Detroit Show Highlights, Part 2: Concept Cars Point the Way Forward

Upwards of 20 forward-thinking concept vehicles — some thinly veiled versions of production vehicles to come and some that will never see showrooms — debuted during the press preview days of the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It’s open to the public from Jan. 13-20. The concept car highlights follow. Click here to read about real cars and trucks that debuted at the show.

Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept

Although Acura received a lukewarm reception to its edgy Advanced Sedan Concept at the recent Los Angeles auto show, the brand’s new Advanced Sports Car Concept created a stir on the Detroit show floor. Honda Motor Co. CEO Takeo Fukui said the well-proportioned concept fills a “burning desire for performance” and previews an upcoming sports car that will replace the now-discontinued Acura NSX. Sharp edges are paired with organic curves in what Fukui called “keen-edge design.” Mounted in front is a robust V10 engine, said to be more powerful than any other engine Acura has offered. The Advanced Sports Car concept is the first car to use a version of Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) that in normal driving sends more power to the rear wheels than the front ones for better handling and performance.

Audi Q7 6.0 V12 TDI concept

Audi labeled this vehicle a concept, but it seems pretty clear the monstrous diesel-powered Audi Q7 6.0 V12 TDI is slated for production. It produces 500 hp and 737 pound-feet of torque and hits 60 mph in 5.5 seconds while averaging 21 mpg. New Audi president Rupert Stadler said he thinks the Q7 6.0 V12 TDI will go on sale in North America at some point in 2008, but he added that “first we want to see the reaction in the market to the V6.” Audi recently started offering a gasoline V6 engine on the Q7 in the U.S. The Q7 6.0 V12 TDI was introduced by Grammy-winning artist — and Audi driver — Seal, who performed his hit song “Crazy” during the press conference.

Chevrolet Camaro convertible concept

The glitziest world premiere of the Detroit show was easily the Chevrolet Camaro convertible, which premiered at GM’s Style fashion show a few blocks outside of the show proper. The show featured a red carpet, which welcomed stars including Carmen Electra, Christian Slater, Jay-Z and Nick Lachey. An extra-wide catwalk hosted lots of hot-looking models, of both the automotive and human varieties. The show’s star, the Camaro convertible concept, has a cleanly removed top but otherwise offers few surprises. Its 6.0-liter small-block V8 engine, suspension and braking systems are unchanged from the Camaro coupe concept, unveiled at the show last year. Production of the Camaro coupe starts in late 2008 for an early 2009 on-sale date, and the convertible will follow a few months later. Although 2009 would seem an eternity for fans who can’t wait for GM to get back into the muscle-car trenches, company executives don’t seem concerned that the Camaro will arrive well after its main rivals, the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger. “People want the car they want,” said Troy Clarke, GM’s president for North America.

Chevrolet Volt concept

GM's return to the development of an electric car proved to be the most-talked-about debut at the show. Not quite a hybrid, the Chevrolet Volt concept would be powered by a rechargeable lithium ion battery drive system (still under development) augmented by a gasoline, E85 ethanol, diesel or biodiesel engine, which would serve as an onboard generator of sorts that recharges the batteries. Only electric power would drive the wheels. The Volt could be plugged into an electric socket to be recharged. GM says drivers of the Volt could use zero gasoline if their commute is less than 40 miles per day, which is the vehicle's projected electric-only range. The vehicle could return around 150 mpg when using its combustion energy to create electricity once the batteries drain. The Volt's engine would offer the compact-size hatchback approximately 160 hp and 236 pound-feet of torque, with an estimated zero-to-60 mph time of about 8.5 seconds. Though revealed as a concept, rumors are pinning the Volt at a 2012 release date.

Click here to read a Q&A with GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz about the Chevrolet Volt concept

Click here to read more coverage of the Chevrolet Volt concept

Chrysler Nassau concept

Modeled after “shooting brakes,” the low-slung, wagon-like versions of sports cars once popular in Britain, the luxurious Chrysler Nassau concept straddles the increasingly blurry line between wagon and SUV. The four-door, four-passenger “coupe,” as Chrysler calls it, has continuous, uninterrupted side glass alongside, while inside there are four bucket seats, cream-colored leather and bamboo-textured trim. Twin “Picture View” skylights are overhead. The Nassau is built on the same platform as the 300C and packs a 425-hp 6.1-liter Hemi V8 with a five-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels for an estimated zero-to-60-mph time of five seconds and a top speed of 165 mph.

