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 AUTOMAKERS SHOW OFF DIFFERENT VISIONS OF CAR OF THE FUTURE
Jan
21 2000
DETROIT, Mich.-If there's one thing the traditional Big Three North American automakers agree on it is that they disagree in their vision of the automotive future. At least that's the impression given by a baker's dozen of concept vehicles unveiled at Detroit's North American International Auto Show.
For DaimlerChrylser's North American division (the former Chrysler Corp.), the (near) future is filled with plenty of horsepower and rakish good looks. Does the name Hemi ring familiar? More on that shortly.
For Ford Motor Co. the future is all about connectivity and bandwith and megabites. Picture your car as an iMac and you...well, you get the picture.
And for General Motors the future is a real Hummer. Not the brutish Hummer so loved by the American military, but rather a kinder, gentler Hummer.
Concept vehicles, of course, are exercises in styling and engineering designed to allow automakers to test the waters (so to speak) for new ideas and innovations. They're featured at auto shows and are always a major drawing card for visitors, who in turn provide valuable feedback. If the public likes what it sees, or even just parts of some larger concept, that's often enough for a green light to the production line.
So as Detroit-based manufacturers set about showing off their latest ideas it was a surprise to see how unalike they were.
Take Ford's J Mays, who as chief designer has plenty to say about the future of Ford products.
"We're operating in a world where you measure power in gigabytes and pipeline bursts, not horsepower," Mays said.
Thus, Ford showed a trio of boxy concept vehicles called 24-7. As in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The
24-7 wagon, coupe and pickup are colorful, smooth pods that clearly took inspiration from Apple Computer's popular iMacs. They did, however, seem more
high-tech appliance than personal transportation in any traditional sense.
Those looking for gauges and controls where they would normally be found, instead are met by a
dashboard-mounted video projection screen capable of being configured just like the desktop of a computer. And yes, you can program up different background and gauges. And yes voice activation operates everything from stereo to access to the Web.
The hatchback, which by the way is usually a style of vehicle that puts a premium on sportiness, had of all things a projection screen under the rear liftgate. Tailgate
party-goers rejoice.
Ford chief executive Jac Nasser, Mays' boss, said the emerging technologies in the
24-7 will show up in many Ford vehicles during the next three years. Some Lincoln models, in fact, will get
voice-activated systems in 2001 that allow drivers to call up stock quotes, weather reports and even emergency help through
in-car Internet connections.
"The car becomes an Internet on wheels. It becomes a portal to the Internet," said Nasser.
The Web was far from the mind of DaimlerChrylser's North American product development chief, Tom Gale. Wearing a big
car-lover's grin, he showed several thousand journalists four concept vehicles, highlighted by the Dodge Viper GTS/R.
"It's as close as we could get to "a street-legal race car," said Gale, as he described a modified Viper, powered by a massive
500-horsepower V10 engine, with 19- and 20-inch wheels, a massive gull wing on the rear and tight fender lines all around. Zero to 100 km/h times were estimated at 3.8 seconds.
Not surprisingly, Gale and DaimlerChrysler North America president James Holden admitted that his company could build and bring to market the Viper GTS/R, as well as three other concept vehicles: the Chrysler Hemi 300 C convertible, the Dodge Maxx Cab hybrid pickup truck and the Jeep Varsity "urban adventure vehicle." The former Chrysler Corp. developed a reputation during the '90s for showing concepts in Detroit, such as the current Viper and Plymouth Prowler roadster, that later became production models.
In the case of this most recent crop of four concepts, all are built on existing mechanical architecture or "platforms" so the basic building blocks are in place and proven.
"All of those cars have real feasibility," said Holden. "You can read into that what you want. There's nothing up there we couldn't build."
Added Gale: "It's a very pragmatic look at what we would do to blur the edges between our concepts and production."
If the Hemi 300 C convertible becomes a production candidate soon (perhaps on sale as early as 2003) it will likely please those who remember the Hemi named used on Chrysler's
high-output engines of the '50s and '60s. Horsepower-wise it's got the right credentials: a
5.7-litre V8 rated at 353 hp, driving the rear wheels. Based on the current 300 M sedan, the
four-seat Hemi 300 C (complete with disappearing power top and pop-up rollbar, is also a peek at the next 300M due in less than three years.
