Motown jazz

As you read this, the curtain goes up on the 100th North American International Auto Show in Detroit, USA. We have a preview.

Roof cut
The Americans usually try to keep Detroit's thunder on the left side of the pond, but this year Rolls-Royce has firmly stolen it with the spectacular 2008 Phantom Drophead Coupe.

Clearly an almost identical (production) version of the 100EX Concept, the car has the thin LED headlamp strip, "suicide" doors and the brushed steel elements. It does not, however, get the desirable V16 motor from the concept, and will be powered by the Phantom's powerful 453 bhp 6750cc V12. That's 5.7 seconds to a 100 kph wind in your toupee, sir.

Among the other roofless headliners at the show are the Mercedes-Benz Ocean Drive design study (in the pic) which claims to be a no pre-conditions design exercise for the manufacturer's designers aiming to (re)create the aura of a full-size luxury convertible.

Aka competition for the Roller, perhaps? Meanwhile, speculation was rife, and spy shots a plenty of the new Camaro-based convertible that is supposed to debut at the show.

Oh, and lest we forget, a Hummer H3 which has a convertible roof that extends greedily from the rear bumper to half way down the front windshield. Almost.

Cat scan
The Leaping Cat came out scratching and clawing with a super, super concept called C-XF. The tearing claw of a car looks absolutely superb and as usual, is likely to point out the design directions for the brand.

In which case, we say, go, go, go. The lines, as you can see, are pretty tightly strung, sinuous and sinewy. Design chief Ian Callum has used an abstracted Leaping Cat motif that repeats in the curving shape of the headlamp, on the flanks and in the line that arcs from the headlamps to the haunches of the car.

However, opinion is already divided, with some members of Team BSM claiming strong influences from Hyundai's HCD-something or the other-concept. Uh oh. The concept is powered by a tuned XKR-sourced 4200cc supercharged V8.

The car has 420 bhp, and in theory a top speed north of 288 kph. But it is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.