Two gems from the MIAS

By Aaron Jacobs

he 2006 edition of the Montreal International Auto Show (MIAS) has wrapped up, in the end luring 205,606 car enthusiasts to the exhibition. The 38th edition of the show was the first opportunity for both media and the Canadian public to see new production and concept vehicles, while offering a chance to visit the Palais des congrès de Montréal. For car enthusiasts, there was much to appreciate, as there were over 650 domestic and international vehicles - including 30 Canadian premieres and 7 concept vehicles - spread out the monstrous new space.

But, when the smoke finally cleared on the stage at the MIAS, a small fleet of buzz generators stole the limelight, receiving admiration from automotive journalists from around the globe. BMW, for example, released its coveted M Roadster. Ford exhibited, with equal excitement, its sexy Shelby Cobra prototype. Porsche presented both its fabulous Carrera GT, with its midship-mounted 612-hp V10 engine and the all-new 295-hp Porsche Cayman S.

Meanwhile, a tiny newcomer to the MIAS was gathering its own considerable steam: The all-new Honda Fit. This five-door hatchback enters the Canadian market as leader in the subcompact segment with high-level interior functionality and sporty driving attitude.

Aimed squarely at the young hip consumer, the Fit offers all the right accoutrements; offered as the base DX, mid-range LX and top-line Sport, the Fit features alloy wheels, rear roofline spoiler, leather-wrapped steering wheel, security system with keyless entry and wheel-mounted paddle shifters - a very cool feature for an entry-level car.

And, is that an iPod link on this entry-level economy car? Indeed, it is; the Honda iPod Music Link is a dealer-installed accessory that connects your iPod with the audio system. The Music Link controls all the iPod's features via the audio head unit with album/song information shown on the vehicle's audio unit LCD display. It also charges the iPOD's battery. The Fit Sport also offers a premium 160-watt CD/MP3/WMA stereo.

Much is stuffed into the Fit Sport; tons of interior room, tidy design and a good dose of features, such as a 109-hp, 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine, five-speed manual transmission or even a five-speed automatic transmission. The wheel size measures 14-inches with P175/65R14 tires, and 16-inch wheels with P205/45R16 are available as a dealer-installed option.

This is one of those sweet little cars where the interior is the main attraction – as it brings a few innovative touches to the table. The trim and upholstery in the Fit creates a tidy package. But it’s the Fit's “Magic Seat” - a clever 60/40-split folding rear seat – that really helps to maximize the Fit's usefulness. It has over 90 cubic feet of passenger volume and 21.3 cubic feet of cargo capacity, nearly as much room behind the rear seats as a Honda Element.

The Fit might not be a sexy, exotic sports car, but with its low price and high level of features, constant crowds - from teen to baby boomer - formed around the tiny red car, waiting to slide behind the wheel, even if only for a moment. Expect to see many of these on the streets by year’s end.

At the other end of the room, the mid-engine Cayman S coupe accumulated its own audience. Falling somewhere in between the Porsche’s basic Boxster and flagship 911 (currently, 997) lines in the Porsche roster, the Cayman S offers most of the 911's demonstrative and visual excitement - for about $50,000 less. This is a stunner of a car, taking Cayman S to new levels of excitement in design and is a thoroughbred sports car with build quality that conforms to Porsche’s usual high standards.

The Cayman S is a two-seater coupe contender that performs better than the Boxster but not quite reaching 911 levels in performance, pricing, heritage and market positioning. This two-seater coupe is actually based on the Boxster series but will be positioned in terms of performance and price between the Boxster S and the 911 Carrera.

Porsche’s two-seat coupe clocks in just under 3000 pounds, about the same as the Boxster S. Looking good from practically all angles, one of its best profiles is clearly the rear three-quarter view, which is also the side most other motorists are likely to catch sight of. The only thing that would make the experience better would be to get behind the wheel.

Like the Boxster it is mid-engined and drives through the rear wheels. Based on the Boxster engine, the Cayman's mid-engined powerplant has 911 cylinder heads and VarioCam Plus camshaft and valve-lift adjustment mixed in to produce a 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.4 seconds. It reaches 200km/h in 18.6 seconds and covers a standing quarter-mile in 13.6 seconds, making the Cayman faster than the Boxster and slightly slower than the 911. The subtle sidewinder exhausts are the crowning touch and you can’t wait to hear it go.

With its powerful engine and dynamic agility, the Cayman S can be fierce and exciting to encounter. Sadly, the price ($83,900) and availability (sold out, with waiting list) will prevent the Cayman S ever truly becoming available for the Pepsi generation. - A.J.