Autoblog

Detroit Preview: BMW Concept ActiveE set to amp up 1 Series

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Coupe, BMW, Electric

BMW Concept ActiveE - Click above for high-res image gallery

Six months into its Mini E field test program, BMW is getting ready for phase two of its electric vehicle development. At the Detroit Auto Show next month, the Bavarian automaker will introduce its Concept ActiveE which brings electric drive to the Roundel. This time, instead of the diminutive Mini, these new teaser images suggest that a 1 Series coupe is set to go the plug-in route.

With the Mini E, BMW rushed to get the cars out into the field, recruiting AC Propulsion to produce the powertrains and battery packs comprised of laptop cells - a setup not unlike the Tesla Roadster. This time around, the car is much closer to what might be expected of a mass-produced electric car. BMW plans to build another fleet of EVs based on this concept, and once again, it will again put cars into the hands of ordinary drivers and fleets for more field testing. Read on after the jump for more details and the official press release.

Gallery: BMW Concept ActiveE

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading Detroit Preview: BMW Concept ActiveE set to amp up 1 Series

Detroit Preview: BMW Concept ActiveE set to amp up 1 Series originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit Preview: Toyota teases new hybrid concept vehicle

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Toyota

Toyota Hybrid Concept teaser - Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota, the Undisputed Heavyweight Hybrid Champion of the World, has just announced that it will unveil a new gas-electric concept vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show next month. Beyond that, details are decidedly scarce. As a dedicated model, this apparently won't be a hybridized version of a current Toyota model but a new vehicle entirely, and, judging by the two teaser images released with the announcement, it doesn't appear to be quite like anything the automaker has shown us before.

With that out of the way, let's speculate a bit. We've been hearing that Toyota is considering expanding its Prius range with both a sporty coupe and a roomier wagon, so this could be a conceptual version of one of those models. Or not. We'll find out for sure on January 11 when we point our own DSLR lenses at the concept in Detroit. In the meantime, feel free to hit the jump for the extremely brief press release and peruse the two high-res teaser images in our gallery below.

Gallery: Toyota Hybrid Concept Teaser

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Detroit Preview: Toyota teases new hybrid concept vehicle

Detroit Preview: Toyota teases new hybrid concept vehicle originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Better Than Before: 2010 NAIAS welcomes return of Nissan and Porsche, 54 carmakers total

Chris Shunk — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Nissan, Porsche

For many auto enthusiasts, the 2009 North American International Auto Show was the official beginning of the US economic downturn. Nissan, Infiniti, Mitsubishi and Porsche didn't even bother to show up for the once-prestigious event and Honda chose not to unveil any new product. A couple months back, the NAIAS organizers gave us some hope for the 2010 extravaganza when they said that the show would be better attended this time around. Well it appears that the show will at least be marginally better.

NAIAS co-chair Doug Fox has reportedly told the Detroit Free Press that at least 54 automakers will take part in the show this year, up four from 2009. Fox also estimates that a couple more automakers may decide to join in on the fun, but nothing is official at this time. Also exciting is news that both Porsche and Nissan will participate in this year's show, though the extent of their presence isn't very clear. We do know that Nissan will, at the very least, participate in the Detroit show's 37,000-square-foot Electric Avenue exhibit, which features electric vehicles from 26 automakers. So far Porsche will only participate in a special event called "The Gallery," which will be held for holders of the American Express Centurion card. The invitation-only event will be held at the MGM Grand on January 10.

While it's nice to see that Porsche and Nissan are going to be active at NAIAS 2010, we're a bit disappointed at the level of participation. At least the show will top the down year that was NAIAS 2009, but it looks like we may still be a ways away from the grandeur of shows gone by.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Better Than Before: 2010 NAIAS welcomes return of Nissan and Porsche, 54 carmakers total originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: January's Detroit Auto Show to be loaded up with political VIPs

Chris Shunk — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Government/Legal, Chrysler, GM

After General Motors and Chrysler required a combined $80 billion in government assistance to keep their doors open, many speculated that Uncle Sam would want to keep a hand in the carmaking cookie jar. While it is debatable how much control (a lot) the White House and Congress have over the Detroit automakers, it certainly appears that our politicians have taken a keen interest in the nation's auto industry.

