TTAC has an intrepid team on the ground at this year’s North American International Auto Show who’ll be bringing you reports from the buffet lines OEM press conferences throughout Media Preview Day. We’ve seen a few debuts already: the grille-of-your-dreams Ford F-150, the not-a-four-door-coupe Kia Stinger, and the blink-and-you’ll-miss-its-changes Mercedes GLA.
Even in this day and age of instant communication and information leaks, the manufacturers still sometimes manage to keep a surprise or two in their back pockets. The Ford GT and Buick Avista spring immediately to mind. This year, I’m hoping for a surprise announcement on a decades-old rumour.
There’s been plenty of mid–engine conjecture in the Corvette camp over the last twelve months. In August, the Detroit News postulated that a mid-engined Vette will bow in 2019. Unusually proportioned mules popping up in spy shots and investments being tossed in the direction of Bowling Green fueled these rumors.
The mid-engined Corvette has been part of GM lore since, well, forever. It is said that in GM’s glory days the trio of Bill Mitchell, Ed Cole, and Zora Arkus-Duntov argued over a Wankel-powered version. The Corvette Indy concept debuted in the mid-80s as a mid-engined wonder. By 1990, Chevy refined the Indy into the CERV III concept, deploying four-wheel steering, active suspension, all-wheel drive, and a twin-turbo V-8. Legend has it Chevy was considering a production run but, alas, accountants intervened. More recently, Bob Lutz has mentioned the mid-engined Vette project recently got as far as two full-sized clay models, only to be scuppered by GM’s sojourn into bankruptcy.
Recent murmurings have suggested we will not see a new Corvette of any type at NAIAS this year, so I may be disappointed. Perhaps the amidships rocket from GM will be a Cadillac, but I do hope it sports a Corvette badge.
What do you hope will be shown at NAIAS this year? A low-slung sports car? A burly new truck? One thing’s for sure: if it’s there, TTAC will have coverage for you.
New CUV designs with larger grilles and lower profile tires!
Gimme 50 bucks and I’ll tell you your fortune.
*cha-ching*
You gonna be Happy!
F*ck CUVs. I genuinely fear this dreary, new malaise era world of anonymous blobs and poser edges on boxes on wheels filling the highways and byways of our increasingly sterile & homogenous world.
Just make this, Nissan, with about 210 (okay) to 250 (better) horsepower, a curb weight less than 2,750 lbs, a proper and finely honed 5 or 6 speed manual transmission, independent suspension all around, and you will redeem your many sins (and you are burdened with so many sins):
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m3fFYHs6lhs/VWDJ5g5DIHI/AAAAAAAAEEo/46pG14ZP3Yo/s1600/IDx_maincut_S2.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ObxjP7xkbgI/VWDNuEEQFAI/AAAAAAAAEFk/V0I0c5JjqmA/s1600/Nissan-IDx-Freeflow-3%5B2%5D.jpg
After unleashing the horror that was the Murano convertible upon the world, Nissan has no right whatsoever to say they won’t build a car because of low volume.
What, did a CUV run over your grandmother?
http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/582/861/e26.jpg
You’re a funny guy, Deadweight, I like you. That’s why I’m going to kill you last :D
We’ll take Cooke’s CUV. He won’t be needing it.
“F*ck CUVs”
giphy.com/gifs/southparkgifs-3o6Ztor3Mxeuc85Mg8
I was hoping for an LS that didn’t ape styling features from Toyota, but that was too much. Front looks like Scion tC, complete with the large grille and notched headlamps. Tail has elements from Toyota Camry.
A Japanese minivan that’s actually a Mini. Van.
I’m afraid you’re going to need a Flux Capacitor for that.
Puppies. Lots of ’em.
A compact or midsize car for FCA’s portfolio. I’m not picky about the brand, though something for Chrysler’s stable would help us justify keeping the brand alive. If they’ve found a dance partner and kept it silent until now, it would be a big splash at NAIAS and probably raise investor confidence.
Maybe SRT can pull the covers off of whatever’s been seen (and heard) running around the Auburn Hills area. Of course I already know what those things are, but I’m desperate to be able to actually talk about them.
You’re such a tease
I concur!
Something that isn’t racy, fancy, tiny or outdoorsy would be great.
The Continental has already been revealed, last year.
Please explain how a Lincoln fleshes-out Chrysler’s product line.
There’s only room on the market for one of the things you’re describing. It just happens to be a Lincoln.
I don’t recall having said your name three times. Why have you appeared?
Oh I’ma sorry suh’, please don’ be so sore at me suh’. Didn’t know yous’ had all the talkin’ space.
My bad, I mumbled “Corey, Corey, Corey” to myself earlier.
You want an SRT product that isn’t racy?
Get out.
Man– there’s no winning with y’all.
I mean I would like to see a Chrysler.
I was hoping for the Expedition, but Ford gave us, “We’re bringing back the Ranger and Bronco, but we aren’t going to show them to you. Also, Mobility, blah blah, Connected Cities, blah blah blah, something something Steve Jobs taxi.”
The word mobility has always made me think of someone on a Hoveround.
“Ladies, which chair took you to the Grand Canyon?!”
We’re bringing back the Ranger and Bronco, but we aren’t going to show them to you…
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
I’m torn by this simply because at least they aren’t pulling a GM, we’re going to show you shots and models of the 5th Generation Camaro until you swear it has been on sale for 3 years before we even deliver one to the dealer.
It was a bad press conference. Everyone should have left when they transitioned from BRONCO! to MOBILITY SOLUTIONS!
The trend (at least with F) looks to be doing reveals at special events instead of waiting for auto shows.
Yeah. But this was garbage. The presser went like this:
Mark Fields: Exciting News! The Ranger and Bronco are coming back. We listened to our customers.
