The USA is back at the top of the automotive world. After the crisis years of 2008 and 2009, the passenger car market is growing rapidly again, to over 2014 million vehicles in 16,5. The trend continues to rise. The industry is correspondingly ambitious at the Detroit Auto Show - and relies on sheer size again.
Recently there was a bit of boredom in the halls of the Cobo Center: especially the state-funded automakers General Motors and Chrysler played the humble card, showed small cars and eco-cars. Ford and Toyota focused on their core models, which could still be sold to some extent even during the crisis.
It looks different this year. Cadillac, for example, introduces the 477 kW / 649 hp BMW M5 competitor CTS-V, at Ford could be a successor to the super sports car GT40 or at least another powerful one Mustang- Roll the derivative onto the stage and Toyota - something like a “domestic manufacturer” in the USA thanks to its local factories - should have the monster pick-up Tacoma in its luggage. In a similar notch, Nissan strikes with the titanium, which is also gigantic by European standards. In general, pick-ups promise good business again - thanks to the low fuel prices.
Automobile expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer from the Center of Automotive Research also considers the persistently low prices for fuels to be one of the drivers of the market. In addition, the constantly growing population due to immigration, the booming US economy and innovations in the IT sector are important success factors. “According to our forecasts, the US auto market will already end in 2016 with a new sales record of 17,45 million new cars,” he predicts.
The German manufacturers don't want to be left behind. Instead of mainly smaller and cheaper vehicles, as recently, they are also driving their large models this year. Audi, for example, presents the completely new luxury SUV Q7, Mercedes shows with the GLE Coupé the sporty version of its M-Class, which has since been renamed GLE. And BMW subsidiary Mini has at least the John Cooper Works riot version of its small car in the program due to the lack of larger models.
But the Japanese manufacturers also bring emotional and sporty fare to America: Honda resurrects the fast classic NSX as a hybrid. The series version of the Japanese super sports car debuts under the American label Acura. Two electric motors and a combustion engine, probably a double-charged V6 mid-engine, provide the propulsion. Lexus has announced further highly motorized competition for Audi, BMW and Mercedes. This is the high-performance variant of the GS, the GS F, with an output of 348 kW / 473 hp.
But this year the green conscience must not be completely ignored. Chevrolet presents at least the second generation of its Volt electric car. However, this time there will be no Opel sister model of the Volt: The Ampera has at least had its day.
Author: Holger Holzer / SP-X