2006 New York Auto Show

The New York auto show signals the end of "The Majors" season for auto shows throughout the U.S., Europe and the Pacific Rim. Anything important that hadn't been launched or previewed somewhere else, gets pushed into the stage lights of New York…just in time for the spring/summer new-car sales season.

We've put together a comprehensive list of the big news from Manhattan's Jacob Javits Center, so here's your fix until the next season starts in Paris at the end of September.

For the latest show info, check out Inside Line's complete coverage starting Wednesday, April 12. We've also created a central location for the scheduled unveilings, so you won't miss any of the action from the show floor. Until then, this will get you primed on what to expect on the turntables in New York:

Acura
• MDX Concept
Don't be fooled by the "concept" tag on the MDX. With very few changes, you're looking at the production 2008 model. Acura's changes update the existing formula that includes V6 power and three rows of seats.

Audi
• TT
We brought you this news on the new TT last month. Now the TT is ready for its official introduction. The design is clearly a natural maturation of the original.

• A4/S4 Cabriolets
Following in the expected cadence of manufacturing and launch roll-outs, the drop-top versions of the A4 and S4 are being shown in North America for the first time. The cars' styling now matches the rest of the Audi family, with the large shield-style grille leading the way.

General Motors
• Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban E85
General Motors is the largest producer of E85 flexible-fuel vehicles in the United States. E85-capable vehicles can operate on gasoline or a mix of 85-percent ethanol/15-percent gasoline. Working to keep the buzz going on its new full-size trucks and the corporation's green initiatives, Chevrolet dealers will take delivery of 85 new E85-capable Tahoes and Suburbans on April 13th at the Javits Center. These just-released 2007 models will then be available for consumers to purchase. Depending on how far the dealers have to drive, they probably won't have to top off their tanks, as these full-size SUVs are rated at 22 mpg highway in two-wheel-drive configurations.

• Hummer Special Editions
Taking advantage of man's propensity to want something special, Hummer is offering several limited-edition models that feature unique paint and bling right from the factory. Look for Fusion Orange and Pacific Blue H2s, as well as a version of the H3 called the H3 X. The H3 X has a customized look with chrome goodies, different rims and a body-colored grille. Cancel that call to Pimp My Ride.

• Pontiac G6 GXP
With GTs, GTPs and GXPs in its model line, Pontiac has plenty of names for models with various degrees of sporty pretensions. While GM press folks maintain the stance that the G6 GXP is only a concept, expect them in showrooms soon. Power will be considerably greater than the 240 horsepower provided by the current GTP's 3.9-liter V6.

• Saturn Aura
While GM teased us by showing the Aura as a concept in January at the Detroit show, it didn't fool anybody about the intent. Saturn worked with GM's European Opel division to refine the Epsilon-platform-based sedan. The front-drive Epsilon platform carries a variety of GM vehicles from the Saab 9-3 to the Pontiac G6. The Aura production model will be unveiled in New York, and should go on sale later this year as a 2007 model. Engines for the Aura reportedly begin with the 3.5-liter V6 found in many midsize GM vehicles, rated at 211 hp in other applications. The optional powertrain will be GM's excellent 3.6-liter DOHC V6 found in the Cadillac CTS and STS, with a rating of approximately 255 hp.

• Saturn Outlook
The Outlook is Saturn's version of GM's full-size Lambda platform…think Buick Enclave (shown in Detroit as a concept). The Outlook is an eight-passenger crossover that's powered by GM's torque-rich 3.6-liter V6 with variable valve timing. This vehicle should help Saturn retain customers who were forced to leave once they outgrew their Ion or Vue. The Outlook will make it to market before any of its platform mates, and will be in dealerships late this year. Front-drive and all-wheel-drive versions will be offered, although perhaps not at the start of production. A dual-mode hybrid is expected in 2009.

The Outlook is larger than the current (and forgettable) Saturn Relay minivan, as well as the Chevrolet TrailBlazer/GMC Envoy/Buick Rainier. The GMC Acadia will be the next Lambda vehicle out, and the Buick will hit showrooms last, replacing both the Rendezvous and the Rainier.

• Saturn Sky Red Line
If you didn't see this one coming, you had your eyes closed. With Pontiac dealers already taking orders for the Solstice GXP, it was just too easy to drop the turbocharged, 260-hp, 2.0-liter Ecotec engine into the Sky. So that's what GM did. Following the same thinking, perhaps we'll also see a Sky Green Line hybrid sometime in the future…the carmaker will just have to figure out where to put the battery pack.

Chrysler Group
• Chrysler 300 Long Wheelbase
In automotive parlance, the livery market has nothing to do with stables and everything to do with limos. This segment is highly visible and fiercely competitive, and it's owned by Lincoln and Cadillac. The market favors rear-wheel-drive cars, and embraced the Chrysler 300. Chrysler is returning the hug by giving Limo Louie (and regular customers) an OEM 6-inch stretch and a host of rear-passenger-focused treats such as writing tablets, footrests and a full 46 inches of legroom.

• Jeep Patriot
Sharing the platform that underpins the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass, the new Patriot is the smallest Jeep (103.7-inch wheelbase) suitable for genuine rock-hoppers. Unlike its street-oriented siblings, the Patriot is available with Jeep's full "Trail Rated" rating and a full complement of off-road gear.

Power comes from a 172-hp, 2.4-liter version of Chrysler's new world engine. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on the non-trail-rated front-wheel-drive model. Two trail-rated configurations utilize a full-time all-wheel-drive system with a continuously variable transmission. One is of the standard all-wheel-drive variety, while the other offers a 19-to-1 gear reduction "low" range.

Everything you expect to find on a Jeep scraping over boulders and slogging through mud is on the Patriot — skid plates, extra sealing (to enable water fording as deep as 19 inches) and extra-durable interior materials you can clean with a hose. Features such as side airbags, MP3 player input jack and flexible interior seating configurations round out the Patriot's long list of standard features.

• Jeep Wrangler Four-Door
Word from our non-Jeep sources is that a four-door Wrangler is set to shed its camouflage in New York. Jeep has done four-door concepts that sport the Wrangler look, and near-production models have been seen around the company's Auburn Hills, Michigan, headquarters. Official word won't come until the company's press conference, but if Vegas offered odds on such things, we'd be willing to wager a bunch o' bucks on this one.

Ford Motor Company
• Ford Shelby GT-H
There are two important components of this name: Shelby and H. Everybody knows who Carroll Shelby is, but younger folks might not know he produced a special edition of his 1966 GT350 for Hertz. Yes, the rental car Hertz. To hear the stories of the original GT350H from the old man himself is to laugh until you cry. Things were so different back then. What's similar is that these new GT350H models will sport the iconic black and gold trim of the original, and will have significantly more power than the standard Mustang GT thanks to Shelby-engineered equipment. During a recent conversation with Mr. Shelby, he confirmed that many of the 1966 GT350Hs were rented and raced. And the legendary tales of their high-performance engines being stolen and replaced with lesser mills are absolutely true. Ford may want to take some precautions this time around.

Hyundai
• Elantra
Hyundai couldn't keep the all-new Elantra sedan a secret. Following six other new models in only 24 months, the newest Hyundai is sized to target the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. As Hyundai has in many of its other models, expect the Elantra to be feature-rich, with six airbags and standard antilock brakes at an expected retail price around $14,000.

Infiniti
• G35
Powered by a 300-plus-horsepower 3.5-liter V6, Infiniti's 3 Series fighter will take its first bow in New York. Continuing the march toward providing more and more do-it-for-you gear, the G35 will offer touchscreen navigation and a rearview monitor. Infiniti's Intelligent Key system ensures the G35 starts with the push of a button.

Lexus
• LS 600h
In a move that expands the LS sedan further upmarket in price and equipment, Lexus is expected to reveal the LS 600h. The model will be a true hybrid utilizing subsystems similar to current Toyota/Lexus hybrid vehicles. Instead of being combined with a fuel-sipping four- or six-cylinder engine, expect this flagship to pack a V8. Talk around the water cooler targets the model's intro in 2007 as a 2008 model.

Mazda
• CX-9
The zoom-zoom folks are rolling out the replacement for the MPV minivan. It's called the CX-9, and will feature three rows of seats, a 3.5-liter V6 with a six-speed automatic transmission, and loads of electronic safety gear such as Dynamic Stability Control and Roll Stability Control. The CX-9 is a sister vehicle to the Ford Edge and Lincoln MK X. Expect production of front- and all-wheel-drive versions early next year as a 2008 model.

Mitsubishi
• Outlander
As it struggles to remain relevant in the U.S., Mitsubishi rolls out the Outlander. The Mitsu motivates with a 3.0-liter V6 and six-speed automatic transmission, and slots in at about the same size as a Toyota Highlander or Chevrolet Equinox.

Nissan
• Altima
We told you it was coming, and Nissan let us see its fashionable tush. The all-new Altima sedan will make its world debut in New York. Look for a more powerful 3.5-liter VQ-series V6. On a "why engineer what you can buy" note, Nissan is licensing hybrid technology from Toyota for use in the Altima. A four-cylinder hybrid unit is expected to be announced.

• Maxima
While not a completely new vehicle for 2007, Nissan made major changes to its flagship sedan inside and out. Exterior styling is significantly different from pre-2007 models, and changes to the interior include upgraded materials and a revised instrument panel. Nissan's X-Tronic continuously variable transmission replaces traditional cogged units as the standard transmission on all models. Check out some early spy photos and information here.

Scion
• tC Release Series 2.0
With a naming protocol more akin to software than automobiles, Scion announces another in a series of limited-edition models. This tC receives special touches such as Blue Blitz Mica paint, a custom stainless-steel mesh grille, and unique 17-inch aluminum wheels. The package also offers a stepped-up sound system which includes a premium Pioneer tuner, iPod connectivity and three months of XM Satellite Radio.

Suzuki
• SX4
This is a little all-wheel-drive crossover. Not nearly as tiny or agricultural as the original Samurai, Suzuki hopes this car-based trucklet will catch the attention of value-conscious buyers. With Suzuki still around, the Japanese haven't totally conceded the cheap end of the car segment to the Koreans. The SX4 will be offered in front- and all-wheel drive, with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder matched to a standard five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmission.

• XL7
While divorce is as common between businesses as it is between spouses, a business divorce leaves some odd baggage in its wake. The XL-7, for instance, rides on the same platform as the Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent. Suzuki stretched the chassis to 112.4 inches in order to fit a third row of seats. The XL7 also replaced the cam-in-block 3.5-liter V6 from GM with a 3.6-liter DOHC V6.