| The Karmann-designed retractable hardtop takes less than 30 seconds to transform from coupe to convertible and is incidentally the world's largest retractable hardtop. Which is because this is a genuine four-seater. |
| Both coupe and convertible will be offered either with a 200 bhp, 3500cc V6 or a 240 bhp 3900cc high-output inline six. The coupe should connect with younger buyers drawn to its more sporty styling, or so the company hopes. |
| Armourgeddon Designers have been pushing the concept car concept a bit too much recently but this really has to be the limit. A four metre long bank vault on wheels is the essence of what the SYNUS actually is. |
| The concept literally has six inch thick solid aluminium doors with a dial-operated combination lock on the driver's side, while the back door opens using a vault style spinner. |
| A flat windscreen, slot like second row side windows and no rear window at all further make up the bank vault aesthetic. |
| Ford says it is an exploration of what an American small urban car might be in 2010. Maybe this is Ford's way of telling the government to cut back on the free gun laws. |
| Missionary Azeal Nissan's at it again. The new Azeal Coupe Concept revealed at Detroit sounded almost to the word like the launch spiel for the 350Z. |
| Get this, 'a fresh interpretation of the pocket rocket "� an affordable, high-performance entry-level coupe with an emphasis on personality and aggressive styling.' |
| The coupe's got the family lines "� sharply sloped roofline, smooth silhouette, chiselled corners and the muscular stance. Since it is a concept its got a few bells and whistles as well. |
| However, we're not so enamoured of the front-wheel drive idea, though we do like the sound of the Azeal's 2500cc blown inline four. |
| Highly Acurate If you're confused about the repeated moniker, so are we. Didn't we already see an Acura RD-X last year at some show? Well, maybe not. |
| This is Acura's latest sporty flavour SUV. Due on sale in 2006, Honda, once more, is targeting active urban professionals and offering what everyone wants to offer these guys "� the performance of a sports sedan and the versati/uti-lity of a premium SUV. |
| No word on the motor yet, but expect a hi-po powertrain, and a hybrid cannot be ruled out either. We do know that the LED head and tail lamps and the rear view camera won't make it to production. |
| Dodge this If the colours of reality were to fade slightly, everything would fall into place. The Ford GT is back, and so is the new retro-Mustang. And Daimler Chrysler is supplying the missing Dodge Charger from 2006 onwards. |
| Now if Steve McQueen could be resurrected...but we digress. The Charger is based on the Chrysler 300 and while it still has four-doors, it looks like a coupe with a sloping rear roofline, steeply raked rear window and a short decklid. |
| The Charger will come with a 340 bhp 5700cc engine. Er... is anyone at Universal Studios awake? Do you need a hint? San Francisco? McQueen? Hello? |
| Going bananas It was just a matter of time till the AMG guys got their hands on the new CLS. The fast-looking, banana-shaped coupe now gets a stonking new 469-horse V8 engine that's supercharged and intercooled (glorious combo, eh?). |
| What's more, it will rocket to 100 kph in just 4.5 seconds. The AMG CLS55 will hit the US market in late February, just a month after the CLS500. We know which one we'd wait for... |
| Besides the big motor, the CLS55 also gets 19-inch hoops and the usual oversize brakes, identical to the SL55. |
| HRH HHR If the PT Cruiser were to be reborn as a station wagon it would be the Chevy HHR. Chevys "heritage high-roof" wagon for 2006 comes with the looks of a 1949 Suburban and rides the mechanicals of GM's new Delta platform. |
| GM refers to it as the 'original utility vehicle' and says that the twin-taillamp design was chosen for that 'half street machine and half vintage Corvette'. Whatever. We think it will make a pretty cool 'Happy Days' prop. |
| On offer are either 140bhp or 170bhp versions from the 2200cc and 2400cc motors. Not too bad for a Corolla sized car. Also on display was a radical (and quite ugly) vision of the new Chevy HHR by West Coast Customs. |
| This concept featured a 3 inch chopped top, shaved door handles, huge sunroof, custom rear roll-pan with center-mounted exhaust, and a 10" monitor molded in the dash. The HHR goes on sale early this year. |
| Rings of change The Sky Roadster has been influenced by GM's design talent from around the globe, or so says GM . Wonder if that's the reason why the Sky looks it has bits resembling most cars from around the world. |
| Even though the Sky's stance is low and wide the car's actual footprint isn't that much bigger than the Mini Cooper. So it should atleast be as much fun to drive as the latter. What's better is that the rear wheels are driven by 170 horses from a 2400cc engine and a quick-action 5-speed manual trans-mission. Mmmmm... |
| Saleen dion A sportscar manu-facturer definitely doesn't like to be intimidated and the new S7 is evidence of that. Now that 500bhp has become commonplace the Saleen guys have upped the ante and given their old car twin turbos. |
| That gives it an unbelievable 750 bhp. Changes have also been made to improve the car's downforce and handling. With 250 more horses the changes better be effective. |
| Going Dutch The Dutch car builder Spyker displayed the C8 Spyder and the C88 Double 12S, the street version of the 2003 Le Mans car at Detroit. This hand-built jewel puts out a modest 400 bhp from an Audi V8 and gets a six-speed manual. |
| The Spyker also gets a limited-slip diff and ABS as standard. Which is a good thing because its capable of notching up almost a double ton on the speedo. But the real test of this hypercar manufacturer is when it participates in the 12-hour Sebring endurance race later this year. |
| SchwarzeHummer The 2006 Hummer H3 unveiled at the LA Show seems to be speaking a greener language. Shorter and narrower than the H2, the H3 promises better fuel efficiency. |
| The new Hummer will be blessed with a Vortec series engine with variable valve timing and two overhead cams. |
| It will also be the first to offer them lazy bums an auto option. What, no standard chauffeur? The H3 will come loaded with features like electronically controlled 4WD, a 'fully locking' rear diff, traction control, underbody shielding and GM's vehicle stability system. Tyre packages up to 33 inch are also on offer if you have biceps to match. Arnie baby, when're you buying one? |
| Not so fat cat By far the biggest surprise of the Auto Show was Jaguar's Advanced Lightweight Coupe (JALC), but unlike the previous Jaguar concepts at various motorshows (R, RD6 etc), which didn't make it to production, this one might actually be a production reality. |
| If the rumors are true, then the JALC might actually be the next XK-8. If not, we at least know that Ian Callum and the boys are doing a pretty decent job in their spare time and are surely injecting the E-type DNA in their newer models. |
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