Extreme Auto show

Detroit - the home of the automobile as far as most proud Americans are concerned. And, just like every year, it's the place of the Detroit Auto show, the biggest gathering of petrol heads in America and very possibly the world. But even more important than the geograpical whereabouts of the event is that of its timing.

Also known as the North American Internation Auto Show (NAIAS), the event started on Monday January 7th - a crucial time for auto makers as they prep new models for sale in the new year and also showcase conceptual models for evaluation and 'brownie' points.

The biggest news at the Detroit Auto Show, as always, are the US-built vehicles and the new designs that Americans will eventually embrace.

A good example of this is one of Chrysler's new prototypes. Aiming for a younger audience, the company's initial exhibit started with a crew of young 'extreme' athletes, tricking around on BMXs and so forth. Anyway, the Dodge M80 pickup truck is one hell of a big ute, as we like to call them. Obviously, the sentiment in the US is still "bigger is better" as the M80 ain't small.

Packing a rather hefty 3.7-litre V6, the concept outputs some 157kW to all four wheels in what its designers are expecting to be a "real hot pickup" for tomorrows youth. As with almost all new vehicles aimed at the under 28s, its creators talk about snowboarding, surfing and mountain biking as some prime uses for the new utility. Reinforcing this idea is the vehicles unique interior upholstered with a neoprene-like (wetsuit material) waterproof fabric. As far as we can tell, this one won't be hitting local shores anytime soon...

Another interesting concept, which is likely to go into production in the next 24 months, is Chrysler's somewhat smaller car - in fact, it's at the complete opposite end of the spectrum to the M80. Called the Razor, the car is all about minimalism. Rather than what you get, this car is about what you don't get. There's no spare tyre (instead two Razor scooters are included), no power windows, nor mirrors, and no fancy trim inside.

The reasoning for this was to keep the price down and aim the two-seater sportster at, yet again, the youth market. It seems as though older demographics are easy to please, but those young 'uns...

What you do get in the Razor however, is a rather powerful 2.4-litre, inline four-cylinder engine with forced induction, thanks to a small turbocharger. The diminuitive little car puts out one heck of a lot of power for its small size and it weighs only 1130kg. It produces 186kW and while no 0-100km/h figures were given, it would be fair to say that the Razor would be quite quick. The styling cues are also quite pleasing to the eye, with a pushed-back canopy and an extra-long bonnet area, which also helps the centre of gravity low.

Moving to Europe, specifically Germany, Porsche previewed two new models, yet the biggest news was that the company will in fact produce the Carrera GT for sale to public. For more info on the amazing V10-powered Porsche, click here. The Porsche GT will ready for sale in 2003 and only 1000 will be built, fetching between $US350,000 and $US400,000 and there is also speak of a closed-top version to follow.

The two new models unveiled are variants on the 911 theme: the Targa and Carrera 4S. The 911 Targa may look similar at first, but take a look at the roof - it's all glass. Two electric motors move the roof panel from a normal covered position to something more refreshing.

The new Carrera 4S is easily identifiable from the rear thanks to a red strip of reflective material that joins the tails lights (see image right). The new 4S makes use of the Carrera's naturally aspirated 240kW powerplant and all-wheel drive transmission. It borrows a few features from the 911 Turbo, such as its wider stance, suspension setup and braking system. It also comes fitted with the automatically rising rear spoiler seen on the Carrera Coupe.

Porsche had a stellar year in 2001, thanks in large part to increased sales of the Boxster and it hopes to capitalise on this success in the new year with these two new models.

The US Army has showcased a rather interesting vehicle at the NAIAS this year, called the SmarTruck. Besides the clever play on words, the new truck is more than just a jacked-up van. Described as a "capability-based counter-terrorism vehicle that is equipped with cutting-edge automotive technologies that address asymmetrical threats," a vehicle such as this may become extrememly useful in dangerous situations.

Created by the US Army's Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), the SmarTruck comes with many facilities including fingerprint authentication systems, the latest GPS tracking system, voice activation of various systems, night vision surveillance, tack dispensers, bomb detection equipment, oil slick, pepper spray and smoke screen dispensers. It's like the van that James Bond never had.

But in all seriousness, the vehicle is designed for transporting high-level dignitaries and so forth. It's also interesting to note that the concept included a pop-up laser turret (pictured left). Does this mean the US Army has perfected offensive lasers? Whatever the case, with the current global-politcal situation at present, such a vehicle would be ideal for use in dangerous situations.

Here's something for the Ford fans out there - the new head of Ford and the first Ford family member to run the company since the late 70s, Bill Ford, made his first public appearance next to a brand-new GT40. The concept car is a remake of Ford's dominating GT40, which blitzed the Le Mans circuits in the mid to late 60s and won Ford a plethora of motorsport accolades.

The new GT40 is one of the most impressive Fords ever built, much like its older brother. Unfortunately, the 7.0-litre big block of yesteryear is gone, but in its place is an equally powerful 5.4-litre V8. In order to boost power output, the engine takes advantage of a supercharger and intercooler, resulting in 370kW of power. At the cars unveiling, a symbolic moment for the marque, racing greats such as Jackie Stewart, Bob Bondurant, Phil Hill and Carroll Shelby were present to celebrate.

Anyway, that's it for now from the showroom floor in Detroit, but rest assured there's still plenty of days to go yet, and hopefully more new vehicle announcements too.