Ford had some fun with its Airstream crossover concept, a loungy homage to its shiny namesake RV and the retro-futuristic film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Its electric motor can be charged by wallpower or by a hydrogen fuel cell. Notice the swiveling pod seats and the electronic lava lamp?
The North American International Auto Show in Detroit took over the Cobo Center in downtown Motown. This is the biggest event for every automaker who does business in the United States; whether they are new brands vying for attention, well-established imports, or domestic manufacturers that want to prove they still are relevant.
Who killed the electric car? Not GM. The General waved its eco-friendly standard by unveiling the Chevrolet Volt car concept, which runs exclusively on an electric powertrain that has a 40-city-mile range that can be extended by an onboard 1L, E85-fueled generator that turns on only to charge the batteries. This translates into a mpg of 50 and a range of 640 miles. If your commute is only 40 miles a day, then the car can be recharged by leaving it plugged into wall power for six hours; which means you may never use the fuel in the generator's tank. The downside? The system relies on advanced lithium-ion batteries that require further development to become practical for this application.
Ford gave more details on its Sync in-car digital system powered by Microsoft Auto software. Sync will appear in twelve Ford and Lincoln models beginning this year, including the '08 Ford Focus, Fusion, Five Hundred, Edge, Freestyle, Explorer and Sport Trac; Mercury Milan, Montego and Mountaineer; and Lincoln's MKX and MKZ models. Sync interfaces with cellular phones and portable MP3 players via Bluetooth or USB2.0. It allows voice-activated hands-free cell-phone calls, reads text messages aloud, offers calling features like call waiting and others, supports personal ring tones, stores a phone's address book, enables voice-control of a music player's functions, and more.
Asian makers made a splash with their wares. Toyota unveiled its Tundra CrewMax. Nissan's Bevel crossover concept flexed its smartly chipped edges. And, a Chinese manufacturer, Changfeng, hoping to someday enter the U.S. market, displayed a sample of its SUV and truck offerings.
The hard-to-kill minivan got another facelift with the Dodge Caravan and the Chrysler Town & Country. Jeep showed off its latest off-roader concept, the Trailhawk. Audi offered a refresh of its Q7 SUV with a conceptual version of that vehicle. Mercedes-Benz presented its GL320 CDI fullsized SUV, powered by an impressive 215hp and 398 lb-ft V-6. Porsche's Cayenne SUV got two updated engines: a 290hp and 283 lb-ft V-6, a 385hp and 369 lb-ft V-8, and the same 8-cylinder boosted by a turbo to 500 hp and 516 lb-ft.
For an overview of some of the trucks and SUVs unveiled at the show, read on. - Words and Photos by Mark Halvorsen