2010 New York Auto Show Highlights – Part 2
By Stephen Oyoung, Photography by Joey Leh
Even though the glory days of car sales and financing have taken a backseat to closures and cutbacks, many OEMS displayed at the NYIAS with the standard extravagant booths and new releases. And if the New York International Autoshow (NYIAS) was any indication, auto manufacturers only have two things on their minds right now – hybrids and racecars.
With even Ferrari going the hybrid route, many new electric and combination vehicles were on display. Nissan showcased their Leaf all-electric zero emissions cars, which was ironically parked just nearby the fuel-swilling, horsepower-rich GT-R. Lexus created a multi-video display-equipped rotating stand, which held its CT200h premium compact hybrid.
Flanked by a high-production video starring The Boondock Saints’ Norman Reedus, the CT200h was reaching out to the young, successful urban business types that surely thrive in New York’s bursting financial and business sectors. That is, if the constant casting in TV shows is to be believed.
With Mercedes-Benz displaying its insane 600hp+ SLS AMG GT3 racecar, we had to turn to respectable ‘ole Chevy to find the next green car. The 2011 Chevy Volt is an all-electric car that they claim will do up to 40 miles a day without any gas. Zero emissions indeed but that range leaves something to be desired. For many Los Angeles residents, driving 40 miles won’t even get you to the bus station.
Chevy did have its more conventional Cruze on display, which is their standard passenger car sedan. The Cruze is the type of car that rental fleets make you ponder versus a Pontiac G6 but they did have one ace up their sleeves. A World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) Chevy Cruze was on display, which was ironic since the series doesn’t race in the US and the Cruze is probably not going to be raced at all in the US by Chevy.
Although not a hybrid, Mazda announced final pricing on its tiny Mazda2. For under $14k buyers can get themselves into the tiny fuel-sipping commuter. Maybe Mazda will start a Spec Mazda2 racing series? Akin to Mazda’s Scion-hunter, the Mazda2 was flanked by plexiglass-enclosed displays with Mazda’s new turbodiesel engine. We’ve always been fans here at OR for clean turbodiesel power.
With more and more diesel stations popping up, it seems to make perfect sense to use turbodiesel engines, which deliver high fuel economy and can be boosted to insane levels without worrying about detonation. We’d love to see Mazda go a totally different direction with the RX-8 and produce a turbodiesel version, which makes 350lb/ft of instant torque.
