MATT
01-12-2004, 06:30 PM
I went today... spent a good 7 hours oogling over nearly every car there.. LOL. Took pictures of the cars that highlighted the show for most and a few personally to me. I stayed away from some forgettable production vehicles, in particular trucks and SUVs :P
Anyway, I am currently uploading my photos to my personal webspace here (http://matt.nfscheats.com/naias04)
I'll go on and blabber about my personal impressions of the direction automobile manufacturers appear to be taking, in particular the domestics (well, domestic to me, anyway... I do live in Michigan, afterall.. not too far from Detroit).
What I am seeing gives me hope for the future of the automobile. I am seeing American manufacturers finally breaking the car (i.e. non SUV or truck :P) out of its slump and taking it into their own direction. Gone are the days of immitating the popular Japanese front drivers. America is going more the way of Germans with AWD and also the classic front engined, rear drive platform. Featuring strong 6 cylinders and potent V8s.
First off, we have Ford's Five Hundred, from what I understand it is meant to replace the Taurus. It takes some design cues from the VW Passat, which is a very nice car in its own right. Offering all wheel drive and a chain-driven CVT (sounds awfully alot like Audi to me!) It features the twin cam 3.0 liter V6 used in the top-end current Taurus and featured elsewhere in Ford divisions (Mazda, even Aston to an extent... the Vanquish V12/DB7 Vantage V12 are essentially two Taurus 3.0 liter V6s sharing a crankshaft... not quite literally, but it is the same basic architecture).
Let's not forget Ford's power trio of retro performance cars. Beginning with the 2005 Mustang, the Ford GT(40) and now the Ford Cobra concept (once again with Shelby behind a lot of it--the only way it should be).
Also making splashes for GM is the Pontiac GTO (Holden Monaro to Aussies, basically). Rear drive and the LS1 OHV 5.7L V8 pushing a good 350 horsepower.
And a new surprise from Chrysler in the form of the 300 series. It's big and bulky, taking cues from the original 300 series Chrysler cars from the 1950s, which were the first cars to be driven by the famous Hemi V8s. This 300 series not only takes design cues from the original, but it also offers rear wheel drive and a 5.7 liter OHV V8 with hemispherical combustion chambers, just like the original (same as the Dodge Ram Hemi truck engine). The base model comes with Chrysler's 2.7 liter V6, which has been featured in many other cars in their vehicle lineup for some time now.
I'm seeing American manufacturers putting a bit more focus into cars than trucks in this year's show, and I'm very happy to see this. What makes me even happier, as I've stated earlier, is that they are making cars their own way once again, rather than copying the Japanese makers, who have taken control of the car segment in the U.S.
At the same time, we have Japanese manufacturers attempting to take a bite out of the U.S. makers' domination of the truck segment. Making large trucks with potent V8 engines promising Japanese reliability with the power and abilities to rival, if not surpass, their American truck counterparts.
So, in short, how things will turn out within the next few years in the U.S. should be very interesting to see.
The stories on the sports/exotic car scene most of you are familiar with, so I won't waste anymore of your time with that ;) Just sit back and enjoy my pictures.
Yeah, some aren't too clear... I didn't have the steadiest hand today. I suppose having your senses assaulted in Cobo hall for 7 hours non-stop can do that to you... :P Or just the mere thought!
Ok, so there's maybe a LOT of Ford GT pictures... I like the car.. so sue me! lol
Anyway, I am currently uploading my photos to my personal webspace here (http://matt.nfscheats.com/naias04)
I'll go on and blabber about my personal impressions of the direction automobile manufacturers appear to be taking, in particular the domestics (well, domestic to me, anyway... I do live in Michigan, afterall.. not too far from Detroit).
What I am seeing gives me hope for the future of the automobile. I am seeing American manufacturers finally breaking the car (i.e. non SUV or truck :P) out of its slump and taking it into their own direction. Gone are the days of immitating the popular Japanese front drivers. America is going more the way of Germans with AWD and also the classic front engined, rear drive platform. Featuring strong 6 cylinders and potent V8s.
First off, we have Ford's Five Hundred, from what I understand it is meant to replace the Taurus. It takes some design cues from the VW Passat, which is a very nice car in its own right. Offering all wheel drive and a chain-driven CVT (sounds awfully alot like Audi to me!) It features the twin cam 3.0 liter V6 used in the top-end current Taurus and featured elsewhere in Ford divisions (Mazda, even Aston to an extent... the Vanquish V12/DB7 Vantage V12 are essentially two Taurus 3.0 liter V6s sharing a crankshaft... not quite literally, but it is the same basic architecture).
Let's not forget Ford's power trio of retro performance cars. Beginning with the 2005 Mustang, the Ford GT(40) and now the Ford Cobra concept (once again with Shelby behind a lot of it--the only way it should be).
Also making splashes for GM is the Pontiac GTO (Holden Monaro to Aussies, basically). Rear drive and the LS1 OHV 5.7L V8 pushing a good 350 horsepower.
And a new surprise from Chrysler in the form of the 300 series. It's big and bulky, taking cues from the original 300 series Chrysler cars from the 1950s, which were the first cars to be driven by the famous Hemi V8s. This 300 series not only takes design cues from the original, but it also offers rear wheel drive and a 5.7 liter OHV V8 with hemispherical combustion chambers, just like the original (same as the Dodge Ram Hemi truck engine). The base model comes with Chrysler's 2.7 liter V6, which has been featured in many other cars in their vehicle lineup for some time now.
I'm seeing American manufacturers putting a bit more focus into cars than trucks in this year's show, and I'm very happy to see this. What makes me even happier, as I've stated earlier, is that they are making cars their own way once again, rather than copying the Japanese makers, who have taken control of the car segment in the U.S.
At the same time, we have Japanese manufacturers attempting to take a bite out of the U.S. makers' domination of the truck segment. Making large trucks with potent V8 engines promising Japanese reliability with the power and abilities to rival, if not surpass, their American truck counterparts.
So, in short, how things will turn out within the next few years in the U.S. should be very interesting to see.
The stories on the sports/exotic car scene most of you are familiar with, so I won't waste anymore of your time with that ;) Just sit back and enjoy my pictures.
Yeah, some aren't too clear... I didn't have the steadiest hand today. I suppose having your senses assaulted in Cobo hall for 7 hours non-stop can do that to you... :P Or just the mere thought!
Ok, so there's maybe a LOT of Ford GT pictures... I like the car.. so sue me! lol