"The 300 C begins to provide the kind of icon for Chrysler that we've been searching for," added Gale, alluding to the fact Chrysler continues to strive to move its image
up-market.
If the Hemi 300 C is a vision of Chrysler going up-town, then the Jeep Varsity "blurs the line between boulder and boulevard, without compromising the Jeep brand," said Gale.
Under the Varsity's skin you will, however, find the Jeep Grand Cherokee
platform-albeit with a 300 horsepower, V6 engine. The Varsity, though, while trying to hold firmly Jeep's tough
off-road image, is more a hybrid vehicle-part truck, part car, part minivan.
And the Maxx Cab, too, rides on the mechanicals of an existing DaimlerChrysler product. In this case the Dodge Dakota platform. Gale called it "pickup truck for families." So while the Maxx Cab has a
1/2-ton payload, it's cabin is large and airy. Here is, said Gale, what happens when
cab-forward design (as evidenced by wheels pushed to the far corners) meets pickup.
Among its more interesting features are an integrated picnic table and chairs,
built-in child seats and a rear middle seat that slides forward to put kids in reach of parents. There's also a console for a laptop computer and a DVD entertainment system to keep those riding in the rear busy on long trips.
Among the concept vehicles GM showed, the model most likely to come to market first wasn't even dreamed of a year ago. But in December GM acquired AM General of Indiana manufacturer of the Hummer, and therefore the Hummer H2 Vision Vehicle sport utility vehicle took centre stage among GM products.
The H2 Vision Vehicle is a refined version of the Hummer that became famous in the early '90s Gulf War. But unlike the latter, the H2 doesn't have exposed fasteners and rivets and its sheetmetal is more rounded and less massive, even though it remains a monstrously intimidating
all-terrain truck.
"It's pretty much a vision of where the Hummer brand could go," said Clay Dean, the design manager of GM trucks. "We feel that the brand can sustain and hold several models that build on its brand image."
In fact, GM North America president Ron Zarrella confirmed that in 2002 GM will begin building a production version of the H2 concept at a new $200US million assembly plant in South Bend, Ind.. Zarrella said he anticipates sales of 30,000 to 40,000 annually.
And harkening back to the days of the old Chevrolet El Camino, GM also showed the Chevrolet
SSR-for super sport roadster. The SSR, a rear-drive cross between a '50s hot rod and a pickup truck, appears both fast AND versatile. Fast comes from the 6.0?litre V8 engine.
The GMC Terradyne, meanwhile, clearly is more truck than car-although it does have four power doors that slide forward and backward. Power for the wheels comes from GM's latest turbo diesel V8.
In a sense, the front-wheel drive Buick LcCrosse is a bit of both SSR and Terradyne. It's powerful (265 hp. from a
4.2-litre, 32-vavle V8 engine) but while it may look like a luxury sedan, it has a retractable rear and
fold-down rear seats that allow conversion to a pickup truck.
Least fanciful of all the concepts shown by GM was the Opel Zafira Snowtrekker
front-wheel drive van. Destined for the European market, it was developed with French Ski maker Rossignol. Among the standard equipment are special Rossignol
T-Power short skis. Power comes from GM's latest 2.2-litre direct-injection diesel engine.
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 AZTEK TAKES PONTIAC INTO NEW TERRITORY
Jan
21 2000
DETROIT, Mich.-Like it or not, virtually everyone agrees on three things when it comes to the Pontiac Aztek: it's not bland, it's thoroughly versatile and it's unlike anything currently in General Motors Corp.'s vast product array.
Now the question is, Will it sell? We'll find out in late spring when it goes on sale, expected to be priced in the
mid-$20,000s.
The Aztek's success will rest largely on its bold styling. But long-term popularity is more likely to be based on its versatility borne of a combination of car/minivan/sport-ute attributes: a
flat-floor interior (traced to its minivan roots), V6 power, the towing capability of a small truck and optional
all-wheel drive. It is what the car industry has dubbed a "crossover" vehicle.
