"At this Detroit auto show, there were no fewer
than eight crossover vehicles," he says. The crossovers are
not about powertrains, however. Instead, they combine SUV bodies
with passenger-car frames, creating roomy vehicles that aren't as
heavy as the standard truck-frame SUVs.
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Suburu B9 Tribeca
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He points to the Subaru B9 Tribeca,
which likely will go on sale next spring, as an example of "the
people mover of the future." Why? "The minivan has an
image problem and full-size SUVs are not selling right now,"
probably because of fuel prices, he says.
"Being comparatively small, (the crossover
vehicles) get better fuel economy," he says.
One of the most fun concepts introduced in recent
years was a new take on a concept from the 1930s, when at the
Detroit Auto Show in 2003 Cadillac floated a V-16-powered model
known as the Sixteen. With 1,000 horsepower under its hood, the
Sixteen would satisfy just about any craving for automotive power.
It was also styled with an equivalent level of luxury, ready to
compete with the likes of Rolls Royce and Bentley.
Cadillac produced its last V-16 powered Fleetwoods
63 years earlier, a time when gas prices were no object and the
brand was the apex of Detroit. The new engine, though, is 21st
century all the way. Despite its size and power, the Cadillac
V-16's gas consumption was estimated at 20 miles per gallon, better
than many of Cadillac's old "land boats." That relative
fuel economy is thanks to the relatively lightweight engine made
of aluminum and electronics that shut down unused cylinders when
a driver is just cruising the vehicle along rather than winding
it out.
If this baby were actually produced, the price would
likely be upward of $300,000. However, Wiesenfelder says it will
never be put on the production line.
Cadillac estimates only about 1 percent of its buyers
would be interested in climbing that high up the luxury ladder.
However, it's an indication of where Cadillac wants to go in terms
of styling and power as the company rebuilds its upscale appeal.
Wiesenfelder says that the Sixteen is an example
of a "halo car." Halo cars grab people's attention,
are capable of high performance and define what a brand is about,
he says. (They're not all high-end concept cars, he adds, pointing
to the Ford Mustang as a halo car, too.)
Besides the production-intent concepts and the way-out
ones, there's a middle ground that seems way out there, but that
might actually see production, Wiesenfelder says.
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Ford Shelby GR-1
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This year's possibility in that category is the
Ford Shelby GR-1. "This is the second concept car that uses
Carroll Shelby's name," Wiesenfelder says, adding that Shelby,
although in his 80s, was actually involved in its design.
"It has a V-10 engine; a sporty, beautiful
muscular design; a polished aluminum finish that's uniquely bright,"
he says. "If it were out in the sunlight it would probably
be a hazard."
A few years ago, Wiesenfelder say he would have
presumed the car was just another idea meant to distract consumers
and media from the slim pickings and lack of flash in actual consumer
models.
He points out, however, that the GR-1 "shares
a platform and a lot of components with the Ford GT, so it's not
out of the question to see this car on the road."
High-end goes standard
What we'll definitely see on the road in the future is more
of the high-tech devices that are strictly high-end accouterments
now, Golfen says.
"Things like GPS-navigation systems are still
high-end, but they will filter down to regular cars," he
says.
Futuristic gear that's already here in a limited
way includes satellite radio, back-up radar and rear-view cameras.
Back-up radar beeps when a vehicle is about to hit
something as the driver is backing it up, while the rear-vew cameras
allow the driver to see everything that's directly behind the
vehicle, including small children.
"Nissan just came out with a lane-change monitor,"
Golfen adds. This device scans the roadway with an electric eye.
If the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane when the driver
hasn't put on a turn signal, it will flash a warning.
Eventually, onboard entertainment and communication
systems will go far beyond cell phones and DVD players, he says,
including full onboard Internet connections.
The idea amuses Golfen. "All they need to do
is to add a bathroom and you'd never have to leave your car."
-- Posted: Feb. 15, 2005
