Automation Detroit Auto Show 2017 [BEST IN SHOW REVEALED]

lol noobs

we’ve done 614 miles of driving in winter conditions

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##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

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with the Gaia, its got more boot space. and it’s got a different style to it. think of it like a Golf/Jetta deal.

#OAM/EADC NAIAS day 3 teaser


On day three, OAM will be showing off old Classics such as the original 1966 OAM Chevalier, the 1973 OAM Cavalry, the 1976 OAM RoadCruiser and Apache, as well as the 1981 Phoenix. In addition, the 1990 NASCAR spec Phoenix II will also be on display, along side its monster Nadier-Shoefield V8.

Outside, one of Nadier-Shoefield’s original 1945 10.3L Swallow V12, will be on display with the new 5.9L Buzzard II V8, which is found in both the Chevalier II and the Traveller II. OAM’s current CEO, Johnathan Whittingmore, grandson of Benjamin Whittingmore (cofounder of OAM) will also be making an appearance for a Q&A session.

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After reading this I’ve just realised that @Madrias has made probably the first ever 16-cylinder car in Automation :smiley:

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Here at the Petoskey display we would like to start off with a few noteworthy historical models.

This particular number is a special treat, one of the fastest cars in the world at the time, and also among the rarest and expensive with only ten ever made, presenting the Ventnor Speedster:


When the second world war started to turn in favor of the Allies, the executives at Petoskey Motors’ Ventnor Luxury Division set out working on a high performance sports car.

The Ventnor Premium was discontinued due to the shift to war production, but blueprints were still handy for the gargantuan 571 V12 that drove the car. A special high performance version was designed for the smaller two-seater.

Prototype testing was underway by 1944, and by mid-1945, after the war in Europe ended, the Ventnor Speedster was ready for sale. However the immense R&D that went into the project left only ten models ever built. Unfortunately for Ventnor, there was minimal resources to allocate to the luxury brand as Petoskey Motors was focused on shifting back to peacetime production. As a result the Ventnor brand would remain defunct until a vehicle hit the showroom floor ten years later.

Unfortunately for Petoskey Motors, there were a number of labor disputes which broke down into a brutal mob war. The labor unions that many of the Petoskey factory workers belonged to were deeply involved and as a result, the majority of Petoskey factories were wiped out from fire bombing and industrial sabotage. Petoskey Motors had been working on a vehicle to replace the Model B which was cut short from production as a result of the mob war. This left the company putting all of its eggs in one basket as they only had the means to release one model. In 1951, the Indian made it’s debut.


The base model was designed around Petoskey’s 261 inline six, however the majority were equipped with war-surplus 360 V8s. An inexpensive engine that offered good service during the war.

The car was a major success with many buyers even preferring the thirstier but powerful V8. The 360 was a product for military vehicles contracted during the war. The post-war economy found the engines being placed in civilian utility vehicles.

The engine remained unchanged from it’s 1942 spec until the supplies ran out in 1956. With the exception of a performance model that was used for a sport version and a Police Special. The Indian is credited as being the “Car that saved Petoskey Motors”

The success of the Petoskey Indian opened up revenue for further expansion. As a result the Ventnor Luxury Division was able to make a comeback in 1955 with the Sovereign.


The Ventnor Sovereign was envisioned as a top of the line luxury sedan that was within reach of the common man. It was also the first vehicle by Petoskey Motors to be equipped with an automatic transmission.

Also making a first time appearance is the legendary 432 Big Block, an engine that would be used in various forms for 46 years.

The Sovereign marked Ventnors highly-anticipated return to the market. For decades to follow, Ventnors were built to the same uncompromising standards of luxury.

Moving on to present day, we have the new 2017 Montauk RTX.


It has been over a decade since the Montauk revived the aggressive styling of the past with great success. In production in one form or another for over fifty years, the Montauk remains Petoskey Motors’ most popular sports car.

While the first Montauk was an experiment involving cramming a big engine into a smaller car, the car evolved into a technological powerhouse combining sophisticated technology with raw American horsepower. The 301 ScramJet was introduced in 2013 as a replacement for the legendary but aging 301 TriForce. The end result is amazing performance with minimal fuel consumption and a solid design. For 2017, the ScramJet High Output offers 522 horsepower on tap, making it the most powerful Montauk ever built.

These refinements make the Montauk a solid muscle car for the 21st century.

Winter got you down? Rough roads and icy conditions make driving a chore? Look no further than the 2017 Stag Pickup.


