2006 New York Show, Part III

 

 

 

 

2006 New York Auto Show Coverage by TCC Team (4/10/2006)

 

 

Mercedes Gets Electric

 

At the New York show, Mercedes reminded crowds of its revamped SL-Class, which TheCarConnection previewed earlier this year. It also announced pricing on the GL450 sport-ute, also reviewed here earlier this year — the new SUV will start from $54,900 including a long list of standard features like curtain airbags and anti-roll technology.

 

But the electrifying news at the Mercedes stand was the new E-Class. Shown in diesel, gas and AMG form, the new E’s press launch featured an aerialist who seized the power of a Tesla coil to direct lightning around the new E-Class. The new E-Class looks very familiar, but Mercedes says more than 2000 changes have been made, qualifying the 2007 model as a new generation. The E550 model will be the first model in the U.S. ; its 382-hp V-8 will still give it 20-mpg fuel economy. The E63 AMG model has a 507-hp V-8 with 463 lb-ft of torque. And the new Bluetec diesel E320 arrives in the fall with 221 hp, 376 lb-ft of torque, and a 35-mpg fuel-economy rating good for 780 miles of driving range.

 

Read more about the SL550

 

TCC drives the Benz GL450

 

 

 

Jeep Has the “Dirtiest Show in New York”

 

In what the Jeep crew called “the dirtiest show in New York,” Chrysler marketing chief Joe Eberhardt and Jeep leader Frank Klegon unveiled a pair of new Jeeps for New York crowds, beginning by enlisting the New York Fire Department to blast away a mountain of dirt off the show stand, revealing the new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. The Unlimited arrives this fall as a long-wheelbase, four-door edition of the new Wrangler with a convertible Sunrider fabric top or a removable Freedom Top system with three panels and multiple configurations. With a 3.8-liter V-6 and a choice of manual and automatic gearboxes, the Unlimited is more versatile than the last model of that name; the second-row seats also flip and fold to create a larger cargo area.

 

Read more about the new Wrangler

 

 

 

In the second unveiling of the sunny Jeep press conference, held outdoors, the new Patriot four-door SUV drove up for its own dose of mud. Actress Eva Mendes (Hitch) came out to christen the Patriot with Champagne — but Chrysler’s execs decided buckets of mud would be more appropriate for the Caliber-based crossover ute. With real off-road capability and an available CVT transmission, the Patriot will be the least expensive vehicle in the Jeep lineup, priced below the $15,985 Compass crossover, Eberhardt confirmed.

 

Read more about the new Patriot

 

 

 

Ford Says New V-6 Sets Class Standard

 

The new 3.5-liter V-6 that will come to the Ford family this year will be among the most powerful in its class, Ford announced on Wednesday in conjunction with its display at the New York auto show. Ford’s V-6 will be rated at 265 horsepower and will run on regular unleaded gasoline, Ford says. The engine will make its way into the Edge/Lincoln MKX crossover vehicles; in 263-hp form it will go into the Lincoln MKZ sedan, formerly known as the Zephyr. The engine, Ford adds, is compatible with direct injection and turbocharging in future applications.

 

 

Land Rover Gets Its Own ’Net TV Station

 

Land Rover had a strong sales year in 2005; the SUV brand was up 30 percent last year, LR VP Richard Beattie told New York audiences on Wednesday, for a total of a record 48,977 vehicles in North America . Worldwide, sales reached 185,120 vehicles, up 14 percent. And this year in North America so far, Land Rover sales have increased 34 percent.

 

To draw in more Land Rover owners and fans to the company’s Web site, Land Rover inaugurated a new online feature called Go Beyond TV. The new Web service, Land Rover says, is the first broadband TV application launched by an automaker. The site offers video clips of lifestyle and adventure events that focus on the Land Rover experience — but also includes press conferences and news from Land Rover. Viewed from www.landrover.com, the service can also be viewed on some cell phones and devices like the Sony PSP.

 

 

Acura RDX Ready for Urban Runs

 

Acura’s RDX is finally here, and the “urban running back” will be on sale later this year, the upscale Honda division says. Born in 2002 as a show car concept at Detroit and shown last year in Detroit as a production concept, the RDX arrived in New York behind the power of its 240-hp, 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The compact ute also gets a five-speed automatic with semi-manual shifting and 18-inch wheels and tires. Acura estimates fuel economy at 19/24 mpg for its new entry-level SUV, which marks the debut of a new global platform that could spawn a new CR-V and Element in coming years. A version of the SH-AWD all-wheel-drive system found on the RL luxury sedan is outfitted to all RDXs, as is stability control with anti-roll control. A six-disc CD changer with XM and an MP3-player input port are standard, too; a Technology package upgrades the RDX with a navigation system, a ten-speaker surround sound system with DVD-Audio capability and 410 watts of power, Bluetooth connectivity, and real-time traffic alerts. Assembled in Ohio alongside the Acura TL, the RDX goes on sale later this year.

 

 

MDX Renewed in the Fall; MD-X Concept Springs into NY

 

The MD-X concept, meanwhile, couldn’t roll into Javits under its own power, but made a powerful statement nonetheless, with more stylish lines and sharper angles than the current model. The concept sports a wider track than the current MDX, as well as a longer wheelbase and 20-inch wheels. In the fall, the production version will have SH-AWD, the all-wheel-drive system in the RL sedan and RDX ute that modulates torque to wheels front and back as well as left to right. Acura also promises the best safety in the class for the new seven-seater SUV, along with real-time traffic through XM and ELS surround sound. Built, designed, and manufactured in North America, the new MDX arrives in the fall.