PROVIDENCE -- The more things change, the more they put high technology into vehicles
The Northeast International Auto Show is hitting new highs this year: hybrids, high performance, and high expectations for new models that feature more technical innovations than ever.
Running Thursday through Sunday at the Rhode Island Convention Center, the show will have hundreds of 2004 and 2005 models, including first glimpses of some vehicles, and celebrity appearances by NASCAR Winston Cup driver Sterling Marlin, soap opera star Tyler Christopher of General Hospital, and, for the youngsters, SpongeBob SquarePants. More than 40 motorcycles will also be on display.
Cars and trucks just keep getting better as manufacturers compete to meet the changing demands of consumers who want it all -- great styling, versatility, more pulling power, better mileage. Carmakers are thinking "inside the box," squeezing more gear into the cockpits and redesigning passenger space.
Market segments are being redefined as more women buy trucks and SUVs, sedans reconfigured to haul large objects, and gas and electric power combined to provide better mileage in city driving than on the highway. It's a whole new world out there on the road, but it's a brave world, and an exciting one.
And then there's the heritage factor: the return of wagons and rear-wheel drive, retro styling and a muscle-car resurgence. The choices have never been so diverse.
"Carmakers are going places many of them have never gone before," says Matt Stone, Motor Trend executive editor. "The Crossfire, a front-engined, rear-drive two seater sporty coupe, represents a new territory for Chrysler, as does the Pathfinder Armada, certainly the first full-sized, traditional sport-utility for Nissan. Porsche has entered the SUV game for the first time in its 55-year history."
Among the stars of the auto show are the Toyota Prius, Motor Trend's Car of the Year, the Saab 9-2X, which goes on sale in July, the Cadillac XLR two-seater, which shares the Corvette platform, and the 500-horsepower 2005 Ford GT.
Also starring are the 2004 Ford Mustang, the Chevrolet SSR roadster-sport truck, and the new Mercedes E-Class station wagon. With rumors of Mercury's demise finally put to rest, there will be two new models in the spotlight, the Monterey minivan and the 2005 Mariner, an upscale version of the Ford Escape.
Whichever end of the scale your interests take you, there's something new. Chevy's Aleo, starting at $10,000, is a subcompact sedan and hatchback produced by Daewoo, recently acquired by General Motors. At the high end is the Volkswagen Phaeton luxury sedan available with 12-cylinder power, competing with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Remember when VW was the entry-level brand?
Volkswagen's first sport utility, the Touareg, with three engine choices and a six-speed automatic transmission, is Motor Trend's SUV of the Year. The Ford F-150, which wowed everyone at the show last year, is MT's Truck of the Year.
Designed to get looks
High-interest cars include the Mazda RX-8, which returns to its Wankel rotary-engine roots as a four-seater with rear-hinged back doors, and the Pontiac GTO, roaring back with a 350-hpV8. Only 18,000 GTOs will be built for 2004, on the Australian rear-drive Holden chassis, but this might be the start of something. There's talk of reviving the Dodge Charger, too.
This year's segment buster is the Saab 9-2X, an all-wheel-drive five-door aimed at first-time buyers. "It's Saab's first venture into all-wheel drive, and it happened overnight," says Dean Gregson of Wigwam Saab in North Providence. Gregson credits Debra Kelly-Ennis, president of Saab Cars USA, with pushing parent General Motors to give Saab the all-wheel-drive platform. "She definitely gets things done," says Gregson, a former race car driver with Ford who retired from the track in 1971.
Punctuating the importance of the new vehicle, which will have sticker prices starting under $25,000, Kelly-Ennis will be at the local auto show. Saab is also proud of its 9-3 convertible, new this year and, typically, equipped with a host of safety features. "We've been selling a lot of convertibles," Gregson said.
But now Saab has a car that has it all, including an available turbo-charged Aero engine with 227 hp. And lots of room to carry gear: 61.6 cubic feet of space with the rear seat folded, and easy loading through a big rear hatch. Gregson, an avid sportsman, is trying to calculate how many golf bags it will hold. If you're an auto show regular, look for Saab on the main level this year, with other GM exhibits.
GM is also debuting the Cadillac XLR, a two-seat, rear-drive sports model with a 320-hp V8 and retractable hardtop, and the SRX, a crossover SUV built on the same platform as the CTS sedan. It has power-folding third-row seats. And the Chevy Trailblazer EXT, 16 inches longer than the regular Trailblazer, has a new instrument panel and redesigned 17-inch alloy wheels.
Hybrids in crossovers, trucks
Say "hi" to a host of hybrids, cars with gas and electric power that promise to be the face of the future. Toyota's Prius has been completely revamped, part of the reason for its Car of the Year status. Its 500-volt electric drive motor is more efficient, providing improved economy and reduced emissions. Honda's Civic hybrid has been given a facelift.
Hybrids are spreading to the crossover and truck markets. The Ford Escape, though unchanged otherwise, gets the dual-power treatment. Chevy's 2005 Silverado pickup (and GMC's Sierra) will have an electric motor tucked between the transmission and the 285-hp V8, eliminating the need for a starter and alternator. And it allows for AC outlets in the cab and truck bed, making it a generator for tools or camping gear. Look for a hybrid version of the Dodge Ram pickup in the future, also. In fact, in the next couple of years there will be a whole new flock of hybrids as more and more manufacturers take up the technology.
Of course, all of this is just the tip of the iceberg at the auto show.
Upscale Kia? Buick truck?
Kia goes upscale with its all-new Amanti, a large car with a starting price of $25,000 and a wide range of standard features.
Buick enters the truck market with the Rainier, a four-wheel-drive SUV offering a V8 engine on the standard wheelbase, something its GM cousins don't.
The redesigned Dodge Durango has a larger frame and a larger engine -- can you say Hemi? -- that has 100 more horsepower than its predecessor. It is also available with a 3.7-liter V6. The front end has been given a more menacing look.
Acura has two new sedans, the TL luxury model with a 270-hp V6, offered with a five-speed automatic or six-speed manual. It also has Bluetooth wireless connections for electronics. The Acura TSX, based on the European Honda Accord, has a 200-hp four-cyliner powerplant and a switchable stability control system with traction control.
Hyundai has restyled the Elantra and given it a variable valve timing engine. The Tiburon has it, too. The XG350 has new styling front and rear, and the Santa Fe SUV offers an electronically controlled four-wheel drive system on its LX model.
A Scion among the young
Scion, Toyota's new youth-oriented brand, has a display area all its own at the auto show. Aimed at people being called "Millennials," it has a stylish look, a low price with lots of standard equipment and a long list of options to personalize the package. The subcompact xA is a sport hatchback starting at $12,480 and the xB is a five-seater that has ABS, stability and traction control (and, naturally, a CD player) as standard.
The second-generation Camry Solara has been reworked to be bigger, prettier, and more powerful. Attention, tuners: its five-speed automatic has a slap-shift feature. The V6 also has more horsepower.
Mercedes will offer the new E-Class wagon in sport or all-wheel drive versions and, along with the sedan, a seven-speed automatic transmission. You have to supply the Labrador retriever, however.
Nissan's big news is trucks. The Armada can out-tow its competitors and carry seven or eight passengers. It's big and tough -- perfect for those battles at Gillette Stadium. The Armada is based on the Titan pickup, the vehicle dealers demanded. The Titan has 305 hp and the largest crew cab in the half-ton segment.
Brian Beaulieu can be reached via e-mail at Bbeaulie [at] projo.com
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