For 2017, the Stag gets a face lift but externally does not appear all that different. Internally however, the Stag boasts a new 8RE7 transmission for increased towing capability and fuel efficiency.

The 402 V8 also sees a new upgrade with increased power output and fuel economy.

Whether you’re plowing snow, hauling a boat, or just plain muddin’ the Stag is the ultimate choice for pickups. Uncompromisingly rugged, and capable of transporting the entire work crew to the job site*

*Crew Cab model not shown.

Our final vehicle of interest on display is a trip back in time. In 1965 Petoskey Motors entered the super car arena with the Ventnor Bambino. The 1970-71 Bambinos featured a complex fuel injection system and even greater power output and luxurious interiors. The second gen Bambinos were the most sought after by collectors. Today, Ventnor has returned to the super car fray with a modern day descendant of the classic namesake.


The somewhat simplistic design underlies a remarkable machine. Easily underestimated by using a 3.5L V6 many would look at the Bambino and wonder why they would choose it over any other.

For starters, the 3.5L V6 just happens to use the patented EcoForce technology to deliver 439 horsepower on tap. Despite being a relatively low power output, the Bambino makes the most of it. In a way it is a David to the Goliaths that dominate the super car world.

The 213 EcoForce was originally developed for the 2010 Petoskey Owosso Police Interceptor. There has been an inter-company rivalry between the development teams over the 213 EcoForce and the 301 ScramJet. The ScramJet has in the past proven to be superior in both output and fuel efficiency, however, the deployment in the Bambino has shown that the 213 EcoForce is not to be counted out yet.

While Petoskey Motors has a number of models, these particular are the highlights we wish to display at this time.

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Seeing a post above about a truck breaking down, I offer the services of the Petoskey Stag for any towing needs you may require.

Also, a note from the company: To anyone who is thinking of stealing the Speedster from our display, just remember that we have a history with shady characters and are not above recruiting hit men.

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Only if you ignore the secret of the powers of image editing. Shame it can’t really be done, because I’d do it for real if I could. Would be interesting to see how it’d really handle as a transverse twin AWD.

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Mott Works has opened up their display with some of their classic cars.



Those cars being the 1948 hot rods known as the Savage and the Rage, both powered by the 242ci V8 as well as the 1946 sports GT Aqueos powered by a 6L V12, all of which came from the very early days of the company.

*note these pics are quite old so stats may not be comparable. I was unable to open the Savage and Rage in the current build so just went with previous pics I had.

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AL AUTOS

Hello and welcome to the AL Autos booth! We have with us today some of our newest and exciting models! Please feel free to take a look around! We are always looking to improve our designs and find that comments from auto shows like these help us improve. So feel free to leave comments about our cars in the designated section bellow!

Disclaimer: All of the lap times were acquired from driving our cars 3 laps around the Dunsfold Aerodrome Circuit in Surrey, UK. I am only a new member so I can only post 1 image at a time. There will be more posts.

The AL Balistica R

We are starting off with a bang revealing the fastest car we have ever produced. The AL Balistica R. The Balistica (Ballistic in Italian) is the currently the crown jewel of AL, clocking a lap time of 1:11.7 around our test track. This is thanks to a mid mounted 8.1 L Twin Turbo Flatplane V8 powerhouse producing 1120hp, 0-62 being dealt with in 2.4 seconds, and top speeds being an estimated 238 MPH / 383 KPH. It’s hard to imagine that this car is even road legal, but it is. Prices for the car start at $260,000. Not bad for a car that is blistering fast. If you would like to schedule a test drive, please feel free to stop by at one of our showrooms.

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##The AL Elegante XLES

AL AUTOS

Hello and welcome to the AL Autos booth! We have with us today some of our newest and exciting models! Please feel free to take a look around! We are always looking to improve our designs and find that comments from auto shows like these help us improve. So feel free to leave comments about our cars in the designated section bellow!

Next off, we have something different but no less exciting. The AL Elegante XLES. The Elegante, properly named so, is one of our hand crafted vehicles. The inspiration for the body’s design comes from the time when buyers were given a chassis and car bodies where hand crafted for the owner. We believe we have recreated that and added a few modern touches. Bi-Xenon Headlamps, Hi-Flow vents, LED taillights, and a front mounted 6.2 L Twin Turbo V8 producing 696 HP and hurling this car from 0-62 in 4.6 seconds. Surprisingly 196 MPH / 315 KPH is this vehicles top speed. Prices for this car, will start at around $550,000. Prices are high for this car, however you are paying for a hand crafted luxury interior, a fire-breathing v8, and a gorgeous body to die for. If you are interested, stop by our showroom and we can show you around.

