2011 Montréal: Top 10 Must Sees

[svgallery name="2011_BMW_X1_2"] By John LeBlanc While the North American International Auto Show received all the attention last week in Detroit, more relevant to Canadian new car buyers is the 43rd Montréal International Auto Show. First on the Canadian auto show calendar, automakers use the Québec show to prep for the spring selling season. Amidst the metal spread out over three floors at the show’s Palais des congres downtown location, here are my top 10 must-see cars for this year’s show:

10. 2010 Pléthore LC-750

If you thought only Italians made supercars, check out the latest iteration of the Pléthore LC-750: Canada’s only homegrown supercar. First seen at the 2007 Montréal show, the $395,000 LC-750 is a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive monster. It sports a 1+2-seating layout, carbon fibre body, and is powered by a supercharged 6.2-litre V8, making 750 hp and 655 lb-ft of torque. Naught to 100 km/h is a claimed “less than three seconds”, and the car will apparently go up to 390 km/h—just the thing to keep up with Montréal traffic.

9. 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible

If you’ve been waiting for the return of a convertible version of the Camaro, get on down to Montréal. Ten years after the last factory-built Camaro convertible left GM’s former Québec plant, a new cloth top version of the latest Chevy muscle car will finally go on sale in Canada next month. The 2012 Camaro ragtop is still made in Canada; in the same GM Oshawa factory where they build coupe. And like the coupe, the “secretary special” $33,995 base Camaro clothtop comes with a 312 hp V6, while the $43,255 SS gets the 426 hp V8. No word yet if a roofless version of the anticipated 556 hp Camaro Z28 coupe (supposedly coming later this year) will ever appear.

8. 2012 Land Rover Evoque

Perhaps you were wondering how Land Rover, the British brand now owned by Indian automaker Tata, was going to deal with stricter fuel economy regulations and the markets move to smaller vehicles. To find out, check out the new 2012 Range Rover Evoque, making its Canadian debut at the Montréal show. The Evoque is a sleeker—dare I say, coupe-like—take on the existing Land Rover LR2 compact SUV. Instead of a gas guzzling V8 Range Rover owners have become accustomed to, the relatively tiny two-door hatchback Evoque (a four-door is expected as well), is powered by a wee, 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, with less than half the horsepower of a 510 hp Range Rover Supercharged. But then, the Evoque probably won’t cost the $100,00-plus the big daddy Range Rover demands…

7. Kia Ray Concept

You may already know that Korea’s Kia, with its current stylish and attractively priced products, is kicking Honda and Toyota’s respective rear ends on the sales charts. But the automaker is also looking at the future. And its Ray Concept, first seen at last year’s Chicago auto show, gives clues of Kias beyond 2011. Kia says, the U.S.-designed Ray is a front-wheel-drive, four-seat compact sedan (based on the current Forte) and demonstrates a “future plug-in hybrid vehicle”. Not that you’ll be able to drive one on the show floor, but the Ray is powered by a 153 hp 1.4-litre four-cylinder gas engine is mated to a fixed ratio CVT and a 78kw electric motor.

6. 2012 BMW X1

As a statement to its importance in the Canadian new car market, and like the Hyundai Accent (see below), the new X1 compact crossover is making its North American debut at this year’s Montréal show. Not based on the 1 Series, the X1 is actually a taller-bodied version of the 3-Series wagon, and much smaller the new 2011 X3, which grew a bit in size and price this year. BMW hasn’t confirmed what will power the X1 in Canada, or how much it will cost. But I would expect the 230 hp 3.0-liter inline-six and AWD system from the 3 wagon as an initial offering, perhaps a turbocharged four-banger in the future, and pricing near or just below the current 3 Series wagon.

5. 2012 Chevrolet Orlando

I’ve always wondered why no other manufacturer has taken on Mazda’s immensely practical and fun-to-drive mini-minivan, the Mazda5. Then—BOOM! —just like that, two rivals popped up in Montréal from a pair of unlikely domestic rivals. The first is the 2012 Chevrolet Orlando, coming to showrooms this fall. Based on GM’s global compact platform (that also supports the Cruze, Volt and new 2012 Buick Veran0, among others) the Orlando doesn’t sport sliding side doors like the Mazda (or the new 2012 Ford C-Max). But it does offer three-row seating for seven in a more manageable size than not-so-mini minivans like Chrysler’s popular Grand caravan. And because of its smaller dimensions, GM is confident the Orlando can get away with only the 178 hp 2.4-litre four from the larger Equinox crossover.

4. 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman

To answer the question, How much larger can a Mini get before it stops being a Mini? Take a look at the all-new 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman, a model that made its Canadian debut in Montréal and goes on sale this spring. The Countryman is the largest Mini to date since the modern version was introduced in 2002. Although there is a three-across bench seat version available in other markets, government seatbelt regulations will only allow the two-rear-seat model to be sold in Canada and the U.S.—that is until the Mini Minivan arrives…

3. 2012 Ford C-Max

Like the above-mentioned Chevy Orlando, the new 2012 C-Max from Ford is chasing all those Mazda5 owners. In fact, the Ford is based on the same compact platform as its Japanese rival. Unlike the six-passenger Mazda5, though, the C-Max squeezes in a third, second-row seat, making it what Ford calls a “5+2” vehicle. The C-MAX will be the first North American Ford to use the company’s new 1.6 litre turbocharged and direct-injected “EcoBoost” four-cylinder engine. Producing 180 hp, it will be the upgrade from the base naturally aspirated 2.5 litre engine.

2. 2012 Scion iQ

The launch of Toyota’s Scion brand in Canada eight years after it debuted in Canada hasn’t exactly caught the public’s attention. I’d blame stale product. But there’s nothing stale about the iQ, Toyota’s take on a better Smart ForTwo. Like the ForTwo, the iQ is meant for city dwellers. But instead of seating for only two, Toyota’s engineers have managed to squeeze four seatbelts into its two-door hatchback. Just don’t expect all four on board to be happy for any drives longer than to the pub and back. At least you’ll save at the pumps in the iQ. Toyota claims its 90 hp 1.3-litre three-banger sips fuel at a rate of only “just over 5 litres per 100 km.”

1. 2012 Hyundai Accent

I read a report somewhere that claimed South Korean workers booked the most overtime and took the least amount of paid vacation of any civilized work force in the world. The way Hyundai-Kia Motors keeps cranking out the new products, I believe it. Hot on the heels of the launch of this year’s new Elantra compact sedan and Velostar coupe, comes the all-new 2012 Accent subcompact, making its North American debut in Montréal. Ready to take on new rivals like the Ford Fiesta, Mazda2, and Chevrolet Sonic, the Accent will be the first Hyundai to get the automaker’s new 1.6-litre direct-injected four-cylinder and six-speed automatic gearbox. The result is a hybrid-like  4.7 L/100 km highway fuel consumption.

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