Ford Airstream

Ford is big on collaborations this year, including this concept, created with renowned RV maker Airstream. Designed in the traditional silver finish of the famed aerodynamic trailers, the hydrogen fuel-cell-powered concept has a whimsical feel both inside and out. It features strange key-shape sunroofs, a cylindrical entertainment screen and a so-called gullwing right-side door that looks like a pimped-out, top-hinged minivan sliding door. “This concept celebrates the fact that it’s the journey and not the destination that matters,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of the Americas, about the Ford Airstream. Fields also mentioned that the collaboration is obviously more far-out than the MKR concept that Lincoln showed, or Ford’s Interceptor concept, but it still may have some production-worthy elements, such as door handles integrated flush into the bodywork. Perhaps the Airstream’s most intriguing point is its power source, a plug-in hydrogen fuel cell with lithium-ion batteries. Ford says this running powerplant delivers the equivalent of 41 mpg in a vehicle the size of its new Edge compact SUV.

Ford Interceptor concept

As disappointing as the new Ford Focus may be to some, the company presented one of the most intriguing concepts of the show with its Interceptor, a rear-wheel-drive, full-size sedan (or four-door coupe, as Ford would like you to call it). The Interceptor mixes the Mustang platform with leading-edge safety equipment and the badass Ford truck front end from last year’s F-250 Super Chief concept. The result is a car that one could forecast as a competitor to DaimlerChrysler’s popular Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger sedans. No production plans were confirmed, but it was a vehicle that Ford chief creative designer Jay Mays said “will probably affect future product.” The Interceptor concept offers a 400-hp V8 engine, dubbed the Cammer, which comes with a six-speed manual transmission and runs on E85 ethanol (a fuel consisting of a mix of 85 percent gasoline and 15 percent ethanol). A squared steering wheel emphasizes its American muscle car heritage.

Honda Accord Coupe concept

If history repeats itself, Honda’s Accord Coupe concept can scarcely be called a concept, because the last few vehicles that Honda described that way, like the Civic and Element SC, were barely disguised production models. Most interestingly, the Accord Coupe concept offers a sneak peek at what the next-generation Accord will look like, and it’s the first time an Accord “concept” has been previewed at a major auto show. The current generation was released for the 2003 model year and so will be replaced by a new-generation Accord by this fall, in both coupe and sedan versions. Like the recently released Nissan Altima coupe, which debuted at the most recent L.A. auto show, the Accord Coupe will be shapelier than past variants, which were essentially two-door versions of the sedan. Honda says the coupe’s V6 engine will offer cylinder deactivation to economize fuel and more power than the current model. Don’t be surprised if this engine matches or exceeds the output of the Toyota Camry’s 268-hp V6.

Jaguar C-XF concept

Presaging a production model that will debut sometime in calendar year 2008 to replace the aging S-Type, Jaguar’s new C-XF is an important concept that, according to Jaguar chief designer Ian Callum, sets the brand’s future away from conservative looks and toward more sporty, daring designs. The concept, powered by a 420-hp 4.2-liter supercharged V8, marks the debut of a new grille that will be used across the brand’s model line, and the car has a rakish profile that’s more like that of a coupe than a sedan, with a sharply rising beltline. Opulent interior appointments include a striking new burnt-wood finish and soft leather for the front and rear bucket seats.

Read our detailed coverage of the Jaguar C-XF concept here.

Jeep Trailhawk concept

Chrysler Group introduced a new Jeep concept vehicle called the Trailhawk. In the words of Chrysler design VP Trevor Creed, “It’s what might happen when you leave a Wrangler and a Grand Cherokee parked together for too long.” The Trailhawk is based on the Wrangler platform, with a Bluetec diesel V6 and full-time four-wheel drive. While the exterior is instantly identifiable as a Jeep, the eye-catching interior showcases some new design elements, including a full-length center console that runs between the front and backseats with movable bins, a thin center console up front that’s open behind and a portable “audio pod” sound system with an Apple iPod dock.

Kia Kue concept

Kia’s Kue concept vehicle, designed in the U.S., will help redefine the automaker’s global design language, said Kia Motors America COO Len Hunt. The midsize concept is a cross between a sports car and a utility wagon and is powered by a 4.6-liter V8 engine with 400 hp and 400 pound-feet of torque delivered to all four wheels. The cargo area at the rather pointed back end is accessed through two hinged doors, while scissor-action side doors supposedly allow easier entry and exit to the four bucket seats inside. A customizable interface system allows audio and climate controls to be operated through a touch pad or with motion sensors.

Next: Detroit Show Highlights continued