2008 Detroit Motor Show: NAIAS

By Feann Torr - 15/January/2008

Detroit, America — The Detroit Motor Show has begun in earnest and for the motoring media, enthusiasts, and the car buying public alike, it's akin to being a kid in a candy shop.

You roll in, marvel at the sickly treats, then gorge yourself on stats, images, and opinion, while casting a few incredulous sideways looks: "Who would drive that?!"

For detailed reports and loads of images on the hottest cars from the 2008 Detroit Motor Show, check the bottom of the page.

But there were also serious tones to the 2008 event in Detroit, as the head of General Motors, Rick Wagoner, said that we needed to look at new fuel sources as demand for petrol is expected to increase 70% in the next two decades.

Over the next few weeks we'll update this page with all the best vehicles from the 2008 Detroit Motor Show along with all the breaking news.

As one of the biggest motor shows of the year, not to mention the first, it's also one of the most important shows for American car makers and this year has seen some big news.

As well as GM's claim that it will have plug-in electric vehicles ready by 2010, some of the biggest names in the American motoring industry made their pitch to media and the public. 

Hummer with its ethanol-powered HX Concept, and Ford with the new F-150 and Explorer concept, plus Chrysler with its Dodge Zeo Concept.

And then there was the Chevy Corvette ZR1, which marked General Motor's desire to compete with the Germans in the escalating power war. Underpinned by a supercharged V8, the new ZR1 Corvette is impressively insane.

As Chevrolet's Ed Peper said when talking about the most powerful Corvette ever made, "Better than the Porsche 911 GT2, the Ferrari 599 and even the Lamborghini LP640. In fact, the ZR1 is expected to be the first production Corvette to achieve a top speed of at least 200mph."

But Detroit wasn't all about maximum power in 2008. 

The Ford Explorer, which is one of the USA's biggest selling SUVs, has been unveiled in concept form, which shows off how the new model will be styled. 

But perhaps of more interest is the fact that Ford has listened to its customers and will offer a low emissions 2.0-litre turbo engine with next generation Explorer. 

These new EcoBoost engines will underpin many next generation vehicles that fall under the Blue Oval's umbrella and signal a shift away from much larger gas guzzling engines.

Ford also showed the new Verve sedan concept, which will eventually replace the Fiesta.

But it wasn't just the home-grown heroes at this year's Detroit Motor Show who made waves.

The Germans had a strong showing, with Mercedes-Benz displaying a new mid sized SUV concept, the GLK Freeside, while Volkswagen stunned show goers with its elegant 4-door coupe, the Passat CC. 

Keep an eye on the slinky new Passat, because it has the making's of a icon.

Audi's new TT-S was another attention grabber at the show, becoming the most powerful Audi TT ever - and it's powered by a 4-cylinder engine!

It is as though Audi cannot be stopped, as another highlight was the launch of its V12, twin turbo diesel-powered R8, which is even quicker than the petrol version. But will sports car drivers want an agricultural diesel rumbling away behind them? If the reaction at the show was anything to go by, then yes, most definitely.

The Japanese weren't to be dismissed in Detroit either, with Lexus delivering some heavy-duty firepower with the 5.0-litre V10 convertible LF-A Roadster. Talk about sex appeal, this thing is going to create waves in the sports car world.

Hyundai is also hoping to make a big impact on the American new car market with its $600 million Genesis, a rear-wheel drive luxury sedan that will offer V6 and V8 power.

Mitsubishi debuted the Concept-RA, an attractive 2-door sports car powered by a 2.2-litre performance diesel engine.

Mazda displayed the first RX-8 facelift since it first went on sale in 2003, adding a few changes here and there to improve handling and acceleration.

There were literally hundreds of new cars at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show, with massive amounts of money spent on not just the new cars, but also the exhibits and audio-visual madness that accompanies them.

As one of the largest and most important motor shows of the year, it's also one of the first and 2008 has offered up a veritable cornucopia of automotive treats.

We'll be updating this page over the new couple of weeks with all the best cars from Detroit, so check back regularly and don't forget to hit the refresh button on your browser.

From concepts to production cars, and everything inbetween, we hope you enjoy our coverage of the 2008 Detroit Motor Show:

• Ford Verve Sedan Concept (2008)

• Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart (2008)

• Dodge Zeo Concept (2008)

• Jeep Renegade Concept (2008)

• Mitsubishi Concept-RA (2008)

• GM Plug-In Electric Vehicles (2010)

• Toyota Venza (2008)

• Audi R8 V12 TDI (2008)

• Lexus LF-A Roadster (2008)
  

• Volkswagen Passat CC (2008)

• Audi TT-S (2008)

• Mazda RX-8 (2008)
  

• Hummer HX Concept (2008)

• Saab 9-4X Concept (2008)

• Hyundai Genesis (2008)

• Ford Explorer America Concept (2008)

• Toyota A-BAT Concept (2008)
  

• Mercedes-Benz Vision GLK Freeside Concept (2008)

• Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (2009)

• Land Rover LRX Concept (2008)

• Mazda Furai Concept (2008)