For the media, the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS, a.k.a. the Detroit Auto Show) starts today and runs through Tuesday afternoon. I’m going to try to cover it more promptly and intensively on these pages than I have in past years.
Among the new 2013 cars that will be shown, in the order they’ll be revealed:
Cadillac ATS: can GM finally field a worthy BMW 3-Series competitor that’s actually about the same size as the 3-Series?
Ford Fusion: leaked photos and media buzz suggest adventurous styling, perhaps too adventurous for many midsize sedan buyers. I’m also interested in seeing the high-performance Focus ST.
Dodge Dart: the first Chrysler to be based on a FIAT, in this case the Alfa Giuletta. Will it look and feel like a Dodge, or a lightly camouflaged FIAT? How reliable will it be? We’ll start to answer these questions immediately following this post, as the photos leaked early, with further details tomorrow once I’ve seen the car in person and had a chance to sit in it.
Acura RDX, ILX, NSX: Honda’s luxury arm has three new products on the way. Will they demonstrate that the company has avoided more missteps? Or will the odd styling and specification choices continue?
Scion FR-S: Also Subaru BRZ. The photos are all over. Do these cars look better in person, and do they feel like true sports cars from the driver seat? Which seems the better execution?
Lincoln MKZ concept: Lincoln needs great new products to stay alive. Will the brand’s redesigned Fusion-based sedan be the beginning of a turnaround, or the beginning of the end?
Toyota Prius c: more than just a cheaper, smaller Prius?
Honda Accord Coupe concept: Will be close to the redesigned car coming n the fall. See Acura.
Buick Encore: Does a compact SUV–considerably smaller than an Acura RDX or BMW X3–make sense as a Buick?
Maserati Kubang: A Maserati based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Does it seem credible?
Nissan Pathfinder: Still a true SUV, or has Nissan figured out where the profits are and intending to finally offer a three-row crossover?
Of these, I’m personally most interested in the ATS, Fusion, MKZ, Dart, Accord, and Acuras, as they are most significant in terms of sales numbers and the futures of their parent companies. Compared to other media, I’ll be focusing more on the things you can’t gather from the photos and press releases. What do these cars look like in person? How good are the interior materials? Are the seats comfortable? How much room for people and cargo?
In addition, BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and others will show new electric vehicles, hybrids, and even a diesel-electric hybrid. I’ll relay specs of interest. This will also be my first chance to view the redesigned BMW 3-Series and refreshed Audi A4.
Have anything you’d most like answered? Post it in a comment or send me a note.
(Yes, the Blog continues to use the old site design. Hopefully we’ll get it converted over to the new design this month. Then again, it’s nice to have one remaining tie to the past look.)