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.
Is this OK with everyone?
Edit: I take it that the likes mean “yes” 
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.............
Meanwhile LaVache is preparing to unveil the 2018 Ramjet…
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.
#We Start With Arzami Des Voiltures.
Here we begin with ADV.
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.”
Shortly following the late Shadow arrival, an old concept, one seen forever ago, turned up.
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.”
“We’ll just make him drive the Deathtrap home.”
“Wait, what!? No, that’s not fair!”
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.
Alex Hindsley, Brivio Marketing Department
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.
I will be unavailing my second Gaia platform car later on, and this has 2 levels of trim
"Are the two cars ready ?"johnson whispered
"yes sir they are ready"an engineer answered
“Alright guys its showtime” Johnson said walking on the stage.
Hello Detroit auto show i welcome you to our stand, we present to you a classic car (even technically speaking its first presentation of this car cough anyway) i show you the 1970 liti.
“two green colored liti drives up on the stage”
The liti was our newest car in our lineup it also replaces our other model, the h21 due to poor sales we had to discontinue it in beginning of 1970.
The liti is powered by two new engines, it is first car from river automotive with a inline 3 in our liti we have a 1.0L inline 3 producing 58hp & 89Nm with a top speed of 155Km/h, the second engine is a 1.5L Inline 4 producing 89hp & 130Nm with a top speed of 180Km/h.
It only comes with a 4 speed manual, the liti combined with inline 3 is only available with the basic trim level while the inline 4 can be ordered either basic or standard trim level but all trim levels are included with a power steering and radio.
Thats the car for today, make sure to come tomorrow for the second car.
Thank you for visiting our stand and your are welcome to take a look at our cars.
(A little side note the two of the three cars that well broke down are repaired, only our concept car is well not working properly yet but we can fix…i hope.)
#OAM Announcements
#OAM 2017 Chevalier II Concept
Although a bit late, OAM’s entry to NAIAS was, well a bit dramatic…
OAM opened their display with the brand new OAM Chevalier II Concept doing a burnout on their entrance. The driver the proceeded to drift around the stage drawing the OAM logo…until the tires exploded. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and after a fresh set of tyres, the Chevalier then returned to the OAM stand…where the driver proceeded to do another burnout.
The Chevalier II will begin production in February 2017
##Extra Info
#OAM 2017 Traveller II Concept
Meanwhile, another OAM car was also on show, the OAM Traveller II.
Production of the Traveller II will begin in February 2017
##Extra Info
Older OAM Classics, EADC and the Nadier-Schoefield Displays will be arriving soon.
for day 2, we have decided to unveil the namesake of the Gaia Platform.
The Gaia is our take on a “Compact Executive” car, and we aim to bring this to market with a projected price of $28,980.
We took the name Gaia from the Greek primordial goddess of Earth, and we felt that fit a car and platform that had a more “global” appeal than most premium cars on the market.
As you can see, we gave the car a very clean shape, and those are pillar-less suicide doors. those aren’t just there for looks, either. Because there is no B pillar, the cabin feels much more spacious than a typical 4 door.
Mechanically, it is identical to the Theia, albeit heavier. so, you loose some of the performance, but a 7.7 0-62 and a 142mph top speed isn’t much slower.
The S500 is the high performance iteration of the Gaia. as the name implies, it is limited to 500 units per year.
the styling has been subtly enhanced for a more aggressive look and to fit meatier tires.
But, it’s under the hood where the real changes have taken place. the V6 has been tuned to give 292hp, and we’ve fittied a 7 speed DSG AWD transmission, in place of the standard 6 speed DSG FWD.
This results in a 0-62 time of 5.9s and a top speed of 160mph. so nothing scary fast, but this car is the ultimate Q-car (or sleeper in the US), as you now have a highly comfortable 1.7 ton sedan capable of going toe-to-toe with most sports cars!
The Price for this is $38,780, so not as much as you’d think, but it is very exclusive and can only be ordered direct from a dealership.
again, Test drives available from our booth for journalists
WE HAVE MADE IT!!!
Loud honking and the sound of a rumbling diesel engine rocks the main road driving up to the show, Alex Hindsley stands outside of the Brivio stands closed door
“Ladies and gentlemen the truck has arrived, and the car is quickly being loaded on to the main stage, if you would please make your way to the main stage Markus Brivio is there ready to show off our new car”
Meanwhile on the main stage
“Ladies and gentlemen the wait is now over, we are ready to show you the stunning new full-size luxury saloon and coupe, the all new 2017 Brivio Scivolare.”
Markus Brivio pulls the cover off of the car ‘Eleganza Classica Coupe’ shown as ‘Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing’ plays
“The latest car from Brivio cames with a 2.0 Inline 4 Turbo coupled to a 7-Speed DCT transmission, availavble in either RWD or AWD, in coupe or sedan form. We have chosen to show you the 2.0 engines as they are the newest additions to our range”
Markus opens the hood using the new smart key feature revealing the all new all all alsi petrol engine
“The all new engine produces 161hp@6500rpm and produces 179ft-lb@3400rpm”
“The car does the 0-62mph sprint in a respectable 8.8 seconds and happily runs all the way up to 147mph”
“The car is capable of 33mpg highway, that is pretty good for such a large car”
“The car itself comes with a whole array of digital assists making sure no matter how much of a mess you make of a corner, the car will try its best to correct itself”
“More information of the car will be available in the brochures at the main stand which is now open”
“Now please enjoy a montage ‘the best of Brivio’ including some of our best moments”
*Montage plays with London Electricity - Just One Second"
“Thank you everyone, please stick around for the next scheduled show”
Mei Onashikara, Airborne’s marketing manager during an interview with Gavin Anderson, journalist covering NAIAS 2017.
Ok, but why are they talking next to a bunch of Mustangs? 
Because this is where actually Gavin got her up. She was supposed to appear in conference room but ended up staring at this black Mustang in background after two bunches of sushi, hehe.
###Canada Motors
Canada Motors would like to apologise for the delay of any unveilings. The recent winter weather has forced us to delay vehicle transport until the roads are safer to travel on. We can say that we will finally be unveiling something for the Toronto luxury sub-brand we announced in 2015.
lol noobs
we’ve done 614 miles of driving in winter conditions
lololololol
##Daily Round-Up - Day 2
We’re back at the Cobo Centre in central Detroit for the day 2 round-up of this years show, and its been another exciting day. My schedule was pretty much just as packed as yesterday, yet I still haven’t made it round all of the displays. Thankfully, there’s still plenty of time for that…
Let’s take a look at what day 2 brought us!
Today’s musical accompaniment is Skater’s Waltz by Émile Waldteufel
AL Autos announce their Detroit debut
Scarcely known AL Autos announced that their massive display will be unveiled tomorrow via social media this morning. Very little detail is known about the company, but they’re promising quite the line-up.
IMP showcase the practical side of their line-up
Automotive conglomerate IMP were displaying two new vehicles today from different ends of their range, ahead of the main announcement later on in the week. Entering a niche part of the market, the Nero luxury supermini certainly caught people’s eyes with its clean, crisp design and nice chrome detailing. The range is kept nice and simple with just two engines, a 1.25l and 1.7l i4, both turbocharged. Of more interest are some of the features that the Nero comes with, including massage seats - we’ve certainly never seen them on a supermini…
At the other end of the scale, Monolith’s Atacama was given a proper release today, having last been seen in concept form at Chicago last year. On the screen behind the bright orange car, highlights from a documentary of the testing this car went through was being shown, certainly proving its reliability. It all felt ‘very Monolith’ as one journalist remarked, and we look forward to testing said reliability later on this year.
