Detroit, Michigan – They’re still calling it the North American International Auto Show, but for 2017, terms like car and truck are taking a back seat the mobility and connectivity.
Ford announced two exciting new products – the Ranger small pickup for 2019 and the iconic Bronco SUV for 2020. Want to see a picture of them? So would I. Rather than showing off concept versions of vehicles that enthusiasts have begged the company to make for decades, Ford’s top officials talked about autonomous vehicles, technology to reduce urban gridlock, and the moral imperative behind access to transportation.
“This is an issue that goes far beyond congestion. It is one that represents a massive challenge to mankind, one that affects our well-being and access to health care, clean drinking water, food, a safe place to live, and even the ability to find work,” says Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Co. “By solving the mobility challenge, we have the chance to create a better world for future generations. It’s both an exciting opportunity and a big responsibility.”
Fine, but don’t you have some cars to show off?
Themes develop every year at the Detroit show. Last year, it was about getting back to the grown-up work of building cars that people need more than they want. Major releases included the Chrysler Pacifica minivan and the Chevy Cruze compact car. In 2015, the theme was a return to bonkers supercars – Acura NSX, Ford GT. Going back to 2014, the theme was Ford unveiling an aluminum-bodied pickup so no one’s going to pay attention to what anyone else has to say.
Clearly, autonomous vehicles that may or may not be shared by multiple drivers is the theme of 2016. Panel discussions envision a future in which steering-wheel-free cars stay in constant use, picking up and dropping off passengers in a computer-orchestrated ballet of 100% utilization. Ford says it will dominate that new space, but then again, so does General Motors, Honda, Nissan, and just about every other automaker. Startup companies show off software packages on the first floor of the show, displaying systems for managing fleets of group-owned, shared vehicles.
With all of the talk about the long-term future of mobility, it was sometimes challenging to find people who wanted to talk about the future of cars and trucks. A few major announcements were forthcoming, and the general upshot of those is that for the next few years, trucks and utility vehicles will dominate cars, but cars are still important. Notable launches included:
- Toyota Camry – Set for production later this year as a 2018 model, Toyota hopes to keep the Camry in the No. 1 position for car sales for some time. Sportier looking than earlier Camry models, with two-tone paint trims available, the overall dimensions of the vehicles haven’t changed much. Engine options still include a 2.5L 4-cylinder, 3.5L V-6, or a hybrid, but Toyota officials say all three will be better than the outgoing versions.
- Chevrolet Traverse – General Motors engineers squeezed 33.7” of legroom between the 2nd and 3rd row seats of the large crossover, enough room for a full-sized or even a somewhat tall person. That origami-like feat comes as the automaker expanded all interior dimensions of the vehicle without expanding its overall size. North American Chief Alan Batey says updated materials and design changes cut nearly 200 lb out of the vehicle, despite its more generous proportions.
- Kia Stinger – A mid-sized sports Sedan, Kia is targeting space typically filled by luxury brands with the Stinger. While some companies have put fast-back slopes on the rear end of the vehicle and called it a sports sedan, Kia engineers focused on power. The car will feature either a 2L, turbocharged, 4-cylinder engine that produces 255hp and 260 lb-ft of torque; or a 3.3L, twin-turbocharged V-6 capable of 365hp and 376 lb-ft of torque.
- Honda Odyssey – The blessing and the curse of minivans is that you can put a lot of space between you and your kids. When the kids are being loud and obnoxious (not your children certainly, but some children) isolation helps preserve us as a species. But what about when they’re being too quiet? What’s going on back there? Honda’s latest minivan has two solutions – a ceiling-mounted, night-vision camera that can give parents eyes on what’s going on in 2nd and 3rd row seats; and an intercom system so children sitting all the way in the back can still tell parents what they want at the drive-through without shouting. Those features are housed in vehicle with all modern safety features, new engines, and the first use of a new 10-speed Honda automatic transmission.
- GAC EnVision – Guangzhou Automobile Motor Co. Ltd. (GAC) is making its third trip to the Detroit show, having exhibited in 2015 and 2013. This year, however, the company had a booth in the main hall instead of the concourse, and it repeated its goal of selling cars in the U.S. someday. While the company showed off its new EnVision plug-in hybrid, its news conference was notable more for how different it was. With President-elect Donald Trump criticizing Ford, GM, and Toyota in recent weeks on Twitter for producing cars in Mexico, nearly every automaker at the show took pains to talk about how many vehicles they made in the United States and how many jobs they support. GAC went the other, explaining that as a state-sponsored company, they were proud to show off a lineup of cars 100% made in China.
Source: North American International Auto Show