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2020 Detroit Auto Show canceled as venue becomes a field hospital
Yet another major 2020 auto show has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although now it's less about timing and more about supporting the current fight. Organizers have canceled the Detroit Auto Show (officially the North American International Auto Show) as its venue, the TCF Center, is being turned into a field hospital for coronavirus patients. The next show now won't take place until June 2021, or over two and a half years after the last event.
Ford's 2020 Explorer Hybrid adds range without losing storage capacity
While Ford already revealed its redesigned Explorer SUV, today at the Detroit Auto Show we're learning more about the new Hybrid version. Ford claims that this year it's introducing a whole slew of hybrid vehicles that combine performance and extended range via their efficiency, and this one is just the first. While we don't have all the details on its powertrain yet, the 2020 Ford Explorer Hybrid has a 3.3-liter V6 that's part of a hybrid system producing 318 HP (no word on torque -- yet), while pulling more than 500 miles of range from its 19.3 gallon gas tank. Beyond making life a little greener for SUV owners, Explorer chief engineer Bill Gubing points out that "Reduced cargo space in hybrids is a thing of the past for Ford customers." Unlike other Ford hybrid vehicles that sacrificed space for big, awkwardly-placed battery packs, this one slides its specially designed liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery into the chassis beneath the second row seats so owners don't have to give up legroom or cargo space. At 4,969 pounds it's even lighter than the 400 HP ST version Ford is also showing off today. Still, we'll want to see its storage capabilities for ourselves -- as well as the optional 10.1-inch vertically-oriented touchscreen -- and hear more about how much it tows before hooking up the boat and taking a trip up north. Update: Ford mentioned it's capable of towing up to 5,000 pounds, and the model I saw here on the show floor looked like any other SUV with three rows of seating. The battery pack is tucked somewhere under that second row and while you won't be shoving anything under those seats, there's nothing awkwardly poking out to block other parts of the cabin.
Cadillac drops teaser pics of its first electric vehicle
Shortly after GM revealed Cadillac will take the lead in its electrification push, the brand has given us a peek at its first-ever electric car. Following a couple of hybrid attempts, the new vehicle doesn't come with a name or any details, but from the looks we'd expect a Model X-fighting luxury crossover. The most important part may be what's under the skin, as this shows off the "BEV3" platform that GM plans to use for a number of electric cars going forward. Cadillac president Steve Carlisle said: "The architectural design will allow the battery packs to fit into the vehicle like ice cubes in an ice cube tray, you can put in as much water as you want to make as many cubes as you need -- the tray still takes up the same space in the freezer." The point of the design is flexibility, so that any kind of vehicle can have a unique design without reducing range. The drive units are similarly targeted for flexibility, with front-, rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations supported.
The most eye-catching cars and tech from NAIAS 2018 in Detroit
The North American International Auto Show's press and industry preview week is winding down, but the show is far from over. Next week the NAIAS opens to the public and if can't make it to the Mitten State yourself but still want a peek at what's tucked inside Detroit's Cobo Center, we've got you covered. HoloLens and VR? Check. A Chevy pick-up with snowmobile treads for tires? Mhrm. Same goes for a Mercedes G-Class Wagon trapped inside a brick of "amber" resin. Hell, we even got the Michelin Man to flex his muscles for a photo. There's a lot to see, so kick back, pour yourself a frosty beverage and peep the slideshow below on the biggest monitor available.
Lamborghini’s 650HP Urus is equal parts muscle and infotainment
Lamborghini's Urus is more than just an absurdly overpowered SUV, it's packed with technology both on the entertainment and safety sides too. That means along with its 650 horsepower twin-turbo aluminum 4.0 liter V8 (whew) you also have the option for a pair of Android Auto tablets mounted to the back of the driver and passenger seats. Oh, and there's a digital instrument cluster as well, which will either make keeping it under the 305 KMH (189.5 MPH) top speed easier or harder, depending on your driving style.
GAC's En Verge concept packs a digital dash and AR for passengers
Chinese automaker GAC is making waves at the North American International Auto Show. "We want you to give us a chance to challenge ourselves," GAC group president Feng Xingya said from the stage, before unveiling GAC's first all-electric concept, the En Verge. The En Verge is a two-door compact crossover SUV. The first thing you'll notice are those massive ports on the front bumper. While they look like they're for cooling, they're actually removable fog lamps. Called G-Torches, they double as flashlights for when you want to do some off-trail exploring. Handy!