DSD clear up the Saminda/Maesima engine confusion
In an official statement, DSD stated their new hybrid the Samba was powered by a Maesima engine and not a Saminda engine as CEO Darkshine stated in yesterday’s keynote.
More images of the new Ramjet appear
LaVache released some teaser images for the latest iteration of the Ramjet, scheduled for a 2018 release. Styling appears to be very unique indeed, and could well be an indicator of where car design is headed.
Rumours surrounding what Blackbird Racing Development have brought to the show continue
A potential new performance car from Blackbird could be set for unveiling this year, though stories are mixed. Rumours surrounding the company’s new “platform” stretch from a 240mph+ hypercar to a lightweight, road-going F1 style vehicle.
Their 3rd place finish at the Hungarian GP yesterday put them back in the limelight, having finished 4th overall in last years championship and continuing to be a highly competitive team in the 2017 championship. Are we about to see the company expand into a whole new sector altogether?
ADV announce 3 more vehicles
Yesterday, ADV were showing us the future of the automobile. At their press conference today, things were a little more grounded, as three new vehicles were revealed. The latest Modele SM, a name badge that stretches back some 68 years, drew some mixed comments with its slightly disjointed styling, but that was displaced by the announcement of the new AXO 7 seat crossover. The luxury people mover was applauded for its tasteful design and excellent specs.
Following this, a brand new super sedan called the Marquis was revealled. Taking on the current crop of rival vehicles with a 518 hp V12, there’s no doubt it’ll be a very quick land yacht once it’s released later this year. While today ADV were showcasing the American version of this car, a European version is also on the way.
Storm take a trip into the past once more with two pristine cars from their past
Another variant of the new Storm Shadow was released today, called the XVR-12. Like the ADV Marquis, it too is hoping to challenge the super sedan market with a 7l V12. However, this was overshadowed by two classic Storms that were also on display.
One, the angluar Gunslinger Concept from 1975, drew the attention of many a motorsport enthusiast; it was set to compete in the Group 5 touring championship’s of the late 70s, but it never quite made it that far. The other was a car well on its way to becoming a classic; the original Surge, a pioneer of hybird technology. This one actually happened to be the car of one of Storm’s senior management team, and serves as an example of where Storm have come from as a company.
River Automotive take a trip down memory lane with the classic Liti
It’s always nice to see a classic car among all the new cars, and the quaint River Liti didn’t disappoint. It’s pale mustard paint had been polished to perfection and the innards completely restored. Back in its day, the Liti was a fairly powerful little thing, though was famed for being ferociously uncomfortable. How times have changed.
OAM bring the house down with stunning reveal of the Chevalier II
Perhaps one of the biggest releases of this years show, OAM blew the crowd away in the keynote theatre when the brand new Chevalier II drifted on stage. The handsome muscle car was a big hit with the American audience, and looks set to be one of the best muscles cars of the year. 603 hp sits under the bonnet, while aluminium panels make up its body and and a gorgeous interior is found inside.
Also on display was the new Traveler II concept, which on the face of it appears to be a luxury compact that would look good alongside a Sachiuri sL200. However, this concept model has been fitted with the same 6l V8 as the Chevalier II, and is capable of 200 mph. How this thing must be to drive, we don’t know, but we guess it’ll be terrifying.
JHW launch another compact in the form of the Gaia
Sharing the same platform as the Theia, launched yesterday, the new JHW Gaia is another unusually shaped concept from the company. Well specced, great to drive and very comfortable, our initial impressions of the Gaia were good, though we aren’t too sure whether it’ll be worth the extra cost to buy when many of its features can be found on the Theia.
A sportier trim, called the S500, was also unveiled, with decent performance stats and a cute little boot spoiler. It won’t set the world on fire, but it was certainly good fun to drive. Compared to some cars found in this sector, the S500 was noticeably more comfortable.
