Choice Domestic Cuts from New York

Flying in the face of the industry slowdown there were a number of concept and production car reveals at the New York Auto Show today.

New York 2009

As the last of the major auto shows in the U.S. for 2009, many expected that the show would be a sleeper – especially given the current economic conditions. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth as evidenced by a couple of the intros that took place today.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

May of us here at LotPro.com can remember when the Grand Cherokee led the charge of the luxury SUVs into the marketplace. Since that time, it has become increasingly lost in the sea of domestic and import brands. Although the phrase “better late than never” comes to mind, time will only tell if the new 2011 model will ever enter the marketplace, which is a shame.

With a platform shared with the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, the newest GC has a claimed 146 percent increase in tortional stiffness over its predecessor along with unibody construction and a fully-independent air suspension that gives the vehicle an adjustable ground clearance of anywhere from 6.6 inches to a towering 11.1 inches.

The previous generation’s too-busy sheetmetal has also been cleaned up resulting in a less caricature-like “Jeep” face as well as smoother lines. A new base 3.6 liter V6 is at the bottom of the power line-up, while the V8 choice is a 5.7 liter Hemi with 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque equipped with cylinder deactivation technology.

2010 GMC Terrain

The 2010 GMC Terrain was a bit of a shock to many of us here at LotPro.com. Although GM has a styling history of questionable styling directions – a.k.a. the Pontiac Aztek – most of the current Lutz-influenced models have ranged from successful (Malibu) to stunning (CTS). And while the Terrain’s twin, the Chevy Equinox, is no paragon of automotive design, its nicely flowing lines radiating back from its signature grill make it one of the better-looking entries in this segment. The Terrain, on the other hand, appears to suffer from a lack of design cohesion: Its bulging fender flares seeming to contrast sharply with its Audi-esque grille.

Under the hood, things are, thankfully, better. In keeping with the current drive for fuel economy, the base 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine will deliver 21 mpg city and 30 mpg highway in front-wheel drive versions, while the optional 3.0 liter V6 is rated at 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway while both feature six-speed automatic transmissions.

Tags: 2011 jeep grand cherokee, audi, chevy equinox, CTS, gm, gmc, gmc terrain, grand cherokee, hemi, Jeep, malibu, mercedes benz m class, Mercedes-Benz, new york auto show, pontiac