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Concept Cars are the Stars at the NAIAS
By Mike Williams
Once a year, the automotive industry gathers in Detroit for the North American International Auto Show. Judging by the vast sums of money that the manufacturers spend at this show launching their new offerings to the public, it is obvious how important the event is. As in recent years, Concept cars once again stole the spotlight with sensational designs from Chrysler, GM, Ford, and Nissan capturing the hearts of showgoers and igniting passion in nearly all who cast their eyes on this automotive bacchanalia. Retro was definitely the underlying theme with the most popular Concept Vehicles and again Chrysler proved that they are the masters of retro design.
Most captivating was the Dodge Charger, spun from the infamous ‘69 Charger. The four door Charger is a dead ringer for the beautiful ‘69 fastback Coupe. Another little twist is the Charger’s 4.7 litre V8 that runs on natural gas but still lays down a whopping 325 horses on the pavement.
Another show stopper was the Dodge Power Wagon. Now this is a truck! This monster truck was penned with influences from both the original ‘46 Power Wagon and today’s Dodge Ram.
Big marks also go to Chrysler for the soon to be produced Pronto Cruiser, a late 30’s style sedan and the Citadel, a hybrid between a luxury-sport sedan and an SUV.
While Chrysler uses Concept Cars to gauge public reaction to potential candidates for production, GM typically uses Concept Cars to showcase new features or styling ideas. The result is usually a car that has no chance of seeing an assembly line for good reason. Typically they are either too ugly or too radical. While this tradition was carried on at Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac followed Chrysler’s lead.
First, the designers at Chevrolet reached back into their past and gave resurrection to the Nomad. This gorgeous 2-door station wagon is an evolution of the very chic 55-57 Chevy Nomads that put the family hauler into a whole new perspective.
More importantly though was Cadillac’s Evoq, a two seater roadster featuring a retractable hardtop. This masterpiece from the General may just see production in the very near future. Based on the Corvette C5 platform, the Evoq could be economically produced in small numbers. Insiders tell us that this is just the tip of the iceberg as Cadillac repositions itself in the market to capture affluent buyers in a changing demographic.
One of the most popular Concept Cars was Ford’s new Thunderbird, which is rumored to be very close to production model that we will see when the 2000 T-Bird makes its debut. The new platform will be a two seater roadster that mimics the fabulous 55-57 T-Birds. The shape, the grill, the hood-scoop and the removable hardtop complete with portholes all scream American Graffiti.
But it was not just the American manufacturers who were boasting of their icons from the past. Nissan’s Z Concept is a sexy reincarnation of the original 240Z. Like the T-Bird, the Z Concept is rumored to be nearing production and will likely house a 2.4 litre DOHC four cylinder engine that will be tuned to the order of 200 hp.
Look Who’s Talking
Last Year at this time a merger between Chrysler and Daimler-Benz was not even contemplated by the most insightful analysts. But happen it did and the new Daimler-Chrysler had the opportunity to flex its muscles at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this past January. Before the month had passed, Ford had announced its planned takeover of Volvo. The rumors were flying in Detroit with all kinds of speculation surrounding who is going to merge with who. One thing however is very clear. There is a global consolidation of the auto industry underway and if history is any indicator, only the strong will survive. One sitting duck is Nissan who is rumored to have been having discussions with a number of prospective partners. Sagging sales and a product line that lacks clear identity is bringing the once mighty Nissan to its knees. The new Frontier and XTerra SUV should help but this medicine will probably be too little too late. My guess would be a Volkswagen/Nissan merger but then again, I have not exactly been able to retire on the laurels of my stock market savvy.
Feature Model - Porsche 911 Carrera
Where do you begin when trying to describe the feeling behind the wheel of a Porsche 911? It is one of those rare moments when it seems that all is right with the world and life just could not get any better. To call me a fan of this automotive icon would be a gross understatement. But count me among those who were skeptical when Porsche announced their latest update of the 911. The last of the air cooled 911s rolled off of the assembly line in 1997 and a new water cooled and thoroughly modern 911 was born. To put the significance of the air cooled Porsche in perspective, avid Porsche collector Jerry Seinfeld’s most prized cars are a pair of 911s: the first and last air cooled 911s to be built.
The new 911 is no less sensational but it is somewhat more conforming than its predecessor. First, the new 3.6 litre Boxer engine is liquid cooled. Porsche worked very hard to ensure that the signature feel and sound of the 911 was maintained. This presented some significant challenges to the engineering team however their efforts are much appreciated by al of us Porsche groupies. They have done a wonderful job. Just turning the key and bringing the 296 horses to life is an adrenaline rush. The throttle responds and the car roars to 100 km/hr in a tad over 5 seconds.
The fully independent suspension and rack and pinion steering are as near to perfection as can be providing active communication with the road. Body roll is virtually undetectable no matter how hard you push through a corner. Carefully planned weight distribution and traction control help to keep the car perfectly composed. Those who have ever experienced the rear end of a 911 kicking out in a corner will appreciate the 911’s new found stability.
Styling is somewhat shared with the Boxster. A steeply raked windshield and smoother lines clearly distinguish the new 911 from cars of the past 35 years. It does however successfully retain its classic and timeless beauty.
Inside, the 911 has evolved with softer shapes and a more technical look similar in vein to the Boxster. While I like the new interior, I miss the more barbaric look and feel of the older models. It just seems that the car has lost a little of its edge and attitude.
While many of us will miss the beloved air cooled cars, the new 911 remains an outstanding piece of machinery. But this was an evolution that had to happen. For my imaginary $100K, it is still the car that I would put in my garage. Any issue that I may have with the new 911 has nothing to do with the car itself. It is just that you never forget the one you first fall in love with.
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