Posts Tagged ‘salon auto montreal’

The Beautiful and the Strange

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009

By Marc Lachapelle

 

Automotive history is rich with fabulously striking and original designs, but there have also seen some strange creations along the way. Separate exhibits at this year’s Montreal International Auto Show displayed a lot of the former but there was also an unusual and nonetheless interesting sample of the latter.

 

Straight to Seventh Heaven

Visitors at the MIAS went right up to Seventh Heaven, where a few dozen of the most gorgeous, fast, luxurious and exclusive cars were again gathered this year. In this grand hall they were first met with a collection of convertibles from the Fifties, all glorious fins, chrome and bright colours as if lined up for a cool evening at the drive-in theatre or the town’s curb-service restaurant. The guest list read as follows: 1954 and 1957 Mercury Monarch Lucerne, 1953 Cadillac 62 Series, 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air, 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, 1954 and 1957 Corvette, 1956 Mercury Montclair , 1958 Ford Fairlane 600 Skyliner and 1957 Pontiac Star Chief.

Porsche 911 GT3

Porsche 911 GT3 (photo: Marc Lachapelle)

In the same space were some of Europe’s finest exotics and sports cars; six Lamborghinis, five Lotus models, a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren roadster making its curtain call, a Porsche exhibit in which starred a track-bound GT3 Cup car, four Aston Martins, a trio of Bentleys, two Maseratis and a brace of Ferraris, from the $318,000 F430 Spider to the $418,000 F599 Fiorano GTB. 

 

Icons and oddities

Further along, visitors came to a very different collection of vehicles under the theme ‘Innovation, Evolution’. They were first met by a 1971 version of the Citroën DS 21, one of the most technically brilliant and forward-thinking cars ever designed, paired with a gorgeous 1953 Studebaker Regal Commander styled by the legendary Raymond Loewy, often referred to as the ‘father of industrial design’. 

1979 Ford Pinto

1979 Ford Pinto (photo: Marc Lachapelle)

A few paces further were three cars from defunct American Motors that are famous in their own quirky way: a 1973 AMC Gremlin, a 1973 Javelin and a 1976 AMC Pacer that had baby-boomer dads recalling its nickname – the Aquarium – to befuddled kids. Teens found the Pacer quite cool. Right next to these were two cars with a rich popular history of their own. While the stainless steel-bodied 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 recalls at once the industrial fiasco of its brief production and the subsequent fame it acquired as a time-travel machine in the Back to the Future films, the 1979 Ford Pinto is mostly infamous for a fuel tank too prone to explode in case of a rear impact.

 

Swiss imagination and wizardry

Aligned in their own section of the same hall were three of the perfectly unique creations of automotive wizard Frank Rinderknecht, the soul and brains behind Rinspeed. This small tuning firm based in Switzerland has amazed and fascinated visitors and journalists at the Geneva Auto Show with a new creation annually for the past 15 years. As a special guest of the 2009 MIAS, Mr. Rinderknecht brought three of his designs: the eXasis, with its transparent plastic body; the Senso, a car that reacts to its driver’s moods and emotions and the Splash in which he set a Guinness World Record for hydrofoil cars by crossing the English Channel in 2006. The Splash is powered by a turbocharged, 750 cc twin-cylinder engine that develops 140-horsepower on natural gas, enough for a top speed of 80 km/h on water and 200 km/h on dry land.

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Hydro-Québec and TM4 at the leading-edge

Monday, January 26th, 2009

By Marc Lachapelle

 

The latest sports cars and exotics are always a great attraction at any auto show, but the biggest news at this year’s Montreal International Auto Show might very well be about a tiny Indian electric car that is powered by components and technology developed by Hydro-Québec and one of its subsidiaries, a few dozen kilometres from downtown Montreal. 

 

State-owned Hydro-Québec, the world’s largest producer of hydroelectric power, has a long history of research on electricity and its virtually infinite uses. Teams within its research institute have been working on automotive applications for almost two decades and some of this research and development work has been spun off to smaller and potentially more agile subsidiaries. 

Hydro-Québec CEO Christian Vandal and Québec Energy Minister Claude Béchard

Hydro-Québec CEO Thierry Vandal and Québec Energy Minister Claude Béchard

 

TM4 Electrodynamic Systems is among these and it had important news during press day. TM4 announced that the company had been chosen by Miljø Innovasjon, a subsidiary of giant Indian carmaker Tata Motors – also the owner of Jaguar and Land Rover – to provide electric motors and systems for an electric car ‘demonstration’ and testing program to be conducted in Norway over the next two years. 

