Autoblog

Video: Virtual tour of Cobo Center, the Detroit Auto Show's proposed new home

Chris Shunk — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Videos, Design/Style

Detroit's Cobo Hall renovation fly-through - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Each year, we know four U.S trips are etched in stone, the Detroit Auto Show, Los Angeles Auto Show, Chicago Auto Show and the New York Auto Show. But even though Detroit is the biggest show in terms of vehicle unveilings, the facility that houses the event just isn't cutting it. Detroit's Cobo Hall features cramped quarters, leaky ceilings, escalators that never seem to work and a basement that smells. And after the assembled press leaves Cobo, hundreds of thousands of show-goers get to experience both the best and the worst of Cobo for themselves.

The bleak and dreary exposition space will finally get its long-overdue rehab starting later this year, with a scheduled completion date in 2014. Planners have worked out another 125,000 square feet of floor space. There will be a massive digital video screen outside Cobo's main entrance. Walls have been replaced with glass that overlooks the river. It all looks very impressive, and you can see the graphically stimulating four minute-long virtual tour for yourself by hitting the jump. As an added bonus, be on the lookout for the late 1990s/early 2000s Pontiac Firebird with Ram Air lurking on the expanded show floor and note the laughably blue water in the Detroit River. Hat tip to BJ!

[Source: North American International Auto Show via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Virtual tour of Cobo Center, the Detroit Auto Show's proposed new home

Video: Virtual tour of Cobo Center, the Detroit Auto Show's proposed new home originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DetNews: UAW convention in Detroit draws protestors

Chris Shunk — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:19:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, UAW/Unions

The United Auto Workers are gathering in Detroit this week through Thursday to elect new leadership, and delegates from around the country are filing into Cobo Hall - home of the Detroit Auto Show - to have their votes counted. And even though union membership has been cut in half over the past decade and automakers have won many concessions, many UAW Representatives feel that leadership did the best they could under difficult circumstances.

That sentiment hasn't been shared by all, though, as The Detroit News is reporting that about 50 active and retired UAW workers are picketing across the street from the Motown convention center. Many protesters picketed to show support for government-run single payer health care, while some were reportedly also critical of UAW leadership. The protesting even lead to one detention, as UAW retiree Al Benchich was put in handcuffs for handing out pamphlets at the main entrance of Cobo. Benchich was let go with a warning.

The delegates will elect new national, regional and local UAW leaders during the convention, including a successor to long-time President Ron Gettelfinger.

[Source: The Detroit News]

DetNews: UAW convention in Detroit draws protestors originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Event Alert: January Calendar of Automotive Events

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Motorsports, Classics, Auctions, Europe, Misc. Auto Shows, India, Event Alert

January 2010 not only kicks off a new year, but also signals the end of the Naughties. The automotive landscape has changed quite a bit since the days of the Y2K scare, but some things remain the same. January still hosts the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Cobo Hall in Detroit, the racing season roars to life with the Rolex 24 at Daytona, Barrett-Jackson and the rest of the auction houses will still be propping up their tents in Arizona, and the RetroMobile classic car show and auction will return to the banks of the Seine in Paris.

Classic and collectible car fans will also be treated to the Cavallino Classic, La Jolla Motor Classic, Grand National Roadster Show, and Kruse South Florida Collector Car Auction. Meanwhile, consumers get a chance to kick tires and take notes on the 2010 models at the San Diego Auto Show, Washington Auto Show and Portland International Auto Show domestically, and internationally at the European Motor Show Brussels and Auto Expo India. Besides Daytona, race fans can look forward to events as diverse as the IRC's 78th Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo and the World Drag Expo swapmeet in Schaumburg, Illinois.

If none of those events appeal to you, check out our Google Calendar after the jump for even more listings, all with detailed info and links. And please don't forget to use the Comments to modify listings.

Continue reading Event Alert: January Calendar of Automotive Events

Event Alert: January Calendar of Automotive Events originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM to offer consumer test drives at NAIAS, other auto shows?

