Part 1

The global downturn of 2009 had a profound effect on the American car industry. A couple of years later, there are signs of revival and that was best seen at the recent Detroit Motor Show

Not only did the American auto giants, namely General Motors and Ford, show their brave new face to the world, the Japanese manufacturers, for whom the US is a vital and sizeable market, were there in full force too. Chevrolet though dominated the show this year with some fantastic new concepts and also the Aveo RS hatchback.

Last but not the least the Germans too were there to lure in the American crowds with a host of new models from across the Atlantic. So sit back and enjoy as we take you through the best of the American show stars.

The 140S is a compact coupe based on the Chevrolet Cruze. The concept has space for four passengers and is powered by a 1.4-litre Ecotec turbocharged petrol engine that offers 150bhp. It incorporates auto Start-Stop technology as well. Transmissions in the offing will be either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic.

This front-wheel-drive concept is being visualised as an affordable sportscar and features signature Chevrolet design cues. This includes the two-tier front grille with the bow tie emblem in between. Sport wheel arches and large 21in wheels give this car added character.

Bentley has now got a V8 under the bonnet of a host of its models. The V8 engine delivers a maximum of 500bhp and a mammoth 660Nm of torque. Combined with a new close-ratio 8-speed automatic transmission, the GT can now zip to 100kmph in under 5 seconds. A top speed of over 290kmph is also being claimed. Subtle changes have also been made to the exteriors of the GT.

The Aveo returns to Detroit with more firepower and a glitzy exterior. The Sonic RS is powered by a Ecotec 1.4-litre turbo engine rated for 138bhp. External changes include special paint, new fog lamps and lowered as well as stiffened suspension with performance tuned dampers, among others. There are also special RS badges. Interiors too have been made fancy with a special gear knob, sporty pedals, sporty seats and a specially designed instrument panel. The RS will be available in three- and five-door options.

Part 2

With the 130 concept, Chevrolet wants to tap the young generation. Consequently its design, characterised by the longish bonnet and stout rear, is inspired by Chevy sportscars. The RWD car is also compact and a 4-seater. Power comes from a 150bhp, 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine mated to 6-speed auto or manual transmissions.

Audi meanwhile unveiled a new concept – the Q3 Vail. The Vail sports a special red with matte grey body cladding, gloss black accents and aluminium trim. Other highlights include a dual exhaust system, 20in alloys and a custom roof rack with integrated LE LE D lights. To spruce up interiors, new features like leather/fabric seats, an Alcantara headliner and stainless steel mesh trim have been added.

Look at the new Fusion and it is likely to remind one of the Ford Evos concept. The front end especially. Ford will be offering the Fusion in a variety of variants, including hybrid ones.

Also, the car will feature efficient new powertrains. So for the hybrid, there’s a new 2-litre Atkinson cycle engine, while the conventionally powered car gets a 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine with auto Start- Stop. The new Fusion also comes with a host of features, including MyFord Touch system and the standard clutch of Ford “active safety” features like blind spot assist, lane keep assist, parking assist and adaptive cruise control.

Part 3

Volkswagen is using its acclaimed 1.4-litre turbocharged engine in the new Jetta hybrid. A lithium-ion battery supplies energy to a 20kW electric motor. The compact 220-volt, 1.1kWh battery is integrated behind the rear bench seat to ensure minimal space wastage. When fully charged, this Jetta can travel a couple of kilometres on pure electricity. Other green features include regenerative braking and auto Start-Stop system.

The name “E-Bugster” is a combination of “E” for electric, “Bug,” the American nickname for the Beetle, and “speedster,” which typically describes an open-top twoseater. The E-Bugster features a design similar to the new Beetle, which was recently shown at the Auto Expo. But the E-Bugster sports a chopped roof, fancy LEDs and an electric motor puts out 114bhp and 270Nm of torque. Range is claimed to be about 160km, courtesy a lithium-ion battery pack that resides both under the rear seats and boot floor. A charging port is located under the VW logo on the car’s nose, and, depending on the charger being used, an 80 per cent charge can happen in just 30minutes.

