In many ways, the Chicago Auto Show is one of the best out there. McCormick Place is a great venue, and lots more space than Cobo Hall, home of the Detroit Show. It takes a back seat to Detroit, though, because Detroit gets so many debuts. Production and concept introductions bring in the press, and the press bring attention. Chicago has many debuts this year, and if you’re in Chicago, you’ll be sure to check out these important must-see vehicles.

2011 Chevy Silverado HD - it looks pretty much the same, but nobody buys a heavy-duty pickup for fashion. The Duramax 6.6L Diesel engine is new, with improved towing capacity of 20,000 pounds for the Duramax Diesel and a top payload of 6,335 pounds for Vortec V8-fitted trucks. Curiously, Chevy introduced a new pickup that looks the same, but gave no specs on horsepower and torque. Those figures are expected sometime later. So why introduce it now at all?

2011 Ford Edge - substantially revised looks (with a gigantic grille) go with a new powertrain lineup. The existing 3.5L V6 gets a 20 HP bump, and now you can also get a 3.7L version with over 300 HP and the 2011 Edge will be the first application of the 2.0L Ecoboost engine with TBD power ratings. I guess Ford took a cue from Chevy on that one. The Edge also will be the debut of the MyFord Touch system, which we reported on for the Detroit show.

Transit Connect Electric - Ford is showing an all-electric version of the delivery van that won North American Truck of the Year. It has a top speed of 70 MPH and a range of 80 miles.

2011 Hyundai Azera - gets a new look and more power and better fuel economy from both the 3.3L V6 and the 3.8L V6. Goes on sale this spring.

2011 Toyota Avalon -  Toyota aimed to divert attention from all of its troubles by showing off the Avalon, but the media insisted on asking about the quality troubles instead. The look is updated inside and out, but I doubt most will notice. The powertrain is also carryover, but fuel economy is improved by 1 MPG.

Honda Odyssey “Concept” - This is officially a concept, but is likely to look very much like the next-gen minivan, which is expected this fall as a 2011 model. Honda expects fuel economy of 19/28, which would make it the most efficient in the segment, better even than the 2.7L 4-banger that will be available on the 2011 Toyota Sienna, introduced at the LA Auto Show in December.

Kia Ray Concept - this is a plug-in based on the Kia Forte Coupe. It has a 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a 78-kilowatt electric motor. Kia says it has a range of more than 50 miles on the electric motor alone. The Ray has a range of 746 miles including the gasoline engine.

Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary - for the 40th anniversary of the Z car, Nissan has outfitted it with some special equipment, including special wheels with red brake calipers and 40th-anniversary badges. On the inside, it has red leather seats with 40th Anniversary logos, and red stitching for the steering wheel, center stack and shift boot. You get a 40th Anniversary plaque and a commemorative 40th Anniversary satin car cover. On sale at the end of February for a base price of $38,860. The edition run is limited to 1,000 cars.

Ford swept the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards announced today at the opening of preview week of the North American International Auto Show. The Ford Fusion Hybrid beat out the Buick Lacrosse and Volkswagen GTI for the car award, while the Ford Transit Connect beat the Chevrolet Equinox and Subaru Outback on the truck side.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid ups the ante on fuel economy in the midsize segment, achieving 41 MPG in the city, according to the EPA.  The entire Fusion line also benefitted from an extensive mid-cycle makeover this year, which also is helping sales.

The Transit Connect is a small delivery van that Ford is importing from Europe, at least for now.  This type of van sells very well overseas, and Ford is betting that North American customers will also see the benefit of a small, fuel-efficient van for businesses like floral delivery and plumbers.

This is only the third time in 17 years that these awards have been swept by a single manufacturer, and is further evidence that Ford’s product makeover is gaining traction.

That’s what I think - how about you?  Please leave your comments below.

In a move that surprises nobody, Cadillac announced today that it will introduce the production version of the new CTS-V coupe at this month’s North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Obviously, the CTS-V coupe is the combination of the CTS coupe that Cadillac has show previously with the 556HP supercharged V8 motor from the CTS-V sedan.  It also includes Magnetic Ride Control, racing-bred Brembo brakes and an available automatic transmission with paddle-shift control.

The CTS-V Coupe employs the LSA 6.2L supercharged V-8 engine also found on the CTS-VSport Sedan. Rated at 556 horsepower (415 kW) and 551 lb.-ft. of torque (747 Nm), it is the most powerful engine offered in Cadillac’s history and propels the CTS-V Coupe from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds.

A pair of six-speed transmissions is offered in the CTS-V Coupe: a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual with a dual-disc clutch and a Hydra-Matic 6L90 six-speed automatic with paddle-shift control. Performance Algorithm Shifting is part of the auto’s programming and provides a performance-oriented shift pattern during sustained high-performance driving. As with other Cadillac models, the driver needs only to slide the shifter into the manual “gate” to put the transmission into that more aggressive mode.  As I have told you in previous stories, this car should only be ordered with the manual.  Why?  Because it has 3 pedals on the floor - as God intended.  The auto is only offered because some of you can’t/won’t drive a manual - and Cadillac needs the sales.

So what is “Magnetic Ride Control”?  It is an advanced suspension system also found on the Corvette.  GM describes it like this:

Electronic sensors at all four wheels literally “read the road” every millisecond, making constant adjustments to damping to create virtually instantaneous and extremely precise control of body motions. This is of particular benefit for a high-performance car because it helps keep the car very composed during hard cornering, acceleration, braking and other dynamic maneuvers.

The Magnetic Ride shocks also enable a broader range of damping control to optimize the ride and handling for all driving conditions. In the CTS-V Coupe, an extra measure of control is offered, with two selectable modes (Tour and Sport), enabling the driver to tailor the suspension for grand touring or more spirited performance driving.

The CTS-V coupe starts production this summer.  Look for it at a Cadillac dealer soon after.  And don’t forget your driving gloves (and a big checkbook).

That’s what I think - how about you?  Please leave your comments below.

This week, a jury of 49 veteran automotive journalists has selected the Buick LaCrosse, Ford Fusion Hybrid and Volkswagen Golf/GTI as finalists for North American Car of the Year and the Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Transit Connect and Subaru Outback as finalists for North American Truck of the Year.

The awards are unique in the United States because — instead of being given by a single media outlet — they are given by automotive journalists from the United States and Canada who represent magazines, television, radio, newspapers and web sites.  The awards are designed to recognize the most outstanding vehicles of the year based on factors that include innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.

To be eligible, vehicles must be “all-new” or “substantially changed” from the previous model. This year the jury considered more than 50 vehicles and finally focused on 16 cars and 10 trucks.

The winners will be announced January 11th at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Although the winners are disclosed at a news conference at the auto show, the show does not give the awards.

Last year the North American Car of the Year was the Hyundai Genesis and the North American Truck of the Year was the Ford F-150.

This is the 17th year of the awards, which are funded exclusively by the jurors. During that time:

• Hybrids have been honored three times. The Toyota Prius was the 2004 North American Car of the Year and the Ford Escape Hybrid was the 2005 North American Truck of the Year. The Honda Civic Hybrid was included when the Civic was named the 2006 North American Car of the Year.

• Chevrolet’s vehicles have been named the North American Truck of the Year three times. Most recently the Silverado was the 2007 North American Truck of the Year.

• While Ford has been a finalist in the car category many times, it won only once. The Ford Focus was the 2000 North American Car of the Year.

• Ford has dominated the truck category with five wins, followed by Chevrolet with three. Most recently, the F-150 was the 2009 North American Truck of the Year.

• General Motors won North American Car of the Year three times. Most recently, the Chevrolet Malibu was the 2008 North American Car of the Year and the Saturn Aura was the 2007 North American Car of the Year

• Volkswagen’s Jetta TDI was a finalist last year. Volkswagen’s New Beetle was the 1999 North American Car of the Year.

• Domestic automakers have won North American Car of the Year eight times. Japanese automakers have won three times. European automakers have won four times. A Korean automaker has won once.

• Domestic automakers have won North American Truck of the Year 10 times. Japanese automakers have won four times. European automakers have won twice.

Here are the vehicles on which the jurors voted:
2010 North American Car of the Year nominees:
BMW 335d Buick LaCrosse Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon Chevrolet Camaro Ford Fusion Ford Fusion Hybrid Ford Taurus/Taurus SHO Honda Insight	Kia Soul Mazda3/MazdaSpeed3 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Porsche Panamera Subaru Legacy Suzuki Kizashi Toyota Prius Volkswagen Golf/GTI/TDI

2010 North American Truck of the Year nominees:
Acura ZDX Audi Q5 Cadillac SRX Chevrolet Equinox Ford Transit Connect	Honda Accord Crosstour Land Rover LR4 Lincoln MKT Subaru Outback Volvo XC60

The awards are given by 50 of the most experienced and respected automotive journalists in Canada and the United States. They represent newspapers, magazines, web sites, television and radio shows. The winners are announced at a news conference at the North American International Auto Show.

Today, Chevrolet announced a contest to name one of the colors of the upcoming Chevy Volt.  The color, which is to be the signature color of the car, is described as “silver exterior with an emerald hue”.  There will also be other colors for the Volt when it is introduced in a year, including Black, Silver Ice Metallic, Cyber Gray Metallic, Crystal Red Metallic and a premium White Diamond Tri-Coat.  The to-be-named color will be exclusive to the Volt.