Chris Shunk — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, GM

General Motors feels it has a lineup stuffed with vastly improved products and it wants to get as many customers behind the wheel of a new Chevy, Cadillac, GMC or Buick to prove its point. Anyone can head over to the local dealership for a test drive, but the General is reportedly looking for even more ways to get you to evaluate a new GM product, including test drives right at your local auto show.

The Detroit News reports that GM is working with officials from COBO and the city of Detroit to set up a driving route so that consumers can test the automaker's products on-site. Vehicles likely be featured include new products such as the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX. The test drive area at COBO is reportedly part of GM's totally revamped 85,000 sq ft exhibit space, which includes more interactive displays and plenty of areas to show off new technology like direct injection and the Voltec system. Obviously, the General needed to make some major changes, since it won't need displays for Pontiac, Saab and Saturn in 2010.

Customer test drives were piloted at the New England Auto Show earlier this year, where Cadillac reportedly put over 1,400 people behind the wheel. GM is also looking to set up drives at several other major shows, including Chicago in February, but the biggest push will take place in major metropolitan areas on the east and west coasts, where GM product consideration is weakest.

Auto show test drives make perfect sense, considering that millions of showgoers attend these events every year. People who pay $12 to look at cars in a crammed and crowded convention center are likely the exact same people to get excited about new products. Why not give them seat time and let the word-of-mouth flow?

[Source: The Detroit News]

GM to offer consumer test drives at NAIAS, other auto shows? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:15:00 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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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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Cobo problems continue: Roof leaks plague Autorama

Alex Nunez — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Misc. Auto Shows

The latest chapter in the saga of Detroit's dilapidated Cobo Center was written over the weekend during the annual Autorama show. Against a backdrop of gorgeous and valuable hot rods, Cobo itself again became the story thanks to roof leaks that sent dirty water dripping down from the ceiling onto some of the show cars below. The situation angered the show's organizer, who pointed out the abundantly obvious when he told the The Detroit News, "If this isn't addressed, they're going to lose events." Lord knows the facility's been losing exhibitors at its signature exhibition, the North American International Auto Show, over the past couple of years. While some of that surely has to do with the economic climate, many of those same exhibitors still manage to find their way to major-market shows like L.A. or New York.

As to whether the situation has any hope of improving, that's all up in the air. Cobo's future is mired in an ugly political tug-of-war between Detroit's mayor, who supports state-backed renovation and expansion followed by regional control of the facility, and the City Council, which doesn't want to cede any control. Last week, the mayor vetoed the council's rejection of the state-supported measure, and now the council may mount a legal challenge. As usual, lawyers stand to win regardless of the final outcome.

In the meantime, Cobo becomes more of an embarrassment with each passing day. It's hard to lure world-class events to your venue when you need to hang tarps from the ceiling to catch water coming through your leaky roof, which is exactly what happened during Autorama. The Motown city fathers ought to be worried, seeing as how there's a gigantic facility in a legitimate destination city just 237 miles away. We're sure they'd welcome the likes of Autorama and NAIAS with arms wide open.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Cobo problems continue: Roof leaks plague Autorama originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:02:00 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: Best automaker cutaway displays

Chris Paukert — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:59:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Etc., Technology

Click above for high-res gallery of NAIAS cutaways

Cutaway displays have been a staple of auto shows for many years, but we're noticing that more and more automakers are devoting money and floor space to cutaway displays. Aside from being cool to look at, cutaways are an increasingly valuable tool for explaining today's advanced technologies -- particularly when it comes to the complex systems found in alternative-fuel vehicles. Check out the gallery below to see how different automakers are taking the hinges off for the viewing public at the Detroit Auto Show.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: The Cutaways

Detroit 2009: Best automaker cutaway displays originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2009: Lincoln MKT debuts with a big, toothy smile

Chris Paukert — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Crossover, Lincoln

Click above for high-res image gallery of the 2010 Lincoln MKT

Ford has a major-league hit on its hands with the 2009 Flex crossover - with the media. Sadly, despite its varied and considerable charms, sales haven't met the Blue Oval's admittedly lofty expectations. Blame the recession, blame the marketing department, blame the Flex's divisive styling, blame what you will, but Dearborn is plainly going to have to find more volume for its D4 platform. Enter the 2010 Lincoln MKT.

