Detroit • An upbeat mood permeated the exhibit floor in Cobo Hall, a welcome change from the gloomy atmosphere of recent shows here. Asian manufacturers were sharing the moment despite the hit many had endured last year from Japan’s earthquake and tsunami, plus the added whammy of severe flooding in Thailand. Sales are bouncing back — and so is the automakers’ optimism. Their reinvigorated drive was reflected in the unveiling of several new products that are expected to grab the interest of buyers in the months ahead. Here are the highlights:
Acura
The biggest splash among Acura’s unveilings was the much-anticipated NSX concept, which shows the direction the brand is heading as it develops a replacement for its original NSX supercar, which faded from the lineup in 2005.
However, Acura also took the wraps off its most affordable model — the ILX. This entry-level compact luxury sedan is being touted as the new gateway to the brand, featuring attributes that are expected to appeal to younger buyers with aspirations to move upscale, such as its fresh exterior styling, affordability and attention to environmental issues. When it makes its debut this spring, it will be offered with a choice of three engines — a 2.0-litre four-cylinder, a high-performance 2.4L four coupled to a six-speed manual transaxle and a hybrid powertrain using a 1.5L gasoline-fuelled engine and electric motor — Acura’s first hybrid. It will be built exclusively in the United States.
Honda
The ninth generation of the Accord will be a trimmer model — shorter in length and lighter in weight, but still offering the same interior space as the current iteration. The 2013 Accord sedan and coupe, arriving this fall, will also be more fuel efficient, utilizing engines from Honda’s new Earth Dreams lineup introduced at the recent Tokyo Motor Show. The 2.4L 181-horsepower direct-injected four-cylinder will be the first application of these new technologies and it will be coupled to a six-speed manual or an available continuously variable transmission. The new Accord will also offer the first application of a new two-motor plug-in hybrid powertrain that, says Honda, will be capable of driving 15 to 25 kilometres in city driving on electric power alone. The Accord Hybrid will be launched next winter. A re-engineered 3.5L V6 will also be available, matched to a six-speed manual or a new six-speed automatic transmission.
Hyundai
We knew it was coming, but Hyundai made it official here — the Veloster is getting a boost for 2013. A twin-scroll turbocharger has been bolted onto the slick little coupe’s 1.6L four-cylinder engine, adding a much-needed 46% increase in power (201 hp in all) and bumping torque to 195 pound-feet starting at 1,750 rpm. With a curb weight of 1,255 kilograms, it’s lighter than two of its prime competitors, the Honda Civic Si Coupe and the Volkswagen GTI three-door. It will be available with a choice of a standard six-speed manual gearbox or an available six-speed automatic with paddle shifters.
In addition to adding more power, Hyundai has tweaked the suspension to a sportier level, increased the size of the ventilated front rotors by 20 millimetres to improve braking and swapped the standard steering rack for one with a quicker ratio, resulting in crisper response. The Veloster Turbo goes on sale this summer.
The sporty rear-wheel-drive member of Hyundai’s “fun team” also gets some extra muscle for 2013. As part of its mid-cycle freshening, the Genesis Coupe has been given a new look up front, with a restyled front fascia, grille, headlamps and fog lights plus a new hood. New LED tail lights light up the back end, while LED daytime running lights will be available as an option.
The big changes, however, are under that new hood. The base 2.0L four-cylinder gets a twin-scroll turbocharger, replacing the current single-scroll unit, and a new intercooler that’s 53% larger. The changes boost horsepower by 30 ponies to 274 and torque is now an impressive 275 lb-ft at just 2,000 rpm. The added power, however, doesn’t impact fuel economy — in fact, it has improved, says Hyundai, with ratings of 10 litres per 100 km in the city and 6.4 litres per 100 km on the highway. The optional 3.8L Lambda V6 has also gained additional power, thanks to the addition of a direct-injection system, which adds 42 hp over the current iteration for 348 ponies in total, plus a 29-lb-ft boost in torque to 295. And, like the four-cylinder, the upgrades in technology and power have also improved fuel efficiency.
Both engines will be offered with a choice of a six-speed manual transmission or an all-new eight-speed automatic with a Shiftronic manual mode activated through paddle shifters. The 2013 Genesis Coupe will be available in early spring.
Scion
The history of Toyota’s participation in motorsports with such models as the 2000 GT, Sports 800 and Corolla GTS (also known as the AE86) has provided the inspiration for Scion’s latest addition to its lineup — the FR-S sports car. This 2+2 coupe, which has been developed jointly with Subaru, is powered by a 2.0L horizontally opposed, high-compression four-cylinder coupled to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters.
The newly developed Subaru boxer engine, which has been fitted with Toyota’s new D-4S injection system featuring both direct and port injection, kicks out 200 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. The low positioning for the flat engine, combined with the car’s light weight (1,225 kilograms) and compact size (4,230 millimetres in length), gives the rear-wheel-drive FR-S ideal balance — just the ticket for impressive dynamic credentials. It arrives in showrooms in the spring.
Sharing the stage was a competition version of the FR-S, which will be driven in the 2012 Formula DRIFT series by veteran Ken Gushi. The car, a joint venture between Scion Racing and the performance products firm GReddy, packs 600 tire-shredding horses under its hood.
Toyota
There’s a new sibling in the Prius family of hybrids — the Prius C (for city). It’s basically Prius Lite, a smaller, lighter but impressively efficient five-door hatchback particularly suited for urban use. Its combined fuel consumption rating is just 3.7 L/100 km, says Toyota. The C’s length is 485 mm shorter than the standard mid-sized Prius — 3,995 mm overall. It’s also 246 kg lighter. The powertrain consists of a 1.5L four-cylinder and a 45-kilowatt electric motor that combine for a total output of 99 hp.
This new subcompact also opens the door for young buyers on a budget to gain access to hybrid technology, with a starting price in Canada of less than $21,000. It should arrive in showrooms in March.
