Chicago New Model Unveilings
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CHICAGO AP produced this fine wrap up of the unveilings in Chicago.
Declaring ``the venom is back in the Cobra'', Ford Motor Co. took the wraps off the 390-horsepower 2003 SVT Mustang Cobra on Thursday during a media preview of the Chicago Auto Show.
Both a coupe and convertible version of the sports car will go on sale this summer. Pricing hasn't yet been set, but Ford division president Jim O'Connor said it will be less than $35,000.
The SVT Mustang Cobra features a 4.6-liter, double overhead cam V8 engine that can launch the car from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.
Ford also showed an SVT version of the Focus, which goes on sale this summer for less than $18,000.
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The Jeep Liberty, already a tough competitor in its first year among the small SUV market, will be followed this summer by a tougher, more rugged version sporting the venerable Renegade name.
First used in 1964 on the Jeep Wagoneer, the Renegade name has also been used in conjunction with the Jeep CJ.
A Renegade version of the Liberty was rolled out Thursday, sporting a 150,000-candlepower roof-mounted light bar and a 3.7-liter, 210-horsepower V6 engine.
The Liberty Renegade travels on 16-inch, six-spoke aluminum wheels and comes in bright cactus green, light khaki and bright silver. It will be priced from $22,000 to $26,000.
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In hopes of boosting the performance of its ``performance'' brand, General Motors Corp. [NYSE:GM - news] unveiled three new versions of Pontiac models. The most significant is the Grand Prix G-Force.
``The G-Force shows the evolving direction for Pontiac,'' said Robert Lutz, chairman of GM North America.
The G-Force shown in Chicago is the basis for the new production version that will go on sale in about a year. It sports an upgraded chassis, wider stance and StabiliTrak vehicle stability control system.
Under the hood is a powerful supercharged engine that produces 280 horsepower and 280 foot pounds of torque.
A special limited edition Bonneville will go on sale next year. Named the Bonneville G/XP, the car went from drawing board to reality in less than four months, said Pontiac-GMC general manager Lynn Myers.
The car has smoked headlight and taillight lenses and an integrated flush-mounted spoiler.
The Bonneville G/XP is powered by a supercharged V6 engine that produces up to 270 horsepower.
The 2003 Pontiac Sunfire represents an extreme makeover for the compact car. It has a new front end giving it a more aerodynamic appearance, a new rear end and a 60/40 split fold rear seat.
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Kia Motors America introduced its new sport utility vehicle, the 2003 Sorento.
Larger than the Sportage, the Sorento seats five and is available in two and four-wheel drive.
``This is a signal to the public the company is moving forward, a mainline competitor,'' said Peter Butterfield, Kia executive vice president and chief operating officer.
The Sorento is designed to compete with the Ford Escape and Jeep Liberty and will be priced ``competitively,'' Butterfield said.
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Hyundai Motor America unveiled the HCD-7 concept car, a look at what an upmarket sedan from the South Korean automaker may look like in the future.
``It's a vision of what luxury can be,'' said Roger Flores, Hyundai senior designer.
The HCD-7's design is inspired by an aircraft fuselage, Flores said. The wheels are designed to look like armor. Its headlights are vertically stacked, and the car's back end sweeps down at a sharp angle, giving it a sleek and sporty appearance.
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Porsche North America didn't have its new sport utility vehicle, the Cayenne, on hand to show reporters, but the German company did bring out actor James Brolin to detail an initiative tied into the Cayenne's launch to reclaim paved and unpaved roads in the United States.
Dubbed the ``Cayenne Crossing,'' the multiyear program will help fund restoration of roads, such as the Mojave Road portion of the original Route 66, and will extend across the country to George Washington National Park in Virginia.
Brolin, who has raced Porsche cars, will be the chairman of the initiative.