One sign that our government is keeping an eye on our investment is the overwhelming amount of interest Washington is reportedly taking in the 2010 North American International Auto Show. The Detroit Free Press is reporting that Congress, the Department of Transportation and other agencies are making so many requests for access to the press days of the show that special gray and silver government badges are being created just for them. NAIAS Chairman Doug Fox says more than twice the politicians and government agencies have requested to attend the show than last year, and we're guessing the queries will continue to pour in as the show draws nearer. There is also speculation that President Obama may himself attend the show, though the White House isn't likely to confirm or deny that until much closer to the actual event.

On one hand, it's nice to see that Washington has finally decided to pay attention to the auto industry, but we can't help but wonder what what the value add is of joining the scrum during press days. We're thinking most of the politicians and government officials can learn all they need to know about the show from Autoblog, save a few million dollars, and perhaps avoid some time in the frozen tundra that is Detroit in January.

[Source: Detroit Free Press | Image: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty]

REPORT: January's Detroit Auto Show to be loaded up with political VIPs originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lookin' Swede: Volvo reveals Geneva-bound 2010 S60 sedan

Noah Joseph — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Volvo

2010 Volvo S60 - Click above for high-res image gallery

A company's image can be a burden and a blessing. Volvo, for example, remains keen on ditching its image for boxy, lackluster automobiles, but it's eager to capitalize on its reputation for safety. With its sale from Ford's empire looming on the horizon, the Swedish automaker has been hard at work to spruce up its image, and this is the latest result.

Though predictably toned down for public consumption, the production-ready Volvo S60 sedan bears close resemblance to the stunning S60 Concept that debuted at the Detroit Auto Show nearly a year ago. Gone are the suicide rear doors and the flashy panoramic roof, and the shape of the headlights have been toned down just a touch, but the coupe-like roofline and the aggressive overall styling stay.

On the safety front, the new S60 features a new Pedestrian Detection system that - you guessed it - detects pedestrians and brakes the car to a full stop from up to 30 mph if the driver fails to react.

The new sedan will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next March, with production slated to begin at Volvo's plant in Belgium early next summer. Once out on the road, the new S60 will be gunning for the likes of the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Acura TL and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, all of which comprise of the most competitive segments in the industry. In the meantime, Trollhattan has released a pair of images you can view in the gallery below and a short press release which we've posted after the jump. Thanks for the tips, everyone!

Gallery: 2010 Volvo S60

[Source: Volvo]

Continue reading Lookin' Swede: Volvo reveals Geneva-bound 2010 S60 sedan

Lookin' Swede: Volvo reveals Geneva-bound 2010 S60 sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: Detroit News says GM will build Cadillac Converj

Chris Paukert — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:57:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Hybrid, Cadillac, GM, Design/Style, Electric, Luxury, Electric

2009 Cadillac Converj concept - click above for high-res gallery

After much hemming and hawing, General Motors will reportedly build a version of the Cadillac Converj, the gorgeous but awkwardly named extended-range coupe concept first shown at last year's Detroit Auto Show. According to The Detroit News, the Converj will probably take a few years to reach dealer showrooms, as GM will first direct its efforts on launching the Chevrolet Volt, the more affordable sedan with which it is likely to share much of its Voltec drivetrain architecture.

From where we sit, the Converj seems like a natural move for GM, as Cadillac's higher margins should help offset the research, development, and production costs of everything from the Volt's lithium ion batteries to its motors and control modules. For its part, however, Cadillac is still declining to comment on the story, and the DetNews story doesn't name a source.

