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![Toyota FTCH Compact Hybrid Concept]()
Designed to be smaller and cheaper than the Prius, the Toyota FTCH Compact Hybrid is designed to appeal to younger customers from what is known as the 8-bit generation. Taking styling cues from 1980's video games like "Mario Brothers 3," as well as digital-inspired art and music, Toyota describes its vision for an entry-level hybrid as fun and innovative, colorful and stylish. No details have been revealed, but Toyota is planning to expand its hybrid-only lineup of cars rapidly, so expect something like this to pull up to your local arcade in the near future.![Commuter Cars Tango]()
No, there's nothing wrong with your monitor, the Commuter Cars Tango is really that narrow. With a tandem seating arrangement, the Spokane, Washington-built tandem two-seater is so narrow that it can split lanes like a motorcycle, speeding your commute through busy traffic. On the open road, going fast isn't a problem, at all. The all-electric drivetrain has 800 horsepower, so the Tango can accelerate as quickly as a Corvette, while heavy batteries installed low under the floor act like a keel and ballast in a sailboat so the upright runner handles more like a sports car than a moped. Standard models have a top speed of 135 mph, but the company says it can be geared to do over 170 mph, and has a maximum range of around 200 miles per charge. Priced at $160,000, don't expect to see too many of these passing by in the HOV lane, but since the company can only produce about one every month, you probably wouldn't anyway.![Revenge_Verde_Supercar]()
Verde is Spanish for 'green', but the Revenge Verde is all-American. The latest effort from the small Indiana-based automaker features a unique hybrid engine, built by HP2G in Ohio, which uses something the company calls Electromagnetic Pulse Power that lets it run on as little as one cylinder producing just 15 hp when you don’t need the full 400 hp available from the V8. The result is a supercar that supposedly gets over 100 mpg. If you like the looks, but don't have dependency issues when it comes to oil, you can also order one fitted with either a Roush supercharged V8, or the 638 hp engine from the Corvette ZR1. Neither will get 100 mpg. Prices start at $190,000, and top speed is listed at over 200 mph. The Verde is set to be manufactured by Revenge Designs in Indiana, HP2G in Ohio, and Roush Performance in Michigan.![CT&T Multi-Amphibious Vehicle]()
Korean automakers have come a long way in the United States over the past few years, but CT&T is different. So different, in fact, that the maker of neighborhood electric vehicles is introducing the Multi-Amphibious Vehicle. It’s a six-wheel car - craft is probably a better word - with a blistering top speed of 37 miles per hour, or 10 mph out on the open seas. Range is listed as 75 miles per charge, but that’s when it’s on dry land, so you may not want to stray too far from shore until you test the waters.![Audi E-Tron Detroit]()
The $200,000 Audi E-tron super car has been wowing auto shows in anticipation of its 2012 release, but the German auto maker brought something a little different to Detroit. The cleverly named E-tron Detroit is a smaller, lighter, rear-wheel drive version of the company’s upcoming all-electric car. With just two electric motors to the original E-tron’s four, the two-seater still puts out 204 hp, and can accelerate from 0-60 mph in less than six seconds. Audi says the E-tron Detroit can go up to 155 miles per charged and its batteries can be fully recharged in 11 hours on a 220 volt socket, or in less than two when using a 440 volt fast charging system. As a spin-off of the existing concept, there are no definitive plans to put the E-tron into production…yet. (Source: FoxNews.com/Gary Gastelu)![Hyundai Santa Fe]()
Hot on the heels of its new compact Tucson, strong-selling Hyundai introduced a refreshed version of the Santa Fe in Detroit, with all-new engines under the hood. Offering more power and better fuel economy, a 175 hp 2.4 liter four-cylinder gets 28 mpg highway, while a 3.5-liter V6 pumps out 276 hp at 26 mpg. The body style has been lightly updated, but the way Hyundai is selling cars these days, it probably didn't have to go to the trouble. (Source: FoxNews.com/Gary Gastelu)![BMW Z4 sDrive35is]()
No, you don’t have to say the name five times fast, but if there’s one thing the BMW Z4 sDrive35is is, it’s fast. A twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine pumps 335 horsepower through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission to the rear wheels, propelling the latest version of the Z4 lineup from 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds. An adaptive suspension, and an aerodynamic body reshaped by BMW’s M division take care of the rest. (Source: FoxNews.com/Gary Gastelu)![MINI Beachcomber]()
