The North American International Auto Show is a little more than a month away, and the world’s automakers are gearing up for the big event. Here’s what we’ve learned so far about what will be on the show stands. Stay tuned for more updates and complete coverage of the show. Press days begin Sunday, January 8th.

Audi S6

Word on the street is that the Audi will also show its performance A6, the S6, will be powered by a V10 of around 5.2 liters and 440 horsepower. We expect Audi to offer both six-speed automatic and seven-speed direct-shift gearboxes.



BMW Z4 M roadster

This is BMW’s answer to the Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG and Porsche Boxster S, The M roadster gets the same 3.2-liter inline-six engine as the soon-to-be-discontinued fourth-generation M3. The engine produces 343 hp, 78 hp more than the 3.0-liter I6 in the facelifted Z4 3.0i. Look for the same powerplant in the M version of the Z4 Coupe when it arrives in 2007. Drive goes through a standard six-speed manual gearbox to the rear wheels. BMW claims the 3267-pound roadster hits 62 mph from a standstill in 5.0 seconds-a mere 0.1 second slower than the SLK55 AMG and 0.5 second faster than the Boxster S. The M version of Z4 roadster will likely start on the high side of $50,000, slightly more expensive than the M3 Coupe but less than the M3 convertible. Look for sales beginning by March or April 2006.

Chevrolet Camaro

The Camaro rides on GM’s global rear drive platform, formerly known as Zeta. Power comes from the Corvette’s 400 hp LS2 V8. A production version of the car isn’t expected to go on sale for at least another three years, sources say.

Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass

Jeep unveiled the concept Compass, at the Frankfurt show, but it makes its debut as a production car in Detroit. Caliber, Compass and the Jeep Patriot share a platform with a 103.7-inch wheelbase and 2.4-liter engine. The Compass is meant to be the boy racer of the group, the Patriot (due later this auto show season) your more traditional Jeep. They also share that platform with the cool-looking Dodge Caliber crossover, which replaces Neon. It originally appeared as a concept in Geneva back in March.



Dodge Challenger

Dodge’s Challenger concept draws on the iconic 1970 model, says Tom Tremont of Chrysler’s Pacifica studio in California. The concept incorporates distinctive Challenger cues: the rear fender kick, wide-mouth front end, functional hood scoops and rectangular exhaust tips. The concept is built on a shortened Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger chassis (116-inch wheelbase vs. 120 inches), and gets a 6.1-liter Hemi hooked to a six-speed manual transmission with a pistol-grip shifter. Will they build it? With hardware in place and a primed market, we can’t see why not.



Ford Edge/Lincoln Aviator

The 2007 Ford Edge and Lincoln Aviator crossover utility vehicles will debut in Detroit. Both models feature a new 3.5-liter, 250-hp, 240-lb-ft 24-valve dohc V6 linked to a new six-speed automatic transmission created for front-drive applications. The transmission, which also can be used in all-wheel-drive vehicles and is capable of handling up to 300 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, is the product of a joint engineering effort with General Motors. The engine, which Ford says will power one in five Ford vehicles by 2010, is designed to accommodate hybrid technology, direct gasoline injection and turbocharging. Look for Edge and Aviator in dealerships next fall, in front- and all-wheel-drive configurations.

Geely

Yes, the Chinese are coming and automaker Geely will be the first Chinese company to show a car in Detroit. Geely, which had a display of vehicles in Frankfurt, hopes to enter the U.S. market by the end of the decade. Geely (pronounced GEE-lee), located in Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang province, will have an exhibit in the concourse of Cobo Center during press week where it will show one of its cars, the 7151 CK. Geely hasn’t yet submitted any model to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for testing and certification. Geely also has no dealer network yet but says it would like to start signing some in the next year to 18 months.

GM full sized utes

Other than the Camaro, GM’s full-size SUVs are the company’s biggest news. The 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade are all new and ride on what GM calls its 900 platform. The V8s are new as well, and The new range of V8 engine offerings includes a base 290-hp 4.8-liter; two 5.3-liters (one aluminum block and one iron block), with Displacement On Demand making 320 hp; a 6.0-liter heavy-duty with variable-valve timing, 350 hp; and another 6.0-liter with both Displacement On Demand and variable valve timing good for 355 hp. At the top of the range is a 6.2-liter with variable valve timing in 380- and 400-hp versions. GM promises much better build quality this time around. They all go on sale early next year.




Hyundai

Hyundai is set to show its HCD9 Talus concept car, which the automaker says will provide 'a glimpse of the future in the sports car segment,' according to the automaker. The HCD9 will be unveiled along with the world debut of the company's next generation Santa Fe ute.


Jaguar XK convertible

The XK convertible uses the same 4.2-liter 300-hp V8 and aluminum body as the coupe. The convertible weighs just 3759 pounds, with a top that opens and closes in less than 18 seconds. Pricing will be released later this year before it goes on sale next spring.



