Organizing files electronically isn’t really that much different from the “real” thing. As long as you label, sort, and store items in a consistent fashion you should have no problem finding important pieces of information for future reference. Back in 2008 I wasn’t too concerned with keeping my digital affairs in order, and the consequences resulted in the presumed loss of hundreds of pictures. Turns out I was just a lazy 22 year old who decided to let the software to my old digital camera name the folders where these pictures would reside. Today’s trip down memory lane is brought to you by folder “0009” by way of the Nikon Coolpix app, circa 2008.
Its been more than eight years since these pictures were taken, and while many things have changed, some remain the same. Like the more recent auto shows I’ve covered, Ford is either at, or near, the beginning of my coverage. For as long as I’ve been going to the show in New York I’ve always started on the south side of the main floor, and Ford just happens to be the company that has occupied that section, which coincidentally is also close to one of the entrances to the Javits Center.
The price of gas isn’t too much of a concern for car buyers these days. Back in 2008 that was not the case, and automakers were scrambling to add fuel efficient vehicles to their lineups to meet demand. While the sixth gen hatchback had already debuted in Europe no sedan variant existed until this “Verve” concept showed up in Detroit. I remember being surprised Ford would produce a subcompact that looked so upscale. Of course now we know that while the Fiesta did elevate the subcompact class upon its introduction, those chrome bits were conspicuously absent from the production model, at least until the 2014 refresh arrived.
Ford also ditched that chrome strip along the trunk and got rid of the altezza tailights, not to mention the central exhaust. This concept also features frameless doors and a glass roof, which leaves me wondering if those were ever considered for the production model, because the Verve ultimately looks like a slightly modified version of a real life Fiesta.
The next generation Fiesta hatchback was recently revealed in Europe. Ford has not said if the new subcompact will make it to America, and with the rapid decline of smaller cars, it wouldn’t be surprising if they decided against it. Judging by how Ford introduced the Fiesta back in 2008, we’ll know for certain if the car will be available to American shoppers within the year.
I didn’t take too many pictures of actual Ford vehicles, but I did snap this crash-tested Taurus, which was sacrificed so that others could benefit from its demise. Some might say this new front end is an improvement over the non-destroyed versions of the bull.
The Ford Explorer America concept reflected Ford’s shift towards more unibody front-wheel drive based platforms for its passenger utility vehicles. Although the first EcoBoost engine would debut with the 2009 Lincoln MKS, this concept came equipped with the 2.0 four cylinder variant that would go on to power many vehicles in the Ford lineup. The Explorer refresh that occurred for the 2016 model year did not include the 2.0, as it was replaced with the 2.3 EcoBoost found in the Mustang and MKC.
I’m sure many car enthusiasts balked at the idea of an Explorer being powered by a four cylinder, but the 240 horsepower, 270 Ibs torque figure of the 2.0 Ecoboost bested the contemporary 4.0 liter V6 found in the 2008 Explorer by 30 horses. Heck, the current iteration of the 2.0 beats the naturally aspirated 3.5 liter V6 found in a bunch of contemporary Ford products, at least when it comes to torque.
The Lincoln MKT is certainly an automotive pariah, and just like the Flex, its all but certain to meet its end in the near future. I’m guessing Lincoln will stick to a more conservative design for its next three row crossover, which will have to try very hard to sell as poorly as the MKT.
That interior may look a bit outlandish, but its actually not that far off from the production model, at least when it comes to the dash and center stack. The MKT is truly an ugly duckling, as its interior and road manners are quite polished.
The MKS has now been replaced by the Continental after a seven year run. Like the MKT, the MKS was an automotive pariah, scorned by many and loved by few. Fun fact: the MKS was the first Ford product to be equipped with an EcoBoost engine.
This was also one of the last years where the Lincoln and Ford displays were directly next to each other. Lincoln currently occupies space alongside all the other luxury brands at the northern end of the building.
The MKS and Taurus are not the most space efficient vehicles on the market. While the Taurus is short interior space for such a large vehicle, the big shortcoming for the Lincoln is the small trunk opening, which limits what you can put into the nearly 20 cubic foot cargo area.
