DETROIT - Honda Motor Co. officially entered the truck market Monday with the 2006 Ridgeline mid-size pickup.
An 8.5-cubic-foot trunk under the pickup's bed is one feature which sets the Ridgeline apart from others in its class, including the Dodge Dakota, the Chevrolet Colorado and the Toyota Tacoma. The trunk even has a drain so owners can fill it with ice while tailgating.
The Ridgeline also has an innovative tailgate that can either open flat or swing open from the side.
The Ridgeline has a 3.5-liter, 255-horsepower V6 engine and can tow up to 5,000 pounds. Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., said the Ridgeline also has the best fuel economy in its class, with 21 miles per gallon on the highway and 16 in the city.
Colliver said he believes the Ridgeline will attract not only pickup owners but owners of sport utility vehicles and cars who are attracted to its cargo capacity and car-like interior. The Ridgeline will be manufactured in Ontario.
Colliver estimated that Honda will sell 50,000 Ridgelines this year. The vehicle will go on sale in March and will cost between $27,000 and $30,000.
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DETROIT - NASCAR great Richard Petty had a bit of advice Monday for Chrysler president and chief executive Dieter Zetsche as he helped the company unveil the revival of its historic Dodge Charger nameplate.
"If you want to be a part of the Dodge legend, you have to look the part," Petty told Zetsche and NASCAR rookie of the year Kasey Kahne, who will drive the NASCAR version of the car in Nextel Cup competition.
Zetsche and Kahne then joined Petty in donning cowboy hats and sunglasses, a Petty trademark.
Kahne drove a NASCAR version of the Charger on stage at the North American International Auto Show. During the unveiling, its wheels were switched with street tires and its body removed to reveal the production car.
The company announced last year that the Charger would replace the Intrepid in NASCAR in 2005. Thirty-seven of Petty's all-time record 200 victories and three of his seven championships came in Chargers.
Looking to feed Americans' appetites for heightened horsepower, Chrysler harkened back to the muscle car days of the 1960s as inspiration for the sporty sedan. The rear-wheel-drive Dodge Charger is scheduled to go on sale this summer.
Pricing hasn't been announced, but estimates range from $25,000 to about $30,000.
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DETROIT - Hoping to revive its flagship sedan and hang on to customers who first bought Toyotas 35 years ago, Toyota Motor Co. on Monday introduced its newly redesigned 2005 Avalon sedan.
The Avalon was designed for active empty-nesters in their 60s who need something larger than a coupe, said Don Esmond, the Toyota division's senior vice president.
Sales of the Avalon, which first was introduced in 1994, dropped 28 percent last year, to 36,460. The new Avalon has subtle design changes, including a rounder, more contemporary profile. It also has a redesigned air bag system, including standard air bags for the driver's knees.
The 2005 Avalon will be in showrooms next month and will start at $26,355. It will be built at Toyota's plant in Georgetown, Ky.
Toyota also unveiled a crossover concept vehicle Monday called the FT-SX which has a rear hatch that opens three ways for easy loading. It also would be intended for older drivers or young families.
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DETROIT - German luxury automaker Porsche AG is considering whether to offer a hybrid-powered version of its Cayenne sport utility vehicle and plans to decide later this year, its chief executive said Monday.
Wendelin Wiedeking told reporters at the North American International Auto Show that a hybrid drive would only make sense in its Cayenne, since space and weight considerations would stand in the way of a hybrid 911 or Boxster.
"Since we at Porsche are convinced that environmental compatibility will be the most significant success factor for the future of the automotive industry," Wiedeking said, "our engineers have been looking closely at this alternative technology for a long time."
Wiedeking said Porsche also may decide later this year whether to add another model series to its current lineup.
Wiedeking's remarks came as Porsche showed off the new 911 Cabriolet. The convertible will be available in March in two versions: a Carrera Cabriolet, with a 3.6-liter engine, and the Carrera S Cabriolet, with a 3.8-liter engine.
The Carrera Cabriolet is listed at $79,100, while the Carrera S Cabriolet will be available at $88,900.
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DETROIT - Hyundai Motor Co. unveiled its 2006 Sonata sedan, the first vehicle the South Korean automaker will produce in the United States. Production begins in March at its new plant in Montgomery, Ala. The $1.1 billion facility can produce 300,000 vehicles per year, said Robert Cosmai, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America.
Hyundai is taking aim at the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord with its completely redesigned mid-size Sonata. The sedan is the first in its class to have standard electronic stability control, which helps keep drivers from swerving off the road in an accident, Hyundai vice president John Krafcik said. It also has standard traction control, keyless entry and side curtain air bags and an optional 237 horsepower V6 engine.
The Sonata will sell for less than $20,000 and will go on sale this spring.
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DETROIT - German automaker BMW sees the United States as its top global market for new vehicles and expects to report another record sales year in 2005, the company's chairman said Monday.
Helmut Panke said global sales of the company's BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands were up 9.4 percent in 2004 to more than 1.2 million. In the U.S., the company's sales were up nearly 7 percent.
Panke said growth remains a priority as the company brings a number of new vehicles to market, including the 5 Series with a new six-cylinder engine and optional all-wheel drive, the 530xi Touring and the BMW M5.
But Panke added that maintaining the strength of the BMW brand also is key.
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DETROIT - Nissan Motor Co.'s luxury Infiniti division unveiled a concept for an upscale wagon on Monday.
Like Ford Motor Co.'s Fairlane concept, the Infiniti Kuraza is a six-seater that offers a view of the sky. While the Fairlane has an all-glass roof, the Kuraza's roof is sectioned into three sunroofs. Among the Kuraza's luxurious details are the retracting, lighted steps inside the doors to the second and third rows.
Infiniti vice president Mark Igo also presented 2006 Infiniti M, a sedan "designed to perform like a sports car." Among the features is an "intelligent key" that adjusts the car's seats and mirrors to your preferences before you sit down.
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DETROIT - Ferrari on Monday showed off the Superamerica, a convertible whose glass roof flips up electrically in 10 seconds. When the roof is up, the driver can choose from among five tint levels and can switch from dark to light in less than a minute.
Ferrari plans to sell 559 Superamericas.With BC-Auto Show-Hybrids and BC-Auto Show-European Revival
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