It doesn't take more than a brief glance to realize that Ford's stylists have exacted much more than a quick nip/tuck on the rectilinear Flex en-route to minting this new Lincoln. But beyond the crossover's assertive looks, there is a host of new technology on offer inside and out that should help put the MKT on luxury crossover shopping lists. Follow the jump to learn more about the MKT and read Lincoln's official press release.

Gallery: 2010 Lincoln MKT

Continue reading Detroit 2009: Lincoln MKT debuts with a big, toothy smile

Detroit 2009: Lincoln MKT debuts with a big, toothy smile originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit Auto Show: Green driving comes to Cobo's basement

Noah Joseph — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Green, Electric

Unless you're trying to outrun a Corvette in a Fiesta, driving indoors is not typically recommended, what with the toxic fumes and all. Low-emissions vehicles may change that and the Detroit Auto Show's organizers will illustrate it by converting Cobo Center's Michigan Hall into a green test track. Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the MEDC EcoXperience will offer show-goers the chance to drive a variety of environmentally-friendly new vehicles around a forested 1/8-mile test track.

The list of participating vehicles has yet to be confirmed, but it could include some six to twelve different (almost assuredly all American) vehicles, including the Chevy Equinox hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle. Public visitors will have the chance to put-put around the track at 10 mph with a professional co-pilot in between trees and waterfalls. And just in case the low- or zero-emissions vehicles manage to spew a bit more fumes than the trees can convert, there will be air quality monitoring devices in place.

Of course, none of this would have been possible if all those automakers hadn't withdrawn from the show, allowing the Chinese companies that were previously relegated to the Michigan Hall to move upstairs, thus clearing the way for the forest track to be installed. We'll check it out for you next week when the Autoblog caravan rolls into Detroit.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Detroit Auto Show: Green driving comes to Cobo's basement originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cobo Hall expansion plan approved... will NAIAS recover to need the space?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Government/Legal

Automakers have been fleeing the Detroit Auto Show in droves over the last few months. Porsche, citing slow sales in metro Detroit, was the first to announce it was pulling out of the NAIAS, but Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Ferrari, Land Rover and Rolls-Royce all followed suit shortly thereafter. While much of the blame can be placed squarely on the broad shoulders of the global economic meltdown, organizers of the event also point to the quickly deteriorating conditions at Cobo Hall and the lack of available space when compared to such venues as the Chicago Auto Show.

Even if they can't fix the economy, the ~~U.S.~~ Michigan Senate has stepped in to fix Cobo. A total of 166,000 square-feet of space will be added to the 700,000 that is already present. NAIAS officials are hopeful that this added room, along with a general tidying up of the joint, will bring those manufacturers back and keep any others from leaving after '09. To reach a deal, a five-member board will oversee Cobo Hall, including the governor of Michigan and representatives from Detroit and Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. We're sure negotiations will go just swimmingly from here on forward.

[Source: Detroit News]

Cobo Hall expansion plan approved... will NAIAS recover to need the space? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dropouts be Damned: NAIAS insists Cobo expansion still needed

Noah Joseph — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show

The future is looking bleak for the North American International Auto Show, with automakers dropping out like hippies. Nissan and Infiniti were just two among the hoards of car manufacturers - including Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Rolls-Royce, Land Rover and Ferrari as well as Porsche - that have recently announced their withdrawal from the Detroit show. But that's not stopping the show coordinators from continuing their campaign to have Motown's convention center updated as they see the show making a comeback within a few years.

According to show chairman Joe Serra, the downturn in participation for this year's show is just a reflection of the current economic climate. "It would be foolish for us to think this is how the future is going to look." Foolish or not, we can't imagine the Detroit 3 using much of their Congressional bailout cash on convention center renovations while they're trying to stay on their feet and in the black.

