6 awesome cars from the Detroit Auto Show

DETROIT, MICHIGAN—In his final State of the Union address, US President Barack Obama beamed: “Our auto industry just had its best year ever. That’s just part of the manufacturing surge that’s created nearly 900,000 jobs in the past six years.”

He has every reason to be proud. After the US auto industry nearly collapsed not more than eight years ago, it’s seeing record sales, moving some 17 million cars from the showroom to the driveway, beating the previous record set in the year 2000. This positive vibe is seen at the 2016 North American International Auto Show or NAIAS as well.

What started out as a local dealer and industry preview to see what’s in store for the upcoming model year, NAIAS or more popularly known as the Detroit Auto Show, has come an international barometer of what’s to come for the global automotive industry. Though it has seen some tough times, it has broken its own record this year, showcasing more than 50 new cars and concepts and attended by more than 39,000 media professionals and industry experts from over 30 countries.

Selecting the best new cars to come out from The Motor City is certainly no easy feat, but The Philippine STAR was there exclusively to give you the six best new production cars from the North American International Auto Show.

Chevrolet Bolt EV

Technically, the Chevrolet Bolt EV was previewed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas a week earlier, but the Bow Tie brand did give more details on the Bolt in Detroit as it shared the main stage with the hatchback version of the Cruze. Not to be mistaken for the “Volt” which is an extended range EV, the Bolt is a long-range and affordable EV vehicle.

With a price tag of about US$30,000 (P1,350,000) after incentives, the Bolt EV will be offered at Chevrolet’s 3,000 -strong US dealership network. It offers 200 miles of range on a full charge. It’s the product that directly benefits from the suggestions and ideas of Volt owners and customers and feature technology that make long-range electric vehicle driving a reality.

Chrysler Pacifica

Chrysler is reviving the Pacifica nameplate to signal a new era in its minivan (MPV) offering. Replacing the Town & Country, Chrysler is positioning the Pacifica as not “your typical soccer mom” minivan. To that effect, the company is tapping into their minivan experience—all 30 years of it—creating a product with nearly 40 segment firsts.

The Pacifica is riding on an all-new platform that’s the lightest and stiffest in its class enabling it to deliver class-leading levels of NVH isolation. Inside, it delivers a “vault-like” interior thanks to low levels of noise and those that come in are filtered by the Active Noise Cancellation system which is standard across the range. The Pacifica is also the largest in its segment in terms of interior volume.

Delivering on Chrysler’s promise of class-leading ride and handling, it comes with two powerful yet fuel-efficient engines including the segment’s first gasoline-hybrid model. As standard, the Pacifica comes with a 3.6-liter V6. Engine start/stop is standard as is a 9-speed automatic. The bigger news is the introduction of the segment’s first gasoline-electric hybrid engine that enables the Pacifica Hybrid to travel around 30 miles (48 kilometers) purely on electric power. Pivotal to the Pacifica Hybrid’s tech is the introduction of an electrically variable transmission. This patented feature features two electric motors which are both capable of driving the vehicle’s wheels.

Ford Fusion Sport

A surprise hit for Ford, the Fusion has seen an uptick in sales especially in areas usually dominated by Japanese midsized sedans. Now, the Blue Oval is taking things a step further with the most technologically-packed Fusion ever. It also includes game changing drivetrain configurations none of which are available in its rivals.

The two hybrids: Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid offer electric-only speeds up to 85 mph (136 km/h) and can recapture 95 percent of braking power through its brakes. The Fusion Energi meanwhile can go 500 miles (804km) before depleting its battery and then can switch to a conventional 2.0-liter motor, removing any range anxiety. It can also be charged in just 2.5 hours.

Enthusiasts though will rejoice at the arrival of the Fusion Sport. The performance version of the Fusion delivers a 325-hp punch thanks to its twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6. And making sure it can keep all this power on the road, it has standard all-wheel drive. The Sport also has continuously controlling damping for its suspension that adjusts the shock absorbers in a split second reducing the severity of impact transmitted to occupants.

Honda Ridgeline

Honda is once again challenging the conventional thinking in the pickup truck market with the all-new Ridgeline. Based on Honda’s Global Light Truck platform, it features a unibody construction and a fully independent suspension.

It is powered by a new 3.5-liter direct-injected i-VTEC V6 mated to a 6-speed automatic. Honda believes it will not only provide top-class powertrain refinement, but will achieve best-in-class acceleration and segment-leading fuel economy ratings. All-wheel-drive models will utilize Honda’s i-VTM4 torque vectoring AWD technology, featuring Intelligent Terrain Management, providing robust medium-duty off-road and towing capability with superior on-road, all-weather handling, traction and performance.

The Ridgeline bed offers pickup users unmatched versatility. It has the only 4-foot wide flat bed space (with 48 inches between the rear wheel arches) in the midsize pickup class, allowing for flat hauling of items like plywood sheeting or drywall. The Ridgeline will also offer payload capacity rivaling top competitors, approaching 1,600 pounds. The composite, UV-stabilized and scratch-resistant bed also boasts a number of available Honda-exclusive features that add to its incredible versatility, including an In-Bed Trunk, dual-action tailgate, available 400-watt AC power inverter and the industry’s first in-bed audio system.

Lexus LC 500

Lexus debuted a big surprise at the in the form of the LC 500 luxury coupe. Based off the LF-LC Concept which was shown four years ago, the LC 500 is the brand’s new provocative, athletic flagship coupe that makes the strongest statement about Lexus’s future direction.

The key design elements including the proportions and visual dynamism of the concept car have been retained. The LC 500 is defined by an athletic aerodynamic shape with sensual curves and emotional forms. The interior design of the LC 500 is influenced by the dynamic luxury theme of the exterior with a layout that is both cockpit-focused and elegant.

The rear wheel-drive LC 500 features a high-revving 5.0-liter V8 shared with the RC F and GS F. This engine, known for its smooth and linear response, produces at least 467 hp and 527 Nm of torque. Helping transfer all that power is a newly-developed 10-speed automatic that delivers a 0-100 km/h time in less than 4.5 seconds. The LC 500 is also the first Lexus to ride on the brand’s new all-new premium rear-wheel drive luxury platform dubbed the GA-L. This will become the blueprint for the company’s future performance vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Making its global debut, the 2017 E-Class features Mercedes-Benz’s new design language as well as sportier coupe-like proportions. The powerful and dynamic look continues inside with the high-tech interior featuring a new instrument cluster highlighted by two 12.3-inch displays. The stretched wheelbase (almost three meters) also allow for increased room.

Under the hood, the all-new E-Class will be offered with a variety of engines ranging from a 4-cylinder gasoline engine with 184 hp (E 200) all the way to a diesel producing 258 hp and a whopping 620 Nm of torque (E 350d). All these engines will benefit from a 9-speed automatic with idle start/stop. The lightweight sedan promises more dynamic handling thanks to a selection of suspension systems ranging from the conventional to selective damping to a full-on air suspension.

Being the first standard production automobile to be granted with an autonomous driving license, the E-Class is packed with cutting-edge driver assistance technology such as Drive Pilot that not only adjusts vehicle speed on highways depending on traffic, but can automatically adjust speed depending on the posted speed limit and even steer by itself to change lanes. Furthermore, Remote Parking Pilot allows it to be moved into and out of garages and it can even park itself remotely.