hoped. They are building the Tundra in Texas, but for a long time it's been said that, "the Suburban is the national truck of Texas", so Toyota still has a great ways to go in developing the entire package, price a big part of that, which Americans want.
American truck-buyers take very seriously their purchases, and while Toyota is being given a long look by some of those buyers, not many of them are ready to buy their full-size pickup from that company yet; Nissan, with their Titan model never having racked-up enough sales to be more than a blip on the sales chart, is still trying to find the secret to making an appealing pickup for American buyers.
This particular battle is still one among the traditional Big Three, really the last battle of this kind left. And all the manufacturers love pickup trucks; they are relatively inexpensive and simple to build when compared to sedans and coupes, and all-new models don't have to be developed for as much as seven years or sometimes even more, as opposed to cars, whose buyers demand new models every three or four years, five at the most.
Dodge had been able to offer their Ram truck buyers as much as $6,000 off the sticker price in various ways, and Ford "gives up" up to $4,000 per truck. Ford announced at Detroit that no V6 engines would be available in their F-series trucks beginning with the 2009 model year, it's going to be V8s only; nothing that extreme, so far, from Chevy/GMC or Dodge. Chevy will have that interesting 'dual mode hybrid' Silverado available late in this model year.
Saturn made some news at the NAIAS by displaying a plug-in hybrid version of their Vue "green line". Here's what the press material said: "Saturn announced today at the North American International Auto Show that production may begin as soon as 2010 on a plug-in hybrid electric version of the Saturn Vue Green Line, expected to be the first regular production plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Depending on a consumer’s drive cycle, the Vue plug-in hybrid will be the most fuel-efficient vehicle offered by a major automaker."
The press material continued: "
This Vue Green Line will use a modified version of GM’s two-mode hybrid system and plug-in technology, a lithium-ion battery pack, highly efficient electronics and powerful electric motors to achieve significant increases in fuel economy. When the lithium-ion batteries are fully charged, the Vue plug-in hybrid will potentially double the fuel efficiency of any current SUV. After electric-only propulsion depletes the lithium-ion energy storage system to a specified level, the battery is replenished by utilizing the two-mode hybrid system’s electric motors and regenerative brake systems."
See, that's the problem with GM at this auto show. The Volt, introduced at this very show last year and trucked around the country like a rock star, featured in a large amount of GM corporate advertising, print and electronic, and of course seen in what seemed like every Chevy ad, was treated like the bastard son at this year's Detroit outing. GM's fuel-saving emphasis was on ethanol in Detroit, and just a few days before the show, in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show, GM CEO Rick Wagoner said the Volt's technology was "a stretch". GM reps have been talking a lot about how the Volt won't make sense until battery technology makes some great leaps; that hasn't been a secret to anyone, why GM has been toting the Volt for a year only to downgrade it, publicly, is the mystery. Especially when this Saturn Vue uses much of the same technologies.
The Detroit show, as Frankfurt is for European car-makers and Tokyo is for Asian manufacturers, is the traditional place for the Big Three to let themselves go crazy with their wildest, craziest concepts. Things have toned-down a little in the past few years, since it's been apparent that there is not an infinite amount of oil, and especially since it's become apparent that Americans are going to die on a regular basis as long as we need that oil.
But we really like this 2008 Chrysler ecoVoyager concept! There was a car built in the '30s, in very small numbers, called the Stout Scarab. Stout Engineering was the name of the Detroit-based outfit which made them, and today, many car experts (including this one) consider it the first minivan. I've driven in one, and it was simply so far ahead of its time that people didn't know what to make of them in the 1930s. That is, until Chrysler built a larger one and called it a "minivan".
(Photo - Stout Scarab on display in the Owls Head Transportation Museum, Owls Head, Maine).
Here's what the press material says about this beauty: "Featuring crisscrossing forms defined by hard lines with fluid intersections, the style vocabulary of the ecoVoyager embodies Chrysler’s harmonization of functional technology with beautifully-styled exteriors and interiors. The Chrysler ecoVoyager concept was developed for customers wanting a travel experience on par with a private jet, but without a lot of fancy gadgetry. These customers seek three critical attributes: elegance, simplicity and serenity." (Photo - Chrysler ecoVoyager concept; compare it to the Stout Scarab pictured above!).
