Ford Never Considered a Production Interceptor

One of the surprise hits of last year’s Detroit auto show was the Ford Interceptor concept. The large sedan could take on the Chrysler 300C in terms of rear-wheel-drive, muscular sedans. It was over-the-top, aggressive and people really liked it. Today, in a story about the future of Ford design, we learn the Interceptor concept never had a chance of being produced.

This is a perfect illustration of how backward-thinking some American automakers have been. German companies rarely build a concept that isn’t a foreshadowing of a future model, and even Japanese brands rarely show a concept at U.S. shows that won’t hit an assembly line. New Ford CEO Alan Mulally says he’s bringing that same thinking back to Ford.

Besides the Ford Fairlane — now called Flex — almost all of Ford’s concepts since 2003 were non-starters, including the Reflex, Shelby GR-1, Syn U.S., Bronco and the Shelby Cobra. This year’s auto-show season is fast approaching, and we’ll be able to judge Ford’s new strategy in the flesh in just a few months. 

Redesigning Ford: Freeman Thomas Aims to Produce Another Hit (The Detroit News)

Related
2007 Detroit Auto Show: Ford Interceptor Video
Building the Ford Interceptor Concept
2007 Detroit Auto Show: Ford Interceptor Concept

2008 Porsche Cayenne Photo Gallery

Porsche unveiled a slightly restyled and more powerful Cayenne, Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo at the Detroit auto show in January. Today we found a bevy of new photos from Porsche that weren’t available the day we broke the news about the updates. The new Cayenne goes on sale next month. Click the link below for access to the gallery.

Detroit Auto Show on NBC Sunday

What do you do when you’re competing against two of the most anticipated NFL games of the year? If you’re NBC, you air your Detroit auto show coverage. We’re still amazed that the network airs the pre-recorded special on the final day the show is open to the public, and against huge competition. The two-hour special starts at 1 p.m. EST this Sunday, so it will have one hour of no NFL game on another network, but most people we know watch at least an hour of pregame. Guess that means we’ll be setting the DVR.

Detroit Auto Show Crowds Shrinking

The 100th anniversary of the Detroit auto show features dozens of exciting cars, but for the third straight year attendance is down. Holiday traffic didn’t help yesterday, and traffic for the first two public days of the show was down 9% from last year. One local restaurateur said his business was down 25% compared to recent years.

At only $12 a ticket per adult, the Detroit show is far from an expensive day of entertainment, and many automakers spent thousands of dollars updating their displays with extravagant lighting and, of course, wild new concept and production cars. Detroit's local economy has been suffering for years, but with excitement over downtown sports venues for the Detroit Tigers and Lions, it’s not as if suburbanites don't know where the action is and how to get there.

[Slow Auto Show Pinches Neighbors, The Detroit News]

Car Design Trend of 2007: Side Vents

You’ve seen side vents before — we all have. They’re the little inlets on the side of a car, usually between the front fender and front door. In some applications, like the BMW M3, they actually serve a purpose; most allow hot air in the engine bay to escape outside, while others are just for show. We couldn’t believe how many we saw on both concept and production cars at the Detroit auto show, almost all of which are just for show. Keep reading to see how many we found, then try to guess the car they belong to. For the answer, hover your mouse above the picture. That’s the Lincoln MKR Concept above.

Smart Car to Arrive in 2008, But Safety Concerns Linger

Talk to a Smart rep about the ForTwo minicar, and the discussion invariably turns to safety. That’s because the public’s reaction to the ForTwo seems to hinge largely on what people think of its crashworthiness. That ought to be expected when you market a car half the length of a New York taxicab.

The ForTwo is scheduled to hit showrooms in early 2008. Smart representatives are quick to point out its bevy of safety features, as well as its projected crash-test results. Even so, some experts remain skeptical, warning that drivers of small cars like the ForTwo have an increased risk of personal injury if they get hit by a larger vehicle.

The ForTwo’s appearance at the Detroit auto show carries unfortunate timing. Last month, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tested several small cars, including the Chevy Aveo and Honda Fit, and five of the eight models — including some with advanced safety features like side curtain airbags — fared poorly.

Detroit Auto Show Diversions

We've already told you which concept and production cars were the big winners and losers at the Detroit auto show, but that’s not all there is to see and do when you get to Cobo Hall. Check out what else we saw on a quick tour of the place.

Michelin's Bibendum even made it to the show, though I found him in the Michigan Hall basement.

2007 Detroit Auto Show: Production Car Winners and Losers

Concept cars are fun to look at, but it’s the production vehicles at the Detroit auto show that will actually be at dealerships this year. Seeing these vehicles in person greatly influences our opinions, and a few really surprised us under the show lights. Again, Joe Wiesenfelder, Mike Hanley and David Thomas run through the big winners and losers fighting for your hard-earned dollars.

2008 Cadillac CTS

DT: Winner
Like the Volt concept, the Cadillac CTS was a winner for GM; I don’t think anything else at the show came close to competing. The exterior is a challenging design and the interior is vastly improved. This will sell better than the original.

JW: Winner
Ironically, the original CTS was the model that showed GM had a clue — a willingness to take chances with styling and an understanding that performance matters. The car's main weakness was its interior. The 2008 is far better in this and every other aspect I didn't like about Gen. 1. Dave's right that it will sell better. If it drives well, it has car of the year written all over it.

MH: Winner
Cadillac raised its game with the CTS' new interior, which equals or bests those of its competitors. From many angles it reminds me of a 7/8-scale STS, and that's not a bad thing in my book.

A Closer Look at the 2008 Ford Focus Interior

One of the most openly discussed and debated debuts of a production car at this year’s Detroit show was the new Ford Focus. Commenters and even our staffers are divided on it. Whatever your stance, one aspect that hasn’t been addressed fully is how good the interior looks. Here’s what I noticed when I got some seat time with it.

2007 Detroit Auto Show: Concept Car Winners and Losers

The 2007 Detroit auto show ended its media preview days Tuesday and opens to the public tomorrow. Mike Hanley, Joe Wiesenfelder and David Thomas spent the past few days covering Cobo Hall’s floor in search of the best and worst cars revealed by the automakers, in an effort to not only ensure show-goers don’t miss anything worthwhile, but also to keep the automakers on their toes. Here's what they thought of this year’s wild concept cars.

Chevrolet Volt

DT: Winner
There was no question among us or anyone else we know that the Chevrolet Volt was the undisputed winner of this year’s show. A plug-in electric hybrid that uses a gas-engine-powered generator could actually change the way we drive. Nothing is more radical than that.

MH: Winner
Even though the Volt is most significant for its intriguing drivetrain technology, GM made a wise decision not to go crazy with the exterior shape. It's futuristic, but still something car buyers could see themselves in.

JW: Winner
If looks were all that mattered, the Volt definitely wouldn't stand out quite as much. Having what are effectively two separate drivetrains, as today's hybrids do, isn't very cost-effective. The Volt's principle is more likely to be both profitable and affordable after time, thus making it a viable long-term product. Whenever fuel cells come, they'll drive fully electric cars. That's what the Volt is.