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From YourSITE.com Events Coverage It’s been a busy 2005 auto show season. We’ve seen some significant debuts along the way, and over all it appears that the ‘05/’06 automotive sales year should prove to be a healthy one.
The Audi stand had nothing we’ve not seen before. We found the whole range of cars now offered or planned for just a few months from now. Of note, several A3s were on display, as was an A6 4.2 S-line, and an S4 sedan with the same Avus-style rims seen on previous versions.
Volkswagen decided not to debut the all-new Passat at NYIAS. When pressed for an official comment regarding its absence, VWoA told us they simply thought it best to not bring the Passat to The Big Apple. It’s likely the thinking was that the new Jetta is still very new, and while many people have at least seen pictures of the car, since it’s only now arriving at the dealers, most people have yet to see the new Jetta in person. Why mitigate momentum with a new Passat that will not be available for months?
Another big NYIAS debut took place at the Mazda booth. The world’s best-selling roadster has been remade. No longer called the Miata, the new MX-5 is a significant redesign and Mazda has a great deal riding on these changes. Compared to the last Miata, the MX-5 is bigger, stiffer, faster, and styled much more aggressively. Drivers over 5’10” now have a fighting chance of fitting comfortably in the cockpit, but the over all Miata mission statement still seems intact. Only time, and a good long test drive, will tell if Mazda has not messed too much with their good thing.
At this year’s Detroit show, Subaru took the wraps off their new 7-passenger SUV, the B9 Tribeca - a big deal, indeed. With a goal towards maintaining that sort of momentum, Subaru chose New York to unveil a freshened and definitely face-lifted Forester. The Forester now sports a more prominent hood with redesigned grille and headlights, and the taillights have been completely redesigned as well. More power for base and turbo models, an increase in ride height, as well as several thoughtful interior refinements are intended to make the little SUV an even bigger seller. In fact, according to Subaru of America’s Mike Whelan, the goal was to “take a great seller and refine it, give it a more modern look.”
Chevrolet has gone SS-crazy. It seems every model now has a Super Sport derivative. In addition to the Detroit show’s Cobalt, Impala, Monte Carlo SS debuts, New York saw additional Malibu (in sedan and Maxx forms) and Trailblazer versions as well. While it’s doubtful the Beach Boys in their prime would write any songs about these current Chevy SS models, it does appear the Bowtie Boys are at least trying to keep up with current trends towards more interesting choices for today’s enthusiast buyers. Still, we have to wonder if a 240-hp Malibu with a 4-speed slushbox is really worthy of the SS moniker…
For New York, Nissan took a home-market 2-door Tiida, added some aggressive body and interior styling, named it the Sport Concept, and came up with a winner. It’s doubtful the wide arches and sills will remain should this car ever see the light of production, but as the Sentra is now officially an afterthought, let’s hope Nissan brings this car to market relatively unmolested. The American driving public, almost as much as Nissan themselves, needs a quirky but cool entry level hatch.
What do you do if you’re a Jeep owner who needs more room (such as 3-row seating) than your Grand Cherokee can offer? Buy a Hummer, a Yukon, Expedition, or, gasp, a minivan? Not so fast… Jeep very much wants to keep you in the family and the new Commander is their best bet to do just that. Unapologetically looking like a large mid-‘80s Cherokee, this big Jeep is not the behemoth it appears. Yes, it has 3-row seating and more cargo space than a Grand Cherokee, but the truth is both vehicles share the same 109.5-inch wheelbase, and the Commander is but 2-inches longer over all. Still, 3-row seating is an important marketing attribute and the Commander offers this without forfeiting the vaunted Jeep Trail Rating. Not one, but two V8s are available, and yes, one of them is a Hemi.
Speaking of Grand Cherokees, Jeep also chose New York to debut yet another Chrysler SRT8 explosion, the grand Cherokee SRT8. With a 415-hp 6.1-liter Hemi, 20-inch wheels and tires, and a 0-60 potential of under five seconds, it’s safe to say this particular Jeep is certainlynot Trail Rated, but it’s doubtful anyone at Jeep is making excuses (or apologies, for that matter) regarding that bit of information.
Another complete redesign debuting at the NYIAS was the Lexus IS series of small sedans. Perhaps it was no coincidence that the new BMW 3 Series was also debuted no more than some 50 or so feet away, as the new IS is aimed even more squarely at the large slice of sports sedan pie currently enjoyed by BMW. Like the new 3 Series, the new IS is longer, wider, roomier, and more powerful than its predecessor, with two new V6 engines providing motivation. The IS250 gets a 200+-hp 2.5-liter, while the top of the line IS 350 is propelled by a 300+-hp 3.5-liter option. Styling is reminiscent of various LF-series Lexus concept cars, but it remains to be seen if perhaps Lexus hasn’t strayed a bit too far from recognizable ties to the first generation IS. Typically, buyers in this segment tend to prefer evolution rather than revolution when it comes to redesigns.