 

Electric car to brave Scandinavian winters

For this program, Miljø will build a hundred all-electric versions of the Tata Indica Vista minicar using components developed by TM4 over the past decade and trademarked as the MФTIVE series. Among these components are a permanent-magnet, 37-kilowatt electric motor with “the best power-to-weight ratio in its class and industry-leading efficiency”, according to its maker, and a Lithium Ion SuperPolymer battery at the forefront of development for this critical element of electric propulsion. 

PHET battery

PHET battery

The Miljø Indica EV, a prototype of which was on display in Montreal, is claimed to accelerate from 0 to 60 km/h in 9 seconds and reach a top speed of 110 km/h. It should have a range of up to 200 kilometres and can be fully recharged in 8 hours through a 16-amp, 220-volt outlet. And of course, it can reclaim kinetic energy through regenerative braking and coasting, like any good hybrid. The Indica can carry four adults and their luggage and it has airbags and ABS brakes. 

 

Norway’s climate is much like Canada’s. TM4 pins great hopes on its successful completion and notes that its 37 kW electric motor can be used not only on pure electric vehicles but also on classic or extended-range hybrids with a conventional internal combustion support engine.

 

Is the long-awaited miracle battery finally here?

Right next to the Indica EV in the TM4 booth within the ‘Green’ section of the MIAS, scientist André Besner, head of the materials science department at Hydro-Québec’s research institute, was proudly extolling the exceptional virtues of a small green box with a clear cover. It contained a battery made up of a series of small, individual electrical cells and developed by Hydro-Québec’s ‘battery team’ under the direction of Karim Zaghib. The Lithium-iron phosphate battery (C-LiFePO4), Besner explained, is safe, durable, powerful and both environmentally-friendly and relatively cheap to produce since it mostly uses iron, a chemical element that is extremely abundant but also much less toxic and costly than other chemicals such as nickel and cobalt used in other lithium-ion batteries. 

 

According to Besner, you can literally drive a nail through a C-LiFePO4 battery – a standard industry safety test – and temperatures will go up to about 130 degrees and the battery will keep working as if nothing happened: “the same ‘nail-test’ with some lithium-ion batteries with cobalt, for instance, will trigger a short circuit and an intense temperature gain of up to 400 degrees in only 1/10th of a second and then reach the point of combustion.” Hydro-Québec also holds 90 per cent of the world intellectual rights to safe, non-flammable ‘dissolved salt’ ion liquids for batteries, another area where huge developments should be expected in the near future.

Hydro-Québec chief of materials research André Besner

Hydro-Québec chief of materials research André Besner

 

The Lithium-Phosphate Iron battery (LiFePO4) was invented in 1995 at the University of Texas by John Goodenough, a Ph.D. in physics, and subsequently developed by Hydro-Québec at its research institute in Varennes, Québec, from 1997 to 2001. This work led to a substantial improvement of the battery’s conductivity – the weak point of the original design – through the addition of carbon molecule to the iron phosphate particles, turning it into the C-LiFePO4 battery displayed in Montreal. The PHET ‘environfriendly’ C-LiFePO4 battery is currently made by Pihsiang Energy Technology, a Taiwanese company that holds exclusive mass production rights from Phostech inc. the Québec-based licensee of the world patent for the Carbon-coated Lithium Iron Phosphate battery jointly held by Doctor John Goodenough, the University of Texas and Hydro-Québec. Doctor Besner also mentioned that the next generation of the Tesla electric sports car would use a C-LiFePO4 battery pack made by Pihsiang.

 

Interestingly and ironically, the electric concept car and hybrid production cars shown by Chinese carmaker BYD (Build Your Dreams) at the recent North American International Auto Show in Detroit also use iron phosphate batteries which BYD laconically calls its ‘Fe’ batteries. According to Hydro-Québec’s André Besner, the battery technology used in these vehicles by BYD – reportedly also the world’s biggest lithium-ion battery manufacturer – is effectively identical to the C-LiFePO4 battery for which it jointly holds world patents: “No patents were originally filed in China (for this technology) so they are legal as long as they operate within China, but when they decide to sell outside the country they will have a problem.”