The Acura NSX can easily be referred to as one of the show stoppers of Detroit. It is designed with ravishing lines and at the same time is green too. Utilising a unique 2-Electric Motor Drive Unit with a adjustable bilateral torque control system, the brand new hybrid all-wheel-drive system can instantly generate negative or positive torque to the front wheels during cornering. The Acura management anticipates the new Sport Hybrid SH-AWD will deliver handling performance which is yet to be seen by previous AWD systems. In addition to the handling benefits of the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system, a nextgeneration VTEC V6 engine with directinjection works in conjunction with a dual clutch transmission with built-in electric motor to create supercar like acceleration while offering outstanding efficiency at the same time. Production has been green flagged as well. So rejoice!

Part 4

This Lexus, to begin with, is not going into production and is purely a show car. However we expect that Toyota will surely carry over cues from its design to other future Lexus models. The concept car’s glass roof features a lightweight, cantilevered pillar with a glass-to-glass juncture. The overall theme is to provide better visibility and airiness. The LF-LC’s interiors are driver-centric, switches and knobs are replaced by touchscreen controls on a pair of 12.3in LCD screens, in order to minimise driver distraction. Read our detailed preview of the car on page 86.

While Mini recently made its debut in India, the brand showed the new Roadster in Detroit. The Roadster will be available in Cooper, Cooper S and the John Cooper Works variant (pic), powered by three versions of MINI’s 1.6-litre inline-4-cylinder petrol engine, producing 122, 184 and 211bhp respectively.

The Roadster also features a retractable roof, which unfortunately is not electrically operated. The system can be operated manually via some buttons and knobs nevertheless.

Porsc he revealed the canvas top version of its new 911. The fabric hood can be raised or lowered at speeds of upto 50kmph. There’s also a power wind deflector that can deploy in seconds. Under the skin is a 350bhp 3.4-litre engine mated to a 7-speed manual gearbox. The car sprints to 100kmph in 5 seconds. Meanwhile the Carrera S gets a 3.8-litre engine with 400bhp and a 0-100kmph time of 4.7 seconds. Other gearbox options are also available.

While Nissan might be hailing this as a concept, but it is quite production ready actually. The fourth generation Pathfinder therefore is expected to be more stylish on the outside. Nissan also claims that the new Pathfinder will come with more efficient engines that offer over 25 per cent more economy than the powertrain in the SUV that’s currently on sale. In addition an intuitive four-wheel-drive system will also be available.

Part 5

Mercedes revealed the new SL, which features an all-aluminium body that is much lighter than the previous one. It features new and more aggressive styling as well. The new version of the car includes a retractable hard top that operates in seconds. Unlike in previous versions, buyers can choose between two kinds of roofs, including a glass or a panoramic roof that switches between light and dark at the flip of a switch. Powering the new SL is a 4663cc biturbo direct-injection V8 punching out 435bhp. Torque too has increased from 530Nm to 700Nm. As a result the new SL sprints to 100kmph in just 4.6 seconds.

The Smart For-US features an electrically powered tail board that opens and retracts inwards to provide a 900mm cargo area that can hold and recharge two smart e-bikes from a built-in docking station. The For-Us is driven by a 55kW magneto-electric motor with 130Nm of peak torque. The maximum speed of this vehicle exceeds 120kmph while its lithium-ion battery has 17.6kW on offer.

Toyota ta claims this is not the Prius in fancy clothing but a new car! This new 4-door sedan features modern bits and pieces in the form of a multi-function touchscreen control panel that replaces various knobs and dials. The NS4 will also feature a next-generation hybrid system with smaller and lighter components, and with better fuel economy and greater range in pure-electric mode. For this we expect it to come shod with lithium-ion batteries, which is lighter and more efficient too.

Based in the new 3-series, this new hybrid is inclined towards performance. No wonder then that it gets a 3-litre engine offering 300bhp. An electric integrated motor bumps up the peak power by another 55bhp. Together, the internal combustion engine and the electric motor generate a peak output of 355bhp.