2010 Detroit Auto Show: Top Five Introductions

2011 Lincoln MKX



The new 2011 Lincoln MKX earns the fifth spot on our Top 5 Best Cars from Detroit by virtue of its hot new interior. Chief amongst the laudable innovations is Ford's new MyLincoln Touch (A.K.A. MyFord Touch) technology. With an eight-inch touchscreen display in the center stack, two 4.2-inch LCD screens to the right and left of an analog speedometer (the exact same screens you'll find in the Fusion Hybrid) and two steering wheel-mounted five-way button controllers, it's really quite cool.


Cadillac XTS Concept


Though it's technically a concept car, every indication is that the Cadillac XTS is bound for production in 2012 with nearly identical form to the showcar currently available for viewing at the Detroit Auto Show. This is one shape that can't really be appreciated in still photos – you really need to see it in person – or at least on video – to appreciate its complex curves and sumptuous interior. That said, check out our live photos below and let us know what you think.


Buick Regal GS



Like the Cadillac XTS that we just discussed above, General Motors says that the Buick Regal GS is just a concept. Also like the XTS, we have every reason to believe that the new Grand Sport is going to see production. Why else would GM go to the trouble of dropping in a brand-new direct-injected 2.0-liter turbocharged Ecotec four-cylinder with 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet or torque when they could have just shipped over an Opel Insignia OPC and just done a bit of badge-swapping?

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe


You'll be please to know that there's absolutely no mention of the word 'concept' in relation to the awesome 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe. You know the details already – 556-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8; six-speed automatic or manual gearbox, magnetic ride control suspension and giant Brembo brakes – so let's just concentrate on its (insert favored superlative here) looks. If this were solely a list of the Most Desirable Cars from the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, you'd be looking at number one right here.


2012 Ford Focus



It's hard to overstate the importance of the next-gen Ford Focus, which we're hearing will carry a 2012 model-year designation when it comes to market early next year. First of all, it's a very good looking little car in both hatchback and sedan forms. Second, it once again shares its excellent underpinnings with the European model, making this a truly global platform. Finally, Ford had one of the coolest unveils in recent memory here at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.

Detroit 2010: Ford sweeps North American Car and Truck of the Year awards for 2010

Mark Fields, Ford's President of the Americas, accepts the hardware from Tony Swan of Car and Driver

For just the third time in the 17-year history of the North American Car and Truck of the Year, one manufacturer has taken home both pieces of etched glass. Ford's 2010 Fusion Hybrid and Transit Connect have yielded the hardware for the Dearborn automaker here at the Detroit Auto Show, with the Fusion emerging victorious over the shortlisted Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf, and the Transit Connect besting the Chevrolet Equinox and Subaru Outback.

The last time a single manufacturer won both the Car and Truck of the Year awards was back in 2006, when Honda did double duty with its Civic compact and Ridgeline pickup. In total, a U.S. automaker has won the car award nine times, and the truck award, 11 times. Official press release after the jump




C2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
The new gas-electric version of Ford's mid-size sedan feature more advanced tech than its competitors, specifically the Toyota Camry Hybrid, and should have best-in-class fuel economy when the official EPA numbers are finally revealed. ABG averaged 43.1 mpg during its First Drive of the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, which tells you that Ford has managed to pack Prius-like mileage in a larger, more useful and fun-to-drive package.

2010 Ford Transit Connect – Click above for high-res image gallery

After relying on full-size E-series vans for commercial cargo carrying since the dawn of time, Ford is finally ready to offer North American businesses a more practical alternative. The Transit Connect is a compact, purpose-built van that's been available overseas since 2002, and Ford has sold more than 600,000 of the squat little haulers to businesses abroad over the past seven years. The company hopes that what's good for Europe is good for the States, so the first batch of U.S.-spec models are on their way to dealerships as you read this.

While the E-series vans are more than capable of carrying out their prescribed duties, for most, it's like using a sledgehammer to push a tack into a cork board. The Big-Es were simply more vehicle than necessary for most small businesses, especially those operating locally, delivering flowers, catering and plumbing. That's where the Transit Connect comes in.

Detroit auto show 2010: Audi e-tron Concept

If you're wondering what the likelihood of Audi building a production version of its new e-tron Detroit Concept Car (yes, that's really its official designation), our sources at Audi indicate that a version of the coupe is likely to go into serial production as the oft-rumored R4.

The German automaker is apparently looking to design a smaller modular platform leveraging the expertise it used to develop the front-engine sedan platform that underpins the new A8 and forthcoming A7, among others. The new mid-engine architecture will likely find homes in a number of Volkswagen Group properties, including a production version of the Concept BlueSport, and perhaps even the next-generation Porsche Boxster/Cayman.