“We want to invite consumers into the development process of the Chevy Volt and give people an opportunity to be part of our program,” said Maria Rohrer, director, global Volt and global marketing operations at Chevrolet. “We’re looking for a color name that captures the innovation and spirit of the Volt.”

The contest will award three finalists and a guest roundtrip airfare to Los Angeles, two nights standard hotel accommodations, a $400 gift card and admission to the LA Auto Show on December 2, 2009. The winner will be announced by Chevy on December 1 and be given the opportunity to test-drive the pre-production Volt.

Entrants can submit their color name at www.chevroletvoltage.com through 8:00 a.m. ET on November 4. Chevrolet will choose three finalists among all the entries, based equally on originality, creativity, and the ability to capture the innovation and spirit of the Volt. The finalists will advance to a second round, where consumers will vote for the entries on www.chevroletvoltage.com, starting 8:00 a.m. ET on November 16 and concluding at 8:00 a.m. ET on December 1. Consumers are limited to one vote per person and per internet protocol address during the voting period.

I am stating the obvious here, but this is a cheap publicity stunt.  There exists out there a group of people who are really geeked about the Volt.  Giving them the opportunity to “help” with the introduction of the car will really get them fired up.  In another group, there are some others who are interested in the Volt and its new technology and are looking forward to see how it does.  I place myself in this group.  The third group, by far the largest, doesn’t know what a Volt is and doesn’t care.  Many of them don’t even know or are barely aware of what a Chevy is or what they sell.  Anybody reading this is likely not in that 3rd group, but believe me, they exist and I’ve spoken to them.  It’s a humbling experience.

This contest seeks to fire up group #1, in the hopes that their enthusiasm will somehow rub off onto group #2 and maybe even to group #3 eventually.  Awareness is the holy grail of marketing - automotive and other.  If somebody is not aware of your product, they certainly are not going to buy it.  Most people couldn’t care less what the name of their car’s color is, much less want a say in that name.  However, if Chevy can continue to play this game of keeping the Volt in the public consciousness for ANOTHER year, they will have accomplished a PR feat.  The risk, of course, is that the public will be sick of hearing about the Volt before they can even buy one.

That’s what I think - how about you?  Please leave your comments below.

Welcome to Detroit - home of the Jailhouse Mayor, 0-16 Lions and the corporate jet For Sale sign!  Also the home of the domestic auto industry (until certain southern senators succeed in giving away the treasury to foreign automakers while telling the D3 they need to get by on their own) and the North American International Auto Show.  We have the NAIAS in January to prove to everybody that we are tougher than they are.

This year’s show is a little more subdued than in prior years, due to the lack of actual money to pay for fancy displays and freebies for the press (side note: this is the first year that your humble reporter actually got a press pass - and no freebies!  Darn!).  A number of automakers are skipping the show this year, also due to the economy, or maybe they just don’t like snow. The largest of those automakers is Nissan, and other skippers include Porsche, Suzuki & Ferrari. Mitsubishi skipped as well, but the local dealers have a display anyway.

2009 NAIAS Must-See Cars and Trucks

General Motors
Chevrolet

• Volt - Chevy is showing the production version of the electric car. Not as striking as the concept (but production versions rarely are), but still nice looking.
• Cruze - this car will replace the Cobalt next year. In photos, Cruze looks angry (maybe at Richard Shelby?), but not as much in person. It’s nice looking. Interesting observation: Cruze uses the word, “Chevrolet” on the back when no other Chevrolets do. The others have the Chevy logo, the name of the vehicle, and the series (LS, LT, etc.). Apparently, it was a “design decision.”
• Orlando - somewhere between a crossover and a minivan, this 7-seat MPV will join the Chevy lineup in 2011. The show car is powered by a 2.0L turbodiesel, but the production version will likely have a gas engine, at least in the US.
• Spark - the tiny car on the floor says “Beat”, but Chevy has announced that it will be called Spark when it arrives for sale in 2011.
• Corvette ZR1 - not new, but it’s still SO cool!
• Equinox - new for 2010, sports a new 182hp, 2.4L Direct Injection (DI) engine that will get an estimated 21 city, 30 highway MPG. Will also have a 3.0L V6, good for 255hp and will get 18/25 MPG. It’s a real nice update to the smallish crossover
• Silverado Hybrid - nothing special to look at, but gets 21 city, 22 highway MPG.

