SEMA News—April 2017
What’s New Coming Down the Road In 2017
By David Hakim
The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit once again showcased a variety of new vehicles we’ll see coming down assembly lines in the next six to 12 months. And while there was a lot of chatter on future trends such as autonomous vehicles and ride sharing at this year’s show, it was the latest sheetmetal and a peek under the hood that everyone wanted to see and touch. With that, here’s what the aftermarket should expect and be gearing up for in the not-too-distant future.
 For 2018, the F-150 gets more than just a minor refresh, and sharp eyes will spot the differences almost immediately. Under the hood, the ’18 F-150 will be available with a new turbodiesel 3.0L V6. |
’18 Ford F-150
While the Blue Oval buzz at NAIAS was about the return of the Bronco and Ranger, the reality is that the battle for pickup dominance is intense. For 2018, the F-150 gets more than just a minor refresh, and sharp eyes will spot the differences almost immediately. Look for a new two-bar front grille and headlights along with revised taillights featuring upper and lower LED outlines. The high-end King Ranch edition also has new trim, and Ford has added six new wheels for the F-150 in 17- to 22-in. diameters.
Under the hood, the ’18 F-150 will be available with a new turbodiesel 3.0L V6. The gas engine offerings have also been updated with a new version of the EcoBoost 2.7L V6, a naturally aspirated 5.0L V8, and a new 3.3L V6 replacing the previous 3.5L unit. Ford is claiming more horsepower and torque but hasn’t provided any specific details as of yet on the new engines.
 GMC showed its newly redesigned ’18 Terrain with stronger and more sculpted lines. Powering the new Terrain is a trio of all-new turbocharged engines, including the a 1.6L turbodiesel and 1.5L and 2.0L turbocharged gas engines. |
’18 Chevrolet Traverse/ GMC Terrain
Chevrolet showed off its ’18 Traverse, and you’ll notice right away that the inspiration for the new style comes from Chevrolet’s aggressive fullsize SUVs. The Traverse comes in either a front-wheel-drive (FWD) or an all-wheel-drive (AWD) layout, and there are two new trim levels for the ’18 Traverse: a sporty RS and a luxurious High Country. Both work on delivering best-in-class third-row legroom and maximum cargo room.
Motivating the 4,400-lb. Traverse are two available engines. A fresh 3.6L VVT direct-injected V6 provides 305 hp (10% more than in the prior model) and, in RS trim, a new Ecotec 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder pumps out 255 horses but with 295 lb.-ft. of torque (verses 260 on the V6). Both engines will bolt up to the Hydra-Matic 9T65 nine-speed automatic transmission.
The ’18 Chevrolet Traverse will go on sale later this year.
Meanwhile, GMC showed its newly redesigned ’18 Terrain with stronger and more sculpted lines. Powering the new Terrain is a trio of all-new turbocharged engines, including a 1.6L turbodiesel and 1.5L and 2.0L turbocharged gas engines. They get matched to unique new Hydra-Matic 9T65 nine-speed automatic transmissions.
GMC is also following the trend of replacing the conventional transmission shifter with an electronically controlled gear selector. GMC’s new Electronic Precision Shift enables more storage room in the center console with electronically controlled gear selection, consisting of intuitive pushbuttons and pull triggers.
The ’18 Terrain comes standard with GMC’s driver-controllable Traction Select system and is available in either FWD or AWD configurations.
’17 Honda Ridgeline
The redesigned and re-engineered ’17 Honda Ridgeline was named the 2017 North American Truck of the Year during NAIAS. The ’17 Ridgeline was first launched in June 2016 and now offers a host of industry-exclusive standard and available features. They include unibody construction, a dual-action tailgate, In-Bed Trunk, a scratch- and dent-resistant composite truck bed, and the world’s first truck-bed audio system.
Power for the Ridgeline comes from a 280hp, 24-valve, SOHC i-VTEC 3.5L V6 that makes 262 lb.-ft. of torque and is coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Depending on configuration (FWD or AWD), the ’17 Honda Ridgeline has a total payload capacity of 1,465– 1,580 lbs.
 Sporty means small when it comes to the new ’17 Nissan Rogue Sport, with a reduction in length of 12.1 in. and a 2.3-in.-shorter wheelbase compared with the standard Rogue. |
’17 Nissan Rogue Sport
Sporty means small when it comes to the new ’17 Nissan Rogue Sport, with a reduction in length of 12.1 in. and a 2.3-in.-shorter wheelbase compared with the standard Rogue, filling a sweet spot for certain buyers. Slightly larger than subcompact crossovers, the Sport shares its underpinnings with its larger sibling.
The strut front and multilink rear suspension setups are retained, and the 141hp 2.0L four-cylinder, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission, is the same as on the standard Rogue.
The Nissan’s recognizable trim packages, such as S, SV and SL, are available on the Rogue Sport, with standard front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive.
 Making good on its promise from a few years ago, Kia debuted a sleek and powerful rear-wheel-drive performance sedan called Stinger. The ’18 Kia Stinger sedan is the Korean automaker’s first foray into building a true performance car. |
’18 Kia Stinger
Making good on its promise from a few years ago, Kia debuted a sleek and powerful rear-wheel-drive performance sedan called Stinger. The ’18 Kia Stinger sedan is the Korean automaker’s first foray into building a true performance car.
The Stinger can be had with a 365hp turbo 3.3L V6 (the same engine found in the Genesis G90), making it the most powerful Kia yet. The base powerplant will be the tried-and-true 2.0L four-cylinder, which makes 255 hp.
Behind either engine, buyers will get an eight-speed automatic transmission and can choose either rear- or all-wheel-drive configurations. The AWD version features torque vectoring, while the rear-drive setup has a standard limited-slip differential. The Stinger will be a player in the sports-car sedan field, as performance figures from the manufacturer on the 3.3L V6 claim a 5.1-second 0–62-mph time and a 167-mph top speed for the 3.3L.
To match the Stinger’s driveline performance capabilities, the V6–powered GT gets 19-in. wheels as well as upgraded Brembo brakes, including four-piston front calipers and vented discs all around.
Sales of Kia’s new Stinger will begin this summer.
 Mercedes-AMG celebrated its 50th anniversary at NAIAS this year. With the theme of “50 Years of Driving Performance,” Mercedes extended the AMG GT sports-car lineup with the new AMG GT C. |
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT
Mercedes-AMG celebrated its 50th anniversary at NAIAS this year. With the theme of “50 Years of Driving Performance,” Mercedes extended the AMG GT sports-car lineup with the new AMG GT C.
Following the AMG GT C Roadster, the Coupe is now also available in another performance and technology variant, positioned between the AMG GT S and the AMG GT R. It will be available at launch in a limited-run Edition 50. The AMG GT R and AMG GT S have also received visual and technical upgrades and a further power boost. The new models are identifiable by the distinctive Panamericana grille, which is now a feature of all AMG GT models.