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Twelve Japanese and Korean Premieres

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

By Marc Lachapelle

 

Of the thirty-four new models that made their first Canadian appearance at the Montreal International Auto Show, more than a third were from Japanese and Korean carmakers and two were also making their North American début. Here is a quick rundown:

 

Kia Soul Hybrid Concept – Kia Koup Concept
Kia and Mitsubishi shared the honour of presenting North American firsts at this 41st edition of the MIAS. The Korean carmaker showed the Kia Soul Hybrid, a concept version of its funky new Soul compact urban crossover that will be available with a base 1.6-litre, 122-horsepower four cylinder engine or an optional 2.0-litre, 142-hp unit, both four cylinders. The Soul Hybrid is equipped with a gas-electric hybrid powertrain built around a 1.6-litre gas engine. It also shared the spotlight on the Kia stand with the fire-red Koup concept, a slick-looking coupe, as its name suggests. 

Kia Soul

Kia Soul (photo: Marc Lachapelle)

 

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
The 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback was shown for the first time in North America with the help of two world-class athletes, former World Champion downhill skier Mélanie Turgeon and Benoît Huot, a multiple gold medal-winning Paralympic swimmer. Mitsubishi was thus underlining its support of the Right To Play organization that helps children in need worldwide. Offered in response to the great popularity of hatchbacks in this country, the all-new Lancer Sportback will be exclusive to Canada. It will come to market this spring in GTS and Ralliart trims, both powered by a 2.4-litre, 168-horsepower double overhead cam four-cylinder engine coupled to a standard 5-speed manual gearbox. A CVT transmission with 6-step manual mode and steering-mounted paddle shifters is an option. Sportback models also get a sport suspension with larger stabilizer bars and a strut tower plus larger-diameter front and rear disc brakes.

 

 

2010 Honda Insight
Unveiled in Montreal mere days after its official world début in Detroit, Honda’s second-generation Insight could hardly be more different than its predecessor, a low-slung two-passenger coupe with aero skirts that was the first hybrid sold in North America. The all-new 2010 Insight is a small four-door hatchback sedan derived in part from the recently-introduced Fit. It is powered by the latest iteration of Honda’s series hybrid powertrain, built around an improved 1.3-litre, four-cylinder engine and coupled to a CVT transmission. Its estimated fuel economy ratings are 4.8 L/100 km in city driving and 4.5 L/100km on the highway. The new Insight will be extremely well-priced, at little more then $20,000. It will definitely make big waves.

Honda Insight

Honda Insight (photo: Marc Lachapelle)

 

Hyundai Tucson FCEV Prototype
Still savouring its Genesis luxury sedan’s 2009 North American Car of the Year title, Korea’s top automaker had a surprisingly modified – the word ‘pimped’ comes to mind – version of it on display in its stand during press day in Montreal. Yet, the vehicle making its first Canadian showing was the Tucson FCEV hydrogen fuel-cell powered prototype. Hyundai representatives mentioned that a production version of this compact utility vehicle would go on sale in Korea for the 2012 model year.

 

 

2009 Nissan Cube
Trendy and sporty were the key words at Nissan and Infiniti. The first Nissan Cube was launched in 1998 and was an immediate hit in its native Japan: Ditto for the second-generation model, in 2002. Fast-forward to 2009 for the Canadian début of the third-generation Cube, now available here with typically boxy styling that has been likened to “a bulldog in sunglasses” and power from a 1.8-litre, double overhead cam four-cylinder rated at 122 horsepower. It drives the front wheels through either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a CVT transmission. 

Nissan Cube

Nissan Cube (photo: Marc Lachapelle)

 

2009 Nissan 370Z
At the virtual extreme on the performance scale sits the second generation of Nissan’s reborn ‘Z’. The fully-redesigned 2009 370Z sports car is slightly shorter, wider and lighter than its predecessor. It is powered by a 3.7-litre, double overhead cam V6 with a maximum output of 332 horsepower, bolted to a 6-speed manual gearbox with a new system that electronically matches engine revs perfectly when downshifting. You can also get it with a 7-speed automatic gearbox that also matches revs in manual mode. With a base price of $39,998, the newest ‘Z’ promises exceptional bang for the loonie. 

 

 

2009 Infiniti G37 convertible
A few meters away, the Infiniti stand showcased the new G37 convertible, also making its Canuck début. Built on a longer-wheelbase version of the same rear-wheel drive platform as the ‘Z’ and powered by an ever-so-slightly tamer version of the same 3.7-litre V6, good for 325 horsepower, the G37 features a three-piece retractable hardtop.