Subcompact crossovers were pretty much nonexistent in 2008. Small work vans were also a rarity in the United States until the Transit Connect arrived on the scene for the 2010 model year. Competitors followed suit soon after, and today there exists a healthy market for the little vans.
Smart! The name that is only capitalized when put at the beginning of a sentence. The fortwo of this generation came equipped with a single clutch automated manual transmission that was pilloried by the automotive press for its lack of shift logic.
Like Ford, Honda had a subcompact model available for sale in Europe that eventually made its way to American shores once gas prices spiked. The Fit, like the CR-V, has earned a reputation for being very space efficient.
Honda’s Clarity is likely a pipe dream, especially as electric cars continue to improve. That being said, the Clarity did preview a number of design themes that are currently featured on Honda products. Note the hatchback-like rear end of this model and compare it to the 2016 Civic. The tail light packages of both cars are also similar.
Like the MKS, the Genesis coupe never really gained a following. Further compounding the issue is the newly created Genesis brand, which shares the same name but makes more of a business case for itself. Rumors point to a future Genesis luxury coupe, but whatever form it takes, that two door model will not be the Mustang competitor the Genesis coupe could have been.
As for the Genesis four door, it continues to live on as the G80, another luxury model with a boring alphanumeric name. The Genesis has always looked fairly attractive to me even if the design is a little staid. That being said, the Genesis was far more competitive with the Japanese and German luxury brands than anything available at a Cadillac or Lincoln dealership circa 2008.
The Transformers franchise may be in sequel hell right now, but when this yellow Camaro near-production concept showed itself in New York, the live action series had yet to become the eye rolling basket of mediocrity it is in 2016. I actually thought the the first movie was pretty good! And as annoying as Shia LaBeouf has become, he did a great job in his starring role, especially in his interactions with the far less annoying and absurdly attractive Megan Fox, whom I hope finds success in a critically acclaimed film someday. She deserves it.
As for the actual merits of the Camaro, I have always felt that this design works very well for the coupe, and its not surprising at all that Chevy felt no need to change anything for the sixth generation.
The Lamda platform will soon be replaced by the same architecture that underpins the 2017 GMC Acadia and the Cadillac XT5. As for the Traverse and Enclave, the models currently sitting in dealer showrooms are mostly similar to the ones that debuted in 2008, save for some cosmetic and technological upgrades. The Lamda platform checks all the boxes of a modern full-size crossover: large displacement V6 engine with an output over 250 horsepower; standard front wheel drive and available four wheel drive and enough space for seven passengers. With over 1.5 million units sold since 2006, the Lamda platform certainly qualifies as success for General Motors, and I suspect its successor will only build on the momentum of its predecessor
Remember when Toyota thought it needed a separate division to appeal to younger customers? Turns out that the company just needed to offer vehicles with compelling features at competitive prices.
Far more rational to focus attention to a product like the Corolla in order to draw in that coveted youth demographic.
The Yaris hasn’t enjoyed the same success as its bigger siblings, especially since gas prices have declined, but it still moves a decent amount of units per year. Was this Speed Racer tie in necessary? Most definitely not. Its a shame the Wachowski siblings haven’t made a good movie since The Matrix.
Speaking of failed endeavors, here is the Toyota Venza, the rare crossover that struggled to find buyers in a growing segment. The Ford Edge and Grand Cherokee are proof that mid-size two row crossovers can succeed in the marketplace, so what gives? Is there room for only a couple of nameplates in that particular size category?
I’m guessing Toyota buyers either went to the Highlander or the RAV4, as the Venza suffered from a mediocre exterior design.
GM officially debuted the Chevy Volt concept in 2007. One year later the Saturn Flextreme Concept previewed a much more conventional design that more clearly reflected the production model Volt. The hatchback actually debuted as an Opel and was later modified with Saturn badges for the 2008 auto show circuit. Opel eventually fielded its own variant of the Volt, but only for its first generation.
I’m not sure how a Segway style storage compartment would fare in a rear end collision, but the idea is certainly novel enough to be interesting.