And GM, anxious to change a reputation for offering bland and often anonymous vehicles, is hoping Aztek will win praise for originality and innovation. Speed, too, given that Aztek was first shown just a year ago as a concept vehicle at Detroit's North American International Auto Show.
"GM is the first one there for the most part in this segment of the crossover market in the United States," said industry analyst Michael Robinet of automotive researcher CSM Worldwide Inc. "Aztek has practical space efficiency and an aggressive exterior."
"Certainly it takes GM away from the mainstream," added aid Warburg Dillon Read analyst Saul Rubin. "One of the main points to bringing out that kind of vehicle is to get GM into new segments and trying to be market leader rather than a laggard. To be successful it has to be different, but also kind of useful and I think it meets those two criteria."
Aztek designer Tom Peters put it this way: "We wanted all the virtues of a van, the functionality, but we didn't want to come across as a van."
Anything but, in fact. The Aztek has the tall stance and rough-and-tumble looks of a
sport-ute. It seats up to five with an optional rear bench seat, there's a large tailgate, huge cargo capacity (think mountain bikes and rock climbing gear) and for convenient loading there's a sliding cargo tray to help with loading/unloading heavy stuff. The cargo area also has storage nets and separate controls for the sound system.
Many of the Aztek's components are adapted from GM's minivans (Chevrolet Venture/Pontiac Trans Sport/Oldsmobile Silhouette), including the
3.4-liter V6 engine, and all these vehicles trace their roots to the mid-size platform of the Pontiac Grand Prix sedan. Sharing components will allow GM to bring the Aztek to market in about two years from the date top GM management first saw sketches of it in
mid-1998. And from a purely business perspective, sharing parts allowed GM to develop Aztek at a manageable cost.
But even with shared parts, there's no disputing the fact the Aztek is far more daring than its GM cousins. That's intentional. The Aztek is the product of a push from top GM executives to get the company's Warren, Mich., design staff to be more
risk-taking. Peters said GM designers since early 1997 have been largely freed of what had been GM's strict adherence to market research data that too often resulted in blah styling.
"GM is responding to criticism they have taken less risk with their styling," said industry analyst Susan Jacobs, of the automotive research firm Jacobs & Associates in Rutherford, N.J. "You especially see this with Pontiac. It's a very extroverted,
performance-oriented look in the Aztek."
And it just might attract new customers to Pontiac-the kind of new customers Pontiac wants: singles and married couples in the early 30s who are actively involved in sports and who embrace electronic gizmos and gadgets.
"Pontiac is eager to limit defections to other brands because it hasn't had a legitimate
sport-utility offering. And they want to stay away from the soccer mom crowd. Aztek does it," said Robinet.
To be built at GM's Ramos, Arizpe, Mexico plant, the Aztek is similar in concept to the
soon-to-arrive PT Cruiser from DaimlerChrysler AG. But where the PT Cruiser is a size smaller and pure retro (inspired by a '32 Ford with a dose of panel truck thrown in), the Aztek is unabashedly
in-your-face. Which is exactly what GM executives argue Pontiac vehicles should be.
So where will Aztek compete in the broad marketplace? As both a front-wheel (with traction control) and an
all-wheel-drive vehicle, it will go head-to-head with the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, Suzuki Grand Vitara and perhaps even Chevrolet's own Tracker. The PT Cruiser will also fit into that mix, as will the upcoming Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute. All look quite different and offer various features, but from a pricing perspective fall into the same class.
Still, the Aztek is larger than the RAV4 and CR-V and it's also more powerful, has a higher towing capacity and more space inside than either. The Aztek's seats fold, flip, or can be completely removed. A cargo tray behind the second row of seats can be configured in a variety of ways or removed. The cabin has a tough look, with rubberized surfaces, and even a large,
dashboard-mounted grab handle for the passenger. A portable cooler that locks into the centre console is big enough to hold a dozen drink cans. On the
high-tech front, Aztek will have an optional heads-up display which projects speed or radio station frequency on the windshield in the driver's field of view.
Analysts suggest that the Aztek is just the first in what may be several other crossover models from GM, all using the basics from the Pontiac model. One for Buick is rumoured to be named the Rendezvous.
