German Car Zone

*Airing Live Eastern Standard Time on CNBC, Monday Jan. 14th @9pm*

From Detroit Auto Show: Which Model Do You Want On CNBC? - Behind the Wheel - Phil Lebeau - MSNBC.com

It's the grand daddy of American auto shows, so it's about time the Detroit Auto Show goes "Prime Time." It finally happens next week and we couldn't be happier that CNBC is the network raising the profile of the auto show.

"The Detroit Auto Show: All Access" will air next Monday night from 9-10 PM eastern. It will be live and it will be the one place where you will see every single new model introduced. Yes, you will see more than 50 new cars trucks and SUV's for the first time plus a whole lot more. It's all part of CNBC being the official cable network of the North American International Auto Show.

Which has me wondering, what new car, truck or SUV do you want to see on our show next Monday night? Send me an e-mail at behindthewheel@cnbc.comwith a short explanation of what model you want us to break down in detail and why. We'll look at your e-mails, and the winner will get the spotlight treatment in prime time.

One hundred and one years after the first Detroit Auto Show I'm happy to see the event evolving again. With the largest contingent of camera's, reporters, producers, and writers attending the show, we will be in position to take you behind the scenes as new models roll out.

The big hits, the questionable rides, and the reasons those models are so intriguing will all be part of our coverage.


Tune in and see if the new model you want us to cover gets the star treatment.

New Cadillac CTS-V
Pictures and press release @ WCF.
Thread started by Deutsch.



Hummer HX Concept
Pictures and press release @ WCF.
Thread started by siko.

.....the front looks like it has been "inspired" by the BMW CS and perhaps the Nissan GT-R

God, what are those guys on.

Wonderful picture.

New Audi TTS
Pictures and press release @ WCF.
Thread started by YoUhimhER.



Lamborghini Ad Personam Program
Pictures and press release @ WCF.
Thread started by Bartek Sikorski. (Detroit 2008: Lamborghini bringing personalization with Ad Personam program)



Nissan FORUM Concept
Pictures and press release @ WCF.
Thread started by siko.

2008 Detroit Auto Show lineup revealed
The Detroit Auto Show is only a couple of days away but if you can’t wait you can take a sneak peak at what’s in store thanks to the early release of many of the upcoming show cars. Most of the vehicles we’ve seen already but some of them are new. These include the new 2009 150 pickup and Verve concept from Ford, the 2009 Dodge Ram pickup from Chrysler, Mitsubishi’s new Concept RA and the luxury plug-in hybrid sedan from Fisker Coachbuild (pictured).

Other vehicles pictured below include the new Mercedes GLK compact SUV, Land Rover LRX Concept, Hyundai Genesis sedan, BMW X6 crossover and 1-series cabrio, Ford Explorer America concept, Toyota A-BAT hybrid pickup concept, Cadillac CTS-V and the ultra-performance Corvette ZR1.

No lazy Saturday morning for the Motor Trend team -- we're off to Detroit first thing to catch the opening event of this year's North American International Auto Show, the Mercedes-Benz GLK reveal at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, which begins at 5pm. Then we'll hot-foot it over to GM's Style event, which starts at 8. At least the first big press conference of the first press day is not until a gentlemanly 10.15 the following morning. But hey, that is a Sunday...

Detroit is the only major auto show in the world where the press works weekends. Blame Chrysler, which started showing its concept cars on Sunday afternoon back in 1998. Corporate egos being what they are, Chrysler's Sunday experiment has escalated into a full scale work day. GM was the first to run a Saturday night event. Now Mercedes has jumped on board. Mission creep continues.

It's going to be a fascinating show this year. I see three big themes: Go Fast; Go Big; Go Green. With a side order of Chinese.

Go Fast: GM will pull the wraps off the 620hp-plus Chevy Corvette ZR1 tomorrow night, and reveal Cadzilla -- the 550hp CTS-v -- Monday morning. We'll get the first look at the production version of the V-8 powered Hyundai Genesis Sunday afternoon, along with the epic Audi R8 V-12 TDI, the world's first diesel-powered supercar. I'm looking forward to the R8 -- I had dinner with Audi engine chief Wolfgang Hatz in Paris after the regular R8 was revealed for the first time a couple of years ago, and idly mentioned that after its historic Le Mans win, Audi was the only automaker in the world that could legitimately create a diesel-powered supercar. Hatz grinned and said he already had a V-12 TDI engine fitted in an R8 mule.

Go Big: Sunday morning will see the reveal of the new Ford F-150 in the Cobo Arena. The F-150 is still the world's single best-selling vehicle, and a cash-cow for embattled Ford Motor Company. I've seen the real thing, and think they've gotten it pretty much right, but you can bet there will be more than a few sweaty palms among the Ford insiders in the audience: This thing has to be a hit. Five minutes after the Ford press conference finishes, Chrysler will launch its new Dodge Ram. Rumor has it Chrysler has organized a real, live cattle stampede out front of Cobo Hall, presumably to remind us city slickers that pickup trucks are still designed to do a job of work.