Cadillac

• SRX - previously reported by The Slandy Report, but now you can see a clean one.
• CTS Sport Wagon - exactly what it sounds like. They might not sell many here, but the Europeans love wagons. The design is a little awkward in the wagon area. Too much sheet metal; not enough glass.
• Converj - can’t anybody at Cadillac spell? They’ve previously given us the Evoq, Provoq, Vizón and Imaj. This is a Cadillac Volt. Makes perfect sense for the next vehicle to utilize this expensive electric system to be a Cadillac, where the high price won’t seem quite so ridiculous.

Buick

• 2010 Buick LaCrosse - nice freshening, but will anybody notice? This really is a nice looking car, though the back end and sides look a bit too much like a Lexus GS to me.

Pontiac

• G8 - nothing new here, but as I was sitting in it, I noticed how nicely GM engineers integrated the parking brake handle into the center console. Worth a look if you get a chance.
• G3 - itty-bitty Pontiac due out this spring. Based on Chevy Aveo. Strange how it is the only new car Pontiac has, and it is shoved as far into the corner as possible. Weird. Almost like they don’t want you to find it.

Ford Motor Company
Ford

• Taurus - the new-for-2010 Taurus has made quite the splash, and for good reason. This is a stylish sedan full of advanced technology that will do well for Ford when introduced this spring. It has the potential to do for Ford what the original did 20 years ago - save the company. It’s that good.  Check it out.
• Fusion - updated look for 2010 model year. More aggressive look with a larger, bolder 3-bar grille, domed hood. Launches this spring. Will include a new hybrid model that boasts 41MPG city / 36 highway. The city mpg is 8 higher than Camry hybrid. Wow! Also includes a new Sport model with the 3.5L V6 from the Flex & Edge.
• Mustang - also freshened for 2010, inside and out. GT power is up 15 hp to 315 and torque is up 5 to 325 lb-ft. The new GT500 from SVT is up to 540hp from 500. Mustangs are all about affordable power and now they have more.
• F-150 - all-new for 2009, the F-150 won Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year and the North American Truck of the Year at NAIAS. It’s new inside and out, which will help it continue its string of 32 consecutive years of truck sales leadership. Also new is the Raptor model from our SVT friends. Check out the grille. Way cool.
• Transit Connect - small version of Ford Europe’s commercial van. Ford says, “It will be available in select North American markets in mid-2009.”

Lincoln

• MKT - 3-row, 6-seat large crossover available late summer. This is a new take on the whole luxury crossover thing. You might like it; you might not. It’s not for everybody. I like it. Starts at $44,995 for front-wheel drive and the 3.7L V6 (268hp). Add $2K for all-wheel drive and $3K more for the 3.5L EcoBoost, making 355hp, which is only available with AWD.
• MKZ - restyled to more closely resemble the stunning MKS. Same car, better looks.
• “C” Concept - this one is hard to describe (see photo below). It’s small and is powered by a 180hp 1.6L EcoBoost engine and Ford’s all-new PowerShift six-speed transmission.  The Lincoln C concept gets 43 mpg on the highway. It is able to seat 6 (3+3) on the 2 bench seats because of its width.

Mercury

• Milan - freshened with the Fusion, but not as extensively. It also gets the same powertrain revisions as the Fusion, except no 3.5L Sport edition here.
• Sable - might want to take a look at it now, because when Taurus gets freshened, Sable goes bye-bye.

Volvo

• S60 Concept - form a mental image of the result if AMG (Mercedes-Benz’s performance division) decided to make a Volvo.  That’s what this looks like. Check out the center stack area. Wow.
• XC60 - new, little buddy to the XC90 crossover. Will compete with the BMW X3 and Audi Q5.

Mazda

• 6 - “all new”, which really means that the 6 has adopted the Fusion/Milan/MKZ platform, which itself was just a 6 platform made bigger. Got that? The 6 has more room, more power and new styling. All of which should make it sell more, but I think it has lost some of what made it such a great car before; some of the zoom-zoom of the original.
• 3 - “all-new” as well, but the appearance seems to be only a freshening. This car has always been good looking, and the new one is more so. The base 2.0L I4 engine is the same power, but with improved fuel economy. The optional 2.5L I4 engine is up from 2.3L and delivers more power (167 vs. 156hp) and just slightly lower fuel economy (22 to 21 in the city with a manual - all other figures the same).

Chrysler continues to try to show that reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated. It is showing several electric-propelled concept vehicles, some of which we have seen before.

• The 200C is a stylish, rear-wheel drive, 4-door sedan based on the 300C platform (but looks nothing like the 300). It has an electric powertrain that includes a traditional engine that only recharges the battery - like a Chevy Volt. Chrysler claims 0-60 time of 7.0 seconds. They would sell a ton of these with or without the hybrid/electric powertrain. It’s that good looking.
• The Jeep Patriot EV, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited EV and the Chrysler Town & Country EV also have powertrains similar to the Chevy Volt.
• Dodge Circuit EV is a Lotus-based, all-electric sports car that looks great - like a nicer, friendlier version of a Viper. Dodge claims a range of 150-200 miles and a top speed of 120MPH.

