Muscle Cars, Gas-Guzzlers Make Waves in Detroit
More Hybrids Show Industry Has Some Economy Genes
Ford Fusion Points The Way For Lower Cost Production
I have good news for motorists. U.S. car manufacturers don’t think there is going to be an energy crisis any time soon. They also don’t believe that U.S. taxes on gasoline are going to raise much either.
How do I know this?
All the big three car makers at the Detroit Car Show, which opened to the public on January 15, were falling over themselves to introduce brand-new gas-guzzling muscle cars whose fuel economy would bring tears to the eyes of a Greenpeace activist.
With their huge research budgets and expensive experts, they must know that there is no need to economise, and mega litre V8s will be able to squander petrol for the foreseeable future.
As long as the foreseeable future last about 2 years perhaps.
Firepower
Chrysler unveiled its Firepower two-seat concept car, boasting 425 bhp from a 6.1 litre HEMI V8. The Firepower is a Viper-based attempt to assault the Chevrolet Corvette. If it’s ever made, it will need a new name – Chrysler doesn’t own “Firepower”. It might excite a few schoolboys, and enrage our friends at the Sierra Club, so it’s not entirely useless.
Other gas guzzling newcomers included the souped-up Cadillac STS-V, with 4.4-litre, 440 bhp supercharged V8, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 with a 7.0 litre, 500 bhp V8, the Ford-owned Land Rover had the Range Rover Sport with a 4.2 litre 390 bhp V8. Just to show that it wasn’t only the U.S. manufacturers that had taken leave of their senses, Mitsubishi of Japan launched the Raider, a 4.7 litre V8 pickup truck.
Fusion
There some cars which made sense to buyers who might want to be a bit more frugal with fuel, and their money. Ford launched the Fusion, based on a stretched version of the Mazda6 platform, and which slots in between the Focus and Five Hundred in Ford’s line-up. The Fusion is an important step for Ford, because it represents an impressive attempt to produce a wide-range of vehicles from the single Mazda6 platform, perhaps as many as 10, including the Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr. The new Ford Mondeo when it is redesigned in a couple of years might be included in this family.
The Fusion is available with a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine or a 3.0-liter V6. The vehicle's main competitors are the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu and Nissan Altima.
Chrysler launched the Dodge Charger and the 300C SRT8.
New Jetta
Volkswagen introduced its new Jetta. The Jetta, VW’s biggest seller in the U.S., accounts for over 40 per cent of VW sales. The Passat will be launched later this year. Mercedes introduced the M-class SUV and the R-class. The Jaguar XK two-seater concept, with its big wheels giving it a strange cartoon-like appearance, was shown for the first time.
Honda unveiled the Ridgeline, a mid-size four door pickup truck. This is Honda’s first pickup truck.
Other debutants included the sporty Infiniti M45 V8, the GM derived Saab 9-7X SUV, the 7-seat Subaru B9 Trebica crossover, and the Toyota Avalon.
Hybrids
Just to make clear that the industry has not lost its collective marbles completely, there some new fuel efficient machines. New petrol electric hybrids making their debuts included the Lexus RX-400h, and the Toyota Highlander. The Mercury Mariner will join the Ford Escape hybrid later this year. The Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups will be available in hybrid form this year.
Neil Winton – January 15, 2005
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