The 2016 Detroit Motor Show will kick off on January 11 and as is the drill with most of these grand automotive extravaganzas, will bring in plenty of fresh new metal from across the globe. As the year’s first major auto show, the Detroit Motor Show is known to kick off the best of what’s to come earlier on in the year and the 2016 edition seems no different.
What we have here is a selection of all-new cars that will arrive at the 2016 Detroit Motor Show and eventually, in the Indian market later in the year.
Volvo S90
Volvo’s highlight for the show will come in the form of the S90 – an entirely-new mid-size luxury sedan from the Swedish automaker that will take on the likes of Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class. Based on Volvo’s new Scalable Product Architecture that currently underpins the new XC90, the S90 will replace the ageing S80 next year.
The S90 will be offered with a range of environmentally-friendly four-cylinder engines including a plug-in hybrid model with over 400bhp. Given that Volvos are sold in India as fully imported models, we should get the new S90 within a few months of its global launch.
New Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Mercedes-Benz has already shown the interior of its new E-Class, however, we will have to wait until January 11 for a first look at this all-new BMW 5 Series rival. While the interior design of the existing E-Class is hardly class-leading, Mercedes is promising a lot with the new E-Class. Looking at the official pictures, it’s fairly easy to spot the S-Class influence in the overall design which is a really good thing. The highlighting bits of the new E-Class include the widescreen digital display and touch-sensitive control buttons on the steering wheel.
While the refreshing new interior is a welcome departure from the old-school upright design of the existing E-Class, we will have to wait until next month to gauge the exterior design.
New Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S
For 2016, Porsche has added more power, sharper design and even broader everyday usability for its top-of-the-line 911 Turbo range. While the regular Turbo now makes 540bhp from its 3.8-litre flat-six engine thanks to modified inlet ports in cylinder heads, new injection nozzles and higher fuel pressure, the Turbo S makes 580bhp courtesy new turbochargers with larger compressors.
Design wise, there isn’t much to differentiate the new 911 Turbo range from the old one though theoretically, the 911s (the Turbo models especially) are all about performance and daily usability and the new 911 Turbo and Turbo S abide by that.
Mercedes S65 AMG Cabriolet
With the new S65 Cabriolet, Mercedes-AMG is offering its frankly mental 6-litre V12 bi-turbo engine with a four-seater cabriolet for the first time. As a result, this luxuriously appointed model puts out 630bhp of power and a ridiculous 1000Nm of torque. Being an ultra-high-end Mercedes, the S65 AMG Cabriolet offers sport suspension based on the brand’s AIRMATIC, automatic wind protection system, neck-level heating system, heated armrests and a high-end climate control system. Mercedes is offering the three-layered acoustic fabric soft top in four colours and a high-quality interior lining in nappa leather.
Mercedes SLC
The SLK has been a massive success for Mercedes-Benz. Launched in 1996, the two-door convertible has managed sales of around 670,000 units globally until now. Part of its success can be narrowed down to the extensive choice of engine options, from an economical 2.1-litre 4-cylinder engine to a massive 5.5-litre V8 delivering 420bhp. As a replacement, then, the SLC has big shoes to fill. Yes, Mercedes has renamed the SLK as the new SLC and also upgraded the design and equipment.
Following its public debut in Detroit, the new Mercedes SLC will go on sale globally including the Indian market.
BMW M2 Coupe
After extensively testing it both on public roads and across the race tracks including the Nurburgring Nordschleife in Germany, BMW took the covers off the M2 Coupe earlier this year. With its compact proportions and driver-focussed nature, the M2 is not only the direct heir to the old 1M Coupe, but also to the original E30 M3 and the 2002 turbo.
Under the hood of the M2 sits a 3-litre, 6-cylinder turbo engine that develops 370bhp of power and 465Nm of torque. A manual gearbox will be offered as standard while a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox will be optional although the India-bound cars are likely to be offered as automatics only.
