Wheels photo op?

To capture the dignity of the full roster of your Wheels writers, much discussion ensued in the selection of the venue for the official photo. Eventually, we settled on a display of wee bright yellow Chinese cars, notable for looking a little clown-like. So of course, we all proceeded to pile in, completing the clown car visual. Apparently made of reinforced cardboard, they look sort of like M&Ms, though with the measurements in millimetres (2820x1440x1580), the M&M is probably bigger.

A quick foray to the land of Ferrari and Maserati reveals some of the only cars still using beautiful girls to plug the product (as if they need it). Resplendent in evening gowns and bored pouts, I decided they are just hungry and I will bring them some cookies from the press lounge.

I've already seen the Speed Racer car, and thoughtfully sang the whole theme song to the guy manning the booth. I had a huge crush on Speed Racer as a kid, another thing I shared with Booth Guy. I don't think I'll be singing anymore - you get some odd looks.

It's definitely the place for all your car fantasies though. You have to remember not to slam the doors too hard on the concept cars though-in case the clowns fall out.

Turbos, turbos everywhere

After what seems like several years where forced induction seemed to have fallen out of favour, it's back in a big way - but as much because of environmental pressures as it's there as a performance enhancer.

Sure, we're seeing superchargers in cars like the 550-hp Cadillac CTS-V, which are pushing down acceleration times and pushing up top speeds. But turbos and superchargers are also letting carmakers extract more performance out of much smaller engines.

Take, for example, Ford's new EcoBoost initiative, which involves direct injection and turbocharging. As fitted to the Explorer America concept, it lets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder produce as much power and torque as a 4.0-litre V6 - with fuel consumption that's 30 per cent better.

Turbos also feature on BMW's new X6; two of them, coupled to a 4.4-litre V8, produce more performance than the old 4.8 with lower consumption.

Expect even more turbos - and more innovative installations - in the years to come.

Will Ford faithful fall for F-150's new look?

Photos of the new Ford F-150 began circulating online yesterday, a day ahead of this morning's debut.

What are your first impressions of the new look?

Check in later this morning for an up-to-the-minute mini review of its new design. 

Rock likes to roll in style ...

Kid Rock's first order of business at Saturday night's GM Style event in Detroit: Gettin' up close and personal with the 2008 Cadillac Escalade Platinum (see photo, left). GM claims its the "most luxurious model in the Escalade lineup" -- rollin' on 22-inch wheels, and fitted with an interior draped in hide that's stitched by hand. GM also previewed its Hummer H3 Concept (see photo, right) off-road racing truck with a 505 hp 7.0L V8 from the Corvette Z06. GM says rough and tumble enthusiasts won't get that power trip, but can expect a 300 hp 5.3L V8. Across the Motor City, Mercedes-Benz previewed its Vision GLK -- a concept compact SUV that's likely to hit the production line early next year. Check back throughout the day for more truck and SUV updates live from the Detroit auto show ...

Cars, fashion, and rock 'n' roll

I should have known techno-geek Yap would beat me to the punch on blogging from the GM Style event. But I had a Leafs loss to watch (one nice thing about Detroit - you can get CBC in the hotel rooms. I can see freedom just across the river from my room in the Renaissance Marriott).

It was the second, now-they-can-call-it-annual GM Style event, with cool cars, cool clothes from designers you probably never heard of, and a bunch of bands. Given it was Detroit, you might wonder where was, um, Stevie Wonder, Bob Seger, Mitch Ryder or anyone from Motown Records? Showing my age, I guess.

I don't own any albums from any of the bands on stage, but at least I had heard of them (OK, I needed help that Rev Run, a.k.a. Joey Simmons, had been with Run-DMC). And unlike most of the old white guys there, I wasn't clapping on the one-three beat.