Infiniti G37

Infiniti G37 (photo: Marc Lachapelle)

 

2009 Toyota Venza – Scion Fuse concept
There is great interest and curiosity, among visitors at the Montreal show, for the all-new 2009 Toyota Venza crossover. Under its smooth bodywork, the five-passenger Venza can be equipped with either a 2.7-litre four-cylinder producing 182 horsepower or a 3.5-litre, 268-hp V6, both coupled to a 6-speed automatic gearbox with the choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive. In another hall, Toyota Canada displayed the Scion Fuse concept as a teaser for the planned Canadian début of its Scion brand, planned for 2010 with all-new 2011 models.

 

 

2010 Lexus RX 350 / 450h – 2010 Lexus IS Convertible
Meanwhile, a pair of non-identical twins starred in the Lexus exhibit. Under subtly-redesigned bodywork, the best-selling RX 350 and RX 450h luxury ‘crossover-utility vehicles’ get a myriad enhancements and upgrades. The RX 350 is powered by a 3.5-litre, 275-horsepower V6 gasoline engine coupled to a new 6-speed automatic gearbox. The RX 450h, on the other hand, gets an extensively revised gas-electric hybrid powertrain with a new 3.5-litre V6 engine running on the more energy-efficient Atkinson cycle but also new exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and exhaust heat recovery systems that further reduce emissions and produce a claimed 14 per cent improvement in fuel economy. The combined calculated output of this engine and the system’s electric motors is 295 horsepower so this hybrid ‘ute is no slouch. And for sun-seeking sybarites, Lexus introduced the new IS convertibles. The IS 250 C and IS 350 C will share the same retractable hardtop when they roll into dealerships this spring.

 

 

2010 Mazda3
The 2010 Mazda3 is the extensively redesigned, second-generation version of a compact that became a top runner in Canadian sales overnight. With a wide new grin for a grille and flared front wheel arches inspired by recent Mazda concepts – and its RX8 sports car – the Mazda3 is nonetheless instantly recognized. It is available as a traditional four-door sedan or a four-door hatchback, powered by a revised iteration of Mazda’s 2.0-litre four that delivers 148 horsepower or a new 167-hp, 2.5 litre four hooked up to a new 6-speed manual gearbox.

 

 

2010 Subaru Forester – Subaru STI Rally Car
Finally, Subaru played it both clean and dirty at the Montreal show. It first unveiled the 2010 Forester, rated as a partial zero emission vehicle (PZEV) thanks to its 2.5-litre, naturally-aspirated horizontal or ‘boxer’ engine. The PZEV emissions rating is the second set by the California Air Resource Board (CARB) after only Zero emissions vehicles (ZEV) such as pure electrics. The Forester thus joins the Legacy and Outback PZEV models already on sale. On the flip side, ready for dirt, was the Canadian Rally Championship-winning WRX STi, introduced onstage by its driver. Patrick Richard won the national rally championship with co-driver Alan Ockwell in the maiden season of their new STi. They will be gunning for another title this season, against even tougher competition.

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Ten Premieres for European brands

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

By Marc Lachapelle

 

The 41st edition of the Montreal International Auto Show has an abundance of the newest models on display, as if to defy the current economic doldrums. Here is a quick overview of the new models that were introduced by European manufacturers during the press day on January 15.

 

2009 Audi Q5 – Audi Q7 TDI – Audi A6 
There is lots of broad-shouldered – yet pragmatic – attitude in the Audi camp this year as the brand with the four rings rolls out its all-new Audi Q5 compact luxury crossover and a diesel-powered version of its bigger brother, the mid-size Q7. The Q5 is powered exclusively by a 3.2-litre, 270-horsepower V6 coupled to a 6-speed automatic gearbox and Audi’s signature quattro all-wheel drive system. The diesel engine under the hood of the Q7 TDI is a direct-injection 3.0-litre V6 that produces 221 horsepower at 4,000 rpm but most importantly a ridge-climbing 406 lb-ft of torque at only 2,750 rpm. Sharing the spotlight in the Audi stand is a subtly-redesigned A6 sedan. All three are 2009 models.

