Detroit Short On Significant Cars, Big on Bling and Bluster
GM’s Volt Battery Car Wins Plaudits, But Is This Just More Hype?
New Cars Aplenty, But Notable Designs, Technology-Highs Lacking
Bluetec diesel the “Star of the Show”
“the battery technology needed to make the Volt’s high-faluting claims into reality doesn’t exist yet”
Detroit 2007 will be remembered as the year of the snow job, even though there wasn’t any snow.
The Detroit Car Show, otherwise known as the North American International Auto Show, (a classic oxymoron) gave us the usual conveyor belt of shiny new cars being presented with all the aplomb and over-the-top bombast that the U.S. auto manufacturers have perfected. There was financially troubled General Motors, a past-master of hype, surpassing itself with its unveiling of the Chevrolet Volt battery powered concept car, leaving the impression that the car industry had now moved on past the internal combustion engine to a new clean, green age.
According to news reports after the launch of the Volt, there was much talk of the vehicle’s ability to run solely on its batteries for 40, maybe 45 miles, a tiny 1 litre petrol engine used just to recharge the battery gave it a “theoretical” range of 600 miles, and an effective ability to deliver an average 150 mpg (1.6 l/kms). The battery can also be recharged by plugging it in at home, or wherever, in 6 hours.
One “Automotive News” magazine columnist declared the Volt his “Star of the Show”. U.S. TV networks also talked about the Volt as some kind of revolutionary car, omitting to make clear that it was merely a concept, and an electronic poll run by a local newspaper, “The Detroit News”, had the Volt as its runaway leader after asking its readers for nominations for “Show Star”.
Look at the small print
The Volt’s small print tells a different story. Crucially, the battery technology needed to make the Volt’s high-faluting claims into reality doesn’t exist yet. Just as well that GM said the Volt isn’t expected to be available on auto forecourts until at least 2010. The chances of that can’t be strong, if GM’s record with its previous electric car, the EV1, is anything to go by. If the publicity surrounding the Volt isn’t a classic snow job, I don’t know what is.
It’s a measure of GM’s desperation that most of its launches were accompanied by bevies of rap-artists and celebrities, most of whom (sorry, all) I’d never heard. No amount of bling can hide the fact that GM’s model line-up is generally dull and derivative, with a few honourable exceptions like the new Malibu, and Cadillac CTS. Ford’s massive stand was threadbare too in terms of significant new cars, although the new Edge SUV looks good. You only have to look at the grey group of cars and trucks on the Lincoln and Mercury sections of Ford’s stand to see why it’s in such desperate trouble. Profits are promised for 2009, but be ready for avalanches of red ink in the meantime.
Battening down for 2007
Things look bad for the American car market in 2007, so as the industry battens down the hatches for the coming storm, it’s not surprising that when you strip away the public relations and marketing effort, there was not really much ground-breaking stuff in terms of styling or technology. Why spend big money on taking automobiles to new levels, if sales are going to be plunging.
Perhaps the most significant participant at the show was the Bluetec diesel engine, available now in the Mercedes E320, and progressively in more Mercedes and Chryslers. Variations on the Bluetec theme will also be seen in Volkswagens and Audis. BMW is also likely to have a diesel cleaned up for America later this year.
Will this finally convince Americans that diesels are the answer, at least in the short term, to the problem of improving fuel economy and cutting CO2 emissions?
After the exciting and stylish Dodge Caliber and Dodge Nitro last year I’d expected the new Dodge Avenger to have the “wow” factor. Unfortunately it doesn’t. Supposedly reminiscent of the Dodge Charger, the Avenger looks dull. But the saving fact will be price. The base price for the Avenger in the U.S. is expected to be about $19,000. When the over-taxed and over regulated Europeans see this price they are likely to hyperventilate with excitement. A car of this size and equipment in Europe would cost at least the equivalent of $30,000.
The new Chevrolet Malibu impressed with its sleek, sporty lines. The redesigned 2008 Malibu's interior has been outfitted with more luxurious features such as an enlarged sunroof. There’s a remote starter. A hybrid version will be available when it goes on sale this fall. Prices will start at around $20,000. The Malibu design is based on the Epsilon platform, which is also used by GM’s Opel and Vauxhall subsidiaries in Europe.
The Cadillac CTS uses design cues from high-end handbags and Prada shoes to jazz up its interior, which has plenty of metallic finishes, chrome accents and Sapele wood. It should go pretty well too – it will feature a 3.6-liter direct-injection V-6 engine with about 300 bhp.
