Five Great Stories from the 2011 North American International Auto Show

In Metro Detroit the North American International Auto Show is always one of the biggest events on the calendar. Most of the excitement (locally) deals with models shown by the three American automakers, as the Detroit area is home to these manufacturers. Regardless of what brand you like, there is something for everybody at the auto show. Here are five highlights of upcoming vehicles that I thought were particularly noteworthy.

Ford shows off an electric Focus.

Ford will be entering the all-electric compact car market late 2011 when it releases the 2013 electric Focus that attendees were able to see at the show. This car is designed to compete with the Nissan Leaf, as both vehicles have a range of about 100 miles, but will have a couple of advantages over Nissan's all-electric offering. First, it will recharge in half the time as the Leaf, and secondly, the dedicated charging system that must be installed at a residence will be cheaper than that of the Leaf(1). The electric Focus will be available (at least initially) as a hatchback only.

Toyota announces expansion of the Prius line.

Toyota is taking the Prius from a single model to a line of hybrid vehicles by introducing the 2012 Prius v, Prius c, and a Prius Plug-in. The Prius v looks somewhat like a Prius station wagon, as the rear of the vehicle has been elongated, but Toyota claims that the car is not simply a longer Prius but was built from new from the ground up. It is set to go on sale at the end of summer 2011 and gets an impressive 42 mpg city and 38 highway(2). The Prius c is a smaller, less expensive hybrid meant for urban commuting, and the Plug-in is set to go on sale in 14 states in the first half of 2012.

Chevy replaces the Aveo with the 2012 Sonic.

Chevy will release the subcompact Sonic, which they are hoping will compare favorably to the Ford Fiesta and Honda Fit, in fall 2011. The Sonic replaces the critically dismissed Aveo and boasts better styling, The Sonic will come with one of two engines, a 135-horsepower 4-cylinder or a 138-horsepower 4-cylinder with a turbocharger. With options like XM radio, Bluetooth connectivity, heated front seats, and a sunroof, it looks as though Chevy is trying to make the Sonic a serious player in this segment(3).

Buick introduces the 2012 Verano.

Buick unveiled this stylish compact in an effort to give those looking for a small car a luxury option. While there has been some talk that this is simply the Buick version of the Chevy Cruze, the cars are actually quite different. The Verano is styled very differently, with its tight design giving it superior handling, and its unequaled body sealing giving it a super-quiet interior(4). A far better entry than one of Buick's other recent small car entries, the Skylark, this car has the potential to draw in younger customers who view Buicks as cars for old people.

Chrysler updates its flagship model, the 300.

The Chrysler 300 is one of the company's most popular models, with looks reminiscent of an Aston Martin, loads of room, and lots of power. With the 2011 Chrysler 300, things have changed a bit. The styling is less harsh, with smoother lines and a stance that is not as jutting. The interior receives an upgrade too with such features as new wood trim and an 8.4-inch view screen with GPS navigation(5). Chrysler desperately wants the changes in this car to bolster its already considerable popularity.

This year's show seemed to have a more upbeat feel compared to the last couple of years. Perhaps it is becomes there are some signs of economic turnaround, or perhaps because Detroit automakers seem to have come out with some extremely competitive models. The cars listed here are certainly reasons to be excited about cars again.

Sources:

1) http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/alternative/1101_2013_ford_focus_electric_look/index.html
2) http://www.motortrend.com/auto_shows/detroit/2011/1101_toyota_prius_v/index.html
3) http://www.motortrend.com/auto_shows/detroit/2011/1012_2012_chevrolet_sonic/index.html
4) http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1101_2012_buick_verano_look/index.html
5) http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/112_1012_2011_chrysler_300_look/index.html