fbpx

Here’s Everything We Missed At The 2017 North American International Auto Show

So… We skipped the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this year. It’s a fun show but it turns Detroit into a complete circus. Hotels are few and far between, flights are expensive, and the weather sucks. So we just said “screw it” and decided to road trip out to Chicago next month for the next big auto show on the calendar. Personally, I’m a little bummed we didn’t go this year. There are a lot of exciting cars that have been unveiled this week that we weren’t there to see, but hey, hindsight is 20/20, right?

So instead of showing you our coverage of the show, we’re going to be borrowing stories from all of our favorite automotive news sites and giving you our thoughts on the coolest unveilings in Motor City this year.

Nissan Vmotion 2.0 Concept

This is basically a peek at the new Nissan Altima and boy, does it look good. Hopefully, Nissan doesn’t tone down all those sharp edges and creases that give this car such a distinctive look. Inside, the concept has one big screen covering the instrument cluster and dash with small touch controls located on the center console instead of buttons sprinkled throughout the interior. This looks like a winner to us.

2018 Jaguar F-Type 400 Sport

It’s so dang pretty. I honestly didn’t think the Jaguar F-Type could get any more attractive but with the dark satin and yellow accents, along with revised LED headlights and more power (up to 400 hp from the supercharged V6), Jaguar is doing everything they can to future-proof this car. Seriously, just look at it. How could you not want one?

2018 Ford F-150 Diesel

The best truck in America is about to get better with a new 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel V6. It should offer at least 254 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque with class-leading fuel economy as well. This could be the perfect race car tow vehicle for a weekend warrior track junky. The whole F-150 range also gets revised looks and engines with some optional technology and safety updates as well, like a built-in 4G LTE hotspot, Bang & Olufsen sound system, and adaptive cruise control. Long live the king of the road.

2018 Kia Stinger GT sedan

This is a 365-hp twin-turbo V6, RWD Kia. Let that sink in for a second… The brand known for happy-go-lucky hamsters just built its first legit sports sedan. And with help from former Audi designer, Peter Schreyer, it looks beautiful, inside and out. It’s like an Optima and a Chevy SS had a baby, and that’s no bad thing in our book.

Volkswagen I.D. Buzz Concept

We can tell VW was trying to have some fun with this concept. Unlike some of their other Microbus concepts in recent years, the I.D. Buzz concept is powered by a 369-hp battery pack hiding under the flat floor, meaning it’s got the streamlined silhouette of the original Microbus, tons of interior space, and it’s actually pretty zippy, supposedly being capable of hitting 60 MPH in 5 seconds flat. If it ever reaches production, it’ll probably be one of those new-fangled millenial-coddling autonomous vehicles but we would love to take control of the I.D. Buzz and hit the road on an awesome road trip.

2018 Toyota Camry

I can’t believe I’m gonna say this but the new Camry is not bad. Toyota says they poured their resources into making it drive as sporty as it looks, with special attention paid to the new double-wishbone suspension. The interior is now more driver-focused as well, while also offering more technology like on-board WiFi, a 10-inch color head-up display, and probably some other stuff that your average Camry drivers will appreciate. I’m going to be cautiously optimistic about this one…

2018 Audi Q8 Concept SUV

As far as concept vehicles goes, this new Q8 is looking pretty production-ready. Audi even claims that the hypothetical hybrid V6 under the hood will return 333 hp and be capable of a 621-mile range with 60 miles of pure EV driving. Audi is packaging all of this onto the Q7’s platform but the Q8 will be more “coupe-like”, like the BMW X6, Mercedes GLE, etc. Compared to those hypothetical competitors, the Audi looks a heck of a lot better, in my opinion, but we’ll likely have to wait at least another 6-12 months to see a finalized, production-ready version.

2018 Porsche 911 GTS

Well, this wins as the car of the show we’d most like to drive. With 450-hp from the new-for-2017 3.0-liter flat-6, the new Porsche 911 GTS is bound to be ballistically fast. The more aggressive styling, centerlock wheels, and lowered ride height make this the perfect balance between the more pedestrian 911s in the range without suffering the consequences of the track-ready GT3. Plus, unlike the Turbo and GT3, you can still get the GTS with a manual transmission. Ah yes, the purist’s choice.

2020 Ford Bronco

Before you get too excited, the 2020 Bronco (which nobody has seen yet) will probably be based on the 4-door Ford Everest SUV available in Australia. The body-on-frame Everest looks like a pretty solid mid-size SUV in its home market, but hopefully, it’ll come a little closer to matching the bold, nostalgic styling we’re all hoping for out of a Bronco when it hits the road in 2020.

2017 Mercedes-AMG GT C

Like the 911 GTS, the Mercedes-AMG GT C is is sort of a compromise model between the crazy track-focused GT R and the still amazing GT and GT S models. Either way, we won’t complain about the 550-hp twin-turbo V8 lurking under the hood. It’s a looker too. And that’s pretty much all I have to say about that other than yeah, I want one.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *