After the successful introduction of the standard Quasar range at the end of 2016, with several accolades, including being voted as the Best Looking Mainstream Car of 2016 and winning a head to head comparison with tough rivals Saminda and Znopresk, it is now time to present the hot hatch version.
Powered by the same 2.0 engine already present on the US Market Quasar, only now it’s been breathed upon to deliver a staggering 325 hp. All that power is channelled through all four wheels via either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed twin clutch automatic. That combination is capable of achieving impressive numbers, such as a 4.8s 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) time and a top speed of nearly 270 kph (167 mph).
The first model we are unveiling for the 2017 NAIAS is the Theia. the Theia is one of two cars based on the Gaia platform, and is our most affordable car with a projected price of $28700.
The river automotive ceo johnson, was waiting impatiently for the truck to be unloaded but was aprroached by the main engineer mike.
“Sir we got a problem with three of our cars!”
"What’s the problem?"Johnson asked
“We are not sure yet but it might be the engine & the surprise concept also has problem starting up"mike answered
The CEO let out a heavy sigh"So we only have one functional car right now, darn well let’s roll them inside and let us look if we can fix the problem.”
With that said the team of engineers brought the car inside and started the work on the cars.
Welcome back to Splendid Auto Monthly’s coverage of the Detroit Auto Show 2017. It’s been a very busy first day with a whole host of announcements and reveals from all corners of the Automation world, and we’ve only just got started.
The displays halls were packed within a few hours of doors opening, with more people than ever before coming on day 1, a new record for the show. There was a focus on sports coupes today, though the variety was astounding. Whether this is an indicator for what to expect this year from the automotive industry, we don’t know yet.
Time to go over all the action from day 1 of Detroit 2017!
Calvinator celebrate 50 years of the Bruiser with anniversary model
Calvinator kicked things off at 9am on the dot, merely seconds after the show opened, to reveal a 50th anniversary model of their Bruiser muscle car, though it seems to have been turned into a hypercar. The 261 mph monster will be going on sale for little over $90k, which appears to make it an incredible bargain. However, we are slightly concerned at the complete lack of any aero work, which does raise some questions about high speed stability…
Opinion split on the bold new Rapier concept from Megacorp
Megacorp’s exccentric new Rapier concept already looks to be a contender for ‘Most Unusual Car’ at this year’s show, and opinion was split over what people made of it. We asked people on Twitter what they thought, and responses ranged from “What in the name of f-” to “Where do I place my order?”
The Rapier seemingly blends design characteristics of cars from the 30s - with its chrome lines, tall grill and long, thin body - with modern design styles, and is certainly a striking vehicle. The chrome gills and side exhausts all point to this thing being a powerful beast, though no specs have been released yet.
Brivio postpone their keynote at the last minute
The keynote theatre was packed by 5 to 11 this morning as we waited for Brivio to reveal what they’ve brought along, but we soon received news that the massive traffic jam on Highway 94 was being caused by the broken-down convoy that was bringing their vehicles along. Said keynote has been rescheduled for tomorrow evening.
DSD dazzle with hybrid-powered Samba
The queue for the deli in the Cobo Center foodcourt was huge by 12:30 as everyone rushed to grab lunch before DSD’s first keynote of the show. It was the usual affair for the company: plenty of theatre and special effects, and it certainly got the crowd going. The brand new Sambar was soon unveiled, a whole new type of hybrid and the first from the company.
But immediately there was confusion. While on stage, Darkshine was thanking Saminda for providing the engine for the Sambar, the press release given by DSD stated that Maesima had provided the engine. However, this confusion was overwhelmed by the spectacle of their display. Feature after feature was rolled off - head up display, full leather interior, active suspension that can be controlled by passengers in the rear of the car - we were certainly very impressed.
While details of the actual hybrid system powering the Sambar were limited, it certainly left an impression. DSD have set a new standard for eco vehicles.
Storm open up their display with spectacular street parade
Storm brought some noise to the streets of Detroit this afternoon in the form of their Raceworks Division piloting a whole range of their vehicles down to the Cobo Center. A very well kept example of the Prince from 1955 led the way, it’s once revolutionary styling still looking incredible even today. Shortly following this was the infamous Demon GRX, the first ever V12 rally car, that competed in the 1965 Dalnit-Bralka rally. Its distinct yellow livery was a joy to see once more.
On the new car front was the much anticipated, electric powered Shadow, cruising in complete silence through the main hall doors. We cannot wait to get behind the wheel of this thing later on this year. Contrasting the quiet of the Shadow was the roar of a groundbreaking twin-engined coupe called the Piranha, which is powered by two 360hp V8s connected to two gearboxes. We’re as confused as you are.
IMP tease a whole host of new utility vehicles
The IMP display is still currently hidden away behind a mass of TV screens, displaying what they will be showing off later on in the show. More to follow.
Arzami reveal self-driving HUD Concept
Behind the minimalist styling of the Arzami HUD Concept sits years of research; the new concept was revealed this afternoon, and rumours about its massive windscreen-glass roof combo were proven true. Whilst not on sale just yet, the technology behind the car was shown off to the public, and it certainly looks to be revolutionary.
An incredible amount of work has been put into developing the gorgeous heads up display found on the car, which includes full Sat-Nav and media integration. The promise of a self-driving version of this car later on in the year is also very exciting indeed.
Airborne show off a range of coupes
1 old and 2 new coupes were on display today at Airborne’s stand, showcasing the companies long history of making sports coupes. The Aquila, which caused huge controversy back in the 1990s for being a copy of a Hypera prototype, sat here today like an elder statesman, alongside its new relatives, the Yujin and S340.
The Yujin is an all new kei-coupe that will be hitting Japan and European dealerships this year, and long time readers of S.A.M. will know how much we love a mini-coupe. The stats look very promising for both versions; even if the car is comparatively slow compared to other low-end coupes, it is undeniably cool thanks to how small it is.
Also on show was the new S340, a V6 powered mid-range sports car. It looks set to take on equivalent German coupes thanks to its 5.3 second 0-60 time and 268 kmh top speed.
JHW re-enters the compact market with the Theia
The brand new Theia was launched today, an unusually shaped two door compact from JHW. The well specced and abstract looking car is being sold with a 2.8l V6, which should offer some uniquness against competition from Adenine, Maesima, Erin, Samdina and the lot. Pricing looks to be in the mid to upper level range.
Baltazar return to the hot-hatch market with the RS325
It was an exciting end to the day as Baltazar revealed the handsome Quasar RS325. The Brazillian giant’s return to the hot-hatch sector has been long awaited, and the specs of the new car are incredibly competitive - able to keep up with the fastest hot hatches on sale today despite prices starting at just $28k. We’ve already booked our test drives for when the car is released.
That rounds up the days events. While all this was going on, we somehow managed to squeeze a few interviews in as well.
Mei from the marketing department of Airborne joined us in our press room this afternoon for a chat about what Airbone have brought to this year’s show.
We also managed to snag a quick word with one of the team from Calvinator whilst down at their display.
Whew! That concludes today’s round-up. I am knackered, so it’s back to the hotel for me. See you guys tomorrow for more from Detroit 2017. Gavin out.
Were the interviews done with the heads of the specific company? Like did you message Oskiinus to perform the interview or just come up with it yourself?
Hello one and all! AL Autos will be bringing a good number of production cars to our display! These vehicles will range from rapid supercars, to long range luxury cars, to sporty hatchbacks, sedans, and coupes. Look forward to our debut tomorrow!
@rcracer11m Yeah, Oskiinus asked me to do an interview, and then I decided to do more of them. I’ll try to get some sort of interview stuff with everyone at some point during the show
Starting things off is is IMPs smallest offering, the Nero Supermini. It may be small, practical and economical, but it certainly isn’t cheap, with standard equipment rivalling that of a fully grown luxury sedan. Full leather upholstery, four individual climatized and electrically adustable massage seats, four zone climate control, a high-end sound system and magnetic ride suspension are all standard. For 2017 there are two engine options: a 1.25L Inline four Turbo with 125hp and 215Nm and a 1.7L Inline four Turbo with 215hp and 325Nm of torque. The small Diamond.
On a completely different end of our product range, the Monolith Atacama 4x4. First presented in concept form at the Chicago International Auto Show last year, now the production version is here.
As part of pre-production testing and for promotional purposes we’ve shipped a pair of them to Canada, where they and their support vehicles consisting of two Monolith N340Ds, two M161 Diesel and one Artisan 425D1 went on a grueling adventure to the north pole. Each vehicle completed said journey with no issues whatsoever. Once finished all of them were driven to the southern tip of the americas from where they’ve been shipped to Antarctica in order to reach the south pole as well. And once again all trucks made it. A film crew recorded the entire three-month trip, the resulting Documentary can be bought online or at any Monolith Dealership.
The Atacama is available with a 2.7L Petrol engine, a 3.2L Turbodiesel, and for developing markets a 3.2L Flex-fuel engine. In the US it is exclusively sold with a 3.3L Inline 6 producing 250hp.
UPDATE: Change of plan with the voting at the end of the show; rather than having just one vote for “best display”, I’ll split it up into categories, such as “Best small car”, “best utility vehicle”, “best concept” etc…
These will be announced once the show has ended, so that I can adjust what to include in each category so that there’s enough to vote for.
umm ahem DSD would like to apologize for Darkshines drunken mistake the engine powering the Sambar is a Maesima sourced unit not a Saminda unit. We apologize to Maesima and well Darkshines feels like abit of a tool.............
The first day of the Detroit Auto Show rolls by, and during the day people have spotted something strange about the Blackbird exhibit. Blackbird was set to go to Detroit for the auto show, which is strange as they usually only produce performance engines. The exhibit is hidden away with this curtain surrounding the stage.
Most people have a good idea of what is behind the curtain, but rumors are spreading fast, the story changing rapidly as well. No stories can be trusted as only the people at Blackbird know the full story. The picture shows the obvious, a turbocharged V8, but that is all that has been revealed so far. Blackbird came out before the auto show saying “We will be proud to reveal our new platform in Detroit. Our plans include that and other things that you will see at the show soon.” The performance tuning company did not say what the “Platform” was specifically, nor did they say what their other plans were. This all shall be revealed later on in the show.
A note from Petoskey Motors: Due to some logistical issues (real life matters) our display will be slightly delayed upon arrival. If all goes well, it should be up and ready tomorrow afternoon.
Starting with the ADV Modele SM. The SM is the new city Supermini for Non-Japanese markets. This is a continuation of the Modele 1 started all the way back in 1949, and continued all the way up until now through the SM name plate.
The inline 3 powering this is the International/US version, at 700cc in size. Making only 55hp, this small supermini is a useable thing. This is the production ready model, hitting the market in just a few weeks.
Next up is the ADV AXO, or American CrossOver. This is a US model only, with 6 seats, in a 2-2-2 layout. This is an all new model, and we expect an above average amount of sales for 2017 and 18.
This is a 2.5L Turbocharged inline four engine, making 180hp. With an 8speed automatic, and FWD is the specific US model. If there is interest, a model will be made for international markets, but would be expected for 2018 at the earliest. Expected to go on sale, and for orders tomorrow.
Finally for today is the ADV Marquis. The Marquis is a large, and foreboding Luxury Sedan, here painted in a deep green. This one is also a US only version, with the European model expected at the 1st EU show of 2017.
Powered by a 6.0L V12 engine, making 518hp, and a rear design inspired by Storm Autoworks, the Marquis is expected on sale by mid 2017.
That concludes ADV’s presentation for the Detroit show. Thank you.
Storm wasn’t done quite yet, by the sound of things, as a dark green Shadow sprinted down the streets of Detroit, twin-turbocharged V12 screaming to the city.
Luke looked up from signing an autograph, then said, “Sounds like we’ve got another one. Some of the Raceworks Division said they were going to be late. By the engine note and the shift pattern, that’s the XVR-12.”
The driver who stepped out looked more than a little frazzled, and immediately complained to his fellow Raceworks Division drivers, who all stated, “You got the short straw fair and square. It was your turn to drive the Deathtrap.”
“But, the thing has no power until the last thousand revs, then it’s all there like someone turned on a light switch labeled “Rocket Booster,” but unlike a normal car which just squirms violently, this thing tries to snap around and chase its tail.”
“You drew the short straw. We’ll draw straws again for who brings it home.”
Luke stopped the arguing with a quick, and lightly sharp, “Why can I hear my Surge being driven here?”
“You’re joking. Seriously? Who’s the moron who stole the boss’ car and drove it here?”
The driver stepped out, then said, “Luke, you left your keys on your desk. You know, the ones that also have all the keys to the building? Figured I’d bring them to you and also something notable for the show. After all, you’ve got Serial number 1010 of the Surges, so I figured…”
“I’d have driven it if I wanted it here, but I suppose it’s noteworthy enough. Though if I find one thing out of place in it, you’ll regret doing this.”
No show today as the Kenworth W900 pulling the trailers has blown a radiator hose, never use a truck from the 80’s, we have most of the cars ready at the show but we can’t open until the centre piece arrives, more updates will follow as we learn more.
Ladies and gentleman we were due to release the SFRAV today but Darkshines is still…well ummmm… he is still tanked and someone gave him medicinal cannibis… the result of this means that the release will be delayed 12hrs while we I.V black coffee thru out his system…again we at DSD apologize but we are queenslanders.
