Year of the car: a host of '05 models debut at the 2004 North American International Auto Show - Product

Automotive Industries, Jan, 2004 by Gary Witzenburg

U.S. makers have been criticized of late for pouring the bulk of their development dollars into high-profit trucks and SUVs while essentially ceding the other hall of the market (cars) to increasingly aggressive imports. But Americans are still buying a lot of cars, of all sizes and in nearly all segments, and--finally well set and competitive in trucks--U.S. makers have shifted much of their engineering attention and carefully watched budgets to cars.

Chrysler Group will introduce nine new Chrysler and Dodge products, mostly cars, during calendar year 2004. Ford is planning six'05 intros, five of them cars, in 2004 and a total of 65 new Fords, Mercurys and Lincolns in the next five years. GM is preparing intros of a multitude of models within all of its marques, including 10 new Chevrolets in 20 months.

At this month's Detroit North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), Chrysler featured its'05 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum line-ups of large, rear-drive sedans and wagons and debuted its innovative '05 Town and Country and Caravan minivans. Ford uncovered its all-new '05 Mustang, Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego sedans and Ford Freestyle crossover. General Motors pulled the covers off its eagerly awaited sixth-generation Chevy Corvette, Pontiac's all-new G6 mid-size sedan, new "Crossover Sport Vans" (CSVs) for Buick and Saturn and a production-intent version of Pontiac's '06 Pontiac Solstice sportster.

DaimlerChrysler

DC's '05 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum (unveiled earlier) are about as different from the finely sculpted Concorde/300M and Intrepid they replace as they could possibly be. Where the latter were gracefully proportioned V-6-powered "cab forward" sedans that once set the styling trend for domestic front drivers, these new entries are upright, aggressive, in-your-face rear-drivers. The 300 models are base of Limited (190-hp 2.7L V-6), Touring (250-hp 3.5L V-6) and 300C, the latter powered by a potent 345-hp HEMI V-8 with Multi Displacement, the industry's first modern application of cylinder deactivation, driving through a 5-speed automatic with AutoStick. The Magnum models are SE, SXT and HEMI-powered RT.

On the other hand, DC's '05 minivans--though riding on a largely-new platform--look enough like their predecessors that repeat buyers will want to choose a different color so their neighbors will know they got a new one. Their true beauty is inside, where the long-wheelbase models boast more than 15 new features including industry-first "Stow and Go" second-row seats that (like the third-row split bench) fold quickly and easily into underfloor boxes for a completely flat floor.

Chrysler essentially invented the car-based minivan 20 years ago, has sold some 20 million of them and maintains a segment-leading 38 percent share. Chrysler minivan firsts include the now-ubiquitous fourth door and the power rear liftgate. Now, says COO Wolfgang Bernhardt, "we are about to leapfrog the competition again."

The transformation from seven seats to two can be done in about 30 seconds with a simple, one-hand operation and without removing the headrests, and their many possible configurations include "Tailgate" and "Limo." Both second and third-row seats recline, the middle-row chairs adjust four inches fore/aft, and with all seats up, the sub-floor boxes they fold into add 12 cu.ft. of convenient covered storage. Additional segment firsts include cargo bags in those storage bins, 60/40 split-bench tailgate seating, a third-row easy entry system and NASA-like super high-density (SHD) foam cushion padding.

Ford Motor Company

Highlighted on the splines of Ford's four '05 product press kit binders are large words reading, when stacked in proper order, "Year of the Car." Rearranged, they could also say "Car of the Year." Optimistic? Maybe not; these are potentially game-changing new products.

Ford set out to "redefine the North American sedan" and calls the Five Hundred--three inches longer than Taurus but a full foot shorter than the rear-drive Crown Victoria--its new flagship. "We took a look at the attributes that make crossovers popular--like high-package 'command' seating--and sought to deliver some of those qualities in a sedan," says group VP, Product Creation, Phil Martens. "While the industry tries to create new car-based crossovers, the Ford Five Hundred stands alone as the first crossover-based car."

The Five Hundred and Montego sedans and Freestyle crossover share the same significant powertrains and an all-new 112.9-m.-wheelbase fwd/awd platform. The Ford's styling paints a conservative family face on a handsome Audiesque shape, while the Montego wears a satin-aluminum Mercury waterfall grille and other marque-specific details.

Both feature fold-down seats in rich and roomy 107-cu.ft. cabins, a cavernous 21-cu.ft. trunk, large (17- of 18-in.) wheels and added all-weather capability thanks to available awd borrowed from Volvo. The interiors flaunt "jewel-like detailing," and the rear seats boast 3.5-in. more legroom than a Rolls Royce Phantom and foot space enough for NBA centers due to airliner-style high-mounted front seats. The only '05 engine is Ford's 200-hp 3.0L DOHC 24-valve Duratec aluminum V-6, teamed with a new 6-speed automatic for fwd and the industry's first high-volume continuously variable transmission (CVT) with the Volvo-based awd system.