 

2009 BMW 7-Series
It is a rich coincidence that BMW chose Montreal to reveal the all-new version of its flagship since the exterior design of this fifth-generation 7-Series sedan was the work of Karim Antoine Habib, who grew up in this city. Karim’s proposal was chosen among submissions by ten design teams within BMW because it best met the set objectives of being dynamic, elegant and blessed with great “natural presence”. The new ‘7’ is offered as the 750i or the extended-wheelbase 750Li, both powered by BMW’s new, twin-turbocharged, 4.4-litre V8 which develops 400 horsepower and a stout 450 lb-ft of torque from 1,750 to 4,500 rpm. Still no all-wheel drive for the 7-Series but it gets Integral Active Steering, which adds rear-wheel steering to the original system’s bag of variable-ratio tricks, plus active roll stabilization and lots more electronic trickery.
 

Marc Lachapelle)

Karim Antoine Habib (Photo: Marc Lachapelle)

 

2009 Mini Cooper and Cooper S Convertibles
In the next booth, the Bavarian carmaker’s Mini division introduced the new 2009 Cooper and Cooper S Convertibles. These new models look everything like their predecessors, which is the point with hot models. Last year, Mini Canada sales grew by a remarkable 33 per cent in a difficult market, so you don’t mess with such success. That said, the new convertible Minis get a number of pertinent upgrades such as much lower rear safety hoops that improve rear visibility immensely and concealed rear trunk hinges. In true Mini spirit, they are also equipped with the ‘Always-Open Timer’, a clock that basically shows: “how much time you spend topless” said Mini Canada head Stephen McDonnell In jest, during the presentation.

 

2010 Jaguar XK and XKR
New versions of two of Jaguar’s stalwart models made their Canadian début in Montreal. The XK and XKR coupe and convertible lines have been extensively refreshed, inside and out, for the 2010 model year. Both cars get new front fascias and subtly redesigned lower rear fascia, topped by new LED rear lights. And inside the cabin, they get the new pop-up JaguarDrive electronic rotary gear selector first introduced last year in the XF sedan. The new XK and XKR also have their own versions of Jaguar’s new, greener and more powerful direct-injection AJ-V8 Gen III engine. The XK get the naturally-aspirated version of the 5.0-litre V8 which produces 385 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. The XKR’s V8 is supercharged and said to deliver 510 horsepower and a hearty 460 lb-ft of torque.

 

2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 4Matic
The highlight of the Mercedes-Benz stand in Montreal was the all-new 2010 GLK 350 4Matic entry-luxury compact sport-utility. Its styling fuses the sculpted surfaces of recent Mercedes models such as the C-Class sedan that shares its basic platform with the rugged, upright stance of the famed Geländewagen that begat the G-Class vehicles. Powered exclusively by a 268-horsepower, 3.5-litre V6, the GLK 350 runs on standard 19-inch wheels. It benefits from the full range of amenities, passive safety measures and electronic control systems one invariably expects from the dean of automakers, including an electronic stability control system that keeps things in check while taking advantage of the GLK’s 1,588-kg (3,500 lb) towing capacity. Mercedes-Benz Canada spokesperson JoAnne Caza shared the GLK’s base price of $41,800 during this new model’s Canadian launch at the show. 

Mercedes-Benz GLK 350

Mercedes-Benz GLK 350

 

2009 Smart Fortwo Brabus
Turning a few degrees to her right, Ms Caza then introduced the new 2009 Fortwo Brabus models, offered as a coupe or a cabriolet by the Mercedes-own Smart brand. These two microcars are powered by the same 1.0-litre, 70-hp three-cylinder engine but get a full array of tweaks and accessories to enhance both its performance appearance. These range from a sportier exhaust system with dual chrome-plated tail pipes to modified suspension bits and a 10-mm lower ride height. A set of Monoblock VII alloy wheels also created by tuner Brabus and several body and interior accessories complete the package.

 

2009 Volkswagen Touareg TDI 
Volkswagen is expanding its portfolio of diesel-powered models upwards in the range with the introduction of the 2009 Touareg TDI midsize luxury sport-utility. This new version of the Touareg is powered by a 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 that develops 221 horsepower and 407 lb-ft of torque at a very low 1,750 rpm. Coupled to a 6-speed automatic gearbox, it helps this Touareg sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 9 seconds, with excellent fuel economy ratings of 11.9 L/100 km in the city and 8.0 L/100 km on the highway in normal driving. It also meets the strictest emissions standards thanks to the AdBlue technology that injects a nontoxic, odourless and biodegradable solution to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

 

2009 Volvo XC60
The sleek and thoroughly elegant Volvo XC60 compact luxury crossover was the star of the Swedish carmaker’s stand at Palais des Congrès. This all-new entry is powered by a transversely-mounted, turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine that develops 281 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 1,500 rpm. It is coupled to a 6-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive. The new XC60 is 20 cm shorter than the XC70 and 7 cm lower than its big brother, the XC90. It also pioneers Volvo’s City Safety technology, a system that will apply the brakes if it detects an imminent collision at up to 33 km/h (20 mph) and the driver does not react.