Either way, GM vice chairman Bob Lutz has previously gone on record as a champion of a production Converj, and he has said that a serial version would look very similar to the 2009 showcar - in much the same way that the Camaro evolved from concept to production. As the concept was gorgeous, we're down with that - we only hope it doesn't take as long to build as the Bowtie's broad-shouldered muscle car.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: Cadillac Converj

Gallery: Cadillac Converj concept

[Source: The Detroit News]

BREAKING: Detroit News says GM will build Cadillac Converj originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Detroit Auto Show main floor is full, recession officially OVER

Chris Shunk — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 09:13:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Infiniti, Nissan, Porsche

The 2009 North American International Auto Show was a bit of a disaster. The very difficult and uncertain economic conditions resulted in several high-profile automakers dropping out of the exhibition. Among the absent automakers were Nissan, Infiniti, Mitsubishi and Porsche, and a quick jaunt around Cobo's main floor revealed the empty spaces left by those big-time players. The future of the Detroit Auto Show is already looking brighter, however, with the approval of a much-needed overhaul of Cobo Hall, and more good news is coming in the way of a full main floor.

Detroit show organizers aren't yet ready to tip their hand as to which automakers will be attending the show, but among those likely to return are Nissan and Infiniti, as Japan's number three automaker is just too big to stay out of the North American International Auto Show two years in a row. The Detroit Free Press reports that Porsche has been unhappy with the lack of major media coverage at the L.A. Auto Show, and the German automaker could turn to Detroit to get its media fix. Porsche could also find itself sharing space with its new parent, Volkswagen.

While Detroit looks bring back some automakers that were lost last year, North America's biggest auto show could also bring in some newcomers. Fiat's partnership/ownership of Chrysler could mean that Fiat and Alfa Romeo models wind up parked near the Chrysler booth. India's Mahindra group, which is looking to sell trucks and SUVs here in the States, could be another option, as could China's BYD. We're really looking forward to this year's NAIAS, and it will be nice to once again see a full main floor. Another Detroit January, on the other hand, is something we can do without.

[Source: The Detroit Free Press]

2010 Detroit Auto Show main floor is full, recession officially OVER originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 09:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Vintage promo film made for Detroit's 1968 Olympic bid reveals city's precipitous decline

Chris Paukert — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Classics, Trends, Etc., Videos

Click above to watch the video after the jump

We often think of the 1950's as being the heyday for Detroit's fortunes, but even in the early-to-mid Sixties, it remained something of a modern marvel, thanks largely to its world-leading auto industry. This archival video was apparently commissioned as part of a failed bid for the 1968 Summer Olympics (which went to Mexico City instead). Reportedly filmed in 1965, Detroit - City on the Move shows the area in full bloom - a startling contrast to the shell of an empire that remains just 44 years later.

With the harmonies of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as a backdrop, Mayor Jerome Cavanagh takes us through footage of downtown streets bustling with some of the city's two million residents, shots of a startlingly clean and new Cobo Hall (including scenes of the Detroit Auto Show itself), the crisp campuses of the (then) Big Three, and of the city's once-mighty cultural draws. It even has footage of the late John F. Kennedy talking up its virtues as part of the Olympic bid.

Interestingly (and perhaps tellingly), this sanitized look at Detroit all but glosses over mounting troubles with blustery talks of 'rebirth,' it utterly omits mention of the hitmakers at Motown Records, and in retrospect, it fails to adequately address growing racial tensions in the city (Detroit's infamous riots would lay siege just two years later in 1967).

Admittedly, such promotional films show a city in its best light by design, but even still, there's no getting around the fact that the World's Automotive Capitol ain't what it used to be. This video, part of the Prelinger Archives, gives us a glimpse into what Detroit used to be, and perhaps more than anything, what it sought to be. It's an amazing yet sobering look into mid-Sixties America, and it's worth a look. Take a trip back in time by clicking on the jump.

