Being a part of the automotive industry has given me access to some of the greatest cars of the last 20 years, and even prior. Every January, I make the trek over to Cobo Hall in Detroit for the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Featuring over 70 reveals, it’s the premiere event in the US for the automotive world, and it’s located right in the heart of the Motor City. As the technological side of cars has grown, so has the technology we use to talk about and experience them. Perhaps very little has been as important to those experiences as video games.
I remember playing Gran Turismo and getting my hands on the Nissan Skyline GTR, a car that I had no access to in my town. Being able to drive this powerful beast got me interested in it, and eventually I sought one out in real life and took endless joyrides. Two years ago, NAIAS was home to more than a few car debuts (the Corvette and the NSX) that would arrive in Gran Turismo during that same week. Forza, another amazing series, brought even further realism and access to vehicles, including modes that let us climb “into” the cars and drive off.
It probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that most car designers are also gamers, either. We take amazing pride in seeing our creations appear in racing games, and we love how technically impressive the hobby is becoming in relaying the spirit and experience of getting behind the wheel.
This year, Turn10 and Ford teamed up to debut not only the hot hot HOT new Ford GT, but that it will appear in the previously unannounced Forza 6, coming this Fall. You can watch the video above about some of the influences and ties that brought the teams together.
So, when I make my annual voyages to NAIAS, I’m always excited and giddy about what I find on the show floor, and when I’ll be able to drive what I’m seeing. I’ve grabbed a bunch of my favorite images and plugged them in below, with some thoughts here and there and gallery at the bottom. Cars + games are most certainly a match made in heaven, at least to me.
The new Ford GT was the star of NAIAS, both from a technical standpoint (Ecoboost!) and the secrecy and glamour behind its development. The car was created in only one year, in a room right underneath the Ford headquarters atrium. The team was tiny, and even upper-management was intentionally kept out of the loop. You can’t be any more perfectly hidden than that.
The car itself is stunning. Sure, it pushes the envelope from the previous generation, but it maintains what makes the GT so iconic — power, speed, and proportion.
The Zenos E10 looks like something that jumped right out of the next futuristic Tom Cruise film. The high-energy electric green paint keeps you from turning away.
Volvo’s new XC90 may be one of the nicest-looking SUVs/CUVs yet. The headlamps are carrying a pseudo Swedish flag in their design, and certainly stick out from the rest of the decidedly elegant body, but it all works together just fine.
The all-electric Chevrolet Bolt is the little sibling to the Volt, but I think I like this one a lot better. Much more practical, and definitely more affordable. And that front end is pretty neat.
Though Alfa was debuting the new 4C, it was the classics that caught my eye. Just look at that sexiness! The pure racing aerodynamicism is a sight to behold.
I love that Jeep is trying to redefine its brand. Each model seems to be doing something new, moving away from the super-functional (albeit still pretty amazing) styling of the Wrangler into uncharted SUV waters. The new Renegade explodes with color, something that’s becoming more and more an icon of the off-road brand.
That’s a Buick right there. The Avenir blew minds and eyeballs, capturing the design elements of what made classic Buicks of the 40s so memorable: the side shoulder line into the rear haunch, the grille and long hood, the ability to look like its about to move while standing still.
The Toyota FT-1 isn’t new to the show this year, but this color variant is. The silver makes the body look almost liquid, like the T-1000 from Terminator 2. I bet this car will terminate competition in more than a few races.
Sorry. Couldn’t help myself.
I’ll never own a Maserati, as I’m not super into the brand’s design language and opulent themes. But this, the Alfieri concept, is a true head-turner. Look at those amazing head lamps! And that fire-breathing grille!
I’m big on autonomous vehicles. I think the future for many drivers (starting around 2025, at least) includes self-driving cars. Mercedes’ “Luxury in Motion” concept is created to tell us what that future could be. It features face-to-face seating, screens around the inside walls, spectacular internal lighting, and a whole lot of ambience. It’s like an expensive meeting room on wheels.
I’ll never stop loving Audi’s TT. Keep being beautiful, Germany.
A true classic BMW racer. Love the design, love the stance, and absolutely love the graphics.
The Acura NSX made its Gran Turismo debut a couple years back, and now here it is in production form! Launches this year. Mean!
You gotta hand it to Local Motors. The car company, whose Rally Fighter vehicle was featured in Transformers 4 over the Summer as the “Evil Car”, announced that their 3D printed car has been given the green light for use in Washington DC. Yep, we’re almost at the point where we can print a car specifically to our individual needs. Amazing!
All photos courtesy yours truly for SideQuesting.
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