Toyota
Toyota

• Venza - Toyota showed this vehicle last year, but now is in production. Toyota is clearly looking for “white space” in its lineup to produce yet another derivative off their highly successful Camry. But is there any white space here? Originally, crossovers found white space between cars and true SUVs. Venza is slotted between cars and crossovers. I have no doubt that Venza will sell well, as most everything Toyota makes does do well. However, given the narrow niche, it very well could steal most of its sales from Camry, Avalon and/or Highlander. I guess we’ll see… Check out the very clever sliding center console. The whole front area slides rearward, revealing extra storage, aux input and a 12V power point. Nicely done.
• Prius - 3rd generation of the most successful hybrid on the market. Prius is larger, more powerful and gets better fuel economy than its predecessor. The design change, however, is barely noticeable. That shouldn’t bother its buyers, though. One cool new feature is the available sliding glass moonroof which includes solar panels to power the ventilation system.
• FT-EV - this very small all-electric car is based on the iQ minicar sold in other markets. Don’t look for it at your Toyota dealer anytime soon.

Lexus

• IS Convertible - already shown at the LA Auto Show, but this is the Detroit premiere. Very nice.
• 2010 RX - redesigned (called “all-new”, but the visual change is subtle), bigger in every dimension, more powerful (27 more hp on the hybrid RX450h which now uses the 3.5L V6, 5 more on the base RX350).
• HS250h - a new, dedicated hybrid (no traditional powertrain is available). Only the 3rd dedicated hybrid from a major manufacturer, and the first dedicated luxury hybrid. Note also that the front-end styling includes a 3-bar grille which is very similar to the Ford brand’s.
• Hybrids - note also that all of the Lexus hybrids have a new hybrid badge at the bottom of their rear doors to give them a visual connection to each other.
• Remote Touch - the new RX and HS both have this new system, which is a new interface for the navigation system. It works like a computer mouse and is very intuitive to use. It comes standard with navigation on these 2 vehicles.

Honda
Honda

• Insight - the all-new dedicated hybrid that is larger and more powerful than the previous Insight. Fuel economy is 40 city, 43 highway. Insight has a new 5-door body, which Honda says is evocative of their FCX Clarity fuel cell car. Most people have never heard of that car, but they will notice that it looks a lot like the Toyota Prius, which is its natural competition. Actual pricing has not yet been announced, but Honda said their target is “less than $20,000.” They are also targeting 90,000 units per year in the US and 200,000 worldwide.
• Others - the Civic receives a freshening, the Pilot and Fit are all-new.

Volkswagen
VW

• Bluesport Concept - great-looking roadster with a 50mpg turbo Diesel engine. The 2.0L engine makes 180hp, but 258 lb-ft of torque, which enables a 0-60 sprint of 6 seconds. Think of it as a VW version of the Audi TT or the BMW Z4.

Audi

• Q5 - new, smaller crossover with the great looks and stunning interior of Audi’s other vehicles
• Sportback concept - this is a beautiful car, and is clearly meant to compete with the gorgeous Mercedes-Benz CLS. Expect the upcoming A7 to look very much like this when it is introduced - maybe for the 2010 model year. The concept is driven by a 255hp turbodiesel with 406 lb-ft of torque.
• R8 V10 - the beautiful R8 sports car will get this new V10 engine, probably around mid-2010, which will make the present $114K base price seem like small change. Of course, it will also increase the power by about ~100hp and the top speed to just under 200mph.

BMW
BMW

• Z4 - the roadster gets an update with the addition of a retractable hardtop and updated looks.
• 7 Series - nice update to the biggest BMW which seems to finally have been de-Bangled. Starts at $80K.
• No manuals? - BMW (”the ultimate driving machine”?) has about 10 vehicles on display, and not one of them is a manual tranny. What gives with that?

Mini

• Cooper Convertible - an update to the cutest convertible on the market. My kids love the Mini (me, too). New is the “Openometer”, which keeps track of how long you have been driving top-down. Way cool.
• Mini E - a pure electric that was already shown at the LA Auto Show, but this is the Detroit premiere. Mini will lease 500 in California, New York and New Jersey as a test for now.

Daimler
Mercedes-Benz

• SL65 AMG - not new, but the M-B SL has always been a favorite of mine, and this one has 661hp…wow…pause for a deep breath and a moment of silence…OK, now we can go on to the next car:
• Concept Blue Zero - pure electric based on Mercedes’ European small car. There are 2 other versions slated for production, but not shown - a hybrid and a fuel cell. Worth a look. Mercedes sells small cars in other markets, but will Americans accept such a small Mercedes? Will it hurt their image here?
• S400 Blue Hybrid - the hybrid wave extends its reach to the big Mercedes sedan. Is no place safe from this beast?

