The 2012 Detroit Auto Show turned out some great new cars this year. There is a lot of buzz and excitement over the new concepts and models. Here is a look at a few of the great cars that debuted this week at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show.
Chevrolet Tru 140S
Chevy calls their latest concept design an “affordable exotic”. They also call it the Chevrolet Tru 140S. The 140S has a beautiful body based on the Chevy Cruze, but looks a bit more like a baby Lamborghini. Though the power is somewhat less than a Lambo, the Tru 140S is likely to turn many heads on the highway. The three-door hatchback has a 150 hp turbocharged four-cylinder that offers a 6 speed transmission, automatic or manual. Your choice. Chevy believes that the car will rate up to 40 mpg on the highway and plans to integrate a heads-up display and MyLink along with WiFi to the car.
2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo
The Hyundai Veloster was a great looking addition to the Hyundai lineup, but beyond the sweet looks it became somewhat of a letdown. The 40 mpg 3-door coupe couldn’t tow the load. With only 138 hp there just wasn’t enough power behind the speedy looking body. Hyundai has fixed this issue with the debut of the 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo. The new Veloster boasts a direct-injected 1.6L I-4 that pushes out 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. With a standard 6-speed manual tranny, it’s likely that the Veloster will now haul. The front end also received an overhaul to update last year’s gaudy look. Hyundai says the Veloster will still get 38 mpg on the highway.
2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
The 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL550 is cruising with a 4.6-liter direct-injected twin-turbo V-8 that is pushing an astounding 429 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. That’s 47 hp over last year’s model. A new 7-speed tranny is supposed to give the hog a better mpg rating, but it doesn’t seem to be slowing it down. Mercedes estimates a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds, but I believe that they are being modest. One neat new feature that I just can’t get passed is the ability to swipe your foot under the rear bumper for hands-free access to the trunk. We all have to buy groceries sometime, right? Even if we drive a Mercedes.
2013 Ford Fusion
The 2013 Ford Fusion is really going to surprise a lot of folks. The new body style goes from competing with Mom’s grocery getter to Dad’s Charger. The taller-bodied square look is tough. On the green-front, the 2013 Ford Fusion will be the first car to offer a gas model, a hybrid model and a plug-in hybrid model. The 2013 Fusion should be a big contender in the midsize class.