Like it or not, the MINI is going Maxi. The company will soon be unveiling it’s first crossover vehicle – possibly known as the Countryman – but until then, we have the Beachcomber. Imagine the Countryman – which you haven’t seen yet – with no doors or a roof. Or, better yet, imagine the Beachcomber with doors and a roof, and you get an idea of what the Countryman is going to look like Either way, the four-seat roustabout is very original and should standout in the crowded segment by being small, the same way the MINI does. (Source: FoxNews.com/Gary Gastelu)![Cadillac XTS]()
Cadillac describes the XTS Platinum full-size sedan as a ‘personal headquarters’, not merely a luxury car. Loaded with touch screens, flat panel displays, and virtual buttons that control its many infotainment systems, the vehicle is as cutting edge inside as it’s sharp exterior design would suggest. Powered by a plug-in hybrid system that’s good for 350 horsepower, the XTS promises best-of-both-worlds performance and efficiency without detracting from the traditional Cadillac experience. The XTS is just a concept at this stage, but you can expect to see quite a bit of it in the upcoming replacement for the DTS and STS sedans.![Chrysler Lancia]()
Fiat-run Chrysler didn’t hold a press conference at the Detroit Auto Show, but they did show one new, er, model. Well, not exactly new. The shiny gold concept is essentially an existing car from the Fiat-run Lancia stable that’s been festooned with a new grille and a couple of logos from its new corporate cousin. It's a quick and relatively easy way to get new cars in the showrooms, fast, and one idea for freshening up the Chrysler lineup. Time will tell if it’s really this easy to save a car company. (Source: FoxNews.com/Gary Gastelu)![Buick Regal GS]()
After revealing the European-designed Regal at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show, Buick wasted little time in stepping it up a notch. Featuring all-wheel drive, a 255 hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and a six-speed manual transmission, the Regal GS is – literally – like no Buick before it. Aimed squarely at the likes of the Acura TSX and Audi A4, if there was ever a car to shed the company’s old-timer image, this is the one. If enough people like what they see, expect to see it on sale as a 2011 model. (Source: FoxNews.com/Gary Gastelu)![Ford Mustang GT]()
The car was new last year, the engine…not so much. For 2011 the Ford Mustang GT gets an all-new V8 that carries the 5.0 name, as in five-liters of displacement. The engine is rated at 412 hp, up from 315 hp, which should be enough to catapult it to the top of the muscle car charts in performance. That is unless the optional Brembo performance brakes stop it before it gets there. But, if you were looking for the ultimate bad-boy, this isn’t it. With a new six-speed transmission, the ‘Stang gets 25 mpg highway. Is there a problem, officer? (Source: FoxNews.com/Gary Gastelu)![VW New Compact Coupe Concept]()
Volkswagen sells everything from sedans to wagons to SUVs, but the one thing missing from its product lineup is a proper coupe. The Volkswagen New Compact Coupe Concept aims to fix that oversight with a four-seat two-door that’s as efficient as it is easy on the eyes. Fitted with a 177 hp hybrid four-cylinder powerplant, the coupe is said to go 141 mph and get 45 mpg, though not at the same time. Looking more like a baby Audi than a big Beetle, with a well-finished interior to match, the company could do much worse than to put this into production. Remember the Phaeton? We didn’t think so. (Source: FoxNews.com/Gary Gastelu)![Chevy Aveo RS Concept]()
The Chevrolet Aveo RS is billed as a concept car, but is more of a dressed-up vision for the yet to be revealed production version of the 2011 Aveo. With cartoon-like 19-inch rims, lots of boy-racer bodywork, and a 138 hp 1.4-liter turbocharged engine behind its angry face, the Aveo RS is a far cry from the pedestrian car that goes by the name today. (Source: FoxNews.com/Gary Gastelu)![BMW Concept Active]()
Proving that everybody really does want to get into the act, the BMW Concept ActiveE is the company’s first all-electric car. Based on the 1-series coupe, the ActiveE can only go 100 miles on a charge, and has a top speed limited to 90 mph, but it can also accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds, a time very befitting of an Ultimate Driving Machine. BMW plans to offer 700 cars for short-term leases in a test program that starts next year. (Source: FoxNews.com/Gary Gastelu)![2011 Ford Focus]()
After sweeping the 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards with its Fusion Hybrid and Transit Connect, Ford introduced its next big contender for the prize, the 2011 Ford Focus. Available as a sedan or a five-door hatchback, the sleek and muscular compact Focus features an all-new flex-fuel 155 hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that promises excellent fuel economy. While Ford won’t say what that is just yet, the magic number that competitors in the segment are shooting for this year is 40 mpg, so you can expect a figure close to that. Helping it get there are a direct fuel injection system and a six-speed manual or dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Focus will also be the first car in the Ford brand lineup to be fitted with the company’s new MyFord Touch interactive infotainment system, which can control everything from a Bluetooth phone to climate control via a touch screen, buttons on the steering wheel, or intuitive voice commands. (Source: FoxNews.com/Gary Gastelu)![Cadillac CTSV-Coupe]()