Go Green: Diesel and hybrids and fuel cells will be everywhere this year, and not just from the usual suspects -- i.e. Toyota and Honda. Ferrari will show its vision of a green performance car Monday afternoon, shortly after tiny California-based bespoke coachbuilder Fisker reveals a luxurious, low slung plug-in hybrid sport sedan. GM will variously reveal the fuel cell powered Cadillac Provoq SUV concept, the bio-fuel Saab 9-4X and the E85 Hummer HX4. And Chrysler will show an electric Dodge sportscar concept, a diesel-electric hybrid Jeep, and a fuel cell Chrysler four seater.

And the Chinese? Changfeng holds its first Detroit press conference late Monday morning, while Geely and BYD will finish up the second press day later that afternoon. Is the invasion of the lucrative U.S. market by Chinese automakers finally getting underway? Don't bet against it, although the Chinese will be busy enough meeting the insatiable demand for automobiles back home.

Join as here at motortrend.com over the next days as we take you around the 2008 North American International Auto Show. Logon for the latest news, great videos and insightful blogs from the show floor; see the cars and the concepts that count, and meet the people who created them. We'll up early and staying late every day so you don't have to.


We're off to Motown | Auto Shows Blog at Motor Trend


Looks like it starts today with a trickle, and more tomorrow...!


M

Ford Verve Sedan Concept
Pictures and press release @ WCF.
Thread started by siko.



Volvo XC90 R-Design
Pictures and press release @ WCF.

Ford Mustang with Glass Roof at Detroit

More natural light

We knew that tuning is a booming business and roof's are no less desirable. Ford has decided to offer their Mustang from this year onward with three roof options, traditional coupe, convertible or glass.
The glass-roof option follows the Bulitt and GT500KR (KITT from the new Knight Rider movie) thanks to customers demanding more natural light in their cars. Americans spend more and more time commuting daily so every ray of light is worth its weight in gold. The new glass roof is available on the V6 Mustang and Mustang GT for just USD 1,995.
Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president, Global Product Development: “As the automotive landscape becomes increasingly competitive, features such as a panoramic glass roof will help differentiate our products from the competition.”
Video:Ford Mustang with Glass Roof at Detroit

Detroit 2008: Live intro of the 2009 Ford F-150

We already brought you official photography of the newly-revamped 2009 Ford F-150 just after midnight today, but that's hardly enough attention for America's best-selling vehicle. Now that the Blue Oval boys have rolled out the new truck into Cobo Arena - with help from Toby Keith and a cast of characters - we see little reason to think that the F-series won't retain its crown.

Improving the F-150 "truck-ness" are several features, such as the tailgate step that we appreciated so much on larger Super Duty, and new fold-down steps that can be accessed from the side of the truck. Considering how deep the box is on this truck, the steps will definitely come in handy on the ranch or at the grocery store.

Ford's slick Integrated Trailer Brake Controller is now available on a half-ton truck for the first time, and Trailer Sway Control helps keep the vehicle on the road while towing so that hopefully you won't need to experience the effectiveness of Roll Stability Control and side-curtain airbags. Tow and payload ratings are as-yet announced; we expect to hear more by the Chicago Auto Show next month.

The mechanical bits are improved as well, with an available six-speed automatic that now matches Toyota's offering, and a new frame that is lighter yet improves torsional rigidity by 10% (not that the frame of the outgoing model was a wet noodle). There's no word yet on power figures for the 5.4L Triton, but expect Ford to bring up the tail end of the pack until Boss and EcoBoost engines arrive in a couple of years. Yes, the V6 is gone, but let's be honest - most of us are not buying a full-size truck with an antiquated and underpowered six-banger unless we happen to start a fleet or the dealer offers a ridiculous discount. Despite the substitution of a 2-valve 4.6L V8 as the low-end engine, fleet mileage is said to improve by 1 MPG, which hopefully reflects an economy increase for the higher-end motors.

Inside, the six-inch stretch applied to the SuperCrew's cab offers a truly impressive amount of room for a four-door half-ton pickup. It's fitting with an appropriately large center console, which is capable of swallowing a couple of laptops, a respectable number of tools, or a lot of beer (we kid, we kid!).

The most controversial aspect of the new F-150 is the exterior styling. In person, it doesn't look like anything but a Ford truck, so let's stop with "It looks like a bla bla bla..." right now. For our tastes, though, we see too much influence from Ford's smaller SUVs, and way too little Super Duty. Opinions will certainly vary on this matter.