Audience: Applause
(No Bronco or Ranger is shown)
Mark Fields: Let’s talk to Mike Bloomberg and some guy that knew Steve Jobs about connected cities and mobility solutions!
Audience: *air being let out of a balloon noise*
that’s because there’s no Ranger or Bronco to show yet. I’m personally thinking this was more or less something to appease/deflect the Boiled Ham in a Wig.
Oh I know there is nothing to show yet. But they could have just sent a tweet out about the Bronco/Ranger. The rest of the presser was full of stuff that wasn’t new either. I either heard it at an earlier media event, or though various releases. They could have saved money by not renting out Joe Louis Arena at all.
JL Wrangler
Toyota S-FR!
WRX Hatchback!
Larger rims that more easily bend and scar from minor potholes; larger grilles and less bumpers in front ends; more “organic” styling with droopy, clashing lines; and more clattering 2.0L turbo 4 cylinders dropped into 4,000+ lb vehicles. ;-)
Wait until you see the new Lexus LS. It has all those things, save for the engine which I’m not sure of.
3.5L twin turbo V6.
So really, the last of the desirable LS models is on the market right now.
Looks EXACTLY like a Tesla Model S in profile…
I find it most disappointing. The rear flanks are very similar to the new Lacrosse.
“Elegant luxury” is now a three-ton SUV, Corey. Or an S-Class.
Unfortunate but true.
If Caddy cleaned up the execution on the CT6, it’d clean up.
Any tidying of the CT6 would not be Daring Greatly enough!
Just saw a picture of the new LS. That is a face only a mother could love. As a suggestion for the iteration after this upcoming one, maybe they should just have a pair of headlights dangling from the hood, forget the bumper altogether and just have blank, empty space for the rest of the front end.
A V6 ,manual and lowered 3 inches ‘sport’ version of the CR-V. With fake wood paneling offcourse.
Nah, kidding. All I want is a reasonably lightweight non-premium midsize stationwagon with a v6 and rear wheel drive. Manual can be optional. Fake wood paneling can be optional too. Alloys larger than 16 inch should also be optional. Every electronic gadget that isn’t mandatory should be optional too.
I am skipping the NAIAS this year it looks like a really boring lineup. I would like to see a proto Chrysler Imperial – inspired by the Green Hornet edition.
Tell us the Supra won’t cost $100K.
Tell us the CUV is dead forever.
Tell us that Subaru/Toyota is putting out a 300HP BRZ/86.
I am sure to be disappointed.
I would like to see a production ready Hyundai Santa Cruz or some other near production trucklet
You are advising Shinzo Abe & Haruhiko Kuroda re Japan’s economy, Paul.
Do you think Hyundai could improve sales, revenues and margins digging a giant hole and pushing up to 2 million vehicles into it?
DW, I don’t think that’s the actual Paul Krugman. Just like I don’t think Hillary Clinton doesn’t come on here pretending to be ‘Masterbaiter.’
That said, “Dumb and Dumber Too” was a masterpiece, man.
Wait, I’m NOT Les Grossman???!!!
CUVs with available manual transmission.
Adaptive cruise control for RAM1500.
Chrysler 300-H(ellcat)
Flat paint is dead.
Chrome is the new chrome.
A new Camaro with windows.
1. Honda Accord 4 door + V6 + AWD with torque vectoring diff a la new Pilot + 6 speed manual OR Dual Clutch
2. Acura TLX-R + turbo V6 + DCT with e-motor assist inside transmission + wide body fenders
3. Acura NSX-R – hybrid drivetrain + more boost
4. Chevrolet Camaro SS + 2 Doors + AWD
5. GMC Yukon + Duramax
6. Cadillac Escalade + LT4
7. Ford Mustang GT + 2 doors + AWD + Voodoo Motor + DCT
A 3 liter station wagon for the 90% that just need a functional automotive appliance.
3 liter as in 3.0 liters/100 km.
Something with a manual transmission that is Japanese or Korean and isn’t a barebones stripper model.
Stripper models are what I want to see when I download porn, not search for cars.
Cars have gotten so goddamn boring over the past 3 or 4 years that I barely keep up with it anymore. Yay another silver blob CUV. Yay another silver blob sedan.
The C7 Corvette that has the giant wing (In all those spy pics) would be cool to see. Is it a ZR1? A lightweight ACR-type of Z06? That’s the car I want to see.
What was unveiled was that the FBI arrested VW’s U.S. manager Oliver Schmidt. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iaFP7ZQJa1w/sddefault.jpg
Easy – a Voltec based CUV. Pretty much a no brainer for GM to leverage what they’ve learned with the 1st & 2nd Gen Volts & use it to offer the first extended range EV in one of todays hottest automotive markets.
A V8, 4 door Mustang GT with a Lincoln badge, a Honda designed manual transmission and an Audi interior.
You asked.
Mazda 3 wagon or CX-4 with CX-9’s engine and sound insulation :)
More wagons in general, jacked-up or no, we need good old outback replacements.
Hope is dead.
Eat Arbys.
Nihilist Arby’s got to you too?
“Welcome to Costco. I love you.”
https://twitter.com/jesseraub/status/815267811631263745?lang=en
I’m waiting to see the Buick Tour-X, but apparently that’s not going to be shown until the NY show in April, so I guess nothing.
Hope the TTAC attendees have fun. Detroit in January is so uplifting.
Mitsubishi Triton (for sale in U.S.)
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (for sale in U.S.)
Chevrolet Colorado 7 or Trailblazer (for sale in U.S.)
Hyundai mid-sized pickup
Next generation Nissan Frontier
Kia Telluride (production version)
Honda Civic Si
Modern RS2600 Ford Capri