2010 Minneapolis Auto Show Part 1: From GM to Spyker (Saab)

As I said in my intro post, this year's Auto Show left me a little cold. No extremely new, exciting cars I haven't seen before, at least pictures of anyway. While I did go to the show with a "who cares?" state of mind, there were quite a few standouts.






First up, this show marked the first time I've seen Saab's new offerings in person. Fresh out of the GM-to-Spyker transition/fiasco, the automaker brought its two newest additions, along with the rest of its lukewarm lineup. The new 9-5 is a great looking car. Whereas the old car is sort of a mundane mishmash of various design cues, the new car speaks Saab very well. Although, it is based on the Opel Insignia, it shares nothing of its sheetmetal. In fact, looking at the two cars side by side, one would never know they are related at all.


The other noteworthy new car from Saab is the 9-3X crossover-utility wagon. Much in the same spirit as the Audi Allroad line, and Subaru Outback series, Saab has taken its smaller wagon and outfitted it for "offroad" use. While I like the concept, and applaud Saab for jumping on the bandwagon, I must express my disdain for the car. Saab has jumped onto a failing market with a car more expensive and more exclusive than its main "competitor". Like the Audi Allroad, I predict Saab's crossover-utility wagon will fall flat on its face; it seems like this was GM's last idea to "save Saab". And it won't work.


Gm also brought out some goodies. There was the Cadillac Converj Concept Car, which, despite being given a greenlight for production, has been canned as of this writing. Bummer. While I don't necessarily approve of a hybrid sports car, the design itself is rather attractive. Looking at this, I wonder if this would've made a better XLR. The lines are dramatic without being to abrupt, the shape is fluid, and the little design cues that make the car are present. I especially like Cadillac's application of crisp, CTS-like styling to this car.




Also new on the Cadillac front is the CTS Wagon. The second generation CTS made its debut in 2007, with rumors that a wagon and coupe were not far off. Fast forward three years, and the wagon is finally here, with the coupe coming this summer. Like most sedan-to-wagon transformations, I happen to think the CTS works well with a fifth door. The interior is spacious, however the cargo hold seems to be an afterthought, since the roof tapers downward, hindering cargo capacity and rear headroom. The D-Pillar presents a huge blindspot, too, but at least the car itself looks good, right?
Not to be outdone by brandleader Chevy, Cadillac brought out its too hot to trot CT-V with all 556 of its horses waiting to be unleashed on unsuspecting drivers.


Buick also made a big splash this year. The Lucerne is getting way-too-long in the tooth, the Enclave is still nice, but it was introduced in 2007 as an all-new 2008 vehicle. The 2010 Buick LaCrosse is a good car, too but I've seen it before. My main want-to-see from Buick this year was the 2011 Regal. I wasn't sure if it was gonna be there, but sure enough, it was. Fresh from China, this new Regal is another one of GM's Epsilon vehicles. The platform was first introduced on the Opel Insignia in 2008, and now it's making its rounds as a global underpinning. Unlike the Saab 9-5, this car is instantly recognizable as its Opel brother. It really hasn't strayed much from that car's design, save for trim and badges. However, the new Regal marks an important step for Buick. With the demise of Pontiac, GM has repositioned Buick as their new "upscale" performance and luxury brand. With a turbo four cylinder making 250 horses, and an optional 3.6L V6 making the same amount of horses, I think Buick is on the right track to getting back their performance edge.


Chevy also had a few notable vehicles, the first one only being a new color introduced. Since its introduction last summer, the Camaro has sold well; infact Chevy built their 100,000th this past week. For 2010, Chevy is introducing the SEMA-unveiled Synergy Green to the public. I kinda like it.





Also, some Corvettes were to be had, too. Interestingly enough, there was no Z06. Instead, Chevy brought out a ZR-1 in a fantastic cranberry red color, and some Grand Sports. Fittingly enough, the GS hardtop (targa top) on display was blue with red stripes, just like the C4 GS.
Since 2010 was a big year for GM, I can only hope they'll have noteworthy cars next year. It seems like this year, GM's quantity of cars was down, as was everyone's but it seems that GM was hit hardest. Without Pontiac and Saturn, they needed to fill floor space by bringing mundane versions of the nice cars. Oh well. At least they brought stuff.