2005 Detroit Show Preview I Page 3

Dodge Revs Up New Charger by TCC Team (10/4/2004)
But will four doors conjure up the right image?

Chevrolet Corvette Z06

Packing 500 horsepower with its 7.0-liter V-8, the high-powered Z06 Corvette will be introduced by Chevrolet early next year. Sources are speculating that Z06 coupe, shown here, will be introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January, followed days later by the convertible introduction at the North American International Auto Show in  Detroit. Wider tires and Brembo brake calipers give the first clue to the true identity of this masked Corvette. Rumors of a removable hardtop option are also circulating. But we may have to wait till January to find out more.
Pontiac G6 Coupe/Convertible 

Oprah isn't the only one showing off the new Pontiac G6. But Oprah only had the sedans, and we've caught the upcoming convertible and coupe versions. The sporty coupe will reach dealerships in early 2005, but the convertible will not make its retail appearance until the third quarter of 2005 as a 2006 model. The convertible, with an annual projection of 40,000 sales, will be equipped with a retractable hardtop, much like those on models priced far more expensively. No word on powerplants, but a V-6 with at least 250 hp is expected. Both are expected to be show in Detroit.

Pontiac Torrent

Along with the G6 twins, Pontiac will show the Torrent, the 2006 crossover wagon that shares its architecture with the Chevy Equinox and makes its on-sale debut in the fall of 2005. The Torrent, like the Equinox, will be built in Ontario , and sports the same 185-hp, 3.4-liter V-6, in either front-drive or all-wheel-drive format. "The Torrent represents a new dimension of Pontiac 's commitment to 'total performance,'" said Jim Bunnell, Pontiac-GMC general manager. "Along with a spirited powertrain and a crisp handling package rarely seen in an compact SUV, the Torrent adds a degree of flexibility and spaciousness designed to meet the needs of owners with active lifestyles."

Saturn Sky

The second vehicle from the Kappa family at GM will arrive at the Detroit auto show in January. Sketched here, the Saturn Sky will share its rear-drive architecture with the Pontiac Solstice, and its design theme with future Saturns that will appear in the next two years as GM invests in the brand and moves its products upscale. Saturn dealers will get the Sky in early 2006; it'll be assembled in Wilmington, Delaware.

GM Measures "The Lutz Effect" by TCC Team (10/4/2004)
Seminar suggests GM finally may be finding product czar's religion.