Detroit 2009: General Thread

[CrazyRussian540]

There have been lots of unveilings in Detroit over the past 2 days that are nice, but not notable to deserve their own threads. Discuss them here. Also, I'll post a full list of all the Detroit '09 cars here when tomorrow (kinda like the Geneva '08 thread)

North American International Auto Show:

• Audi A3 TDI - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...-in-late-2009/
  
• Audi Sportback Concept - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...oon-as-the-a7/
• Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...2-fsi-w-video/
• Bentley Continental GTC Speed - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...beauty-with-a/
• BMW Z4 - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...ff-the-new-z4/
• Buick LaCrosse - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...rosse-w-video/
• BYD F3DM - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/13/d...oyota-corolla/
• BYD e6 - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/d...ual-mode-plug/
• Cadillac Converj - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...rj-with-video/
• Cadillac SRX - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...-live-w-video/
• Chevrolet Equinox - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...uinox-w-video/
• Chevrolet Orlando Concept - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...de-production/
• Chevrolet Spark - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...-beat-w-video/
• Chrysler 200C Concept - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...ng-should-hav/
• Dodge Circuit EV - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...it-ev-w-video/
• Dodge Ram HD - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...-the-big-horn/
• Fisker Karma - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/d...buts-for-2010/
• Fisker Karma S Concept - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/d...ncept-w-video/
• Ford Shelby Mustang GT500- http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...gt500-arrives/
• Ford Taurus - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...like-its-1986/
• Jaguar XFR - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/d...y-really-fast/
• Jaguar XFR Bonneville Salt Flats Racer - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/d...on-bonneville/
• Jaguar XKR - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/d...hp-xkrs-w-vid/
• Jeep Patriot EV - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...ppears-in-d-t/
• Kia Soul'ster - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...un-and-frolic/
• Lexus HS250h - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...-luxury-hybri/
• Lincoln Concept C - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/d...coln-in-brand/
• Lincoln MKS with EcoBoost - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/d...t-ecoboost-v6/
• Lincoln MKT - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/d...-toothy-smile/
• Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/d...is-a-mouthful/
• Mazda3 - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/d...-as-the-sedan/
• Mini Cooper Convertible - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...le-chills-out/
• Revenge Designs GTM-R - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/d...rcar-for-145k/
• Subaru Legacy Concept - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...hows-its-face/
• Toyota Prius - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/12/d...ombined-ratin/
• Volkswagen Concept BlueSport roadster live - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...roadster-live/
• Volvo S60 Concept - http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/d...navian-design/

I've been kinda impressed with Lincoln so far. The MKT surely is... interesting, and the Concept C looks nice, but unfortunately isn't powered by a tank of burning fossils.

Also, anyone else think the Cadillac Converj has some nice styling elements?

[ja404]

Haven't looked through them all yet but so far:

Likes:
Cadillac Converj - Looks amazing
VW Bluesport - Seems like great value and also looks great
Kia Soul'ster - Can't explain why I like it
Ford Taurus - Just a good looking sedan

Dislikes:
BMW Z4 - Just looks too exaggerated
Mazda3 - Can't get past the grinning grill, looks like a practical joke
Revenge Designs GTRM: I normally love the FFR GTM, but what those people have done to it is a crime.
Subaru Legacy Concept: Disgusting. Way overdone.

[Paco]

Anybody else plan on going to the public show this weekend?
Me and some peeps are going to be there Saturday morning and will roam around Detroit for the rest of the weekend. I know it won't be as good as the past years, but there are a few gems like Dodge's Lotus and the Fisker, and I wonder if VW will have the MK6 on their floor.
Also, if anybody has any recommendations of what to do on a Saturday night in Detroit, let me know (:

[efoolution]

And the Detroit 2009 Car of the Year ("North American Car of the Year") is ... the Hyundai Genesis.

http://www.hyundaigenesis.com

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/upto...d-truck-o.html

Ford F150 Truck of the year ...

[...]Also, if anybody has any recommendations of what to do on a Saturday night in Detroit, let me know (:

... don´t drive around in a foreign Car or that red Ford Pickup might come and get you ...

[Spectre]

And the Detroit 2009 Car of the Year ("North American Car of the Year") is ... the Hyundai Genesis.

http://www.hyundaigenesis.com

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/upto...d-truck-o.html

Ford F150 Truck of the year ...
... don´t drive around in a foreign Car or that red Ford Pickup might come and get you ...

Welcome to two days ago: http://forums.finalgear.com/automoti...of-year-33191/

[efoolution]

Welcome to two days ago: http://forums.finalgear.com/automoti...of-year-33191/

damn, it´s even on page one of the forum ... sry.

[freeferrarisdonotexist]

Liked some of them, hated others, but the one I can't make my mind up about is that Mazda 3. Looks like a Peugot now, which means I should dislike it, but somehow I don't. That weird grin thing is actually not bad.
Perhaps I've gone insane.

[CraigB]

The new Taurus looks like a great step forward for Ford. I can't wait to see the "Performance Version". Hopefully a EcoBoost AWD...

[_HighVoltage_]

How the hell did that XFR Bonneville Salt Flats Racer hit 225MPH??? Even with 600hp it sounds impossible. How did they do it?

[Spectre]

Raw power plus aerodynamics, low weight and gearing. It has surprisingly little frontal area.

[_HighVoltage_]

But still...Murcielago can't go that fast. It must have really, really long gears.

[Spectre]

But still...Murcielago can't go that fast. It must have really, really long gears.

Yeah, that's pretty traditional for Jaguar, especially on the later blower cars. My formerly three-speed-no-overdrive Series III has 2.88 rear gears, the X308 XJRs had 3.08s, the base XF has a 3.07 set and the XF-Supercharged (since the XF-R isn't actually out yet) has 3.31s. My X300 XJR has 3.27s out back. The normally aspirated cars (with overdrive) *usually* get shorter gears to help their acceleration (since nobody who buys one is likely to care that the car won't go 155mph, but will care if the car is a slug) - the N/A X300s got 3.54s as did the N/A X308s (yes, the XF appears to be an exception, but I bet the internal transmission ratios are different, too). The taller rear gearing on the blower cars is so that the first three gears are actually *useful* on the street and the car hooks up instead of smoking up.

Having driven an uncorked X308 XJR that someone'd swapped a set of 3.54 gears into, I won't be making *that* modification to my car any time soon. The first two gears were totally useless on the street in any condition with anything above half throttle, third became useless if the surface traction was compromised in any way, and gas mileage got really bad.

The Murcielago has a 3.42 gear ratio. It's also got a pretty damned huge frontal area.

[ejpi]

what is it?

[Wizegui]

Dodge Lotus-based EV concept?

[ejpi]

it`s must be it. i saw it in detroit review but it`s too small to viper

[sonza68]

It is basically a Europa with an electric drivetrain and a Dodge grille.

[Topgearfanatic]

If it had a v8, it could be a baby viper!