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The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) which ran last month in Detroit is a scrum for global prestige.
After a record year of motoring sales in the United States– more than 17 million cars and light trucks flew off the forecourts in 2015 – the big brands were revving to go.
NAIAS threw the spotlight on the luxury sector, with big names like Volvo, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, Lincoln, Lexus and the newly created Genesis division of Hyundai as the main attractions.
A flurry of flagship vehicles were unveiled. Brands are banking on growing demand in markets such as China, for example, where the economic engine is still running strong despite a rocky patch for the stock market.
Volkswagen was putting a brave face on its problems with US environmental officials (and consumers) over its “diesel dupe” scandal of last year – many of its vehicles had been fitted with a device that secretly detected when their emissions were being read, to give a lower reading.
During a news conference in Detroit, Volkswagen officials addressed the issue head on, detailing steps they have taken to restore consumer confidence in the brand, such as issuing up to $500 in gift cards per owner of the affected vehicles.
Volkswagen’s President and CEO, Michael Horn, introduced the company’s new reveal: the Tiguan GTE Concept.
The next day, however, the brand was scalded by the California Air Resources Board for failing to do enough to fix the problem in a timely fashion.
Tech was also a big focus, and it was notable that Detroit – traditionally, the first big event of the automotive calendar – is sharing some of the limelight now with the Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas, which earlier this month debuted the all-electric Chevy Bolt, and provided a platform for other automakers unveiling autonomous driving cars.
Chevrolet has released a new set of photos with the all-new 2016 Volt plug-in hybrid, which delivers 53 miles (85 km) of EV range.
The second-generation Chevrolet Volt is more efficient and quicker than its predecessor thanks to a new two-motor drive unit that is up to 12 percent more efficient and 100 lbs (45 kg) lighter than the first-generation unit.
The 2016 Volt offers a General Motors’-estimated total driving range of 420 miles (676 km). However, thanks to regular battery charging, owners are expected to travel more than 1,000 miles (1,609 km) on average between gas fill-ups.
Chevrolet said the new Volt delivers 19-percent stronger zero-to-30 mph (0-48 km/h) acceleration in 2.6 seconds and a 7 percent improvement from zero to 60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 8.4 seconds.
The 2016 Volt uses a 101hp 1.5-liter petrol engine as a range extender with the combined output rated at 149hp and 294lb-ft (398Nm) of torque. Fuel efficiency of the petrol engine alone is rated at an EPA-estimated 42mpg US and a combined 106MPGe.
Battery capacity has increased to 18.4 kWh using 192 cells (96 fewer than current generation), with the battery weight reduced by more than 21 pounds (9.8 kg). Charging times are about 13 hours at a 120V outlet and 4.5 hours at a 240V outlet.
The 2016 Chevrolet Volt will arrive in US showrooms later this year. In Detroit, better connectivity was the focus. Toyota announced a partnership with communications technology firm Kymeta Corporation to develop the technology to deliver multiple streams of HD video and data to a moving car, even in signal black spots.
And while they don’t make cars, tech giants IBM and Wind River Technology gave presentations on the growing role of software and data security systems in the auto design and engineering processes. Vehicles, they stressed, are becoming appliances that also move people around in various degrees of comfort. — SG