Robinet said the Aztek will highlight GM's direction in the next couple of years in terms of
all-wheel-drive vehicles, adding , "It's certainly going to help Pontiac expand its products. It moves them into some new buyers, and I think it will be relatively successful."
Perhaps the most startling admission from GM officials in Detroit was the that the Aztek isn't a vehicle designed for everybody, although it will find its place among younger buyers.
"This isn't for everybody. We know that," said Mark Reuss, GM vehicle line executive. "We've certainly come a long way since the early '90s."
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 NEW NISSAN BOSS SAYS BRAND STRATEGY SET
Jan
21 2000
Nissan Motor Co. chief operating office Carlos Ghosn says Nissan's muddled image will be crystal clear once the company's new global brand strategy is unveiled later this summer or in early fall.
The new brand strategy is part of Nissan global revival plan that Ghosn unveiled last October in Tokyo. But details of the brand strategy won't be released until Nissan employees, dealers and suppliers have been properly briefed and trained.
"After everybody internally understands it," Ghosn said, "then we will announce it."
Ghosn if the executive brought in to turn around Nissan by Renault SA, which purchased a controlling stake in Japan's number two automaker last spring.
Nissan also took the wraps off a new 2001 version of its compact Sentra model. The new Sentra will go on sale this spring.
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 NEW LEXUS FLAGSHIP COMING
Jan
21 2000
Toyota's Lexus luxury division will begin selling a new version of its flagship sedan this October, said company officials at the North American International Auto Show.
The 2001 Lexus LS 430 features luxury touches such as a rear-seat beverage cooler, power trunk closer and massagers in the
power-adjustable rear seats. Other items include an adaptive cruise control that uses a laser to maintain distance behind other cars; a sonar system that warns of nearby objects when parking; and an auto rain sensor that activates the windshield wipers.
Officials pointed to the car's flat undercarriage that has resulted in an
industry-low drag coefficient of 0.25. Very slippery, in other words. A new
4.3-liter V8 with 290 horsepower will launch the car from 0-100 km/h in about 6.5 seconds.
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JAGUAR SHOWS CONCEPT FOR SMALL ROADSTER
Jan
21 2000
Jaguar Motor Cars, the British unit of Ford Motor Co., has taken the wraps off a concept roadster that signals Jaguar's intention to challenge sports cars such as the Porsche Boxster, BMW Z3, the Audi TT and Honda S2000.
Jaguar officials say a production version of the sensuous F-Type concept has a 90 per cent change of being built.
The F-Type is a small two-seater that takes its inspiration from the sleek, aerodynamic
E-type racing roadsters of the 1960s and '70s.
"Its purpose, quite simply, is to provoke," said Jonathan Browning, Jaguar's managing director, said at the North American International Auto Show, where the car was previewed. "With the
F-Type concept, the world is our focus group."
Wolfgang Reitzle, head of Ford's Premier Automotive Group of which Jaguar is a part, made no secret of his desire to build a production version of the
F-Type, adding the car has a "90 percent" chance of coming to the market, perhaps within three years.
The F-Type is a serious sporting car, with a cockpit highlighted by a horizontal array of aluminum switches. The body has all the curves and bulges you'd expect in a Jaguar. Power would likely come from a 240 horsepower
six-cylinder now in the S-Type sedan, or a supercharged version with 300 horsepower.
The rear-drive roadster, said Jaguar officials, could be built with either an automatic or manual transmission and
all-wheel drive is also a possibility. Jaguar is working on a small sedan
code-named the X400 for introduction next year, and it could provide the platform on which to base a production version of the
F-Type.
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 MINI COMING BACK TO NORTH AMERICA, THOUGH CANADA NOT YET CONFIRMED
Jan
21 2000
Officials from the BMW Group have confirmed that after more than three decades, the Mini, a product of its Rover subsidiary, will return to North America.
But while BMW officials said the United States would get the Mini in 2001, they would not confirm that the car would also be marketed in Canada. A totally redesigned Mini, the first since the car's introduction in 1959, will be launched worldwide in 2001.
BMW officials offered few details about the new Mini, other than to say it would be a "thoroughly modern interpretation of the original concept by Alec Issigonis, father of the Mini, which forever altered the world's expectation of what a small car could be."
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