[Source: Archive.org]

Continue reading VIDEO: Vintage promo film made for Detroit's 1968 Olympic bid reveals city's precipitous decline

VIDEO: Vintage promo film made for Detroit's 1968 Olympic bid reveals city's precipitous decline originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Panel okays money for added exhibition space for relocated Detroit Auto Show - if Cobo talks fail

Chris Shunk — Wed, 27 May 2009 09:57:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials

The North American International Auto Show is the biggest event to hit the state of Michigan in any given year, but the location of the event has come under fire due to the advanced state of disrepair of Detroit's Cobo Hall. Earlier in the year, the state of Michigan and representatives from Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties approved up to $299 million to repair and expand Cobo in exchange for the facility being turned over to a regional authority run by all three counties.

Even though the city of Detroit would be relieved of $15-20 million per year in repairs and a $20 million cash payment, the city council turned down the Cobo expansion deal. The defeat of the proposal left the future of the show in the state of Michigan in doubt, so Oakland County executive L Brooks Patterson offered up the Rock Financial Showplace as a future site of the auto show.

According to The Detroit Free Press, that idea is one step closer to reality as a state senate panel has approved up to $135 million to expand the much newer convention center to accommodate future auto shows. The money for the proposal would come from hotel and cigarette taxes, and the money officially goes to the Novi, MI facility if a deal on Cobo isn't reached by July 1.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

REPORT: Panel okays money for added exhibition space for relocated Detroit Auto Show - if Cobo talks fail originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 May 2009 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Mercury Sable reaching the end of the line Thursday

Chris Paukert — Mon, 18 May 2009 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, Mercury

2008 Mercury Sable - Click above for high-res image gallery

Mercury's born-again Sable sedan is dead again - or, more accurately, it will be come so on Thursday. According to The Detroit News, Ford's gussied-up Taurus (itself a gussied-up Five Hundred) will expire later this week, leaving Mercury with just four models: the Milan, Mariner, Mountaineer, and Grand Marquis.

And while the Taurus is getting a brand-spanking new replacement model for 2010, a Sable stablemate is apparently not in the cards, in large measure because Ford reportedly chose to spend more money on developing and marketing its Taurus replacement.

Ford's middle-tier brand is expected to lose both the Mountaineer and Grand Marquis within the next couple of model years, and the only new product mooted for the waterfall-grille brand is a new small car that has yet-to-be confirmed.

Eerily, the Blue Oval recently tested the small car waters for its Lincoln luxury brand with its Concept C showcar that debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in January. The presence of the tidy Euro-look hatchback once again set tongues wagging that Ford may be pondering whether or not to axe the Mercury marque altogether. For its part, Blue Oval officials dismiss such plans, but there is no denying that Mercury's stable is getting smaller, and at the moment, little product appears to be in the replacement pipeline.

According to the DetNews, Ford sold just 1,158 Sables in April, a drop of nearly 40% year-over-year versus 2008.

Gallery: 2008 Mercury Sable

[Source: The Detroit News]

REPORT: Mercury Sable reaching the end of the line Thursday originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 May 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: North American International Auto Show likely to move out of Detroit, see other people

Chris Paukert — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials

In car-related news that will further disappoint an already reeling city, the chairman of Detroit's North American International Auto Show has gone on record that he is exploring ways to move the event out of the city.

The very public battle to expand the show's home, Motown's Cobo Center appears to have failed for good, after the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Detroit City Council, in effect killing plans for a $288 million expansion, a plan voted down by council members in February. For his part, city mayor Ken Cockrel Jr. is evidently declining to go to the state Supreme Court to force the issue.

So now, the search is on to take the show to a new venue, likely beyond Detroit's city limits, and potentially beyond the bounds of Southeast Michigan, as well. Automotive News quotes auto show co-chair Douglass Fox as saying:

At this point we need to consider any viable option that might be out there for us... There have been leaders -- (Oakland County Executive) L. Brooks Patterson comes to mind - who have made those overtures. We need to explore those options.

