It’s the first – and one of the biggest – automotive events of the year and you can find all the latest news from the supershow in Detroit Motor City, right here at the HomeApproved blog!
We’ve got the lowdown on the latest launches and important information on the new models. Highlights include the awesome, diesel Audi R8 V12 TDI, stylish Passat Coupe and stunning ‘baby’ Land Rover LRX concept.
Carmakers stress green at Detroit auto show
US and foreign automakers are pushing environmentally friendly driving to the top of their agendas as they unveil at the world’s biggest motor show a range of green innovations designed woo customers.
“We need to develop alternative sources of propulsion,” said General Motors chief Rick Wagoner during previews of the Detroit Motor Show which opens to the public from January 19 to January 27.
The Big Three US automakers - GM, Ford and Chrysler - touted their commitment to green “concept cars” as US consumers worry about the price of oil.
GM presented the Cadillac Provoq, a battery-powered four-wheel drive and is to launch a test fleet of the 100 Chevrolet Equinox equipped with the battery technology within weeks. It also plans to introduce eight new hybrid models - running on both fuel and electricity - in the United States by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Ford president Bill Ford announced “a global commitment” to become “leader in sustainability”. Much as European automakers, Ford has introduced a new ecologically-friendly brand called Ecoboost that will be expanded in 2010 even to big pick-up trucks. Ford wants to sell 500,000 vehicles under this label in the next five years.
Chrysler is also a player in this field, presenting prototypes of electric and hybrid vehicles. Asian automakers that control more than 40 percent of the US market, don’t want to be outdone, with Toyota reminding everybody that it had introduced a hybrid model a long time ago.
The ‘green’ fashion has reached even builders of luxury cars, with Ferrari presenting for the first time F430 Spider, a car that works on biofuel. Of course, this is just a prototype.
But “we have the technology and we are ready” if the market situation evolves, said Adam Rowley, vice president of Ferrari North America.