The time has finally come, the New York Auto Show came and went. The last major U.S. auto show of the season. If you ask many in the industry, you might hear a collective sigh of relief. Last week was a flurry of press conferences and vehicle reveals.

As you might expect, some were great, but there were definitely some winners and losers. Of course, we must mention the WTF section as well. So without further delay, let’s jump into it.

Some are calling the Scion FR-S Concept the absolute winner of the 2011 New York Auto Show. Frankly, I’m mixed. On one hand, this has to be the most aggressive sheet metal, concept or real, to come out of Toyota Corp in a while. This thing goes way beyond the LFA. Another win is when the CEO of a company uses the word friggin in his press conference. It was hilarious when the CEO was discussing the long standing history of Toyota’s sports cars. Somehow a flat-four boxer was mentioned. Huh, that’s part of Toyota? On the other hand, this thing is still a concept. Another concept. I’m so sick of concepts. Let’s see the real deal already.

Chrysler unveiled not one, but three new 300 models. The Executive Series is stunning, with leather everywhere and terrific fit and finish, it’s gorgeous. The S series is full of boom. Literally, it has Beats by Dre. Of course the main show was the new 2012 300 SRT8. With the same powertrain as the new SRT8s, this car is not all show. It definitely will have the go. With a more understated look than the new Charger SRT8, this will defintely be a car to have your shopping list. Oh, and now it’ll be able to handle. The new 300 SRT8 features the same adaptive suspension as the new Charger SRT8.

For 2012 the Jaguar XF model range gets a facelift. With a clear resemblance to the new XJ, this is one hot cat. Gone are the bug-eye headlights, replaced with sleeker units featuring LED daytime running lights (as is the trend these days). Pictures can’t truly describe how gorgeous this feline is.

Volkswagen has the new Golf R on display in a gorgeous shade of blue. I joked with VW PR rep Corey Proffitt that I might just steal it off the show floor. Luckily I decided to use my better judgement and left the car in New York upon my departure. Now that’s a hot hatch.

I’ve got to admit, the new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle isn’t ugly. I dig the new roofline and rear end. I kind of wish they took it even further, but that’s ok. Coming with a multitude of engine options, there is sure to be a bug that pleases everyone. Sadly, the vase is no longer standard, or even an option. Sorry kids, no more flower power here. The interior is a huge step forward as Volkswagen digs into the corporate parts bin.

You know, regardless of how I feel about the Lexus LF-Gh Hybrid Concept I give Lexus credit. This concept is edgy (for Lexus that is) and has some kind of aggression to it. I feel that is something the brand is clearly lacking aside from the LFA. Sadly I’m confident in saying that by the time we see the next-gen GS, quite a bit of this aggression will be lost. It’s too bad really.

I’m actually still gathering my thoughts on the new 2013 Malibu. The car is clearly an evolution of its former self. I like some aspects of it but something is holding me back. I’m for sure over the fake wood that both the LTZ and Eco trim models “featured.” The interior design is nice and the rear of the LTZ is great. But the Eco (i.e. non-LTZ models) had a somewhat boring rear end with the taillights lacking LEDs. These two cars were hand built and far from production models, so judging fit-and-finish was not even a possibility. I’ll reserve judgement till a later date.

I’ve heard a lot of mixed reactions to the re-freshed 2013 Taurus, particularly for the SHO model. With that new big gaping mesh grille and flashier wheels, this car is no sleeper. It definitely has a lot more reason to get noticed. Is that what SHO owners want? I always thought current gen SHO owners wanted V-8 power with V-6 efficiency and to have the ability to fly under the radar. Regardless, I wouldn’t say it’s ugly, then again I didn’t have a problem with the current generation. MyFord Touch will be standard equipment in the 2013 Taurus SHO, so if you don’t like that, better buy a 2012 model.

Now for some losers. The new 2012 Subaru Impreza will kick this section off. Unfortunately it seems to have gone to bland school. Subaru has never been a mainstream brand, nor did it seem to have the want to be one. That is until now. The new Legacy kicked off this mainstream mania and the new 2012 Impreza is taking it to new heights. Sure an estimated 36 mpg rating and all-wheel drive is cool. But the styling is boring. We’ll have to see how Subaru fans react to this new compact. I’m interested to see what the upcoming WRX and STI versions will look like.

Smart didn’t really have anything new to show off at the show. So it decided to cover a Smart fortwo in tiny mirrors or something like that. All I could think about when looking a this car was, “Like a rhine stone cowboy……”

Now for your WTF: You know, MINI advertised that KISS would be at their presser. When someone tells you they will have KISS at their presser you’d think that at least one or two songs would be played. Nope, instead it was a five minute presser where KISS pranced on stage and announced a joint fundraiser with MINI. That’s it. End of the presser folks. I was highly disappointed. I’m not a KISS fan but c’mon. I knew MINI had no product announcement as did most of the other journalists. Had it not been for KISS most probably would have skipped this presser. MINI knew it, I knew it, most of the others knew it.