The material continues: "The all-new Chrysler ecoVoyager’s wheels are driven by an electric motor, with power primarily supplied by a lithium-ion battery pack capable of satisfying a consumer’s typical daily commute of less than 40 miles. The electric motor develops 200 kilowatts (268 horsepower), enabling acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in less than eight seconds. A regenerative braking system captures energy that would normally be lost and returns it to the battery, making the Chrysler ecoVoyager concept a very efficient and spacious vehicle."
There's more from Chrysler: "The ecoVoyager takes advantage of a range extender – in this case, a small, advanced hydrogen fuel cell -- to extend the vehicle range for occasional long trips. With this advanced technology, the Chrysler ecoVoyager’s total range is greater than 300 miles, while no emissions—besides water vapor—come from the tailpipe along the way. With the entire propulsion system located below the ecoVoyager’s floor, space is maximized for utility of passenger and cargo." (Photo - Chrysler ecoVoyager concept).
Chrysler recently honored the seven engineers who responsible for Stow ‘N Go seating with a first place for 
the 2005 Walter P. Chrysler Technology Award. As far as we're concerned, they could have also given them the Nobel Prize and one of those "Freedom" awards President Bush gives his buddies as soon as they have to quit, but before they're actually indicted. Stow 'N Go seating makes us anxious for the next minivan breakthrough ... What will they think of next? After all these years, since they invented the minivan (mostly because Lee Iaccoca took the engineer who had the idea with him when he was fired from Ford), they've some up with great stuff almost every year. They still are #1 in the segment and still have the best product in class.
Next up, Honda's 2009 Pilot. They call it a "prototype", which means it is beyond the "concept" stage and will probably look about 90% like this early version, jazzed-up in various ways with styling cues which probably make it look better than it really does (they always do that, and a pox on them if they didn't!). All of these "boxy" cars/trucks/crossovers look nearly the same from a distance (which explains the more aggressive front end on this Pilot, so people will know what it is when it comes down their street). The Scion xB is in the same league, and if you think boxy is hip, wait until you see the Nissan Cube. Take it from us: The name is very appropriate.
Here's what Honda's press material says: "The prototype conveys design features of the more boldly-styled 2009 Pilot, set to debut in spring 2008, which emphasizes authentic SUV styling, clever and more accommodating interior packaging and advanced technologies for safety, fuel efficiency and convenience. Functional eight-passenger seating, a hallmark of the Pilot, becomes even easier to access in the third row as key dimensions for legroom, cargo and occupant space increase in all seating positions. A redesigned platform allows even more refined handling and ride comfort to exist seamlessly with all-weather and medium-duty off-road capabilities."
Honda goes on to state: "A crossover SUV platform underpins the Pilot to provide the best of the car and
truck worlds by integrating the refined traits and packaging advantages of a unit body car design with the utility and capability of an SUV design. A V-6 engine introduces the latest generation of Honda fuel-saving Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM®) technology that operates in 6-cylinder mode for power and 4- and 3-cylinder modes for efficiency, an improvement compared to the existing Pilot's available VCM system that works exclusively in 6- and 3-cylinder modes."
What's great about almost all of these vehicles aimed at younger buyers and drivers is that they come packed with concern for safety. Many of us came of age in a time when buying the least-expensive model from any car-maker meant you didn't get the power and certainly not the same safety considerations which their bigger, pricier vehicles came with; in effect, buying the cheaper car or truck meant you got "punished" for doing so. Today, it's easier to count the number of cars and trucks which don't have advanced safety devices than the ones which do.
Audi did something surprising and very, very clever at the show. In order to promote their powerful turbo-
diesel engines, which they've been using in race cars to win the "24 Hours of LeMans" the past two years, they decided to display a diesel powerplant not in their Q7 CUV, but in their all-new and very, very hot R8 sports coupe. This car looks fast standing still; making this statement with their V12 turbo-diesel was a great idea and will get Audi and their diesel engines, which are going to be the next step in achieving better mileage and lower emissions in the US (as they already are in Europe), all sorts of good publicity.