Fox and his team are expected to move quickly, but given the scope of the planning required for a major international auto show, it is perhaps likely that the NAIAS will still be hosted by Cobo next January. Beyond that, though, the city of Detroit looks set to witness yet another auto-related casualty.

[Source: Automotive News - subs. req]

REPORT: North American International Auto Show likely to move out of Detroit, see other people originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michigan's Oakland County to grab NAIAS from Cobo?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Government/Legal

We can't blame Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson one bit for thinking the North American International Auto Show might be better served by moving locations away from Detroit's troubled Cobo Center. The building itself has been in disrepair for years, with a leaky roof and a poor electrical system generally cited as its most urgent needs. When an agreement was finally reached that would have fixed most of Cobo's many woes and expanded it with an additional 166,000 square-feet of floorspace, we all let out a collective sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, in what our own John McElroy called "a stupefying move at the 11th hour," the Detroit City Council voted down the proposed plan by a five-to-three tally, saying that the $20 million the city would be paid to give up power over the dilapidated building wasn't enough. Naturally, this action drew ire from a number of important sources, not the least of which being the automakers who are growing increasingly fed up about the horrid state of affairs at the Detroit Auto Show.

Here's where Patterson comes into play: "If this thing goes down, I'm done," Patterson has told The Detroit News. "I'm not going to go back to Detroit to try to resurrect the deal. Five years is enough." Unfortunately, Patterson's plan to move the annual event to another location in the Detroit area has a few potential snags of its own. The next largest nearby venue is the Pontiac Silverdome, which is about two-thirds the size and has been empty since the Detroit Lions left the stadium in 2002.

And what does the embattled Detroit City Council have to say about Patterson's proclamations? "He's bullying us as usual... he just wants everything on his own terms" says councilwoman Barbara-Rose Collins.

This is one sordid affair that seems likely to drag on for years with no end in sight.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Michigan's Oakland County to grab NAIAS from Cobo? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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German brands will attend Detroit Auto Show for at least one more year

Michael Harley — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, UAW/Unions

Regardless of their displeasure with the cost, size and quality of Cobo Hall in Detroit, executives from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen have committed to at least one more round of exhibits at the annual North American International Auto Show held at the venue each January. The German automakers occupy serious square footage at the show, and the exhibits generate much needed jobs and revenue, so the news was obviously welcomed by show officials.

As automakers scale back and exit auto shows due to the economy, or rethink marketing strategies as new markets in India, Russia, and Brazil open up, the big traditional auto shows (such as those in Detroit and Tokyo) are feeling the pressure. The latest news is that Tokyo's show is now on the verge of cancellation with the departure of Detroit's three automakers. While the Germans returning for NAIAS 2010 is welcomed news, the underlying message is that local officials (and the Detroit city council) are going to have to work even harder to save the show for 2011.

[Source: Freep.com]

German brands will attend Detroit Auto Show for at least one more year originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit City Council kills plan to expand NAIAS home

Chris Shunk — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:03:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show

Each year, thousands of journalists arrive in Detroit to see the best and brightest concepts and production vehicles automakers have to offer. It's estimated that the Detroit Auto Show brings in $500 to $600 million dollars annually to the region, which is struggling more than most due to the global recession. For years, the City of Detroit has failed to expand Cobo, and each year there are threats that the NAIAS will be taken away from the Motor City. The state of Michigan has been working with executives from Wayne and Oakland counties and the city of Detroit to upgrade Cobo, but yesterday the Detroit City Council voted down the proposed plan by a five-three tally. The proposed expansion was to add a much needed 166,000-sq. ft. of floorspace at a cost of $288 million.

The part of the plan that isn't sitting well with Detroit officials is a stipulation that hands control of the aging facility to a regional authority controlled by the tri-county area and representatives from the city and state. The city would receive $20 million dollars in funds to cede power of Cobo, but the council feels they aren't getting fair value for the venue. The city, which has been knee-deep in debt for years, operates Cobo at an annual loss of between $13 and $15 million. Due to disrepair, analysts say the building is worth a negative $284 million dollars.