The North American Car and Truck of the Year announcements kick off the show tomorrow. Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Malibu, and Honda Accord are the car finalists (my bet is on Malibu), while Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and Mazda CX-9 are the truck finalists (Enclave, the only finalist to also make the Canadian Car/Utility Vehicle of the Year finals, could and should give General Motors its second sweep in a row). The fact that GM has four of the six finalists this year bodes well for the company's future.

Horsepower gets a standing ovation

Every year, on the eve of the first press day at Detroit, General Motors hosts an event called GM Style - sort of a combination concert/fashion show/sneak preview of some of the cars it'll be showing the world's media over the next couple of days.

This year's show featured performances from Mary J. Blige, Maroon 5 and local boy Kid Rock - and some pretty hot cars, including an E85 ethanol powered hot rod, a single-seat Pontiac Solstice club racer and a tuner version of the new Saturn Astra.

The applause for it all was respectful, but the only car that got the crowd on its feet was the new Corvette ZR1, the 620-hp, 200-mph supercharged uber-Vette. Driven onstage by Jeff Gordon to the strains of Kid Rock ("We don't buy s**t here, we build it," he shouted), the ZR1 got a standing ovation.

None louder than from me, though I wonder how much longer the horsepower and top speed wars can continue given the fuel-economy regulations coming down the U.S. pipeline.

The ZR1 will be the first Corvette subject to the gas-guzzler tax; it may well be the last.

Welcome to the Wheels.ca blog

The North American International Auto Show is one of the world’s premier auto industry exhibitions, attracting more than 6,700 journalists from more than 60 countries.

This year, Wheels writers will be filing up-to-the-minute reports from Detroit's Cobo Center to this blog.

Our team of writers, pictured at left, will be at the show during the media days Sunday, Jan. 13 through Tuesday, Jan. 15, posting their impressions of all the unveilings — and giving you a behind-the-scenes peek into what goes on at a major auto show.

Check in often for the latest from the floor of the Detroit show.

Detroit - not again?

Is there anywhere you'd rather be in mid-January than the vacation capital of North America - Detroit?
See the fires in the empty warehouses!
Witness the drive-by shootings!
Watch the few moneyed residents fleeing south (yep...) across the border to the Windsor Casino, not to mention the Windsor Ballet!
Still, the Detroit Show is the one can't-miss of the auto show season.
Despite all its problems, this is still Motor City.
What am I looking forward to?
Among other things - Bryan Adams.
I am the only Canadian car scribe granted a one-on-one with the erstwhile Canadian rocker, who has become something of a spokes-singer for Audi, and who is now bigger in Europe than in his homeland. I'm thinking I'll wear my white tee and jeans, and maybe we can exchange a few guitar riffs.
Oh yeah, there will be some new cars here too.

Ugly Truckling ... but at least it's green

Cars are usually stars of the Detroit auto show, but this year trucks are going to get their moment to shine ... that is, if you like some of the awkward designs. Take the Toyota A-BAT Concept (see photo). It's a compact pickup that looks more like it should be in the new Aliens vs Predator than on display at an auto show. Looks aside, at least it's a hybrid ... It's nice to see automakers focussing greener technology on trucks. And, since we're on the topic of trucks (I'll be blogging about trucks and SUVs for the next few days), why not start a lottery pool for "North American Truck of the Year?" The finalists have been narrowed to three: the Buick Enclave, Mazda CX-9 and Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid. I'm betting on the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid. Check back Sunday morning to find out which truck takes the crown.

I'm packed! Sort of...

Why the runners? Starting at 9:30 a.m. this Sunday, with 28 manufacturer presentations in only two days—the Detroit auto show is a marathon baby! Although the State of Michigan is becoming a black hole for commerce, the three American automakers still call Detroit home. So even though the debuts are more international than ever before, GM, Ford and Chrysler—and every other automaker, for that matter—will have lots of execs on hand to tell us how wonderful they are all doing. Like a paleontologist poking through dinosaur dung, I'll try and give you the straight poop. Check back here next Sunday. That's when all the fun starts with winners of the North American Car and Truck of the Year declared.