The Detroit Auto Show Rides Again

Time was when Detroit’s North American International Auto Show was the place for new cars to be seen. Porsche debuted the Boxster concept car at the Detroit show. Chrysler made news with astounding stunts, such as when the Jeep Grand Cherokee appeared by smashing through a plate glass window.

Carmakers’ concept car teams toiled through the month of December in preparation for the then-January event, each hoping to top the others and surprise the media with something as unexpected as the Dodge Tomahawk, a motorcycle powered by a Viper V-10 engine.

Now, we have a subdued, rescheduled auto show, with a handful of modest announcements. Perhaps it is a slow return to normal, or perhaps it is a harbinger of a new normal. Time will tell.

Chrysler 300C

This year’s show marked the debut of new versions of existing models, the Chrysler 300C, the Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe, the Lincoln Corsair, and the Chevrolet Tahoe RST.

As the Stellantis brands of Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep head toward electrification, the Chrysler brand will conclude production of the 300 full-size sedan after the 2023 model year. As we’ve seen with the previously announced replacements for the Dodge Charger and Challenger, which share the Chrysler 300’s platform, the big rear-drive sedan will be replaced by a new battery electric model for 2024.

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As a send off for combustion fans, Chrysler has announced the 2023 300C, which is powered by a 485-horsepower, 475 lb.-ft. 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine. This car boasts 0-60 mph acceleration of 4.3 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 12.4 seconds. As a special final edition, Chrysler says it will build just 2,200 300Cs for a price of $55,000.

To accommodate the 300C’s speed and power, the car includes four-piston Brembo brakes to help corral that speed. Other goodies include a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, advanced brake assist, Lane Departure Warning Plus, Full Speed Collision Warning Plus.

Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe

Jeep has extended the plug-in hybrid-electric 4xe drivetrain to the lower-priced, World War II-themed Willys edition of the Wrangler, bringing its 49 MPG and 21 miles of all-electric range to a slightly less-expensive $55,590 model (before available $7,500 federal tax credit).

It continues to include the 375-horsepower, 470-lb.-ft. Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid propulsion system with a 2.72:1 Selec-Trac full-time 4WD system, 30 inches of water fording, heavy-duty Dana 44 axles, and LT255/75R17C mud-terrain tires.

The “Willys” name is a reference to the company that originally produced Jeeps for the U.S. military during World War II, and this Jeep carries graphics with that name as a reminder. Jeep says that the Wrangler 4xe, in its various guises, is the best-selling plug-in hybrid vehicle in the U.S., though they decline to provide exact sales numbers for it.

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The 4xe employs a ZF-supplied transmission-mounted motor generator unit integrated into eight-speed automatic transmission that is powered by a Samsung 400-volt, 17-kWh, 96-cell lithium-ion, nickel manganese cobalt battery pack.

Lincoln Corsair ActiveGlide

For 2023 Lincoln is adding latest version of Ford’s Blue Cruise advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), called ActiveGlide 1.2, to the brand’s best-selling Corsair SUV.

This hands-free driver assistance system includes lane-changing, in-lane positioning, and predictive speed assist. Aiding the driver’s comfort is a new 13.2-inch infotainment display, SYNC4 voice control with Lincoln Enhance software updates, and Auto Air Refresh.

The top features of ActiveGlide 1.2 include:

Chevrolet Tahoe RST

Chevrolet introduced a hot-rod version of its popular full-size body-on-frame three-row SUV that applies Chevrolet Performance induction and exhaust systems to increase output of the 6.2L V-8 to 433 horsepower and 467 lb.-ft. of torque. These are increases of 13 hp and 7 lb.-ft. over the 2022 RST’s available 6.2L engine, giving it more horsepower than any other Tahoe. The result is 0-60 mph acceleration in 5.78 seconds, a top speed of 124 mph, and a better stopping distance of 133 feet from 60 mph.

The RST borrows heavily from the police version of the Tahoe, with parts that include:

“We have carefully tuned this vehicle to handle speed with confidence and control that is immediately apparent behind the wheel,” said Dominique Lester, chief engineer. “The pursuit-rated driving dynamics inspire excitement and confidence on the road, and we’re proud to have achieved this level of ride and handling in a full-size SUV largely through performance calibration and tuning.”