We love the Detroit show, but the fact is that Cobo is a bit of a dump. The escalators don't always work, the cars are crammed into the limited floor space, and last year a fork lift collapsed into the Cobo floor. Automakers have been making their concerns known, with several pulling out of Detroit this year and a few more revealing no new products. NAIAS organizers say that Cobo must be repaired in 2010 or the city could lose its International designation. Exactly what the struggling city and region don't need right now.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Detroit City Council kills plan to expand NAIAS home originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Detroit Auto Show media days cut down by one, starts on Monday

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:20:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Trends

It looks like we'll have one less day to report on all of the debuts from Detroit next year. According to the Detroit News, the North American International Auto Show's organizers have decided to cut the number of media preview days from three to two for next year's show. The move will bring the show in-line with other domestic shows that typically only have two days of media press conferences.

The 2010 Detroit Auto Show will officially kick off on Monday, rather than on its traditional Sunday launch. There will be about 30 time slots for press conferences during two full days of festivities, eliminating the usual half day on day three. Industry days will continue to be held on Wednesday and Thursday. While this probably means very little to all of you, we're looking forward to sleeping in on Sunday. Hey, if nothing else, we figure to be that much better-rested come Monday so that we can bring you all of the latest news. That said, we don't imagine local hotel and parking lot owners are terribly excited about this development.

[Source: The Detroit News]

2010 Detroit Auto Show media days cut down by one, starts on Monday originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2009: The odds, the ends

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Etc., Marketing/Advertising

Click above for a high-res gallery of odds & ends from the 2009 Detroit Auto Show

Auto shows throw massive amounts of promotions, marketing, branding, communications and event planning brainpower into one little bowl. Everyone is trying to be distinctive, and sometimes they do it with the cars, sometimes with the merchandise, sometimes with lures that are meant to get you to their stand at all. Yet there are only so many positions in which to mount a car and so many ways to put a logo on a jacket, right? Inevitably, that means you come across a few nifty novelties, and you also discover a few more things that fell through the cracks and make you wonder "What is this... doing here?" These are few of those odds and ends we found at last week's 2009 Detroit Auto Show.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: The odds, the ends

Detroit 2009: The odds, the ends originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Limited cash to keep GM from green-lighting Cadillac Converj?

Chris Paukert — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:27:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Coupe, Cadillac, GM

Click image above for a gallery of Cadillac Converj live shots

General Motors' increasingly empty coffers could consign the Cadillac Converj show car to 'concept only' status. The Detroit Auto Show coupe has been the subject of production rumors since before it rolled onto the stage in Cobo earlier last week, but now Automotive News is reporting that GM may not have enough money to make Converj a reality.

AN quotes GM vice chairman Bob Lutz as saying that the Converj is far from a done deal:

"Ready to go? Well, first we have to prove to ourselves that we have the money... and then that it's a high enough priority to displace something else, and that we can actually make money on the vehicle, and that there is potential customer interest and so forth. We haven't done any of that work yet."

Our take? The angularly gorgeous Cadillac was designed around the same extended-range Voltec architecture as Chevrolet's forthcoming Volt, itself a spectacularly expensive research and development effort. GM is clearly committed to making the Volt a production reality, and if it ever has hopes of making money on its plug-in hybrid technology, a higher-priced, higher-margin product like from an upper-crust brand like Cadillac would seem like one of the best ways to defray R&D costs. In short, GM may still have to conduct due diligence on the Converj's business case, but if there's any money at all left in the company's bank accounts, we still think the future for the showstopper is a bright one. Given the 2011 date attached to the Volt, we would expect the Caddy to roll into showrooms for 2012.

Let's just hope it arrives in showrooms wearing a new name.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: Cadillac Converj

Gallery: Cadillac Converj concept

[Source: Automotive News: subs. req.]

