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2007 North American International Auto Show
By: Drew Phillips
Photos by Nathan Leach Proffer
January 26, 2007

Article Images


One of the best parts of auto shows is the anticipation of the new cars. There is an excitement that comes with knowing that there will be a whole set of outrageous concept cars, new production model debuts, and the introduction of new technologies. Perhaps this is why the debuts of many of the cars at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit were somewhat of a letdown. With many of the vehicles being leaked several days before the show, it was almost like knowing what all of your presents are before you open them. As the covers were taken off many of the vehicles, it was no real surprise as to what was underneath. Despite the premature unveiling of many of the cars, it didn’t take away from the number of important vehicles that were in introduced.

One of the vehicles that made an early appearance was the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Concept. “The best follow-up to last year’s award-winning Camaro concept is a Camaro convertible,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president, global design. The best news is that a production version is planned for the 2009 model year, following the debut of the coupe a year before that. “For some of us, an emotional bond was formed when we introduced the Camaro coupe last year,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. The design has a heavily retro-influenced theme, with an instrument panel inspired by the first generation Camaro. A spine runs throughout the center of the car including a prominent center console, and the rest of the cockpit features, with aluminum trim throughout the interior. For power, Camaro fans will be surely pleased with the LS2 V8 that will produce something around the Corvette’s 400 horsepower.

Another American car that made an important debut was the new-for-2008 Dodge Viper SRT-10. The upgrades include a new hood with larger vents that provide improved cooling to the engine. For the first time, owners will have a choice of interior colors as well as five all-new exterior colors. More importantly, the car now has an incredible 600 horsepower. While some of the extra power comes from an increase in displacement to 8.4-liters, the engine actually features significant upgrades with the help of McLaren Performance Technologies. The V10 features new cylinder heads, larger valves, variable valve timing, an upgraded intake manifold, and much more. The drivetrain has also been updated with a new T-56 Tremec 6-speed transmission with 10 percent wider gears, a new shifter system with reduced throw, and a new twin-disc clutch that replaces the previous single-disc setup. Attention GM – the ball is in your Corvette!

Also at the Dodge stand was a Mopar-modified version of the Viper Coupe. Based on the standard Viper SRT-10 Coupe, this concept shows owners the potential of using Mopar parts to improve the performance and appearance of their Viper. The engine receives an additional 75 horsepower thanks to titanium valves and connecting rods, cast litex pistons, a lightened crankshaft, and a high-flow intake manifold. A tubular exhaust header package, a cold air induction system, and a cat-back exhaust system round out the power upgrades. The Mopar Concept Coupe is also ready to race with a fully adjustable coilover suspension kit, Competition Coupe rear wing, front splitter, and six-point racing harnesses. Lightweight "Sidewinder" wheels are wrapped in Michelin racing slicks, 18" front and 19" rear. To finish off the look, a "Driver's Stripe" paint scheme is added with a red stripe and black trim.

Rumors about a Mustang sedan surfaced in late 2006 that were quickly quelled by Ford. The source of those rumors was the Interceptor Concept, a 4-door sedan based on the Mustang platform. “The Ford Interceptor concept is a pure sedan that speaks to performance car lovers everywhere,” said Freeman Thomas, director, North American Strategic Design. “These people might need more space, but they still appreciate the power and attitude that cars like this represent.” The car features Ford’s 5.0-liter Cammer engine mated to a 6-speed transmission driving the rear wheels.

European cars also had a strong presence at the show, starting with the Jaguar C-XF Concept. "Great Jaguars turn heads in the street. They make people stop and pay attention. They evoke instant desire. That’s what the C-XF does and that’s what the next generation of Jaguars will do.” Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar Cars. The C-XF will supposedly usher in a new era for Jaguar design with its strong and bold design. The interior also features a revolutionary design with a jewel-like power button and an electro-luminescent panel that provides light throughout the cabin. While the exterior and interior designs takes a new direction, the heart of the car retains the current powertrain setup with the 4.2-liter supercharged V8 producing 420 horsepower and a 6-speed automatic transmission. Look for a production version of the car later this year as the replacement for the S-Type sedan with the XF name.

Other European debuts include the Mercedes-Benz Concept Ocean Drive and the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe.

Toyota and Lexus had a strong showing, with a new high-performance sedan and two unique sports car concepts. Developed at the Fuji Speedway and Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Japan, the Lexus IS-F will be a true competitor in the sports sedan segment. Lexus has stuffed their 5.0-liter V8 engine into the car that utilizes Lexus’ innovative 8-speed direct sport-shift transmission. Lexus also unveiled an updated version of the LF-A Concept that was shown two years ago at Detroit. “The first LF-A was a pure concept, but one that we went so far as to conduct engineering analysis on,” said Carter. “This latest concept is much closer to a vehicle that we would bring to market, and one in which we will be gauging consumer interest.” Toyota took a different approach to the high performance sports car with its FT-HS Concept. The hybrid-powered sports car was created as one that is suitable for the driving enthusiast in the 21st century. “Drivers today are not satisfied with cars that are simply fast,” said Kevin Hunter, vice president, Calty Design Research. “In addition to driving enjoyment, today's drivers are concerned about safety, ecology and social responsibility.” The FT-HS would be a true attainable exotic with 400 horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of only 4.0 seconds.

Other Asian introductions included the Advanced Sports Car Concept from Acura and the Mitsubishi Prototype X, a preview of the next generation Lancer Evolution.

While the excitement of the debuts were somewhat dulled by the premature unveilings, the most promising part of the show was the prominence of production or near-production vehicles that were introduced. While one-off concept cars are always great, it’s even better when the cars at the show will available to buy soon after – a new Camaro Convertible, a 600-horsepower Dodge Viper, a bold new Jaguar sedan, and a pair of Lexus high-performance vehicles. Just another year in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show.