Blue Sky in the Big Apple

Easter weekend brings the International Auto Show to New York's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. This year, skies are blue regardless of the weather, as Saturn livens its image with a "Red Line" intercooled turbo version of the Sky roadster introduced at Detroit in January. Joining it are the new Aura mid-size sedan and Outlook crossover SUV.

Toyota is busy hybridizing its entire product line, so it was no surprise to see press days kicked off with a new Lexus hybrid, the top line LS600hL, to arrive in showrooms in six months. Mercedes has an updated E-Class, shown in 320, 550 and 63AMG variants. Acura touts the RDX, a turbo 4-cylinder "premium crossover" vehicle, and shows a concept of a new MDX 7-passenger V6.

Ford brought veteran racer and car tuner Carroll Shelby out for a cameo announcing the Shelby GT-H, a 40th anniversary rent-a-racer to be available at selected Hertz counters. Infiniti rolled out the next generation G35, along with a new Altima, and promised a "refined" 2007 Maxima by early summer.

The only Chrysler debut was a double Jeep whammy, the Wrangler Unlimited, dubbed a "four door convertible," and the 4-cylinder CVT-driven Jeep Patriot, which, claims its manufacturer, creates a new segment in the industry. Popular Jeep personality Patrick Foster made a guest appearance to critique the new vehicles.

Scion showed a new FUSE concept vehicle, a chop-top coupe with quirky features, while Bentley flashed the Royal Warrant to roll out the new Continental GTC. Curiously, BMW used its press conference time to sing the praises of internal combustion and straight six engines, promising dual-fuel (gasoline or hydrogen, at the flip of a switch) 7-series within two years, glossing over the dearth of hydrogen stations anywhere on earth. It was somewhat refreshing, then, to come back to earth with Maserati, whose biggest news was a Master Driver School at Road Atlanta.

Other intros included Mazda's first crossover, the CX-9, a new Kia Sorrento, a bigger Hyundai Elantra, an "SC" dressed-up Honda element, and an Equinox-derived Suzuki XL7.

Noteworthy, if not new, were the far-out fantasies of Toyota, the parlor-like F3R concept and four-wheel-steering Fine-T concept. Most arresting among the exotics is the revival Spyker, sumptuous inside but rather beastly from twenty paces.

Sponsored by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, the New York International Auto Show runs until April 23rd at the Javits Center, easily reached by M42 bus from Grand Central Station. C'mon down!