[Source: Automotive News - subs. req'd]

Dropouts be Damned: NAIAS insists Cobo expansion still needed originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit Auto Show: Nassau concept hints towards the future of Chrysler RWD

Eric Bryant — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Sedan, Wagon, Chrysler

Click image for a high-resolution photo gallery

With a press conference set to the percussion of the Drum Cafe, Chrysler rolled out the Nassau "shooting brake" concept this afternoon to hint at the future styling direction for the brand and especially its RWD line-up.

Based on the LX platform and stuffed with the SRT8 powertrain (that's a 425 HP 6.1L Hemi and 5-speed A580 automatic), the Nassau strikes a far different pose than its 300C predecessor. Viewed from a low front 3/4 perspective, the rear cargo area disappears and the silhouette takes on the popular "four-door coupe" appearance. Viewed from behind, well, it has a rather boat-tailed look.

The impossibly white interior features a center stack that brings a cell phone-like appearance, along with console-mounted multimedia controllers for the front and rear passengers. The driver gets to select gearbox position via pushbuttons on the instrument panel and a pair of paddles behind the steering wheel; the gauge package is said to be inspired by "expensive" watches.

Plenty of high-res shots from the press conference are included in our gallery.

Detroit Auto Show: Nassau concept hints towards the future of Chrysler RWD originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Jan 2007 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit Auto Show: Volvo debuts the oh-so-Swedish XC60

Eric Bryant — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 13:40:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, SUV, Crossover, Volvo

Click the image above for a full sized galllery.

Volvo introduced the XC60 concept last night here at the Detroit Auto Show as a way to appeal to the thirtysomething loft-dwelling crowd (drawing on the momentum of the C30, no doubt), and the Swedes also want to make a design statement in the process. "If today you can see that it's a Volvo from 50 meters, I want to make that figure twice as big" says Volvo chief designer Steve Mattin, the XC60 accomplishes this via a strongly-stated grille and slanted headlamps that will make their way onto other future Volvos. Other notable exterior features include a rear tailgate that can be lifted independently of the rear hatch (allowing the loading of small cargo with minimum hassle) and a transparent roof panel.

More impressions and a press release can be found after the jump.

For our comprehensive listing of everything from Detroit, click here.

Continue reading Detroit Auto Show: Volvo debuts the oh-so-Swedish XC60

Detroit Auto Show: Volvo debuts the oh-so-Swedish XC60 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Jan 2007 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit Auto Show: Jaguar C-XF concept brings Gorgeous to the four-door crowd

Eric Bryant — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 11:40:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Sedan, Jaguar

click above image to view 66 high-resolution image in our gallery

Jaguar has been pushing its product with the Gorgeous campaign for over a year now, but anyone who thinks that the current S-type can be properly described as such probably needs a new prescription for corrective lenses. To show that it's aware of the problem, the British automaker rolled out the C-XF concept into Cobo Arena last night as a hint towards what corrective action we can expect when the new XF replaces Jag's aging entry-level sedan.

The car's entire shape is drawn around the recessed metal-mesh grille, and perhaps this is the most production-ready aspect of the C-XF's styling. The striking silhouette follows the current design trend towards making four doors blend into a couple-like rooflines, and is augmented with short front and long rear overhangs (the latter of which tapers dramatically); unfortunately, that probably won't make it to the production XF. Inside, carbon fiber mixes with poplar - blackened with torches - and copious amounts of machined aluminum to provide a rather gorgeous interior experience. Especially noteworthy are the trio of B&W drivers in the rear parcel shelf, and a rotary shifter residing in place of a conventional lever.

Check out the gallery for 66 shots from the official introduction and the press release can be found after the jump.

For our comprehensive listing of everything from Detroit, click here.

Continue reading Detroit Auto Show: Jaguar C-XF concept brings Gorgeous to the four-door crowd

Detroit Auto Show: Jaguar C-XF concept brings Gorgeous to the four-door crowd originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Jan 2007 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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