Here's how Audi's PR folks put it: "Audi is presenting a revolution in the top class at the North American International Auto Show 2008 – the first 12-cylinder diesel engine in a high-performance road going sports car. The V12 TDI with a displacement of six liters powers a concept car based on the Audi R8. This unit generates a huge 500 hp and 1,000 Newton-meters (737.56 lb-ft) of torque. Audi is writing a new chapter in diesel technology with this power unit. Equipped with the expertise that Audi has built up through its motor sport activities, the R8 V12 TDI in mat "Grace Silver" embodies superb road handling, pioneering technology and fascinating design."
Audi continues: "The V12 TDI is closely related to the engine in the Audi R10, the two-time LeMans winner, so it catapults the Audi R8 into supercar terrain concerning performance too. It sprints from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 4.2 seconds and its top speed is well over 300 km/h (186.41 mph). The peak torque, reached at only 1,750 rpm, paves the way for effortless acceleration that is unrivaled even at this level."
No word on price, but the V12 TDI may not actually see the light of day as an actual box to check off on your R8 order form.
Lexus showed a roadster version of their somewhat time-worn LF-A sports car concept (their answer to Acura's NSX, something we've been hearing for several years from this Toyota division).
Here's the word from Lexus PR on this good-looking drop-top: "The LF-A Roadster is based on the sturdy yet lightweight carbon-fibre and aluminum body used for the LF-A coupe, which helps maintain the structure's strength and rigidity even without a top. Like its coupe counterpart, the LF-A Roadster is powered by a high-revving V10 engine that approaches 5.0 liters in displacement. The V10, capable of more than 500 horsepower and test-track speeds greater than 200 mph, is mounted in front of the passenger compartment but behind the front-axle centreline in what the LF-A's engineers refer to as a "front-mid" configuration."
But when can we buy one? When can we at least test-drive a prototype? No word on any of that, as yet.
What we do know about Toyota, and, really, all Japanese companies, is they take what seems to us a very long time to make any decisions, but once they do, they stick with it and will do whatever is necessary to make the project a success. We're just getting a little tired of waiting for them to make this car a reality.
Jeep always has one or two outrageous concepts for the major auto shows, and this year's Detroit extravaganza was treated to a Jeep concept, yes, but more important than the exterior, which we'll never see on anything outside of a dune buggy or golf cart, is the engine in the "Renegade".
Chrysler is using their Jeep division as a good excuse to show-off one of their Bluetec diesel engines. Bluetec, developed in Europe by Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and others, when Chrysler was still part of Daimler, will find a home in some Chrysler products. Jeep is a good choice for a diesel because the huge amounts of torque which are developed by diesels are perfect for low-speed activities like rock crawling, fording streams, etc. What's interesting is that Jeep is using a small Bluetec diesel for exactly the same work which Chevrolet said they were planning on using a small gasoline engine for in the Volt --- To essentially serve as a battery charger. You know, for stuff where "only a Jeep will do". Wasn't that one of their slogans in some past year?
Here's what Jeep PR says: "The advanced propulsion system in the Jeep Renegade concept starts with a 40-mile lithium-ion battery pack. A range extender – in Renegade’s case, a small-displacement (1.5-liter, 3-cylinder) BLUETEC diesel engine – allows for journeys beyond 40 miles. In fact, the Jeep Renegade concept boasts a 400-mile range. Renegade’s BLUETEC diesel engine generates an additional 115 horsepower when needed, while greatly reducing exhaust emissions when compared to standard gasoline engines. Renegade is capable of achieving an equivalent petroleum fuel economy of 110 miles per gallon, which is four-to-five times greater than an equivalent gasoline-only vehicle."
That's all well and good, but aren't the folks at Chrysler running into the same problems bedeviling the Chevrolet people? That being the problem with those lithium-ion batteries not being able to hold a charge for long periods, not able to be recharged quickly and more?
Jeep goes on to say this: "The all-new Jeep Renegade concept’s lightweight aluminum architecture and regen-braking system help to improve overall efficiency, while dual electric 200 kilowatt (268 horsepower) motors propel a very capable 4×4 system – complete with low range and locking differentials — worthy of carrying the Jeep name." Well, we shall see, won't we?
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