Hyundai
Hyundai

• Genesis - won the North American Car of the Year. The styling is nice, but I would called it derivative, not innovative. It breaks no new ground, and looks a little too much like a Lexus LS. That said, this is a very nice-looking car, especially the interior. It is attempting to do to Lexus what Lexus did to Mercedes-Benz (exactly 20 years ago at the 1989 NAIAS) - give comparable luxury and features for a much lower price. We’ll see how many people are willing to pay the price.

Kia

• Soul - already shown at the LA Auto Show, this is a funky-looking car/trucklet that looks like it’s trying to out-Scion xB the Scion xB. Goes on sale early this year.
• Soul’ster concept - this is a Soul with a sliding cloth roof, and is even funkier than the Soul.

Chinese Manufacturers

BYD showed 5 cars at NAIAS. The F3DM is a small, plug-in hybrid sedan (DM stands for Dual Mode). The F6DM is a midsize sedan with the same powertrain. They also showed the “regular” F6. F0 is a micro car, and the e6 is a pure electric in a crossover shape. It has available electric motors at the front and rear, giving it effective 4WD. It goes 0-60 in “under 8 seconds” and has a range of 249 miles. BYD plans to begin importing their products to the US in 2011.

Brilliance is showing 4 vehicles: FRV is a small 5-door hatchback, M1 is a midsize “luxury” sedan with a 1.8L I4 turbo engine making only 167hp, M2 is also a midsize sedan on the same platform with the same 1.8L engine and M3 is a sporty coupe based on a shortened version of the M1/M2 platform. It also shares the same engine.

Others

• Maserati Quattroporte Sport GTS - even more power for one of the most beautiful cars on the road!
• Tesla - the $100,000 pure electric sports car from California is in production and available at a dealer near you - if you live in LA or SF, that is.
• Fisker - not yet available, but getting closer, the Karma sedan won Slandy Best in Show last year, when we called it a “4-door BMW Corvette” (see photo below). Fisker plans to begin delivery of the Karma in the 4th quarter of 2009. This year, they have added the Sunset convertible, which uses the same plug-in hybrid powertrain. That powertrain is similar in concept to the Chevy Volt. Coincidentally, the Karma uses a GM Ecotec 2.4L turbo engine.
• Revenge - the small company from Indiana is showing the GTM-R supercar, which uses a Corvette Z06 engine for 505hp and an estimated top speed of 200 mph. It has 4-point racing safety harnesses. Lest you think this is an uncivilized brute, it also has available navigation, reverse camera and digital instrumentation. Only $145,000 - if I could only get my hands on some of those TARP funds!
• Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 - not sure if this car has been shown at NAIAS before, and maybe it was just there for the press preview. The interesting this about this car is that the most expensive car in the entire show (~$1.5 million) looked like an orphan. Just sitting there with no signs or information or people to ask any questions. Odd scene, but very cool car!

The Slandy Awards® 2009

Slandy Best in Show: Ford Taurus
Honorable Mention: Lincoln MKT, Fisker Karma Sunset, Revenge GTM-R, Audi Sportback, VW Bluesport
Coolest New Feature: The “Openometer” from Mini
Most Annoying New Trend: “Blue” means “Green” - several automakers have decided that using the word “blue” means that the vehicle is “Green”, as in Mercedes-Benz Bluetec (Diesel), Blue Hybrid and Concept Blue Zero (electric); VW Bluesport concept (Diesel); Hyundai Hybrid Blue Drive and Lexus’s use of blue-trimmed Lexus logos on their hybrids. Has the whole world become colorblind?!?
Best Quote: GM’s Bob Lutz (who else?) said, “The way you use less of something in the marketplace is to raise the price. At $1.50 a gallon, the American public is not willing to pay for fuel-saving technology, and at some point the people who make the rules are going to have to recognize that fact.”  Amen, Brother Bob!
Best Models: Maserati and Lamborghini
Best Food: VW’s German curry sausage.  Honorable Mention: Fisker’s chicken sandwich

Today is the first day of 2009, the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) can’t be far!  Just to whet your appetite, here is a brief list of the significant introductions expected.  We’ll update this list as more information is known:

	Production	Concept
General Motors	2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon 2010 Chevrolet Equinox Chevrolet Cruze 2010 Buick LaCrosse sedan 2010 Cadillac SRX crossover	Chevrolet Orlando
Ford	Mazda3 5-door TBD - total of 7 introductions expected
Chrysler	TBD - total of 3 introductions expected
Daimler		Electric ForTwo
Kia		TBD Concept
Toyota	2010 Toyota Prius new Lexus hybrid
Honda	2009 Honda Insight
BMW	New Mini Cooper Convertible 2009 BMW Z4 Roadster models
Volkswagen	TBD from Audi TBD from Bentley	TBD VW Green Concept TBD from Audi
Other	2009 Subaru Forester Maserati Quattroporte Sport GTS 2010 Fisker Karma TBD models from Chinese automakers BYD and Brilliance Auto	TBD Subaru Concept

The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), held each January in Detroit, has experienced growing pains over the years.  The constant complaint from the manufacturers has been that Cobo Hall is too small, that they need more space to show their cars and trucks, etc.  Government officials from all levels of government in Michigan have weighed in, from the Detroit City Council to the various mayors in and around Detroit, to county executives, to the state legislature and the governor have tried to come up with a plan to address this.  Should be relatively simple you think?  Wrong.  Michigan politics is a unique beast - one not easily tamed.  The City of Detroit owns Cobo Center, so they should be the ones to pay for an expansion? Detroit has no money, though.  Maybe Wayne County or the state?  Maybe surrounding counties, as they will surely benefit from the high-profile conventions that a new Cobo could attract?  They all have a stake in the success of NAIAS and the Detroit, but they are unwilling to help pay for more than what they deem as their fair share.  Stalemate for years has ensued.  Proposals have come and gone, but nothing has been done.

Now a short-term solution has come out of nowhere, from the same place as our new-found cheap gas.  The economic slowdown gripping the nation has made gas prices fall - and the debate over Cobo’s expansion moot.  Just announced today - Nissan will join the growing list of automakers that will not be showing their wares at NAIAS this January.  That list includes Porsche, Rolls Royce, Land Rover, Ferrari, Suzuki, Mitsubishi and now Nissan and Infiniti.  The last 3 are the ones that really start to hurt NAIAS.  They are the biggest of the dropouts, in floor space terms - especially Nissan.  Nissan also announced it will not participate in the Chicago Auto Show in February either.  Their statement said it has nothing to do with the shows themselves, but with a need to save cash.  They also stated that they showed all they needed in the LA show, which opened on November 21.  See the LA Auto Show story elsewhere on The Slandy Report.

So the silver lining inthe dark cloud of NAIAS dropouts is that it should put to bed, at least for a short time, the Panic in Detroit over Cobo’s floor space.

Well, the LA Auto Show has begun, or as we like to call it in Detroit - that auto show that got scared of Detroit and moved to November.  There are lots of goodies to see at LAAS, including concept cars and world debuts.  Here’s a brief look at what’s what:

2010 Ford Fusion & Mercury Milan Hybrid - Ford, which is in trouble along with the rest of the domestic auto industry, has taken the wraps off the substantially revised 2010 models, along with new hybrid versions.  The hybrids will get up to 39 MPG in the city - 6 more than the Camry hybrid - and will be capable of up to 47 MPH in electric-only mode.  Production is to begin next month, with sales beginning in the spring.  No word yet on pricing.  The “regular” Fusion and Milan models get a larger, more powerful I4 base engine, a more powerful V6 that also gets better fuel economy, and a new option - the same 3.5L V6 from the Edge, Flex, etc.  It will power the new Fusion Sport with 263 horsepower and 249 pound-feet of torque.  Ford insiders have told me that the V6 models will still not have a manual.  Darn.

2010 Ford Mustang - the iconic pony car sports a revised, more sculpted look at the front and rear, but the casual observer might not notice the difference.  Gear heads and other auto enthusiasts will.  The Mustang also has a revised interior, the most obvious of which is the center stack area, which now accommodates a navigation screen and Microsoft’s Sync system, now in its 2nd generation.  Under the hood, both the V6 and V8 engines will have better power and fuel economy, though final numbers are not available yet.

2010 Lincoln MKZ - revised exterior to look more like the stunning MKS flagship and an updated interior as well.  The MKZ also gets the 3.5L with 263 horsepower, like its Fusion and Milan cousins.

2010 Mazda3 - the wonderful Mazda3 gets a new look, which is both aggressive and odd.  The revised front end looks like the car has a big, silly grin on its face.  Like it’s up to something.  It will be powered by either a 2.0L I4 (140hp) or a 2.5L I4 (170hp).  New features include Bluetooth, navigation and steering-adjusted xenon headlamps.

Chrysler is showing a trio of electric vehicles that they introduced a few weeks ago.  They include an electric Town & Country minivan, a Dodge EV sports car and the Dodge ZEO that was first shown at the Detroit show early this year.  The idea that Chrysler will be able to introduce these cars in the timeframe announced seems folly, as GM has a significant head start in developing this new type of propulsion, and they are still 2 years away from production.