Brivio finally make it to the show to reveal the new Scivolare
We all thought the keynote had been postponed again when Brivio annoucned that another one of their trucks had broken down. But all was not lost, and CEO Markus Brivio was able to display his company’s latest creation just 30 minutes before the show closed.
The Scivolare looks set to take on the excetive saloon market in true Brivio form; elegance, class and luxury. Its bif round headlights seem inspired by classic luxury cars, while its smooth lines are all modern. Even more modern is its engine range, with this model fitted with a compact 2.0l i4, an clear display of where the company is headed in the future. We look forward to its full release.
That’s the days events covered, now onto some of the interviews we managed to get done today.
Luke from Storm took a break from chatting with journalists at the company’s display to have a chat about some of the cars they’ve brought along.
[quote]It’s great to see you Luke. Let’s start with the Shadow; what prompted you to make an all electric super saloon?
"We’ve been building Hybrids since 2004, with the Surge. 2005 had us experimenting with the viability of a more powerful engine with our electric system, and also saw an all electric version of the Surge, which, for all intents and purposes, was aimed somewhere between compact and mid-size.
“What prompted an all electric super sedan? Because I didn’t have the tech to do it right with the 2006 Shadow. Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries, underpowered motors, nothing was in my favor in 2006 for doing that then. So I figured this year, just after the 10th anniversary of the Shadow, I had to make up for 10 years without a proper electric version. So I swapped the old plan of a 288 volt NiMH battery pack in favor of 370 volts worth of lithium-ion batteries, put the most powerful brushless motors I could make in the front, turning our latest and greatest 9 speed automatic transmission, and called that a good day.”
Can we expect more green cars like the Shadow from Storm in the future?
“The answer is yes. They might not be as powerful, and they may not be as cool, but there will be more hybrids and more electric cars, though I will also be making plenty of cars that go fast, too.”
On to another vehicle you’re displaying this year, what was the thinking behind a twin-engined car? How did you deal with the weight and transmission on the Pirahna?
"It’s been, well, my personal project for a couple of years now. I’ve been messing with transverse engines for a while now, and it just seemed like a perfect idea, to put one engine in the front and one behind the seats
"The main idea of the car was to build something absolutely crazy, yet fun to drive. It can’t ever be produced because it’s just too costly, there’s literally two of everything in the drive-line, but I could have fun with the idea.
"Dealing with the weight is the easy part. Stiffer springs, stiffer dampers, sacrifice comfort for, well, comfort. It’s a sports car, you’re going to have to accept it’s going to beat the hell out of you.
"Transmission, ironically, was even easier. Two transverse gearboxes configured for AWD, one mid-mounted and one front-mounted. I used DynamIQ, our whole-car computing system, and two ShiftTronic II dual-clutch 7 speed sequentials to make the two gearboxes shift as one.
“Now, I’d mentioned two AWD gearboxes, and that’s because they’re physically linked together by a driveshaft. This was done so that in the event of an engine stall, DynamIQ could force a gearbox into open clutch neutral, while the car remains AWD.”
Looks like a lot of complicated engingeering went into the Piranha, it’ll certainly be a memorable creation. Speaking of memorable cars, it’s great to see the Demon GRX in full rally spec on display. Does Storm have any plans to enter rally racing again in the near future?
“The answer is, in fact, yes. I will be following in the founder’s footsteps and looking to take on a rally race. Sure, it’s a case, then, of machine against machine, instead of man against machine, but I’ve never done a rally before, and there’s only so much one can learn through simulation before you just have to go build a car and try it. So if you know of any rally challenges I can take on, please do let me know.”
Luke, it’s been great talking to you.
[/quote]
We also snagged a spare 5 minutes with one of the PR representatives from ADV to discuss the cars they unveiled today.
That concludes today’s Round-Up. I’m off to tour the Downtown bars to see if I can find some automotive representatives who might be more willing to give some extra details about the cars on display this year once they’ve had a few G&T’s. Goodbye for now!
- Gavin Anderson