Nissan's Xmotion concept swaps key fobs for fingerprints
Infiniti's eye toward the future has manifested itself with the Xmotion (pronounced "Crossmotion;" it's a crossover SUV). The suicide-door clad ride boasts hand and eye motion and gesture sensors for the generous door-to-door digital dashboard, climate controls and infotainment system. The latter is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple's Car Play setups, as well as surround sound for the 4+2 seating arrangement. In the stage demo, the display showed off swimming koi and driving information. The fish are actually a virtual assistant, and you can see them in action below.
Acura puts its 'True Touchpad' Android UI in the 2019 RDX
In 2016 Acura showed off its "Precision Cockpit" concept that included a touchpad with 1:1 mapping to a central display. It's supposed to improve on both touchscreens, which can require an awkward reach from the driver to somewhere out of their line of sight, and existing remotes that try to copy a mouse-controlled UI. Now the company has announced that technology is coming to the 2019 RDX branded as a "True Touchpad." This Android-based car OS is the first use of a touchpad with absolute positioning in a car, making sure that wherever the driver taps on the pad corresponds to what is shown on the central 10.2-inch screen, which is mounted high up, in the driver's line of sight. Combined with a new natural language interface and an interactive heads-up display for the driver, it's supposed to be easier to use than any car software we've seen before.
BMW's latest hybrid is the i8 Coupe
BMW's newest hybrid i8 Coupe is the 2+2 answer to your "What if I don't want a convertible?" question. Like its Roadster sibling that debuted at the LA Auto Show last November, the Coupe hits 369 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque thanks to the internal combustion power plant driving the rear wheels, and 34 amp-hour electric motor powering the fronts. This is how BMW does all-wheel drive. There are improvements abound, with energy capacity jumping from 7.1kWh to 11.6kWh and an overall 12 horsepower increase over last year's model. BMW says that this and the Roadster can go 18 miles on pure electric power, with the equivalent of 70 miles per-gallon fuel efficiency pending EPA testing.
Mercedes CEO: 'Stay tuned' for an electric G-Wagen SUV
Mercedes-Benz's G-Class Wagon isn't changing for the future in the ways you might expect. Yet. From a preview event at Detroit's crumbling, historic Michigan Theater for the North American International Auto Show, chairman Dieter Zetsche was joined onstage by Arnold Schwarzenegger to talk about the iconic SUV's improvements. Given where Schwarzenegger used to hold office -- California -- and his environmental bend, The Governator had a pressing question for Zetsche: "What is the future [of Mercedes] in fossil fuels? Does this G-Wagen eventually come out as an electric G-Wagen?" He has the world's first one at home in Los Angeles, he said.
Ford teases 'Mach 1' electric performance SUV for 2020
At its NAIAS 2018 preview event, Ford just dropped a few details about an electric vehicle it plans to release in 2020. The "Mach 1" (cribbing its name from the famous Mustang model) is an all-electric performance SUV under development by Team Edison in Ford's recently-opened Corktown facility. It won't be the company's only EV either, as chairman Bill Ford revealed the company plans to have 40 electric vehicles by 2022 while investing $11 billion in them.
Ford is bringing Chariot's on-demand shuttles to 8 cities in 2017
When Ford bought up San Francisco-based public transit alternative Chariot last year, the automaker promised to roll its private commuter shuttle service out to even more cities in 2017. Today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Ford CEO Mark Fields stepped up that goal to include eight new cities in 2017, plus one outside the US.
Volvo is testing self-driving cars with real families
Picture a self-driving car test in your head and you probably see an engineer or two scrutinizing data... and no one else. Everyday people, if they're present at all, tend to be relegated to the back seat. Volvo is trying something different: it just revealed that it's conducting autonomous vehicle tests with an ordinary family, the Hains from Gothenburg, Sweden. The four-person household is convenient for marketing, of course (we care about people!), but they serve an important purpose: they'll help Volvo understand how non-engineers deal with self-driving tech. How do they react when the car switches between manual and autonomous modes, and what do they do at those times when they aren't taking the wheel?
VW's I.D. Buzz concept is a self-driving, electric microbus
As Volkswagen works towards rebuilding itself as an EV automaker, one great way to avoid losing diehard fans is to clean up and refresh a few of those old classics that won them over in the first place. While the company has teased electric reincarnations of the iconic VW bus before, the company's latest microbus concept, the I.D. Buzz, is the first to go all out with a fully autonomous driving mode.
