Auto Show Spooge Fest 2006!In early January, the automotive world descends upon Detroit for the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Considering the ass-freezing reality of January in Detroit, the show had better be pretty damned good to make a trip to Michigan worthwhile. This year it nearly was.
This month's Spinout is obsessed with NAIAS and herewith we present our view of it.
Simply Stunning:Infiniti Coupe ConceptThis is the car that will replace the current Infiniti G35 Coupe and serve as the base upon which the all-wheel drive, twin-turbocharged (Skyline) GT-R will be erected. It's flat-out gorgeous.
Designed by the Nissan Technical Center in Atsugi, Japan, the Coupe Concept takes the forms established by the current G35 Coupe (Skyline in Japan) and makes them more voluptuous, with softer, more gently rounded fenders and wheel openings flared around 20x9-inch wheels. The most distinctive element of the Concept, however, is the glass panel that runs the entire length of the car. Infiniti didn't share much about the Concept Coupe's mechanicals, so we'll just assume that the engine is some variation on Nissan's VQ-series of V6s.
Expect the second-generation Infiniti Coupe to hit showrooms sometime this year. It shouldn't be too much different from the Concept.
Best Future Chick Car:Mitsubishi concept-CTMitsusbishi's twist on the inevitable gas-electric hybrid was the Concept-CT, and it was most impressive for being so aggressively adorable. Can the company that makes the world-slaying Evo really be on the verge of building a car that only looks good parked in front of sorority houses?
The Concept-CT is not, however, without some technical innovation. The 1.0-liter, three-cylinder gas engine is mounted mid-ship and produces just 67hp, which it sends to the rear wheels. A generator charges a bank of lithium-ion batteries that can send power to electric motors in each of the machine's wheels. It's a neat piece of packaging-and it's cute!
Production? Not likely. But Mitsubishi can't stay broke forever.
Best Of Show:Mazda Kabura ConceptIf there was one concept car at this year's show that should be put into production, this is it. Sporting rear-wheel drive, a 3+1 seating layout and a 2-liter engine, the lightweight concept blends the unadulterated driving experience of the MX-5 with the convenience of a top and additional seats. Check out our first drive on page 58!
Nordic Beauty:Volvo C30 ConceptOne of the best-looking Volvos ever was the P1800 ES sport wagon that the company built between 1971 and 1973, and the C30 Design Concept does an outstanding job of reviving that car's basic elements. A production version of the C30-only barely different from the Concept-will be displayed at September's Paris Auto Show.
Obviously based on the same front-drive architecture as the S40 sedan and V50 wagon (also shared with the Mazda3 and Ford's European Focus), the C30 is obviously a two-door with, like the old P1800 ES, a tall tail with extended side-glass and a rear hatch made of frameless glass. In the Design Concept, power comes from a turbocharged inline-five, producing about 260bhp. Lets hope the turbo motor makes it into production when the C30 goes on sale as a 2007 model.
Slightly Wacky:2007 Honda Fit SportWith the Civic growing larger (and more expensive) there was obviously room in Honda's line-up for a smaller, more affordable machine. Here it is, the 2007 Fit-the first Honda sold in America smaller than the Civic since 1972 (not counting motorcycles, lawn mowers and outboard motors).