Stay tuned for part 2.
Related Reading:
Curbside Classic Visits The 2007 Empire State Plaza Auto Show, Part 1
Curbside Classic Visits The 2007 Empire State Plaza Auto Show, Part 2
Good article and photos indeed. I graduated high school in 2008 and I finding it surprising how time flies. From what I heard and saw the Honda Fit is not suited too well to the rough asphalt and dirt roads of Central New York so some people bought a Toyota Yaris instead. Apparently the Yaris has as a softer ride, a bit more ground clearance, and the departure/approach angles are better. It is interesting to watch Fits fall down the socioeconomic ladder as 2008 gets further away since I remember when they were new in the U.S. of A.
Availability was another issue, the gen 1 Fit sold to a waiting list at a time when Toyota dealers had the Yaris in stock and were willing to make deals.
I like the looks of that generation Fit, but while the latest one looks frumpier, credit Honda for shortening it a bit.
Firm ride is typical Honda, which makes me wonder why it’s considered an Old Folks’s car in Europe. Stateside, Old Folks tend to prefer soft rides (e.g. Buicks), or if they’re cheap, Corollas.
Honda in Europe is what they call a 1%er. As in market share.
Have a look here, scroll down for a chart with all brands:
http://autotijd.be/verkoopcijfers/europa/honda
The “tricked-out xD” is a Matrix.
One positive sign for the new Fiesta is that it’s available in a CUV-ified model which I can see replacing the sedan at a substantial savings in design and tooling costs.
Can’t believe I didn’t catch that. Thank you for pointing that out.
I finally saw my first Honda Clarity on the road last month in SoCal, at first I was not sure what it was, then it dawned on me. It was the same color as the one you shot (perhaps they are all that color??). It was quite large, and more or less similar to the Accord Crosstour of a few years ago but with much more shaped styling.
I believe they were all distributed here in California, and yes they are all the same color. Odd looking when new but now rather attractive compared to the current Civic.
“the Genesis was far more competitive with the Japanese and German luxury brands than anything available at a Cadillac or Lincoln dealership circa 2008.”
Lincoln, sure, but not Cadillac – the new-for-2008 CTS was an even better car than the admittedly respectable Genesis. Although one can’t compare the two directly as they were indirect rivals.
I should have specified that I was talking about full size sedans. The CTS of that era definitely was competitive but the DTS was a joke.
It’s bizarre how trunk volume keeps increasing while the openings become more and more mail slot like. The Lincoln M’KayS isn’t the only offender though, sleek close coupled sedans in general have gotten worse than old coupes in that metric.
And the buyers have responded to the mail-slot trunks by staying away from sedans in droves. Carmakers still won’t offer the liftbacks that this profile was meant to be in D-segment cars, though, even when they’ve been developed for other markets (Ford Fusion/Mondeo, Buick Regal/Opel Insignia).
In the C-segment the sedan/hatch ratio ranges from 60/40 sedans for the (aging, heavily fleeted) Ford Focus to the reverse for the Subaru Impreza. I wonder what the two-month figures for the Chevy Cruze are, I’ve seen calendar 2016 figures but they’re meaningless since the hatch didn’t ship until around Thanksgiving.
To be fair, buyers aren’t fleeing sedans due to small trunk sizes but because of the benefits of crossovers – available all wheel drive and increased ride height, not to mention the advancements in fuel economy that make their purchase less of a financial burden. Some automakers have also kept their trunk openings decently sized despite their more curvy figures, for example the current gen Fusion dropped the front lip of the trunk edge down to compensate for the loss of space at the top near the rear windshield.
The sleek designs have also had nasty effects on ingress/egress. I’m not saying these drove people to crossovers but it certainly reinforces perceptions. Many sedans can be had with AWD as well if that’s desirable, it’s not standard on crossovers either, most cope with FWD
Love the lead photo… that Saleen Gurney Mustang with it’s heritage body kit. Quad exhaust, relocated license plate (from bumper to panel between the taillights)…. looks so good. So good that I updated my Mustang with it!