Last month's news from the Los Angeles Auto Show was primarily about how "green" and environmentally friendly future vehicles looked. Well, the message out of the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit was similar: Many of the products that were unveiled had a definite green tinge, with hybrids and clean diesels making the most headlines.
Jeep Trailhawk
Nowhere in Jeep's press material does it describe it as such, but the Trailhawk could be a peek into styling trends for the Grand Cherokee, Liberty, or maybe even the first glimpse at a 21st century XJ. The concept SUV sits on the Wrangler Unlimited's ladder frame and shares its 116-inch wheelbase and solid-axle/multilink suspension bits. The tires and wheels are pure show car stuff-22-inch rims wrapped by 33-inch-tall 305/45s-but we like the fact that 33s fit in the 'Hawk's wheelwells. (The concept carries a "Trail Rated" badge. Do you think it crossed the Rubicon?) Jeep calls the Trailhawk an "open air" concept, because the front windows roll down leaving behind no B-pillar, the rear quarter glass retracts too, and glass panels over the passenger and cargo compartments are removable, giving it "virtually the same open-air ambience as a typical soft top Jeep," says the press release. Under the hood is Jeep's 3.0L Bluetec diesel V-6, which produces 215 hp and 375 lb-ft of torque-twisting force that's equal to the torque produced by the 5.7L Hemi. It would sure be cool to get that much torque in a Wrangler-sized package. Or even in the Wrangler, for that matter.
Hummer H3 Open Top Concept
Jeep wasn't the only maker exploring the "open air" theme. Hummer displayed an H3 with an Infinivu sliding fabric top designed by ASC to give the SUV a "nostalgic, safari-type experience" said Hummer. Other accessories on the concept, including the black chrome grilleguard and tube steps, are straight out of Hummer's accessories catalog. The Hummer rolled on Mickey Thompson Baja Claw 325/50R20 tires mounted on Rozzi 20x9-inch Ego wheels.
Ford Airstream Concept
OK, it's not a 4x4. And technically it's not even a truck; it's a crossover SUV. But we thought Ford's Airstream concept was one of the most interesting at the auto show. For one thing, we liked the retro/future styling ideas of combining Airstream's mid-century travel trailer designs with a crossover's packaging. We were even more intrigued with what's underneath the shiny skin. The Airstream is powered by a plug-in hydrogen hybrid fuel-cell powerplant Ford calls HySeries Drive. It's basically an electric propulsion system fueled by a lithium-ion battery pack. The batteries can be charged by plugging the Airstream into a standard household outlet. Once the Airstream has been on the road about 25 miles and the batteries start to discharge, the hydrogen fuel cell kicks in, acting as a generator to recharge the batteries and give the Airstream another 280 miles of driving range. HySeries Drive isn't just a concept; a running version of the system is being tested in the Ford Edge prototype.
Mazda Tribute HEV
Ford isn't keeping its Escape hybrid all to itself; by the middle of the year, Mazda will sell a version of the gas/electric compact SUV as the '08 Tribute HEV. Like the Escape hybrid, the Tribute HEV can run on electric power up to about 25 mph, when the 2.3L gas engine kicks in. Combined, the gas and electric powerplants produce 155 hp, giving the Tribute V-6-like power characteristics with four-cylinder fuel economy, says Mazda.
Audi Q7 V12 Diesel Concept
We thought the 553 lb-ft of torque coming from VW's Touareg V-10 turbodiesel was badass until we read this: Audi has stuffed a 6.0L, 12-cylinder TDI into a concept version of its Q7 SUV that produces 738 lb-ft of torque (and a mere 500 hp). Audi recently made history as the first automaker to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans using a 650hp diesel race engine, which was also a V-12, 6.0L TDI. Audi plans to offer the Q7 in the U.S. in 2008 with a 3.0L TDI engine using Bluetec emissions technology; we can only hope that the V-12 is more than just an exercise.
Infiniti QX56
Nissan's luxury brand chose Detroit to unveil the latest version of its Armada-based fullsize SUV. The '08 QX56 has new front and rear styling, standard 20-inch wheels, and a new roof rack. Interior revisions include a new instrument panel design, a third-row power-folding seat, and a standard heated steering wheel on 4WD models. Mechanically the new SUV is unchanged.