While the e-tron show car is a battery-powered electric vehicle, the production model is likely to be available with either an electric motor or conventional internal-combustion four-cylinder variants.

Given the fact that VW intimated last year that a production BlueSport could be produced at around $25,000, we're anticipating that the Audi R4 will slot in under the TT in the low-$30,000 range, as the 2010 TT presently starts at $37,800.

Detroit Auto Show 2010 – top 6 hottest cars details

The Detroit Auto Show 2010 has been a big hit. There are more than 700 vehicles that are displayed from Major Auto Giants. Green is in this year at the NAIAS. The entire floor at the Auto Show 2010 is full of small hybrid and electric vehicles. People want to know and have been asking, which are the best cars at the Detroit Auto Show 2010? Which are the hottest and the most popular cars at the Auto Show 2010 Detroit. Mentioned here are the top 6 hottest cars at the Detroit Auto Show 2010.

Audi e-tron

Audi says that the e-tron will soon be widely recognised as Quattro in a few years. The showcased a 2nd e-tron prototype in the form of a TT-sized 2 seater with lithium ion batteries. It can reach up to 100 km/h in just under 6 seconds.

BMW ActiveE

The BMW ActiveE is a stylish 1-Series coupe with 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. It reaches 60km/h in 4.5 seconds and reaches 100 in less than 9 seconds. The Lithium-ion battery can be full charged in just 3 hours and can be driven till 160 kilometres.

Cadillac XTS

The new plug-in hybrid concept uses a 3.6 litre, direct injected V6 with a great design. It is a killer for DTS and STS sedan and has managed to draw huge attention at the Auto Show.

Ford Focus 2012

The ford Focus has been designed and engineered in Germany. It has a 2 litre, 4 cylinder Ecoboost engine with advanced direct injection with turbo charging. It also has 6 speed twin clutch powershift tansmission. Lastly an electric variant is also being developed and the car will seen on the roads in early 2011.

Honda CR-Z

The Honda CR-Z is a spacious hybrid 2 seater. It has a 6 speed manual transmission and a CVT. Its fuel economy is a bit low but has a 1.5 litre engine with IMA technology.

Volkswagen NCC

Volkswagen is out with the New Compact Coupe (NCC). It has 177 horsepower and can reach 100km/h in just 8 seconds. It relies on a hybrid powertrain with a tiny 4 cylinder with a battery fed electric motor.

Review: 2010 Ford Taurus SHO

2010 Ford Taurus SHO

There's a small group of enthusiasts who worship a car you just wouldn't expect: the original Ford Taurus SHO. And I'm one of them. After years of searching for an example in good shape, I bought my very first vintage SHO, a 1991 Ford Taurus SHO Plus model (we'll explain what the "Plus" means later) earlier this year. At the same time, somewhere in a secluded Dearborn bunker, Ford was planning to announce that the SHO name would return with the redesigned 2010 Taurus. Clearly, 2009 was shaping up as a big year for SHO fans – especially me

















SHO stands for Super High Output, and the original model's 3.0-liter V6 truly gave those words meaning. There's lots of speculation about how this motor came to be, but the prevailing theory is that Ford contracted Yamaha to design and build a motor for a mid-engine sports car meant to compete with the Pontiac Fiero. That project was canceled, but Ford was on the hook for these engines and needed somewhere to stuff them. We can only guess what strong narcotics were consumed that night when a Taurus engine bay became the answer, but that's how the SHO was (supposedly) born.

Arriving on the scene in 1989, the original SHO's engine was way ahead of its time, producing 220 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 200 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm when other V6-powered sedans from Toyota, Honda and Nissan were still years away from breaking the 200-hp barrier. While the engine could naturally rev to a lofty 8,500 rpm redline, Ford engineers cut the fun off at just 7,000 rpm to save any Taurus-spec parts like the A/C compressor, power steering pump and alternator from being spun to an early grave.

Subaru releases new Forester X Columbia in Australia

Subaru has collaborated with outdoor gear company Columbia for some time in other markets, and the latest result is the limited edition 2010 Forester X Columbia. This version swaps out the standard steel wheels for 16-inch alloys and adds fog lights, a roof rack, cargo tray, rear step panel, and a $500 voucher for actual Columbia gear. Not bad, but it's arguably a step down from the 2007 Forester X Columbia, which also got a sunroof and heated seats.

There will be 1,050 examples on offer and they go on sale in Australia beginning Monday, January 4. The "driveaway" price has been announced as $33,990 AUD for the manual ($30,486 USD – note: that's a straight conversion and does not correspond to the car's U.S. price), which is $600 less than the Forester X price on Subaru's Aussie site. Unless we're missing something, that can't be all bad for the country's best-selling crossover. Just for our Aussie readers, we've placed the official press release after the jump.