By Alex Perdikis
The Detroit Auto Show is annual rite of passage for the world’s automakers — the Super Bowl, Masters, and Academy Awards rolled into one. (With louder engines, natch.) It’s the one event that the entire auto world stands up and notices — the one event that car companies can’t afford to miss.
The 2016 Detroit Auto Show, held in January, was no exception. If you’re a gearhead, you’ve probably already read, viewed and drooled over all the juicy details from the confab. But you may have missed these three relatively low-key things that could have big ramifications for the auto industry moving forward.
2017 F-150 Raptor
The Ford F-150 is the United States’ best-selling truck model for a reason. Too many reasons to name, actually. If the 2017 F-150 Raptor is any indication, it looks to stay that way for a while.
What’s awesome about the 2017 F-150 Raptor? Where to begin. With a rough-and-ready suspension that includes 3.0-inch FOX Racing Shox, this thing is built for off-roading. It boasts an aluminum alloy frame that makes it about 500 pounds lighter (and thus more efficient) than previous models. And the DOHC 24-valve high-output 3.5L EcoBoost is a dainty fuel-sipper compared to competing truck engines. Talk about a smart, rugged ride.
2017 Fusion Sport
The Fusion hasn’t been around nearly as long as the F-150, but it’s already made a big splash on the midsize sedan category. Ford calls the 2017 Fusion “a testament to contemporary design,” and that’s putting it mildly. This is an arresting vehicle — a real head-turner, at a fraction of the cost of most cars you’d associate with that label.
Under the hood, the 2017 Fusion boasts a super-efficient EcoBoost engine (in different configurations). Up front, LED headlights; in back; LED taillights; underneath, LED accent lighting; if you love stylish lighting, the Fusion doesn’t disappoint. And if you’re a fan of connected cars, you’ll love the new Fusion’s SYNC 3 with SYNC Connect — an in-vehicle connectivity suite that probably puts your home entertainment system to shame.
Ford’s Drugged-Driving Suit
Driving under the influence is bad. This is common knowledge — Driver’s Ed 101 stuff. But, every day, thousands of Americans choose to drive under the influence, sometimes with disastrous results for life, limb, property and posterity. (In some lines of work, the quickest route to the unemployment line leads through a DUI citation.)
Ford’s drugged driving suit, trotted out for the press at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, is a clever, “fun” (ish) way to illustrate the dangers of driving under the influence without actually putting anyone at risk. With an asymmetric arm weight, blurred-vision goggles, audio distortion and other distracting elements, it’s made to simulate the effects of driving under the influence of multiple drugs at once. The drugged driving suit will probably never be commercially available — but, if you’re keen to have a few laughs in a Ford driving simulator, it’s one more reason to mark your calendar for next year’s Detroit Auto Show.
What’s your favorite moment from the 2016 Detroit Auto Show? What has you looking forward to next year’s?