* The Montreal auto show had to be cancelled in 1999 and was held in November only once, in 2002.

 

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Eight Canadian Premieres at Ford and GM

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009

By Marc Lachapelle

 

The Montreal International Auto Show has opened the automotive New Year in this country for most of the past four decades* and this 41st edition has plenty of the newest models on display, in spite of the uncertain state of the economy.

 

Of the thirty-four new models that made their Canadian début during the MIAS press day on January 15, eight were from Ford and General Motors, equally split between the two. Chrysler had no all-new models to show in Montreal and existing ones were simply laid out on bare carpet. A message signed by Chrysler Canada President and CEO Reid Bigland was shown in Chrysler’s exhibit and explained that there would be “less glitz and no giveaways” at this year’s show, Bigland wrote, as Chrysler saves to invest rather in: “24 major launches from 2009 to 2014.”

Isaac Adams-Hands)

Ford Fiesta (Photo: Marc Lachapelle)

 

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid – 2010 Lincoln MKZ
The mood was much more upbeat at the Ford exhibit, where the century-old Blue Oval introduced the all-new 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid that it claims to be the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedan on this continent thanks to its leading-edge gas-electric hybrid powertrain. Ford even claims a rather astounding 1,127-kilometre fuel range for this car, in city driving. . . Unveiled a few metres further was the 2010 Lincoln MKZ entry-luxury sedan, which shares the same solid platform as the Fusion and gets the corresponding upgrades. 

 

2010 Ford Mustang
The 2010 Ford Mustang also made its first public appearance in Canada boasting a restyled body, a redesigned interior and updated versions of its engines and chassis components. The star of this new and revamped line-up will undoubtedly be the 540-horsepower Shelby GT 500 that was unveiled in Detroit a few days earlier.

 

2011 Ford Fiesta
But small cars are big news these days and more so in Quebec, where compacts and subcompacts have dominated sales figures for many years. Ford predictably made a big splash with the very pretty lime-green Fiesta four-door hatchback it unveiled during the press day in Montreal. The car on display was a European model Ford brought out as teaser for the upcoming North American model. The Fiesta should be introduced in 2010 as a 2011 model, offered as both a hatchback and a sedan and built in the refurbished Ford plant in Hermosillo, Mexico to help keep it fully price-competitive against the likes of Fit and Yaris.

 

2009 Saturn Vue Hybrid
In the next hall, the greatest emphasis was put on environmentally-friendly and fuel-efficient vehicles during the press intro at General Motors. The 2009 Saturn Vue Hybrid compact sport-ute and Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid full-size pickup compete in very different segments and target very different buyers, but they share versions of the new two-mode hybrid powertrain that GM has jointly developed with BMW, Chrysler LLC and Daimler. The same technology was also announced in Montreal, that same morning, as the winner of the inaugural Best New Green Technology award from the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).

Marc Lachapelle)

Buick Allure (Photo: Marc Lachapelle)

 

2010 Buick Allure
On a different note, General Motors also rolled out the fully-redesigned and quite elegantly-styled 2010 Buick Allure entry-luxury sedan, for its premier Canadian showing. The new Allure – still named LaCrosse in the U.S. – can be delivered with either a new direct-injection, 255-horsepower, 3.0-litre V6 or the proven 3.6-litre V6, rated at 280 horsepower. The Allure will be available with either front-wheel or four-wheel drive.

 

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS
And how quickly things change: While ‘green by design’ was the dominant mantra at GM, the production version of a car that was the main attraction at auto shows still recently was introduced more than discreetly. A few dozen metres from centre stage and practically unlit stood a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS painted in the familiar bright-orange of the classic Camaros of the Sixties, complete with its 6.2-litre, 422-horsepower V8 engine. It will nevertheless most likely again prove a big with the public in Montreal.

 

* The show had to be cancelled in 1999 and it was held in November only once, in 2002.

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