After four long days I left New York exhausted and hungry. My e-mail inbox seemed to be over flowing and I was ready for more than three hours of sleep in my own bed. Most of all, I just wanted a Monster Lo-Carb.

The show was good. It was interesting to see not only the push for efficiency, but the push for more power with greater efficiency.

Here’s to another great auto show season with some truly spectacular new metal. Of course there was some not so spectacular metal, but hey, who’s counting.

The High Gear Media crew (myself included) will be invading COBO bright and early (5 AM CST) to bring you the latest coverage. We have a Detroit Auto Show hub that will pull in all the latest news, videos, pictures and more from the show floor. We will also be live tweeting and posting to Facebook through out the day. So make darn sure to bookmark our Detroit Auto Show hub and also become a fan and or follow our sites on Twitter, of course some information will also flow here as well. Now where did I put my pony keg of Monster Lo-Carb…

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Full Disclosure- My NAIAS travel and accommodations are being provided by General Motors

Chevrolet recognizes this and is looking to not only be competitive in the segment, but they say class-leading with the new 2011 Cruze.  Have they over-promised again, or do we finally have good vibrations?

The Cruze has been trotted out at plenty of auto shows last season, so we know the basics.  The base car (LS) will come with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder, while the rest of the line up (LT1, Eco, LT2, LTZ) will come with a 1.4-liter turbo four-cylinder.  This will be the volume engine.

The 1.4-liter turbo puts out an estimated 138 horsepower and 148 pound feet of torque.  The base engine and Eco models will come with a six-speed manual standard.  A six-speed automatic is optional on the LS and Eco, and standard (being only option currently available) on the other models.  I’ve heard that a six-speed manual will be available with the 1.4 liter turbo later on.

They are expecting the Eco model to earn an EPA rating of 40 mpg on the highway.  I am not sure if you have been paying attention, but that is a really really good number, and a class leading figure.  The real question is whether the car will really get 40 mpg in real world driving.

In the Cruze it was easy to find a comfortable driving position with the tilt/telescoping steering wheel. The dash design is unique.

Flowing across the dash is a swath of the same cloth material found on the seats. On LTZ cars with leather seating, leatherette replaces the swath of cloth on the dash. The design is fresh and somewhat consistent with newer Chevrolet’s.

I found there to be plenty of room inside, with an airy feel inside the cabin.  One thing I found annoying was the center armrest between the front seats.  The arm rest slides fore and aft, but when in the forward position it does not lock.  It should have more tension.  When two people rest their arms on the arm rest, the slider can slide back, which becomes quite annoying.

What we did not know before was how the Cruze drove.  I was going into this with an open mind, but I have driven both a Cavalier and a Cobalt.  Neither impressed me for the segment.  In the Cruze, you turn the key and slam the gas – the 1.4 liter turbo hits max torque at a mere 1,850 rpm.

From a stop the Cruze is decent off the line, but by about 10 mph the turbo has spooled up and you are off.  The power is more than adequate for driving around town, and there is no worries about making a pass on the highway.  However, this is not a sports car, and isn’t meant to be.  The electric steering is very light at parking lot speeds (almost too light?) but it firms up a little once under way.

We were let loose in the “back country” where there was quite a few hills. In those circumstances, I found that the six-speed automatic was not always hunting and seeking top gear immediately like other six-speeds.  Much of this can be attributed to the torque from the 1.4-liter turbo engine.  Since torque is so readily available, constant shifting is not necessary.  Without question, the powertrain makes a strong statement.

The Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla were on hand to do back-to-back comparison drives with the Cruze.  The first thing you notice is that the Cruze is more spacious then the Civic. In the Civic, I felt so close to the driver’s door and cramped side-to-side compared to the Cruze.  The reason for this is because the Cruze is both wider and longer then its competitors.

The materials in the Civic interior were very mixed. Some pieces were nice and soft touch, while others were cheap and unattractive looking.  The Civic’s transmission also seemed to hunt more when driving on the hills, and the engine was noticeably less powerful (less torque).

The Corolla’s interior is – well, almost a joke- and it drives like an appliance with a missing Kenmore sticker.  The Cruze is much more enjoyable to drive then the Corolla.  The suspension feels more controlled and almost European (especially with the 18-inch wheels).

Chevrolet sees the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra as key competitors.  They recognize that both the Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra are about to be redesigned or refreshed.  For that reason, they did not have those two vehicles on hand for comparison.

Worth noting is the pricing.  The Cruze starts at $16,995. That is over $1,000 more then the Mazda3 and current Honda Civic.

