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Motown’s greatest hits ­– all the best cars from the Detroit Motor Show 2014

Detroit, heart of the American car industry, traditionally hosts the first motor show of the year each January. Officially known as the North American International Auto Show – or NAIAS – it’s a chance for carmakers to kick-start the coming 12 months with a bit of glamour and sparkle. And the 2014 Detroit Motor Show has not disappointed, with a substantial number of new debuts and a chance to see some existing favourites, too.

BMW M6 Competition revealed

The Limited Edition BMW M6 Competition will be at Frankfurt (click image for bigger photo) It doesn’t look like the M6 Competition gets much fiddling with the oily bits, although the suspension is being tweaked and lowered – 10mm at the front and 12mm at the back. The M6 Competition sees a new colour option – Frozen Grey Matt – which does look pretty special on the M6.  The interior gets a ‘limited edition’ makeover, with buyers getting the choice between Merino full leather interior with either black or light grey two-tone contrast stitching. BMW are also throwing in a set of mats with ‘M6 Competition’ stitched in them in case you forget what you bought.

Saab on the road to independence

You’ve got to feel for Scandinavian car makers Saab and Volvo. Both swallowed up by big US car makers, and both now being abandoned in a vulnerable position after years of integrating their once independent products in to their parents infrastructure, they must wake up every day wondering if this is the day it all goes bang. Ford is simply trying (increasingly desperately) to off-load Volvo, but GM, which is in a much more precarious position than Ford, has now abandoned its Swedish child in a desperate attempt to appease Congress and survive.