Inside Lane DETROIT Review
Issue 23
Detroit Motor Show
Detroit... Home of the 1/4 mile, roaring V8ʼs and the muscle car. Yes it is that time of year again where the automotive world turns to the North American International Auto Show. And what a show it was... We had everything from hybrid racing cars to futuristic cross-overs and even the odd “likable” Prius... So here comes the round-up of all the major goings on from motor city!
Born in the USA
New Passat for US VW today is the worlds largest manufacturer after
next generation medium size saloon, yet here we
consuming the likes of Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley,
are with the next incarnation . Set to be built in a
Skoda and many more. It is also seen as one of the
new factory in Tennessee this car is designed for
most wealthy in the industry not only thanks to a
the North American market only and VW has no
great line-up from itself but a good variety from its
current plans to bring it to Europe. However the top
other brands. Audi for example last week
spec car receives a 3.6 litre V6 petrol engine with
announced record sales figures for the companies
270BHP and 258lb-ft of torque not to mention a
history. VW’s own line-up though doing well is
DSG gearbox as standard. This new Passat will
aiming for a huge sales boost in the US through
start at a very reasonable £13,000 making it the
2011 and it hopes to do this with the new Passat.
biggest bargain we have seen so far this year. Two TDI “clean diesel” engines are also available.
There were whispers that VW may drop the Passat name we have come to know over the years for its
Super Sonic?
Chevrolet hatchbacks are only generally sold to those on a budget and in need of a bargain quick.
First seen as the Aveo concept this is the all-new
Quality neither deign are these cars strong point
Sonic and it aims to change the image of
but price is often the only selling factor people
Chevrolet in Europe. The funky new design gives
need. The result is the many people, especially in
the little car quite an aggressive stance and with a
the current economic climate, are driving around in
1.8 litre four-cylinder engine it’s a bold attempt to
cars that are more basic than ready saluted crisps
live up to the little blue hedgehog. The car is also
and worse to drive than a shopping trolley with a
available with a 1.4 litre turbo capable of
wonky wheel. However Chevy’s new compact
producing 138BHP, that’s more than the Fiesta.
aims to change that.
“If cars like this are to survive here is their future...�
At first the dream formed a reality...
...Now reality is the dream
Porsche 918 RSR
With growing pressure from the Eco-Nazi this breed of car is desperately looking for a way to appease them before they are made extinct. Porsche last year started a revolution by unveiling the 918 Concept, a hyper car of biblical proportions but with enough green credentials to beat off the authorities. So much interest was generated that Porsche found themselves with over 1000 calls asking when they can place an order; the result was that Porsche had no other option than to announce it for production. Yet it is in motorsport where the German brand really earned its stripes and so at the Detroit motor show we catch our first glimpse of the 918 RSR!
With the same beautiful architecture this one seat racing variant is powered by both the 6.2 litre V8 in the middle of the car and two 75 kilowatt motors up front. Paired with regenerative breaking this car could be seen as one of the most competitive in endurance motorsport due to reduced fuel consumption let alone 767BHP. The Formula One derived KERS finds its way into the 918 for an extra performance boost when needed.
Ford Vertrek Concept
The cross-over is an ever more popular segment of the automotive industry giving customers that high stance of a 4X4 without the high running costs. Ford launched the Kuga a few years ago and surprise surprise it was a big success. Mum’s all over the country were seen dropping off kids in their little yet large Ford and so naturally it is a model the company wish to continue producing. The Vertrek Concept gives us our first look into the future. Likely to become the Kuga’s replacement in some form or another, the Vertrek previous the blue ovals future design language for cross-overs. We like the muscular stance and highly aggressive front grill as the Kuga might have been a good looking car, it wasn’t very adventurous in design. This concept has a 1.6 litre Ecoboost motor with the addition of stop/start functionality. It is clear that Ford want to promote this cars economy as they describe it as “class leading.” The Vertrek is based on the new Focus platform and in addition to it Ford plans to add a cross-over based on the Fiesta in the near future.
You’ve only gone and blown the bloody door off!
We are not Hyundai’s biggest fans and quite openly announce our views on the cheap Korean cars. Build quality though improved across the range still isn’t up to standard and competitors are light years ahead on just about every other forefront. However Hyundai have of late brought a string of rather good looking cars to the market showing that at least the design department has got its act together. That was until the Veloster. They were doing just fine until this unpalatable jumble of shapes arrived. Designed to be an affordable and practical coupe the Veloster also has the capacity to make any member of the general public projectile vomit by sight alone. A competitor for the Renault Megan Coupe, it shall under cut its French rival in price upon its arrival in the UK. The door layout is also similar to that of the Mini Clubman which is ridiculous because it is illogical to have two doors on one side of the car yet only one on the other. The top spec Veloster will be powered by a 1.6 litre direct injection engine that produces a rather limp 138BHP, thought it does come connected to a six-speed manual. Will it sell? Based on price alone, maybe. We will have a full road test on the Veloster as soon as possible. “God help us!”
Toyota Redefines Prius With Two New Models...
The Toyota Prius for me has special place
To be honest thats not the best start for a
reserved in hell. I don’t fin it appealing, its far
sales pitch of a car that is to save you
to costly and worst of all it is no better for the
spending on fuel.
environment than a Diesel Golf. Despite my clear and undying bias I have to tell you that
The next car is something that we rather like
Toyota has released two new variants of its
the looks of and that is a rare thing on a car
high volume hybrid at the Detroit motor show.
that carries the Prius badge. The C Concept is
They are not so much Prius with modifications
a rather futuristic looking thing that promises
but all new models within the same name
to make production by 2012. The smaller
bracket. Is there hope yet?
package promises to be the most fuel efficient hybrid when it goes on sale meaning it
First up is the Toyota Prius V, a hybrid that
actually will have a reason to exist unlike its
invites you to take that extra trip to Ikea. The
older sibling. Also it will be the most “value
new design is much larger and as a result vast
orientated” hybrid on the market, we are not
amounts of space greets you as you enter. An
sure what to make of this as it all depends
impressive 38 inches of legroom is very
upon how much the Japanese company value
generous and that boot does look like it could
there own product (in short, might not actually
swallow an elephant. However it uses the
be that cheap.) Ok so the production model
same 1.8 litre engine and hybrid system as
will be softened up a bit but take a look at the
the saloon meaning it wont match it for MPG.
iQ, Toyota did a good job there.
2012 Audi A6 Hybrid Shown At Detroit
This seems to be a running theme in Detroit this year… Oh how the environmentalists must be cheering. Audi a few years ago started looking at various ways to make their model line-up “green” and we had some rather interesting concepts. The E-tron in particular being an electric R8 is exactly the way to try and temp people like us into EV’s. But now all the ice-cube saving tech has filtered down into cars like this new A6 hybrid. So whats new? This A6 unlike any other is front-wheel-drive meaning it doesn’t carry the brands prestigious quattro badge. It is of course all in aid of reducing fuel consumption and yet the Germans have specifically kept the A6 styling despite their lack of aerodynamic efficiency. The car is powered by the 2.0 litre TFSI in combination with an electric motor producing 242BHP and only 155lb-ft of torque. Figures only project 45MPG so the customer base for this luxury barge is going to be quite small.