Any thoughts on the Detroit Auto show/cars coming out this year?

Question

I watched the Detroit Auto show on CNBC, and was surprised to see what looks like a lot of decent cars coming out later this year. They have a bunch of fuel-efficient hybrids and electrics that don't look like science experiments. And cars with cool technology packages. Plus, Ford has redesigned the Taurus for 2010 and it may actually be a decent American car. Nissan was a no-show at the auto show (maybe b/c they're doing well?)

What are your thoughts on the Auto Show and the cars coming out this year?

I'm guessing there are so many hybrids/electrics b/c they were in the works when gasoline was approaching $5.00 a gallon. Also it appears American automakers are tired of lagging behind Japan and Germany in innovation, and have decided to make some decent cars for a change instead of relying on SUVs and pick up trucks.

Additional Details

Excellent points, Chris. I think the Cadillac Volt is a really cool car. Too bad Detroit didn't come out with these cars a couple years ago, before the recession really got rolling. They'd be in much better shape.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

I did see many good new cars and concepts from Honda an Volvo at the auto show

I think the new Volt-based Cadillac Converj Concept looked the greatest
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/detro…

It's too bad they're now giving us some of the best cars they've built in years at time when some of them could be going under

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

You made some good points, and so did the guy below you. So I flipped a coin to choose best answer.

Answer 2

I'm not so enthusiastic because all the evidence I've seen indicates that the Detroit automakers have been making promises when they could have been making better cars.

The Volt is one example. For years now they have been saying it will go into production after someone magically invents a new battery technology. They had a perfectly good electric car in the EV1 and destroyed it after they won the lawsuit against California to block CA's low-emission-vehicle law.

If Detroit wanted to produce hybrids & electrics they could have been doing it for years. Some are producing SUVs that they falsely call "hybrid" as a sales image (i.e. "green-washing") without any real hybrid function.

Detroit's only goal right now is to kill the United Auto Workers and have so many businesses overseas (such as building Cadillacs in China) that they can wait until the U.S. economy is totally dead and union workers are willing to take minimum wage jobs.