Limited cash to keep GM from green-lighting Cadillac Converj? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2009: Hot Wheels

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show

Sure, there were a few brands missing from the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, but we never got the feeling that things were bleak... until we went looking for ten cool wheels. After walking the floor twice, we were able to come up with nine. America's premiere auto show had left us walking in circles, one wheel short, debating whether an ugly wheel with internally-mounted calipers was cool enough to make the list. And it was then that the real tragedy of this show hit us: not the subtracted brand count, but the lack of concept cars. With money reduced to growing on tumbleweeds and not on trees, those big-dollar flights of fancy had been (mostly) grounded. Instead, there were some magnificent production vehicles (the humongous 2010 Ford Taurus FTW!), and hereby we present the best wheels we found among them.

Detroit 2009: Hot Wheels originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No Spark: What happened to GM's promised 5-door microcar in Detroit?

Chris Paukert — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Budget, Geneva Motor Show, Etc., Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Chevrolet Beat Groundhog Day edition

Earlier this week, when General Motors rolled out the very same 3-door Chevrolet Beat concept that it showed back in 2007, we were a bit confused. After all, GM's Ed Welburn teased all of America when he pulled back the tarp on a related (but clearly different) subcompact during NBC's Today Show (video here), only to trot out the same vivid green three-door that has been steadily making the show circuit rounds for some time now.

Well, Kicking Tires has unearthed the back story, and evidently the tarp-pulling session with Matt Lauer revealed a foam model of the production Spark five-door. Understandably, GM couldn't very well drive a foam block up the ramp and onto the stage, so it simply left it out of its press conference and substituted the old concept. We thought GM might quietly put the five-door out on the floor later, so we checked back at their display during yesterday's supplier days, and unfortunately Chevrolet's stand never did get the mockup.

Kicking Tires evidently had to place repeated calls to GM's communications team in order to get them to admit that they had pulled a switcheroo. Eventually, GM's Klaus-Peter Martin noted that: "...any misunderstanding was unintentional, and that the company had always intended to reveal the production Spark in Geneva." That may be true, but we have trouble understanding why the car was teased on national television and a press shot of the five-door was circulated with the Detroit Auto Show press release.

Regardless of GM's intent, we look forward to seeing the production Spark in March, and eagerly await its arrival on America's roads in 2011.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: Chevy Spark, aka Beat

[Source: Kicking Tires]

No Spark: What happened to GM's promised 5-door microcar in Detroit? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2009: Saab 9-5 Griffin Edition is an excuse to issue a press release

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Sedan, Saab, Specialty

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Saab 9-5 Griffin Edition

We really feel for the folks at Saab, and not just because we love the 9-5 SportCombi and that we pined for a Turbo 900 with the Aero package for what seemed like all of the '80s. Yet look ahead 20 years - specifically to the 2009 Detroit Auto Show - and all we have to get excited about is the Saab 9-5 Griffin Edition. Frankly, the press release is more exciting.

The grille is spruced up with matte chrome. Besides the fact that it looks like plastic, doesn't a matte finish defeat the purpose of chrome? Inside, as always with Saab, the two-tone seats are terrific places to plop one's rear, and the things covered in leather have the look and feel you want in your quirky luxury sedan. Elsewhere... well, it's the same thing Saab owners have been looking at for years, but with some of the plastic in different places. It isn't bad. It's "Why?"

It comes with almost everything; the only options being metallic paint, ventilated seats and navigation. But when this is everything, and everything in sedan form costs $42,775, who's looking for this? Oh Saab, wherefore art thou? You can read the press release after the jump, and check out the gallery of high-res photos below.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: Saab 9-5 Griffin Edition

Continue reading Detroit 2009: Saab 9-5 Griffin Edition is an excuse to issue a press release

Detroit 2009: Saab 9-5 Griffin Edition is an excuse to issue a press release originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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