Kia Soul

Kia will show the Soul concept, which draws on styling cues first seen in the Mesa SUV concept the Korean automaker showed last year. Features include a wraparound windshield, muscular wheel arches and a sloped roofline. The liftgate has a drawer for your muddy hiking shoes or wet bathing suit

Lexus LS sedan

The concept was shown in Tokyo, now comes the production car’s world premier. Picture the concept with a little less chrome and smaller wheels and you’ve about got the production car. The fourth-generation LS will arrive in showrooms late next year. A hybrid version will be offered.



Mazda

Remember the Mazda MX-Crossport Mazda showed last year? The CX-7 is the production version. Though a crossover sport/utility like corporate cousin the Ford Edge and Lincoln Aviator, the 2007 Mazda CX-7 is a wholly Mazda-developed vehicle that doesn’t share chassis with the other Ford CUVs. CX-7 is powered by a 2.3-liter, 244-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

The Kabura concept is a sports coupe designed at the Mazda design center in California. The Kabura is the third in a series of concepts from Mazda starting with the Sassou (shown in Frankfurt), which was designed at Mazda’s European design center. Next came the Senku, which was designed in Japan and shown at the Tokyo show. All ride on a rear-drive platform.

Mercedes-Benz GL-Class

Mercedes-Benz’s new GL450 will debut in the U.S. market with a 335-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 engine, a seven-speed automatic transmission and 4MATIC full-time four-wheel drive. The GL will come with four-wheel independent suspension, and optional Airmatic suspension. Standard features such as DSR downhill control will help should the Benz owner venture off road. An optional Off-Road Pro package includes a two-speed transfer case and locks the center and rear differentials. The package also includes modified air suspension that can increase ground clearance to 12 inches. The GL is designed to accommodate up to seven passengers. As a five-seater it can carry 43.8 cubic feet of cargo.

Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi will have world reveals of two vehicles: The 2007 Eclipse Spyder and the Concept-CT MIEV. The Spyder is based on the new-for-2006 Eclipse coupe. Both of the Spyder’s trim levels, GS and GT, will be available with the MIVEC engine and 650-watt Rockford Fosgate Premium Audio system.

The Concept-CT MIEV is meant to show forward-thinking in B-segment packaging—to create a desirable small car optimized for today’s needs. Designed at the Mitsubishi Motors design center in Cypress, Calif., the Concept-CT will feature a hybrid powertrain using a gasoline engine with Mitsubishi In-wheel motor Electronic Vehicle (MIEV) technology, a function recently shown at the Tokyo show. With MIEV, the wheels are driven by four in-wheel electric motors.

Nissan Versa

This is Nissan’s answer for those who think its Sentra small car is too fancy for an entry-level buyer. Arriving in the United States next summer as a hatch-back, followed by a sedan by late 2006, the Mexican-built Versa boasts six feet of interior space despite its diminutive size. Power comes from a 1.8-liter, 120-hp, 125-lb-ft four-cylinder mated to a choice of a four- speed automatic, a six-speed manual or a continuously variable trans. Prices will range from $12,000 to $15,500, with the typical Versa priced around $13,500.

Nissan Urge

Nissan’s Urge concept was created at Nissan's studio in La Jolla, Calif., by car designers who are also motorcycle enthusiasts, said Bruce Campbell, vice president of design for Nissan Design America. A key goal of the Urge is to give the driver and passenger the sensation of the road going by, Campbell said. The concept is fitted with a small high-revving engine and rear-wheel drive. An Xbox 360 gaming system is part of the interior.

Toyota Camry

Toyota’s all-new, 2007 Camry will make its world debut in Detroit, along with the Camry Hybrid. The Camry has been the best-selling car in America for seven of the past eight years. Toyota promises the all-new Camry will have significantly improved performance and new level of comfort and refinement. Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive will be available in the 2007 Camry.

VW Beduin

VW will show the Beduin, a go-anywhere five-door SUV due in 2007. Wolfsburg’s small mudslinger, based on parts from both the Golf and Passat, intends to build on the success of the larger and more luxurious Touareg, providing Volkswagen with a rival to the Toyota RAV4 and Land Rover Freelander. Upper-end versions will take on the likes of BMW’s X3.

Volvo C30 Design Concept

Volvo Car Corporation describes its C30 Design Concept as a glimpse into the Swedish manufacturer’s future and says it is close to what the production version of the C30 will look like when it's unveiled at the 2006 Paris auto show in September, 2006. The two-door, four-passenger C30 is 166.9 inches long, 9 inches shorter than an S40 sedan. It is powered by a 2.4-liter turbocharged 5-cylinder engine producing 260 horsepower. The C30’s design is meant to reflect elements from the Volvo Safety Concept Car (SCC) and the glass tailgate is reminiscent of the Volvo P1800 ES. Volvo promises the C30 will matches the safety levels found in today's Volvo S60 and Volvo S80.

The interior features individual rear seats which can be folded individually or together, giving the car the ability to swallow larger loads if necessary. The car has Volvo’s Premium Sound system, with 5x130-watt digital ICE Power amplifier from Alpine.