2004 Detroit Auto Show - A Final Spin Around the Auto Show

January 7, 2004; Special from Business Week On line:

Business Weeks Motor City writers offer their personal takes on some this year's top offerings

Detroit's annual North American International Auto Show opens to the public on Saturday, Jan. 10 and continues through Jan. 19. However, auto makers have been giving the media peeks and crowing about their latest production models and hot concept cars at downtown Detroit's Cobo convention center since Jan. 4. After days of cruising the press conferences, gabbing with executives, and eyeing the display stands, BusinessWeek Detroit Correspondent David Welch and Bureau Chief Kathleen Kerwin offer their picks and pans. First is Katie's list, with comments on her choices from David. Then his, with remarks from Katie.

Katie's List:

If money were no object: Porsche's 2004 Carrera GT This V-10 roadster is so fast that Porsche boasts about its zero-to-124 mph time: a blistering 9.9 seconds. (The more conventional zero-to-60 time is a eye-blinking 3.9 seconds.) And the mid-engine placement improves handling. But it's the drop-dead styling, along with the 600 horsepower, that makes me drool over this beauty.

David: Bah! Think Italian. If money were no object, go with the 500-hp Ferrari Scaglietti. Sure, it goes from zero to 60 in 4.1 seconds, but it's a lot better looking.

Coolest re-do of an icon: Ford's 2005 Mustang After years of dull pony cars, Ford (F ) is returning to its roots. The long snout and racer-back rear of this production coupe hearken back to the 1967 classic, while still looking wholly modern. Even more appealing is the Ford Shelby Cobra concept, which sculpts a sleek two-seater convertible around a 6.4-liter, 600 hp V-10 engine. Definitely a winner, should Ford decide to build it.

David: On this one we concur. I haven't liked a Mustang for about 25 model years, but the new one looks great.

Most significant, if dull, entry: Honda Pilot SUT concept The last major holdout from the sport-utility truck market, Honda (HMC ) signaled its intent to join that fray with this offering. It's big, with crisp lines and a boxy shape -- no major design thrill here, but the arrival of well engineered Honda trucks spells intensified competition in this already hotly contested segment.

David: Not interested. Even pickup trucks are getting more stylish these days, and this one left me cold.

Most practical hit: Chrysler's 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans These people-haulers won't cause any jaws to drop. But years after newcomer Honda stole the minivan edge with the Odyssey's industry-leading "magic" third-row seats that folded down to disappear into the floor, Chrysler (DCX ) has regained the innovation lead. Its "Stow & Go" system allows the second row of seats to fold as flat as the third. Flip them all down, and the cavernous interior can fit a queen-size mattress. These minivans should help Chrysler slow defections of its customers to Honda and Toyota (TM ) vans.

David: Yeah, they made all the right improvements, but boring, boring, boring.

"Boys will be boys" concept: Chrysler's ME Four-Twelve concept sports car Sure, this high-testosterone two-seater looks like it's going 100 mph even when it's parked. And Chrysler's brass is talking about possibly building something like it as a "halo" car to cast a glow over the rest of the lineup. But is an 850-horsepower, V-12-powered supercar really what cash-strapped Chrysler should be concentrating on?

David: I'm all for big sports cars, but the styling is too sharp and angular. It's self-indulgent.

Hated it: Chrysler's Sling Shot concept car Chrysler may have just missed that long-hood, chunky-cabin look that Porsche pulled off so well in the '70s. But all I could think of was an AMC Gremlin on steroids.

David: Aw c'mon. It sort of reminded me of an old Opel GT, which was a fun little car. I liked it. Who says you need 800 horsepower to make a fun car?

David's List

Ready for summer: 2005 Pontiac Solstice The fact that GM (GM ) is going to build this hot little number is one thing. What's really stunning is that the production car looks so much like the head-turning concept from the 2002 Detroit show. This is my pick for the show's best production car. Not only does it look great -- conjuring images of classic European roadsters -- but GM has decked out the cockpit with knobs, gauges, and seats befitting a car with a much higher sticker. It will be priced around $20,000 when it goes on sale later in 2005.

Katie: What's not to love? And whoever would have dreamed Pontiac would sell a car this gorgeous?

Coolest concept: Chevy Nomad It's a cousin of the Solstice. I told GM design chief Ed Welburn that if he builds any of his concept cars, it should be this one. It's constructed on the same rear-wheel-drive compact sports-car platform as the Solstice, but it's stretched to seat four. Plus, you can fold the rear seats down and turn it into a great little sport wagon. In other words, it's a sprightly little coupe with some practical use. The styling is similar to the original Chevy Nomad wagon from the '50s, but with a look that's almost art deco.

Katie: Very hip and right on the mark.

The show's stunner: Maserati Quattroporte Seduction. This car is pure seduction. Sure, it cost $90,000, and few of us will ever get to drive one. But don't miss getting a peek at it. The styling is very Italian, with a long nose and curvy fenders. Its 400-hp engine makes it a more stylish alternative to German rivals like the BMW 7-series and Mercedes S-class.

Katie: I'd snap this one up in a second. And it's not an obvious arrest-me-now speed demon like the Ferrari, so I'll bet the highway patrol wouldn't catch on right away.

Best in brawn: Toyota FTX pickup Toyota is finally flexing some muscle in the pickup business. I liked the styling. The window sill and top of the bed run very high, making the truck look thick and menacing. Designers wanted the cab to look like a fist. It worked: This one has punch.

Katie: The massive front end, high sills and beefy bed are all well and good, but I thought the disproportionately tiny cabin gave it a pinhead look.

Nice car, but...: Chrysler 300C I really like the look of this car. Let's face it, the designers must have stolen the proportions from a Bentley Arnage. The problem: The $24,000 sticker price Chrysler brass brag about equates to a V-6 engine that I can only assume will be a dog in a car that big. Also, the interior wasn't impressive, which was surprising since Chrysler did a nice job designing the confines of the Pacifica crossover SUV and Crossfire coupe.

Katie: Elegant exterior styling, but how many consumers want a family sedan that enormous?

Biggest loser: Ford Bronco Just what the world needs, another sport-utility vehicle with no utility. Ford design chief J Mays summed it up best when he said the Bronco "has room for passengers, a spare tire, and not much else." What kind of sales pitch is that? I don't buy into the chiseled looks, either.

Katie: The best of many Hummer wannabes. I thought the squared-off, machined-aluminum look was a great modern interpretation of the original blocky Bronco, and I loved the open-roof look from the massive moonroofs.

Edited by B. Kite