
2004 Ford auto show logo
2004 New York Auto Show
Index (4/5/04)
INFINITI’S NEW
“BLUEPRINT”
Infiniti’s M Concept car is “the blueprint” for what’s
to come from Nissan’s up-market division, declared general manager Mark Igo. In

Infiniti M Concept
this case, that means the
next-generation M45 sports sedan, which debuts about a year from now as an ’06
model. The M Concept actually has its roots in another show car, the luxurious
Fuga, shown by Nissan at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show. It’s part of an effort to
give Infiniti a more powerful brand identity. The M Concept features a variety
of intriguing technologies, including “pre-crash” front seatbelts that
automatically tighten up in advance if the car senses the likelihood of a crash.
There’s also a Lane Departure Warning system, the first of its kind, which uses
side mirror-mounted cameras to detect inadvertent lane “violations.” Both
features will show up in the production M45, according to Igo, who expects the
lane change warning system to prove quiet popular. The M Concept features a
4.5-liter V-8 making 340
hp. That engine will appear in the
production M45, while a smaller V-6 will be offered in the version to be called
the M35. All-wheel-drive will be available, said Igo, but initially, at least,
only paired with the smaller engine.

2005 Infiniti Q45
This summer also will bring the introduction of an
updated Q45 sedan, Infiniti’s flagship model. The 2005 Q45 will sport an updated
nose and rear end, improved seating, the automaker’s RJ active damping system
and the new pre-crash seatbelt technology. The Q has served as the flagship of
the up-market Nissan brand since its introduction, 15 years ago. But that may
change. “There will be a next-generation flagship,” hinted Igo, “that’s also
above the M.” But it may not carry the alphabetic Q designation. Whatever the
name, the next sedan will also be influenced by the Fuga concept vehicle.
IMPORT AUTOMAKERS FACE THE
NEW MATH

subscribe
While it didn’t come up in any formal press preview,
the issue of exchange rates was never far from mind for import
manufacturers introducing product at the New York International Auto Show this year.
The dollar has lost roughly 20 percent of its value against the Euro over the
last twelve months, and has taken a tumble against the yen, as well. Things could “get
ugly when it falls below 100 yen to the dollar,” said Infiniti General Manager
Mark Igo. That’s making it increasingly difficult to hold the line on prices
without wiping out profit margins, import industry executives admitted. But
raising prices could “set our plans out of kilter,” added Volkswagen of
America’s CEO, Gerd Klauss. So, in the short-term, most brands will swallow hard
and hope the dollar quickly regains some of its strength. Another year of this,
however, and import prices could quickly start to climb.
LINCOLN
OFFERS A “TEASER” OF ITS NEW DIRECTION

Lincoln Zephyr "teaser"
Ford Motor Co.’s flagship American
luxury brand has gone through so many abortive shifts in direction over the last
decade it’s difficult to know precisely what it is anymore. To put things back
on track, the automaker will roll out “more product faster,” said Jim Padilla,
Ford’s President of the
Americas . The latest example debuted in
New York in the form of the Lincoln
Zephyr “teaser” —
a term that may be a better way of describing the many new show cars
that are thinly-disguised production vehicles. In this case, the Zephyr will,
with minor changes, reappear as
Lincoln
’s new entry-level sedan. Sales in that segment have surged by more
than a third since 1999, so Ford desperately needs to be there, said Padilla.
The sedan will share platforms and underlying components with the new Lincoln
Aviator crossover

Lincoln Zephyr interior
vehicle, as well as
the Ford Futura sedan. Or at least the sedan Ford intended to call Futura. The
automaker has quietly decided to abandon that name and is searching for an
alternative. Like the Aviator, the upcoming Zephyr will be offered in front- or
all-wheel-drive. The exterior is meant to give the brand a sportier look, while
the interior revives some cues harkening back to the classic ’61 Lincoln sedan,
said design chief J Mays. Mays believes that lavish passenger compartments will
give Zephyr a much more elegant look at a relatively low price point.
Lincoln’s new
“entry-lux” sedan will arrive nearly four decades after
Lincoln last played in that segment
—
and almost 70 years after the original Lincoln Zephyr
appeared on the market. The original 1936 Zephyr was based on a concept of the
Dutch designer John Tjaarda of Briggs Body Corp. He was inspired by the
aerodynamic ‘streamliner’ trains, including the record-setting diesel-powered
Burlington Zephyr, that helped end the age of steam. The
Lincolns were
well appreciated because of the performance of their flathead V-12 engines with 110
hp, which was a lot in that time. The new Zephyr will arrive on the market in
the fall of 2005 as a 2006 model. (TCC Team and Henny
Hemmes)

Lexus LF-C Concept
LEXUS SHIFTS
SHAPE
Lexus has had a significant impact
on the concept of what a luxury car should be. It’s raised the bar on customer
service and taken the idea of quiet interiors to a new paradigm. But the
automaker has also been faulted for its lack of consistent styling, and a
tendency for many vehicles to look rather derivative. That’s going to change,
insisted General Manager Denny Clements, and to back up that point, Lexus used
this year’s
New York
show to unveil its LF-C
concept vehicle. It is meant “to launch a completely different direction in
styling for Lexus,” said Clements, one that is sportier, more distinctive and almost ready
to hit the road. The LF-C will serve as a prototype of the next-generation
IS series, Clements hinted, that will be longer, lower, and wider. And unlike the
current model, the next IS will be offered in a variety of body styles, making
it easier to go up against segment leader, the BMW 3-Series. The sporty LF-C
concept featured an intriguing hardtop roof design that could be set to four
different positions, transforming the vehicle into a coupe, targa, speedster, or
full convertible. In production form, the LF-C features a high-output V-8
driving the 21-inch rear wheels through a sequential manual six-speed
transmission. It also sports an advanced, steer-by-wire system.
DRIVING ALL
FOUR
With rare exception, a growing
number of new luxury products are being offered with all-wheel-drive technology.
“Just put two and two together,” said Ford design director J Mays, “and if you
don’t have all-wheel-drive as at least an option, you’re not in the game.” The
new Zephyr will offer AWD as an option and, while Mays wouldn’t comment, the
next
Lincoln
flagship is expected to, as
well. Virtually all Infiniti and Lexus models will reserve space for all-wheel
powertrains. Mercedes-Benz and Audi have already moved that direction, as well.
The technology provides a sense of security, said Mays, and is increasingly
viewed as a way to enhance performance, too. Industry observers add that
customers familiar with sport-utility vehicles have come to expect AWD on
whatever vehicles they drive.
XM TO OFFER REAL-TIME TRAFFIC ALERTS
Traffic Alerts
With American highways becoming
increasingly traffic-snarled, XM Satellite Radio is betting motorists will pay
for more accurate and complete traffic updates than they can get on local radio.
The service, best known for offering 100 channels of music and talk that can be
heard across the country, is getting ready to launch its new XM NavTraffic
system. Unlike today’s radio traffic alerts, the new technology will actually
display where roads are clogged on a vehicle navigation screen, making it
possible for a motorist to plot out another route. XM NavTraffic will debut on
the new Acura RL, with General Motors to quickly follow with an option for its
Cadillac division. Both carmakers own stakes in XM. Service will start in a
handful of select, major metro markets. The satellite service company is
partnering on the traffic project with Chicago-based Navteq, one of the leaders
in onboard navigation mapping systems.
Email This Page