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2004 North American International Auto Show
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| Debuts, previews and concepts from North America's biggest show |
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| Updated |
Jun 10, 2004 22:34:10 |
| Rating |
 506 ( -56 -11.06% ) | | Author | Brian Chee |
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Description:
It's cold. Too cold to think about anything but getting on a plane and flying to the sunshine. Too cold, certainly, to talk about convertibles. But that's what we're here to do today, on the final day of the 2004 North American International Auto Show. It's minus-2, not counting the wind chill, and Chrysler wants to talk to me about convertibles.
Features
Debuts
Vehicles introduced
Day One
Initial debuts
Day Two
Show overview
2004 North American Car
and Truck
Ford F-150
Toyota Prius
The Lucky Three
Our Best Bets for Success
Vehicle Debuts
Aston Martin
DB9 Coupe and DB9 Volante
BMW
645ci convertible
Chrysler
Slingshot and ME
300C
PT Cruiser & Crossfire convertibles
Dodge
Magnum
Ford
Here come the cars
General Motors
Vette, Solstice and Kappa
Pontiac G6
Honda
Cool dads and the SUT
Infiniti
QX56 and a special G35
Jaguar
S-Type
Jeep
Wrangler Unlimited
Land Rover
Range Stormer
Lexus
A new GS and the RX400h
Mercedes
SLR McLaren, Grand Sports Tourer II
Nissan
A new Pathfinder, Frontier and a concept crossover
Scion
A new tC
Toyota
Hybrid Highlander and the FTX Super Truck
Suzuki
Reno
Volkswagen
Concept T and a pocket rocket Golf R32
Volvo
S40
Right. So here's a question: how's the heater in that new 2005 Crossfire Convertible? Crank it up Dieter, crank it high and let's get the atmosphere up to a human 70-74, with perfectly blue skies and maybe an ocean to my left. Then you can talk to me about convertibles. My sensibilities tell me that there are more affordable and better performing roadsters on the road than the Crossfire. But there's something about the way that Crossfire looks, and as a convertible - my, oh my. It's the perfect little toy for grown up people to enjoy. And on the frigid surface of Cobo's show floor in downtown Detroit, that may well be what Auto Shows are - a shiny adult toy show full of dreams and horsepower. Especially this one. The annual North American International Auto Show is a carnival for grown ups to look at their favorite things, and for the makers of autos to build them, show them off, talking about them and drink to them.
Good fun.
Look closer, however, and it's apparent that this annual show in Detroit is a phenomenon of capitalism, a showcase of building cars bigger and better than before. The grown ups, the captains of industry who build cars and sell them are pretty much responsible for 5% of the nation's economy. Nothing else really comes close. So the Auto Show is about more than back slaps and free cigars. And, indeed, during the week these Captains had slightly more to think about than concepts and Crossfires:
Incentives - It was obvious at this year's show that all automakers feel a significant roll back in discounts is imperative. And for General Motors and Ford, it's a critical issue: as they roll out new product, they must convince buyers that they build quality vehicles - a tough sell because these same customers have now become accustomed to looking at Ford and General Motors as discounters. Consumers relate quality with price, and as such a discounted car means that the maker wants to get rid of the product so bad that they have dropped the price. The question for consumers is: are you interested in paying full price for the new Chevrolet Cobalt, or the Ford Five Hundred?
Ford's recovery - Ford made a commitment at this year's show to take back a piece of the sedan/car market. General Motors, and, to a certain degree, DaimlerChrysler followed suit - but no one has as much on the line as Ford. With the redesigned Focus, Mustang, and all-new Five Hundred soon to be available, it's fair to say that the future success of the company rests on the reception these three vehicles receive. Initial reaction from the assembled press at Detroit was very favorable. If quality production, fair pricing and availability follow, Ford may well make good on their commitment.
New vehicle avalanche - All major automakers are poised to introduce more new and redesigned vehicles in the next two years than ever before. Imports are attacking the domestic stronghold of trucks and utility vehicles. Domestics want more car sales. The resulting stretch in the new vehicle market will create an array of product choices that will significantly impact how consumers shop for vehicles. With such a wide array of choice in every segment, competition will be keen, and it's likely to hurt smaller automakers that survive on selling to niche segments.
And while increased choice is a great benefit to consumers, in the current automotive environment it may be dangerous. Many consumers are now trading in three-year old vehicles for new, and using rebates to make up the amount owed. To accommodate, some dealers are offering up to 8-year loan terms. The resulting devaluation and impact to the used car market may well be severe. Given this, smart shoppers should investigate Certified Pre-Owned vehicles.
Hybrids - The race is on, and Toyota has a clear lead. Yes, Honda has two hybrids, the Insight and the Civic - but Toyota's 2004 Prius was named the North American Car of the Year and has taken the green freak out of hybrid technology. With a Hybrid Highlander coming this year, as well as the Lexus RX300h, Toyota is the clear leader. Sadly, this seems to be an import-only race. Despite grand pronouncements for the past three years, General Motors and Ford have yet to provide consumers with a mainstream hybrid alternative. If Toyota's Highlander does indeed provide compact car fuel economy with SUV convenience at a competitive price - the two Detroit Giants may be too far back to ever catch up, and will have to concede this burgeoning market to the imports.
Most significant automaker
Toyota. With this year's planned national rollout of Scion, and the new tC, Toyota now has three legitimate brands that cross the spectrum of vehicle shopping: Scion for the young, Toyota for the mass middle, and Lexus for those in the luxury market. Mix in their plans to build a truck plant in San Antonio, Texas, and their ongoing hybrid advantage, and Toyota is well on the way to achieving their show-stated goal of 2 million sales next year (probably this year), and are priming the sales pump for future generations.
Most significant introduction
The 2005 Ford Mustang. If it's a hit, it will take the heat off of the Ford F-150, and, along with the North American Truck of the Year, will serve as the iconic foundation of a rebuilt Ford Motor Co. If the Mustang is a hit, then shoppers will be more inclined to look at the newly redesigned Focus, and then the Five Hundred…the Mustang could be the car that helps end the incentive war, and the import car drain.
Most disappointing introduction
Aside from Big Blue, Toyota's monstrous FTX concept truck, the Honda SUT would have to be one of the most disappointing intros of the show. An automaker with a strong quality and performance pedigree - many people choose Honda first because of their sterling reputation -- it's a shame Honda did not come out with a true truck. As it is, the SUT concept may well have less usable cargo space than the Element or the Pilot.
Most exciting introduction
The Pontiac Solstice. A sharply designed, two-seat roadster for around $20,000? Awesome. With looks and interior quality that matches almost any roadster on the road - and captures the imagination like nothing else on the show floor -- the Solstice is a Lutz dream come true, and has the potential to dramatically change the way people think about Pontiac.
2004 Auto Show Gallery
More Show Photos...
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