Autoblog

click above for high-res images of the Ford Mustang Glass Top

Probably the last thing the world needs is another Mustang variant, but Ford's got to keep its retro pony mobile relevant. So after offering the coupe, releasing a convertible and then making eleventeen bazillion different versions to suit every conceivable taste, it's fitted the 'Stang with a glass roof that blends the lines of the coupe with a little bit of open air lighting.

Granted, the Glass Roof Mustang is not particularly innovative, but we like the effect both inside and out. There's a clean line of darkness that begins at the top of the windshield and sweeps up and over the roof into the hatch. Inside, it's essentially an over-sized moonroof, but when facing ahead, you can't tell that it terminates right behind your head. If the blaring sun threatens to burn your bald spot, a retractable cloth sunscreen is fitted right over the rear seat passengers that's closed with a quick tug.

Monday has come and gone at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and while it wasn't quite as big a showing as the kickoff on Sunday, there were still plenty of things to love and loathe here in Detroit. We've assembled all of the reveals and their associate galleries below, plus all the links from Monday are available after the jump.

Audi TT-S - Gallery
Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept - Gallery
Cadillac CTS-V - Gallery
Cadillac's Provoq - Gallery
ChangFeng - Gallery
Chrysler Concepts - Gallery
Corvette ZR1 Chassis Display - Gallery
Dodge Caravan R/T Concept - Gallery
Ferrari F430 Spider Bio Fuel - Gallery
Fisker Karma - Gallery
Honda i-DTEC clean diesel - Gallery
Lexus LF-A Roadster in detail - Gallery
Lincoln MKT Concept - Gallery
Kia Borrego - Gallery
Maserati Quattroporte Collezione Cento - Gallery
Maybach Landaulet - Gallery
MINI Cooper S Clubman - Gallery
Saturn Vue Hybrids - Gallery
Toyota Venza - Gallery

We know a lot of you were hanging around in front of the television yesterday, watching a couple of football games, enjoying assorted alcoholic beverages and doing the things for which Sundays were invented. We, however, were running around Cobo Hall in Detroit, amped up on all manner of stimulants (caffeine and B-vitamins, thank you very much) to report on all the happenings at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. Here's a list of what's been revealed so far in D-town, so click away. What else are you going to do on a Monday, work? Also stay tuned for today's happenings that will begin with Lincoln's press conference at 8:30 AM EST.

Audi R8 V12 TDI - Gallery
BMW 1-series convertible - Gallery
BMW 335d and X5 xDrive35d - Gallery
BMW production X6 - Gallery
2009 Dodge Ram - Gallery - Watch the Rampede here!
Ferrari's ethanol-powered F430 - Gallery
2009 Ford F150 - Gallery
Ford Explorer America concept - Gallery
Ford Verve Sedan concept - Gallery
Honda Pilot Prototype - Gallery
HUMMER HX concept - Gallery
2009 Hyundai Genesis - Gallery
Lamborghini Ad Personum - Gallery
Land Rover LRX - Gallery
Lexus LF-A roadster concept - Gallery
Mazda Furai concept - Gallery
2009 Mazda RX-8 R3 - Gallery
Mercedes-Benz GLKs - Gallery
Mitsubishi Concept-RA - Gallery
2009 Mitsubishi Ralliart - Gallery
Saab 9-4X BioPower concept - Gallery
2009 Subaru Forester - Gallery
Volkswagen Passat CC - Gallery

Click image to enlarge the Mazda Furai concept

Mazda has released a teaser shot of its Furai concept, which will debut next month in Detroit alongside the "heavily revised" 2009 RX-8. Its name translates from Japanese to "sound of the wind," and the car takes the design language introduced on the Nagare and applies it to what is literally a race-bred sports concept. The Furai, you see, is built atop the Courage C65 chassis that Mazda campaigned two years ago in ALMS. Power comes from a 450-horsepower three-rotor engine that runs on E100 Ethanol. As for the '09 RX-8, Mazda's announcement states only that it boasts an updated design, better quality and features, and improved handling and acceleration. The announcement now has us wondering if the spy photos that came out yesterday are actually the car we'll see in Detroit, and not the 2010 as initially believed. Finally, Detroit will mark the first appearance of the Taiki concept outside Japan. The Taiki, you'll recall, was introduced at the recent Tokyo Motor Show. We'll be there in force to cover it all.

[Source: Mazda]

The 2008 North American International Auto Show is right around the corner, and the world's biggest stage for new reveals will have more than its fair share of worldwide debuts come January. The organizers of the show have published their October newsletter, which surprisingly lets us know what a good number of automakers will have hiding under thier sheets after New Years. Check out the rundown below.

Ford - Small B-Segment concept based on the Verve (see rendering above) shown in Frankfurt. Will be based on same platform with different styling that hints at brand's future design direction.

Kia - 2009 production version of large SUV codenamed HM and based on Mesa concept.

Hyundai - Production version of 2008 Hyundai Genesis rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan.

Mazda - Unnamed concept that takes "Nagare" design to near production levels.

Mitsubishi - Worldwide debut of one concept and one production car, of which details on both will be released in December. Production car will not be EVO X, as it was debuted earlier at the Australian International Motor Show, which makes this reveal particularly interesting.

Suzuki - North American debut of concept revealed earlier at Tokyo Motor Show, probably the Kizashi 2.

Subaru - Unspecified global debut. Again, likely not the Impreza WRX STI, as its debut is scheduled for the Tokyo Motor Show this week.

Mercedes-Benz - Worldwide debut of new production model, probably the mid-size GLK CUV.

[Source: NAIAS via Carscoop]