<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"This year&amp;#039;s Detroit Auto Show has been full of surprises and, for the first time in a many years, winnowing the best of the best hasn&amp;#039;t been easy. Home-town teams such as Ford and General Motors unveiled stylish and classy vehicles that meet (or exceed) the competition. Yet it was foreign brands, especially Japanese luxury makes, that wowed us with some wild sports car concepts\u2014ones we hope make the leap to production sooner rather than later. Optimistic, and with some of its old swagger, the Detroit show has come roaring back to relevance.   2013 Ford Fusion        2013 Ford Fusion    Who would have thought one of the Big Three would move the midsize sedan segment so far forward? The 2013 Ford Fusion sedan is remarkably handsome, from its crisp rear fascia to its Aston Martin-like grille and solid overall stance. There are three inline-4 cylinder engines to choose among, and all offer improved fuel economy. A naturally aspirated 170-bhp 2.5-liter is the base engine. Equal in terms of power, there is also a turbocharged 1.6-liter that returns 26 mpg city and 37 mpg highway. The range-topping engine is a 237-bhp turbocharged 2.0-liter. A Fusion Hybrid will also be offered, as will a plug-in hybrid model called the Energi. Many people on the show floor in Detroit could be heard saying the Fusion was a runaway hit.   Chevrolet Code 130R and Tru 140S Concepts        Chevrolet Tru 140S Concept    You might love or hate one of these cars, or maybe even both of them. Chevrolet doesn&amp;#039;t mind, because the point of the Code 130R and Tru 140S Concepts is to stir debate as to the direction the brand will take when developing a small, fun-to-drive sports coupe. Opinions seemed evenly split here in Detroit. Some loved the BMW 1 Series-meets-Camaro styling of the bright red Code 130R. Others preferred the more angular and edgy design of the Tru 140S. Under the hood of either you&amp;#039;ll likely find a rev-happy and frugal 4-cylinder, such as the turbocharged 1.4-liter found in the Sonic sedan and hatchback. A rear-wheel-drive platform seems likely, given competition like the new Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S. Should it reach production, Chevrolet estimates pricing for the Code 130R and/or Tru 140S would fall in the low $20,000 range.        Chevrolet Code 130R    Lexus LF-LC Concept        Lexus LF-LC Concept    Lexus has taken the outrageous look of the LF-A supercar and somehow made it much better. The Lexus LF-LC Concept is a bold 2+2 coupe that we&amp;#039;d love to see reach production. At the very least, design elements from the LF-LC are likely to migrate to the rest of the Lexus range. The shape of the spindle grille, already seen on the new GS sedan, is mimicked in the tapering tail of the LF-LC. The headlights and taillights are intricate and simply stunning. Overall, the car has a luxury GT feel to it that seems a natural fit for a new range-topping Lexus coupe. Maintaining some green credentials is the concept&amp;#039;s hybrid powertrain, though this vehicle remains more of a design study. We like what we see Lexus; now build it.   2013 Cadillac ATS        2013 Cadillac ATS    The 2013 Cadillac ATS is taking direct aim at the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4. GM&amp;#039;s luxury brand wants to finally banish any lingering memories of past half-hearted attempts at cracking the small luxury sedan segment. With its angular styling and intriguing engine lineup, the ATS finally looks like the real deal. There will be a pair of 4-cylinder engines on offer, along with a range topping 3.6-liter V-6 set to deliver 318 bhp. Cadillac has kept the curb weight of the rear-wheel-drive ATS down, while paying special attention to achieving a 50/50 weight distribution. The development program included plenty of lapping sessions at the notoriously difficult N\u00FCrburgring racetrack in Germany. This is definitely not your grandfather&amp;#039;s Caddy.   Acura NSX Concept        Acura NSX Concept    It&amp;#039;s not often a concept car draws loud cheers and truly heartfelt clapping from the crowd. That was the case when the wraps came off the Acura NSX Concept here in Detroit. The original NSX, produced from 1990 to 2005, combined supercar styling, an excellent power-to-weight ratio and everyday usability. Heck, Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna even helped tune the handling! The NSX Concept is a gorgeous car, lithe and lean and with just enough styling cues from the original. The mid-engine NSX comes with an all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain, which features an electrically driven front axle and a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. A production version, built in Ohio, is on its way within three years.   2013 Dodge Dart        2013 Dodge Dart    Dodge couldn&amp;#039;t afford to drop the ball when it came time to deliver on its promise of a sharp-looking and economical small sedan. The 2013 Dodge Dart has a fresh new look that adds some traditional Dodge cues (Charger-like taillights and a scaled-down crosshair grille) onto a pert 4-door body. It&amp;#039;s a huge step forward compared to the outgoing Caliber. Two new 4-cylinder engines based on Chrysler&amp;#039;s new &amp;quot;Tigershark&amp;quot; architecture are available, along with a turbocharged four employing Fiat&amp;#039;s MultiAir valve technology. The cabin has a substantial feel to it, with plenty of soft-touch materials. A small storage compartment hidden beneath the front passenger seat cushion is a cool touch.   Volkswagen E-Bugster        Volkswagen E-Bugster Concept    The VW E-Bugster is a chopped, lowered and entirely electric take on the latest Beetle. That could have been a strange recipe for disaster, yet VW designers instilled this little 2-seater with tons of attitude. The latest Beetle already has a toughened-up exterior, but the curvaceous E-Bugster brings to mind early Porsche 911s. Power comes via a 114-hp electric motor driven by a lithium-ion battery pack. VW says range is around 100 miles, and a quick charge &amp;quot;Level 3&amp;quot; system serves up an 80-percent recharge in only 30 minutes. You can also use 120- or 240-volt recharging systems. An electric-powered sports model could be a fun fit into VW&amp;#039;s upcoming generation of EVs. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-shows/detroit-auto-show/news/a17891/best-of-the-show/>