At the end of the three media days of the biggest auto show in North America, I have come to a couple of conclusions. We are in a transition era, fuelled by environmental and safety issues as well as global competition. Emerging markets such as China and India are shaking up the entire auto manufacturing industry. However, there are several bright spots and the crop of young designers is very promising.
Sporty concepts
I was immediately attracted to Toyota's FT-HS Concept, a sporty hybrid with bold lines and an impressive cockpit. Speaking of sporty cars, we'll soon witness the arrival of two world-class supercars finally capable of matching the great Italians in terms of styling and performance: the Lexus LF-A and a V10-powered Acura.
Two beautiful sedans
As for production models, the all-new 2008 Malibu has the looks, while the new Mitsubishi Lancer has the character and sets itself apart from other compacts. Meanwhile, the new Accord Coupe shows more muscle -- finally, Japanese automakers dare to be bold.
Truck and crossover
The introduction of the new Toyota Tundra could very well disturb American pickup truck manufacturers, while the design of Volvo's XC60 is a perfect balance between car and SUV.
Inspired designs
I was also amazed by the superb projects of the Michelin Challenge Design. This year's theme was "Sharing the Road". Two vehicles out of the 34 finalists were created by Canadian designers: Jonathan Côté's School Minibus and Evan Roche's Gecko Safety Coupe. We are preparing a video and a series of features on many of these prototypes, which are full of brilliant and sensible ideas.
Dislikes
Ill-advised security measures at Ford's stand only served to angry the reporters who wanted to take a closer look at the vehicles. Also, we did not see anything spectacular when it came to prestige cars, except for Jaguar's C-XF Concept.
Sporty concepts
 |
| Toyota FT-HS |
Two beautiful sedans
As for production models, the all-new 2008 Malibu has the looks, while the new Mitsubishi Lancer has the character and sets itself apart from other compacts. Meanwhile, the new Accord Coupe shows more muscle -- finally, Japanese automakers dare to be bold.
Truck and crossover
The introduction of the new Toyota Tundra could very well disturb American pickup truck manufacturers, while the design of Volvo's XC60 is a perfect balance between car and SUV.
Inspired designs
 |
| Gecko Safety Coupe |
Dislikes
Ill-advised security measures at Ford's stand only served to angry the reporters who wanted to take a closer look at the vehicles. Also, we did not see anything spectacular when it came to prestige cars, except for Jaguar's C-XF Concept.