Honda has a new Civic coming towards the end of next year, along with the Volkswagen Jetta, with a base price that is also about $1,000 less then the Cruze.  The Cruze is one of the most expensive vehicles in this segment.

The Cruze’s on hand were all pre-production vehicles.  Thus, the fit and finish was not 100%, however the exteriors were nearly flawless.  On the interior, I did find the cowl covering the gauge cluster was not flush with the piece of plastic it connected to.

Also, the center console had a little cubby in front of the shifter that seemed to have a large gap in between the panel it sat with.  Again these were pre-production vehicles, so we’ll see if these two small gripes are corrected in production vehicles. Of note is that Chevrolet only had Cruze’s on hand with the 1.4 liter turbo, not the base 1.8 liter. They were also LTZ  or LT models – no Eco or LS models were available.

So back to the original question, does this car deliver on the promise of a good compact sedan? Chevrolet makes the claim that the Cruze brings midsize sedan amenities and quietness to the compact car segment.  I truly believe that claim is justified.

The car is definitely competitive with the current competition. With the new Focus and Elantra on the way though, is it enough?  For once, the main problem is not the car – it will be getting people in the car.  The current perception in the segment is not good for Chevrolet, so they will need to get butts in seats. Good marketing will be essential for the Cruze to succeed.  For now though, the new Cruze brings good vibrations to the compact car segment.

Full Disclosure – My travel and accommodations were provided by General Motors

Recently we all caught a clean glimpse of the front end of the upcoming 2011 Dodge Charger.  Between the front end spy shot and the hints/previews the folks at Dodge have provided through out the year, Edmunds Inside Line were able to put together this illustration of what the upcoming 2011 Dodge Charger will probably look like.  No this is not a guarantee so do not go betting someone on this.  This is merely a very logical and good guess at what we will see come to the auto show circuit later this year.  Keep in mind even though the current Charger came out in 2005 and is really due for a complete redesign, this is not that.  This will be a refresh so for those expecting a clean slate for the sheet metal design forget it.  Though I hear the interior is (as we have seen a few times) definitely more then a refresh and will be made of much better materials.

Source- The Auto Insider via Edmunds Inside Line

2011 Audi A8

The Minneapolis Auto Show has finally arrived.  I must admit that I look forward to the show every year.  The show is not large compared to others and, in reality, many concept cars go to the larger shows and skip us.  The reason I like our show is it is local and I am on my own time.  I can go with my friends with no scheduled agenda.  The big shows like Chicago and Detroit are a lot of fun but this is just different having a show near home.

The show was busier then I expected.  I talked to quite a few people that noted how the attendance numbers were up from last year already on the second day of the show.  The economy is in a slightly better place and car sales are starting to pick up and the attendance at the show is reflecting it. I am guessing that Ford was a major sponsor this year as many new Taurus’s were strewn about outside of the entrances.  I overheard several consumers commenting on how they liked the look of the new Taurus and most didn’t even know what it was.

Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Concept

Some of the highlights included the special edition Synergy Green Camaro and the Silverado ZR2 Concept truck from Chevrolet.  Though many General Motors concept cars were missing, I was surprised to see the Cadillac Converj concept at the Cadillac Stand.  Ford had the new 2011 Edge along with the new 2011 Fiesta Sedan.  The updated 2011 Shelby GT500 Mustang was on the show floor with the hood open and, although the doors were locked, it was what was under the hood that was important.  Audi had the mighty R8 5.2 in a copper brown color with carbon fiber side blades.

2010 Audi R8 5.2

Some things I noted about the show: BMW, Porsche Infiniti were all absent.  While a few talked about Porsche, I’m not sure anyone noticed Infiniti was gone and the largest complaint of the show that I heard was “Where’s BMW?”  I spoke with one of the local BMW dealerships and they said that their research indicates that they do not sell enough cars by being at the auto show to warrant the expense. This absence just gave the competition such as Audi and Mercedes-Benz a chance to have BMW owners sit in their cars.  Another anomaly was Nissan.  They found it important to have the GT-R with a base price of $80,790 but not to have a 370Z, which starts at $29,990.  I was told that the reason was, “That is what they sent us…”.  Not a terribly good answer in my opinion.

Ross Testing the Man Step

I personally think many manufactures should take notes more from Ford.  They have been building terrific booths at the shows lately.  They engage the consumers and have a lot to look at, and I am not just talking product.  There are interactive games such as foosball and driving simulators not to mention the computers filled with information.

Overall the show was better then last year.  With more manufacturers in attendance and consumer attendance up, the atmosphere was a bit more upbeat.  The Minneapolis Auto Show’s tag line is “Your License to Dream” and I believe that is exactly what this show did for many consumers this year and with the products coming in the next year, I am sure next year will be even better for consumers.