Although I was not in the country for this year’s NAIAS, I followed it closely from my phone when I was in Israel for the past two weeks or so.  Overall, I have to say there’s a lot to look at this year, and the new model debuts give me hope that 2012 is going to be even more exciting than 2011 was.  The market is changing fast, and as I watch everyone attempt to catch up, there are some clear indications that some brands in particular have most of their ducks in a row.  Then again, there’s indications that some are definitely struggling to come up with new ideas.  I’m going to go through each country, by major manufacturer, and discuss what I think are the best and the worst of this year’s show.

First up is the USA, particularly General Motors.  Of the four brands on display, Chevrolet clearly had the most new models out there, namely their two concept cars, the CODE 130R and the TRU 140S.  Personally, I like the 130R better, as it’s a chassis that can open up a market which has recently come back to our shores (a small, RWD sports coupe with potential for modification and a low starting price).  With the right set of options, the right engine, and a standard 6-speed manual (with the option of a dual-clutch 6-speed as an alternative), the 130R can be the first sport compact with the bowtie in a very long time.  The TRU 140S seems to be much too close to the Scion tC for my liking, a car that needs no copies (as I’d be happier if that thing never existed).  Meanwhile, the new Malibu, to go on sale later in the year, looks intriguing and could put the nameplate back on the grid again.  The new Camaro ZL-1 is the most powerful Camaro ever, and might just make the case that Chevy is the new ponycar king (but Ford isn’t going to go down easily).

Buick’s new Encore is certainly interesting, but I don’t care for it–Buick doesn’t particularly need this model, and the money could definitely be better spent on a big flagship model to succeed the Lucerne (preferably based off some of their Chinese market models).  The new Cadillac ATS, though, is a different story.  Not since the Cimarron (which is better left forgotten) has Cadillac done something in the compact luxury market, and the ATS proves they’ve done their homework and the extra credit attached.  It’s getting a wide range of options, it’s been tuned on the ‘Ring, and the packaging and styling are spot-on for the segment.  If Cadillac markets this new car correctly against the BMW 3-Series, which is also new this year, the ATS might just be their success story of the year.  This is a market that Cadillac has not yet achieved much success in, and they have a lot of potential to make money here if they continue down the same path.  Keep up the good work.  As for the XTS, I’m not blown away by it, but knowing that it’s an improvement over the ancient DTS will help me (as well as many senior citizens) sleep at night.  Still, I’m waiting for a new flagship to top the lineup.

Moving on to the Chrysler booths, the new 700C concept has me raising my eyebrows more than I’m comfortable with.  I understand the futuristic aspects but rather dislike the take on the minivan (not that I’ve ever been a big fan of that sort of car).  Meanwhile, the new Dart is by far the best thing Dodge has done in the compact market since the Neon (which was revealed when I was in kindergarten).  Now, with Alfa Romeo as a “de facto” partner, Dodge finally has an ace in their hand.  The Dart promises to take the Guiletta, one of Alfa Romeo’s newest models and reportedly one of their best compacts in quite some times, and bring its best aspects over the Atlantic.  With new engines, the option of a dual-clutch transmission, and miniature-Charger styling cues, I’m excited.

Ford’s showing this year had its ups and its downs.  The Lincoln MKZ Concept is, to me, a shabby attempt to bring Lincoln into the 21st century; this is a brand with history behind it and Ford needs to either beef up the brand to the extent that GM has with Cadillac or abandon it and focus on their core brand.  That said, the new Fusion looks intriguing, as it is the next installment in the “One Ford” philosophy, where European models and American models will become identical, following in the footsteps of the Fiesta, Focus, and the upcoming Ford Transit (which will supplant the non-chassis Econoline in the coming years).  It’s a copy of the new Mondeo.  Clearly Ford didn’t take any chances, and seeing this new model compete against the new Malibu (als nd o slated to arrive this year) will be pretty interesting.  The new Shelby GT500 stole the show at this booth, though.  With headlines of 200MPH and over 600bhp, Ford is chasing the Camaro ZL-1 and doesn’t care who it runs over in the process.  The new C-Max looks interesting but I’m going to hold judgement until I see it myself.

Coming out of Europe, a few brands had some big stuff on display.  Porsche launched the new 911 in Europe last fall but took the cover off the new 911 cabriolet in Detroit–it looks great and should do well.  BMW, meanwhile, has taken the wraps off the new F30 3-Series sedan, to go on sale here very soon.  While it features a bunch of new technologies (an 8-speed automatic, turbocharged I4 instead of a naturally aspirated I6, self-larking technology), I’m going to love watching this new model take on the all-new Cadillac ATS and recently revised Mercedes C-Class. Volkswagen looks to be launching a Jetta hybrid, a good option considering that it will complete their list of engine offerings (a basic I4, an I5, the 2.0T GLI, and the TDI).

Japan was present, and had plenty of stuff to talk about.  After a down year in 2011, Toyota has brought out a few hybrid concepts to Detroit, including a new midsize sedan (the NS4) and the new Prius C.  While I’m not thrilled about the Prius variant (I think we have more than enough right now) the NS4 looks nicer than the current Camry and may be a pointer to future design direction.  Scion had the FR-S on display, to go on sale in the coming months–it’s been a long time in the making for this car and I’m happy that the production model hasn’t changed much over time.  The new iQ looks to be a Smart fortwo competitor–I don’t see it succeeding in the United States, but stranger things have happened.  Honda’s Accord Concept displays almost a lack of caring for the segment, as it’s a near carbon copy of the current Accord Coupe.  Acura, meanwhile, has finally brought the NSX back from the dead, and it looks to be one of the most compelling cars launched this year.  With stunning looks, a clearly advertised performance portfolio, and a reputation to uphold, I have high hopes for the new one.

So, this brings me to my favorite launch at the Detroit show this year.  To be completely honest, it’s a tough decision, but my favorite this year is the new Cadillac ATS.  Cadillac needs desperately to legitimize itself further in the luxury marketplace and the ATS looks to be, for the first time, a player with the right stuff.  It was tuned on the Nurburgring, the 3-Series was benchmarked from the beginning, and Cadillac made lightness a priority, something General Motors often doesn’t seem to do.  If it’s priced right and marketed properly, the ATS might prove that a group of Americans can take on the best German sports sedan on the market for the past 3 decades.  Not surprisingly, my least favorite new model at the Detroit show is the Accord Concept.  Honda’s been on my “bad” list for some time now, and the Accord doesn’t help matters.  Making a concept car look like one that’s been around since 2008 is almost a way of saying, “We give up, this is the best we can do right now.”  That said, if the NSX is any indication, Honda might be on the comeback trail soon enough, so I’m going to take a wait and see approach for now.  This year’ show opened the 2012 schedule with plenty of fanfare and a distinctly psotive outlook for the year, so I can’t wait for New York in Easter to see these in the flesh.

-Albert S. Davis