Chevy is unveiling its next-generation Volt hybrid in January
Wondering when you'll get to see that fabled (and arguably overdue) Chevy Volt redesign? Five months from now, according to GM. The automaker has confirmed that it will unveil the next version of its extended-range EV (aka serial hybrid) at the North American International Auto Show, which kicks off on January 12th. The company isn't giving curious motorists more than a teaser picture of the car's backside at this stage, but leaks and spy photos suggest that the new Volt will be cheaper and sleeker than its predecessors -- likely necessary given that the Chevy hasn't been as popular as some of its rivals. The revamp will be part of the 2016 model year, so it's safe to say that you'll get to take the wheel within months of the unveiling.
Chevrolet C7 Corvette Stingray comes with 8-inch customizable instrument cluster
One of the prettiest sights at this year's North American International Auto Show was the Chevrolet C7 Corvette Stingray, a bright red beauty that's just as attractive inside thanks to a brand new reconfigurable instrument cluster. According to Autoblog, behind the steering wheel is an eight-inch high resolution screen with one of three different layouts: sport, touring and race. Sport mode places the tachometer in the center, touring slips it to the side to make room for info like navigation directions and race displays the tach in a bold and colorful ascending bar graph. The modes can be configured to show all kinds of details, from G-force numbers to lap times. Of course, we've seen digital displays of this sort before, but Chevy's version is quite the visual treat all the same. If you're dying to get a look at the cluster for yourself, head over to the source for the video.
Cadillac ELR unveiled: A Volt for the luxury set (updated with pictures)
It's taken a good, long while for the Cadillac Converj concept to break cover as a production machine, but at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the car has finally shrugged off its camouflage. You can think of this as the Chevy Volt's better-mannered big-brother if you like, as this machine relies on the same Extended Range Electric Vehicle platform as its predecessor. That is, it has the same basic hybrid structure as the Volt that allows it to run as a pure EV for up to 35 miles before switching over to a more traditional parallel hybrid mode, burning gasoline for a maximum range of over 300 miles. But, that's not to say this is a Volt that's just made a trip to the tailor for a better-fitting suit -- there's a bit more to it than that. Join us after the break for the details.
Acura unveils updated NSX concept, has one V6 and three electric motors (eyes-on)
Acura chose last year's NAIAS to unveil the reborn NSX, heir to an epic throne of motorsports lineage. But, it was lacking a few things -- most notably an interior. This year, Honda's superlative brand is showing off a new generation of concept for the car that is still, sadly, at least two years away from production. As before it's powered by the company's Sport Hybrid SH-AWD, a system that's spun most forcefully by a mid-mounted V6, helped by three electric motors. One is mounted to the V6 to provide a hybrid setup, the other two slung between the front wheels to give those tires up front little spin when needed. The new interior is a typically focused experience, full of leather and carbon fiber. It looks perfectly ready for production, but we're told it's just one potential design from a few they're toying with. No word on how much Acura's return to the supercar world might cost when it goes into production, but we're just glad to see this on a definite path to availability.
Tesla to open 25 new stores in 2013, first Chinese location this spring
Getting yourself into a new Tesla is going to get a little easier in 2013. The company opened 13 stores in 2012, but this year has designs to double that. On the show floor of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, George Blankenship, VP of sales, confirmed a plan that will see 25 new retail locations opening throughout 2013, with half of those in the US and the other half abroad. This includes the company's first location in China, which is due to open its doors in the spring. The company also re-committed to covering the US with Supercharger charging stations. Only eight are operational now, most on the west coast, but the company plans to cover both coasts in the coming years and then, eventually, connect the two so that you can drive from Boston to LA without burning a drop of fuel -- and without spending a dime, since use of the chargers will be free for Tesla owners. No firm details on when the company's $30k entry-level machine will be launching, but we were at least told it's still at least a few years out
Nissan knocks $6,400 off Leaf sticker price, sells S model for $28,800
That lower-cost Nissan Leaf we heard about? It just got a sticker price. Savvy car buyers will be able to kick off their haggling at $28,800, the Leaf S' MSRP. Don't expect the price war to last long though -- dealers will waste no time leveraging relevant tax credits, which in California, can dip the car's price as low as $18,800. The price reduction hits the entire line, too -- pricing the Leaf SV and SL at $31,820 and $34,840, respectfully. Nissan attributes the savings to local construction, dodging foreign currency fluctuations by building the vehicles in its existing Tennessee facilities. The move puts the Leaf a little closer to competing with its gas-guzzling cousins, and goes a long way to placate EV buyers put off by the car's 2012 price hike. Still too pricey? Don't worry -- Nissan promises that you can still lease it, too. Read on for the official press release.