Update I am sorry, but I have currently reached my topic reply limit as I am new to this forum. I will post more cars as soon as I can.

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From Rennen, a new sensation of speed. A new form of an adrenaline rush. A new sense of terror.

The Rennen Apophis Concept is a new concept developed by Rennen to be the fastest GT car ever built. Lapping our test track in under 1 minute 47, an impressive time for such a luxuriously appointed vehicle, the Apophis is a new breed of luxury supercars. With a front-mid engined, all-wheel drive layout routed through a 7-speed DCT and 2 electronic limited slip differentials, the Apophis is sure to tenaciously grip any stretch of road you throw at it. The twin-turbocharged 5.5 Liter V12 is tuned to produce upwards of 640 HP, and thus the Apophis can shoot from 0 to 62 MPH in under 3 seconds.

With this talk of the interior, it reveals a cabin full of luxury that rivals that of our flagship saloon, the Genova. With a shell-white leather interior, alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, carbon fiber accents and gearknob, as well as a 12-inch central touchscreen which allows for easy access for the driver whilst remaining driver focused, the Apophis is a true GT car. Don’t be fooled; it’s highly advanced pushrod rear suspension and carbon fiber body and chassis make the Apophis a stunning car to drive. Not only that, but the styling was carefully executed to demonstrate the future of Rennen’s design language. carefully sculpted curves, headlights, and taillights lead to an aggressive yet distinctly Rennen style. With such brute force and sinful luxury, the Apophis is truly the angel that fell from heaven.

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@BobLobLaw you deserve kudos for showing off the winner (albeit in revised form) of CSR26 at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show!

Meanwhile, WMD has revealed the HSC-52 concept car; this vehicle is being proposed for use in an upcoming action film.

A limited production run is proposed, especially since its normally-aspirated V8 is an increasingly rare configuration in today’s turbo-dominated motoring landscape.

If it actually enters production, WMD will build a few hundred at a pre-markup price of just under $100k - the actual markup percentage is yet to be determined.

The Hunt For A Star Car! [NOW OPEN UNTIL 19th JAN!]

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Adenine presents the 2017 Adenine Reverence, available at dealerships now!

More info and pictures available here.

Adenine will be presenting another vehicle next week.

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Sadly Gamma Industries won’t participate of this Auto Show, since we will only be able to send our cars past 24th January.

2017 JHW Athena

The 2017 Athena is our Top-line Luxury car, Coming in at $63,900, it is our most expensive non-sports car. Named for the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Craft, And War, often characterized by her calm demeanor and not fighting without reason. This, we felt, was a more than fitting name for a reserved luxury cruiser that could unleash the dogs of war when needed.

This All Aluminium Car is powered by an All Alloy 4.3L Twin-Turbo V8, delivering 368bhp. This gives this 2 ton Luxury sedan a 0-62mph of 4.9s and a top speed of 179mph, not bad seeing as it still returns over 25mpg!

So call in for more info and to book a test!

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Well some bad news the concept car is busted so we won’t be showcasing it this time, we also might have to delay the next presentation to tomorrow since there some issues with the documents.

The calmness of the show was broken yet again by the Storm Automotive group with the arrival of two insane cars, propelled by AluStar III V8’s tuned for more than 1200 horsepower.



“They look even better in public, don’t they?” Luke asked the handful of people who had grouped around the Storm Automotive cars. “Much better than just pictures in a car magazine.”

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Vanguard will be doing their panel at 20:30 GMT.

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After being in a hiatus for a few months, the Miller Automobile Company is proud to unveil the 2018 Miller ZA SUV.

The Miller ZA will be available with AWD and a MAC developed 8 Speed Automatic Transmission as standard across all trims. The ZA will come with a choice of either a V6 or V8 engines, all of them turbocharged, making the ZA the first vehicle in Miller’s history to only come with turbocharged engines across all trim levels.

The entry level [color=lightblue]ZA-34[/color] will come with the newly developed 3.4L twin turbocharged 34L6 DOHC V6 producing 271 HP and acheiving 27 MPG average.



The premium [color=lightblue]ZA-41[/color] will come with the also newly developed 4.1L twin turbocharged 41L8 SOHC V8 producing 388 HP and averaging 23 MPG.



In addition to the ZA, We have also brought out our favorite classic Miller Automobiles! Please enjoy!

1968 Miller MS-I


1956 Miller 161 Roadster


1969 Miller Anaconda MS-434


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