Certainly, there must be some sort of spiraling overrun of Hemi 6.1-liter V8s over at Daimler-Chrysler Corp., as it seems there’s no limit to the number of SRT8 models in the pipeline. Are we complaining? No freaking way. To us, the new 4-door Dodge Charger is not entirely fit to wear the General Lee’s model name, but that 425-hp Hemi would certainly make Bo and Luke happy, even if they would get downright confused trying to figure out which of the new Charger’s four side windows to enter and exit through. A sport-tuned suspension package and 20-inch wheels and tires suggests the SRT8 has what it takes to make good use of all that power, and a set of 14-inch front rotors clamped by 4-piston Brembo calipers are there in case, well, you can’t. Sheriff Roscoe might be wise to spring for the R/T version with its 5.7-liter Hemi and “only” 340-hp.
Reports of Ford’s SVT death have been exaggerated. Proof of life at the hallowed performance division at Ford is the NYIAS introductions of two new Fords in which SVT played a significant role. Most car enthusiasts never bought a Ford F150 Lightning, but it’s safe to say we were all happy just to know that it existed. So when Ford announced there’d be no SVT Lightning version of the redesigned F150, a bunch of those very same enthusiasts shed a tear and openly wondered if Ford’s SVT division was going away. Fear not, ye of little faith, as an even better, more useful SVT truck is now available – the Sport Trac Adrenalin. Powered by a smaller (4.6 vs. 5.4 liters) supercharged V8, the Sport Trac Adrenalin still has 10 more ponies compared to the Lightning – a very healthy 390 – and the new STA goes well beyond the capabilities of even that very capable pick-up truck. The STA has a 6-speed automatic transmission, 4-wheel independent suspension, a full-time all-wheel-drive set-up, room for 4 passengers, and a useful pick-up bed. Little-changed from the Sport Trac Concept shown at this year’s Detroit show, the new 2007 Sport Trac Adrenalin is looking to be more things to even more buyers than the Lightning ever could. Long live SVT…
SVT has joined forces with Carroll Shelby and together they’ve created a hot new Mustang called the GT500. Powered by a supercharged 5.4-liter V8, the GT500 puts out 450-hp – more than any other Mustang in history. Gear selection is via a 6-speed T-56 manual transmission, and braking duties are carried out by a quartet of monster rotors – 14-inches front, 13-inches rear – surrounded by 19-inch wheel and tires all around. SVT tuned the suspension to make good use of all that hardware, and custom bodywork and paint trim exist to let the world know this is no ordinary Mustang. It’s a Shelby through and through. So, is this the new SVT Cobra we’ve all been waiting for? Maybe, but maybe not. We’re guessing there’s an even better performing snake around the corner, and it makes sense when you consider the GT500 has a live axle and is reported to retail for “only” around $35k. We’ve heard some solid rumors that SVT intends at some point to offer a Cobra with IRS, at least 500-hp, and a price tag on the high side of $40k, and why not? The new Mustang is the hottest thing on wheels these days – why shouldn’t Ford milk it for all its worth, especially when that milk is dripping with wholesome V8 horsepower goodness?
Kia debuted the hatchback version of their new Rio, simply named the Rio5. Like its sedan sibling, the new Rio5 has a pleasing, almost European feel to its design, and for an entry-level vehicle (we expect pricing to start in the $12k region), the little Kia is big on style and value. Powered by a 110-hp 1.6-liter engine and paired with a CVVT transmission, the Rio5 makes for an excellent city runabout. Six standard airbags and one of the best warrantees in the business certainly add to its appeal.
Also at the Kia stand was the new Sedona minivan. Substantially larger than before, the Sedona now has a very contemporary, almost stylish look to its exterior, while the interior now boasts a 15% increase in passenger space. A 244-hp 3.8-liter V6 is standard, along with a 5-speed auto trans. 244-hp in a Kia minivan... We’re in one hell of an era these days, are we not?
We asked our British contributor, Hew Evans, what a Flying Spur was. He hadn’t a clue. Intensive research aside, the new big Bentley sedan made its US debut in New York, and though we may not know just what a Flying Spur really is exactly, we can tell you that in automotive form it’s one impressive hunk of steel, aluminum, leather and wood. Technically, it’s called the Continental Flying Spur, and like its coupé sibling, the CFS sports a twin-turbo W12 engine with 552-hp mated to a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system. Almost identical to the Continental GT from the A-pillars forward, the Flying Spur adds seemingly 15 or 20 feet to the wheelbase to provide something not at all available in the coupé – rear seat legroom, and lots of it. Displayed next door to the rather brutal Maybach 57 and 62 super-sedans, the new Big Bentley’s more subtle, pretty and classic approach to styling was emphasized.
Cadillac has made some impressive inroads back into the luxury car market lately, and their momentum doesn’t look to subside any time in the near future. The classic GM luxury division is working wonders not with gimmicks and rebates, but rather with solid technology and edgy, proudly American styling themes. Some good old-fashioned American horsepower doesn’t hurt, either, and the recently introduced V-Series is now almost fully flushed out with the addition of the XLR-V hardtop roadster. Powered by a supercharged 4.4-liter Northstar V8 boasting a hefty 440-hp, the XLR name could well be followed by the number “8” in addition to, and certainly before, the letter “V”. With near 50/50 weight distribution and a Nurburgring-tested suspension and braking configuration, the new XLR-V is designed to take on head-to-head the best the Europeans have to offer. And with an MSRP likely to start around $83k, it can even be seen as something of a bargain.
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