MINI E - MINI will introduce a full electric car and deploy a fleet of 500 units for consumers to use in daily driving.  This makes MINI the 1st automaker to develop an electric since GM’s EV1.  The MINI E will have a range of 156 miles (250 km) and a top speed of 95 mph (152 kph).  It will be available in California, New York and New Jersey only.

Infiniti G37 Convertible - the Infiniti G gets a convertible for the first time, a 3-piece hardtop.  It will have the 3.7L V6 already in the coupe, making 328 hp.

2009 Nissan Cube - Nissan will bring the Cube to the US, as expected.  Nissan calls its look a “bulldog with sunglasses”, but you can think of it as a Scion xB.  Nissan has long marketed the Cube in other markets, but will now sell it in the US as well.

2010 Porsche Boxster/Cayman - even though Porsche insists these are 2 separate cars, we all really know better.  The 2 cars presently have the same engines, but those will diverge slightly when the 2010 models debut.  The base engines will increase in size from 2.7L to 2.9L, and will have increased power, however the increase will be greater in the Cayman.  Both receive a power increase in the “S” models as well, but, again, the Cayman’s increase is more.

BMW 7-Series - the big BMW gets a freshened look for its 5th generation.  It goes on sale this spring.  It sports a new 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V-8 that delivers 400 hp and 450lb-ft of torque.  The technology on this car could take up a whole book - active cruise control, lane departure warning, active blind spot detection, head-up display, high-beam assistant, night vision with pedestrian detection, sideview and backup cameras, and integral active steering (rear-wheel steering assist).  Wow, that’s a mouthful.

2010 Lexus RX 350/RX 450h - the original luxury crossover gets a revised look for the 2010 model year.  Both the gas version and the hybrid receive a shot of more power.  Both use the 3.5L V6 now (the hybrid was still using the 3.3L V6), so the hybrid’s increase is greater than the gas engine.  The gas engine also gets a 6-speed transmission, up from 5, while the hybrid continues with a CVT.  The wheelbase is longer, but the overall length is shorter, which should improve stability.  The RX 350 goes on sale in February, while the hybrid waits until spring.

Lexus IS Convertible - Lexus introduced this new hardtop convertible at the Paris Auto Show in October.  Designated IS 250C and IS 350C, the new convertible is a 3-piece unit that opens in 21 seconds.  The sound system has an equalizer-tuning feature that provides consistent audio whether the top is up or down, and it also automatically adapts to the natural loss of bass when the top is down.  To address the natural difficulty of getting in and out of the backseat, Lexus increased the length of the doors 11.8″ over the sedan and added a new one-touch automatic mechanism that provides a quick-acting, front-seat fold-and-slide activation.

2010 Kia Soul - this is a tough one to categorize.  It’s a bit like a small crossover, a bit like the Nissan Cube/Scion xB, and a whole lot of fugly.  My son thinks it’s pretty cool, though.  So maybe I just don’t get it.  Michael Sprague, VP of marketing for Kia says, ““The Soul is for those who love individuality but don’t like to be categorized by finding the next best thing…for those looking for something with a little more personality than other vehicles on the market today.”  It will be available is 4 trim levels: Soul, Soul+, Soul! and Soul sport.  Available engines are a 1.6L or a 2.0L 4 cylinder.

Honda Insight - the Insight was the first hybrid available in the US market.  It was a very small 2-seater that got great fuel economy, but had too many compromises to be successful in the US.  Now comes a new version that will seat 5, have reasonable power, be less expensive and get better fuel economy than the Toyota Prius.  It also look a lot like a Prius.  The car shown in LA is considered a concept, but look for the real one to be very much the same.  The real one goes on sale Spring, 2009.

VW Touareg - VW is showing its new Touareg V6 TDI, with a 50-state compliant DIesel engine.  It is powered by a 3.0L, turbocharged six cylinder engine producing 221 horsepower and 407 lb-ft. of torque.

Audi A6 - not much new here, except a new supercharged V6 engine, making 286 horsepower.  It also has some subtle styling changes.

2009 Ferrari California - despite sharing the name with a Ferrari from the 60’s, this is an all-new Ferrari model.  It sports a direct-injection V8 mounted in the front of the car (a first for Ferrari) that produces 460 horsepower, propelling the car from 0-60 mph in less than 4 seconds.  Can you buy one?  If you’re getting some of the $700 billion, and $250K is burning a hole in your wallet - you’ll still have to wait, as the 2010 model year is sold out.  2011 isn’t very long to wait, is it?

If any of you LA readers would like to share your comments on the show, please click on Comments, below.  Thanks for sharing your views with other readers of The Slandy Report.

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