DAILY REPORTS

Day One     Day Two      Day Three

General Motors

Buick Cientieme

Cadillac SRX

Pontiac G6

Chevy SS

Cadillac 16

General Motors tapped its roots for the five concept vehicles unveiled at the 2003 North American International Auto Show. The design philosophies and principles core to some of GM's most memorable cars and trucks inspired these five newest concepts.

"Each brand represented here - Buick, Chevrolet and Pontiac - has its own personality. The vehicles are individual expressions of personal transportation drawn from the well of GM style, functionality and innovation," said Wayne Cherry.

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Most innovative perhaps of all the 2003 concepts is the model for Buick, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The Centieme - with its luxurious cabin and a twin-turbocharged V-6 - is a premium vehicle that combines the best features of a sedan and sport utility vehicle with graceful execution.

The Cheyenne full-size pickup continues Chevy's tradition of truck innovation, blending masculine forms and innovative functionality. The box cargo area features dual bed-access doors, and hidden storage bins beneath the floor and inside the sidewalls. The tailgate opens fully in the traditional manner, or half opens for loading small cargo or to create a work shelf for multiple uses.

Meanwhile, the 430-horsepower Chevy SS is a modern interpretation of Chevrolet's Super Sport heritage. The Chevy SS is a contemporary four-door sports sedan with seating for five, powered by a 6.0-liter V-8.

The G6 previews the styling direction of Pontiac as a maker of top-notch driving machines. It is a message emphasized repeatedly, from the driver-oriented cockpit to the 3.5-liter turbocharged V-6 to the aggressive, athletic styling.

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Lexus 

Lexus Group Vice President and General Manager Denny Clements, left, and RX 330 Chief Engineer Yukihiro Okane, unveil the second-generation of the world's best-selling luxury SUV, the Lexus RX, to media at the North American International Auto Show.

Lexus created the car-based, luxury SUV segment with the launch of its innovative RX 300 nearly five years ago. Even though the current RX is still at the top of its game, the all-new RX 330 is poised to take its place as the benchmark in the entry-level luxury SUV class. The 2004 RX 330 will have an annual sales target of 75,000 units and will be the first Lexus built in North America. The all-new RX will arrive at Lexus dealerships in spring 2003 and is expected to maintain a base price around $35,000.

"The original RX 300 became the template for a new kind of luxury vehicle, one that many competitors are now following," said Denny Clements, Lexus group vice president and general manager. "The RX 330 was designed to surpass its successful predecessor in every way and set a new benchmark in the segment."

Acura

Acura TSX

The all-new Acura TSX sports sedan made its world debut at the North American International Auto Show today, giving Acura's lineup an entry luxury performance vehicle positioned between the hot-selling RSX sports coupe and Acura's top-selling 3.2 TL luxury performance sedan.

"The TSX is designed to compete head on with other premium sports sedans from Europe and Japan," said Dick Colliver, Acura executive vice president, sales. "With 200 horsepower, a 6-speed manual transmission, race-bred suspension and an abundance of features, the TSX has what it takes to be a success in this hotly contested segment."

The TSX features a 2.4-liter DOHC, i-VTEC engine that generates 200 horsepower at 6800 rpm and 166 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm. The i-VTEC "intelligent" valve-control system adjusts valve timing and lift for enhanced performance across a broad power band in addition to improved fuel economy and reduced exhaust emissions.

Hyundai

Hyundai OLV Concept

Hyundai's latest concept vehicle, the exciting OLV (Outdoor Lifestyle Vehicle) made its world debut today during the first of three press preview days at the North American International Auto Show at the Cobo Exhibition Center. The low-cost, high-fun OLV concept vehicle presents Hyundai's view of how to put the fun back in sport utility vehicles.

"Many sport utility vehicles on the road today are huge, clunky-looking boxes," said Dragan Vukadinovic, senior designer at Hyundai's California Design Center in Fountain Valley, Calif. Vukadinovic worked on the exterior design of the OLV along with his counterparts at the Korean Design Center in Nam-Yang, South Korea. "The OLV is designed to be agile, both in dynamic performance and in its ability to carry cargo. The convertible trunk that can easily be transformed from a conventional trunk to a utility bed demonstrates some of that agility."

Suzuki

Suzuki Model S Concept

"The evolution of Suzuki engineering and design has resulted in a whole new breed of compact car," explained Rick Suzuki, president of American Suzuki Motor Corp. (ASMC). "From the same raw building blocks that inspired the world's greatest racing machines, and hottest new SUVs and small cars, comes this high-tech concept destined to shape automotive thinking for years to come.".

Designed to demonstrate what's possible when Suzuki's motorcycle/automotive engineering meets rally-inspired styling and video game-like features, the Concept-S comes to America after receiving high marks in Europe - and is a direct descendant of the technology and racing acumen acquired by Suzuki through its participation in the 1600 Junior World Rally Championship, Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and other events.

In the power category, the vehicle boasts the same 1.6-liter, aluminum, DOHC, 16-valve, inline four-cylinder engine found in Suzuki's Ignis Super 1600 rally car - packing a punch that is significantly magnified by all-wheel-drive, a sequential, six-speed gearbox and a rally-inspired drivetrain. The result is a compact yet undeniably sporty drive similar to the Ignis Super 1600 and European rally vehicles.

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