Remember when GM talked about making nice little cars like the Chevy Volt? Well, not in the Motor City, baby. The Cadillac CTS-V Coupe is exactly what it sounds like, a two-door version of the 191 mph CTS-V sedan. With the same 556 hp supercharged V8 stuffed into an even more dramatically-styled body that's been chiseled to perfection by the folks in the diamond district, the big 2+2 promises similar, if not better performance than its four-door sibling, which just happens to be one of the fastest sedans in the world. Fuel econowhat? Don’t ask. (Source: FoxNews.com/Gary Gastelu)![2011 Lincoln MKX]()
For 2011 the Lincoln MKX gets a fresh wrapper on the outside to go with big changes to its interior. On sale this spring, the crossover is set to be the first car to feature Ford's latest infotainment system, known in this application as MyLincoln Touch. With it, the driver can to do nearly anything from adjusting the climate control to sending a Tweet with simple voice commands, the use of a touch screen on the center console, or buttons on the steering wheel. There's even a WiFi router that can turn the MKX into a mobile hotspot. With all of the connectivity available, it’s a wonder anyone will need to drive it anywhere.![2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Convertible]()
First there was the Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan, then there was the E-Class Coupe, then came the E-Class Wagon…you probably see where this is going. On the surface, the 2011 E-Class Convertible may look like it’s all about the wind in your hair, but it actually has a system to keep it out. AirCap uses a couple of strategically placed wind deflectors to direct airflow up and over the passenger compartment, keeping things still and quiet inside at speeds up to 100 mph. Since the car is available with either a 382 hp V8 or 268 hp V6, that might actually be an issue. If this isn’t exactly your idea of open-top motoring, then you probably don’t want to continue reading, because the E-Class also features Mercedes’ Airscarf system which blows climate-controlled air down over the shoulders of front seat passengers to keep them warm, regardless of the weather outside. A convertible that defeats the purpose of a convertible? Mercedes did invent the modern automobile, so maybe they deserve the benefit of the doubt on this one.![2011 Honda CR-Z]()
Honda was the first company to sell a hybrid car in the United States, and now it hopes to change the game again. The 2011 CR-Z may look a lot like that original Honda Insight, but its real inspiration is the CRX of the 1980’s. Small and light, with just two seats, the CR-Z aims to be the sportiest kid on the hybrid block, if not the fastest car in town. With a 122 hp powertrain you probably won’t see too many at the track, but the world’s only six-speed manual transmission offered in a hybrid car should let you smoke the tires. A CVT automatic is also available. But don’t expect big hybrid fuel economy numbers. Honda expects the manual to be rated at a surprisingly low 31 city/37 hwy, with the CVT coming it at 36/38. Clearly, cake does not always get to be eaten.![GMC Granite Concept]()
One of the few cars at the show to actually live up to its name, the boxy GMC Granite looks like its carved from a block of the rock. The compact crossover is the closest thing to a car that GMC’s name has ever appeared on. It passes on traditional truck capabilities like big payload and towing capacity, but earns its keep by offering a large amount of cargo room inside for its size, thanks to being shaped like, well, a room. The suicide doors may look pure show car, but GMC says the Granite was engineered with them in mind. If it ever goes into production, we’ll know for sure.2010 Detroit Auto Show
It may not be the biggest or the best ever, but automakers came to the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit with more optimism than they’ve had in a while. The home team showed up with a particularly strong effort, as Ford took both 2010 Car and Truck of the Year honors, while GM rolled out a slew of concepts and production vehicles covering the full spectrum of the marketplace, from subcompacts to a 191 mph luxury car. Electric cars were in abundance, but also pretty fast, while hybrids look like they may finally be getting fun. Click here for video Click here to watch the Fox Car Report LIVE! special from Detroit
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- 2010 Detroit Auto Show
