January 20, 2006 – 2006 North American International Auto Show

Well it’s that time again, the Auto Show is on over at Cobo Hall. This weekend is your last chance to get over there and check it out.

As always everything is to excess. New Orleans probably could have been rebuilt with the amount spent by the car companies on the displays. Speaking of Car Companies, aren’t there two who should be cutting costs, not buying 50 foot video screens?

A few shots from around the show:

I think the coolest display belonged to Jeep, with this Frank Lloyd Wright inspired ode to Fallingwater:

Now on to production vechicles for the 2006-2007 model years:

The Jeep Rubicon in the always over the top Jeep display.

The Toyota Scion division, not available in Canada sadly, as I think they are kind of cool. Pictured here is the xB

The Scion tC

The Saturn Sky. Built on the same chassis as the Pontiac Solstice only much better looking. I hope those workers at Newark Assembly in Delaware are up for working some overtime.

Demand was high for the Solstice, and I can only image large order volumes for the Sky as well. GM has hit a home run here with these two cars.

The show also attracts a number of nuts too. There was one guy who went from car to car to car with a notebook and a plastic ruler. As he got in each car he was measuring and noting the size of the rearview mirrors.

Take this asshat, he’s serious about getting his money’s worth. He wants to see ALL of the cars.

The new Ford lineup will feature the Ford Edge, to be built in Oakville, Ontario. Hopefully that will breathe new life into a plant that has been burdened with the lousy selling Freestar mini-van.

The Lincoln MKX will be built in Oakville too alongside the Edge and Freestar. The MKX will be the first Lincoln to be built in Canada since 1932.

A because I’ve had a few… The good old trusty (and stale looking) Mercury Grand Marquis. The pride of St. Thomas assembly.

Honda rolls out the Fit, their entry into the Subcompact market. To compete with the Chevy Aveo/Pontiac Wave, Toyota Yaris, Kia Rio, etc… As gas prices continue to rise, I think not entering this market will bite some manufacturers in the ass.

The Honda Civic – Motor Trend’s “Car of the year”

The Honda Ridgeline – Motor Trend’s “Truck of the year”… Uh, oh, I see a trend here….

Now to close out our trip through the 2006 NAIAS, everyone’s favorites:

CONCEPTS

There are no photos of the Camaro, as it was completely swamped around it. Sorry.

From Mitsubishi the CT Miev

Because bigger is… uuuuh… better? As gas prices soar the F-250 Super Chief. Ford claims it can run off Gasoline, hydrogen or E85 Ethanol. Which is real useful, I’ll just take it to the Hydrogen station for refueling…. Oh yeah, it’s a V-10 too…. lol.

The Mazda Kabura, a good looking car, that rumor has will be entering production.

The Toyota Fine-T a fuel cell concept, powered by 4 in wheel motors.

Finally we come to the Concept that I liked best. I think that DCX would be wise to move forward on this project.

The REAR WHEEL DRIVE Chrysler Imperial.

I like it.