North American International Auto Show: Fuel efficiency rules

The North American International Auto Show opened to the media Monday at Detroit's Cobo Hall. The 2010 NAIAS features exhibits representing 35 marques from 14 manufacturers.

It was a day the politicians came to town to check out what they'd spent all that TARP money on. House of Representatives big-wigs Nancy Pelosi (speaker) and Steny Hower (majority leader), plus transportation secretary Ray LaHood winged their way to the Motor City - on commercial carriers, of course. In the previous two years, the show crashers were Republicans. The hoped-for appearance of Present Barack Obama did not materialize Monday.

Concept vehicles sprinkled around Cobo Hall tended to reflect the leaner-greener movement.

The Toyota FT-CH - the CH for conventional hybrid - is currently just a design exercise that could eventually find a home in the Prius family. For now, it's a research exercise in alternate propulsion vehicles. However, if brought to production, the FT-CH will be smaller and less expensive than the Prius making it a potential sales phenom.

Toyota also showed off its Lexus LF-CH concept - a small hybrid first seen in Frankfurt.

Honda is hanging garlands of performance hype on the 2011 CR-Z Hybrid due in late summer. Although it looks the part of the classic CRX, its highway fuel rating appears to be less than 40mpg, so the CR-Z best be nimble.

Although few cars were on display at Detroit, Audi did announce eight new models for 2010 including the Hybrid Q5 due this fall. The 2011 Audi A8 Hybrid will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

However, Audi did bring its third generation Audi e-tron concept to Cobo - individual electric motors driving each wheel. Weighing in at less than 3,000 lb., this is one quick EV with a range of 155 miles on a single 11-hour charge from a 230v outlet. Expect a production model in late 2012.

BMW continues its electric car testing program with the ActiveE concept joining the ongoing Mini E test program. First customers of a production version will most likely be fleets and individual leasers. The ActiveE is powered by a rear mounted electric motor producing 170hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. Similar to the Similar to the Tesla Roadster, the ActiveE utilizes an array of lithium ion laptop batteries that should be good for around 100 miles and can be recharged in about 4.5 hours.

And then there's The Beachcomber concept from Mini - sans top and doors it's reminiscent of a '70s era dune buggy. Seems a shame to expose all that fine BMW-crafted interior to the elements; but then Mini says there's a soft-top and doors around somewhere. When will we see one of these little crossovers at the Dakar?

The Volkswagen Compact Coupe Concept sports an upscale look in every respect - inside and out. And in hybrid configuration bangs out 177 units of both horsepower and pound-feet of torque. Think about this - 45mpg in hybrid configuration and 141mph if you don't care about the 45mpg. VW needs to move this spiffy coupe to production soon. One VW hybrid just months from production is the Touareg

Another totally spiffy vehicle soon to arrive in U.S. showrooms is the brand new Ford Focus - new platform, engine, styling and high-tech goodies. First buyers have one powerplant choice - 2.0-liter, direct-injected four-banger dishing out 155hp through either a 6-speed manual or the new 6-speed dual-clutch transmissions. The Focus Electric is set for 2012 and a hybrid for 2013 - both to be built in Michigan.

The 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe has a pair of new powerplants that should increase its fuel efficiency segment advantage – the 2.4-liter four from the new Tucson, plus the optional 3.5-liter Lambda V6 uprated to 276hp. The units boast EPA city/highway mileage ratings of 20/28 and 20/26 respectively. The Santa Fe also has received a "fluidic sculpture design language" skin refresher for 2010.

The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Convertible will join its distinguished brethren - the Sedan and the Coupe - in the luxury category this May. AirCap technology utilizes a short wind deflector and rear headrest baffle to maintain calm in the open cabin. There's even an AirScarf - aptly named as it blows warm air on the necks of the front-seat occupants making this drophead a near-year-around convertible. The standard E350 Convertible powerplant is good for 268hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. Opt for the E550 Convertible and you get a honking 382hp and 391 lb-ft of torque.

Mercedes-Benz also showed off a CLS Design 10 Concept in shrink wrap. It would appear that the German company will be moving away from squared-off shapes to an fluid style reminiscent of the stunning art-deco designs of the 1930s. We anxiously await a full concept.

GM is rolling out a lot of new hardware in Detroit, not the least of which is the all new 2011 GMC Acadia Denali - now a crossover - complete with virtually every option in the General's inventory including polished, 6-spoke 20-inch wheels. The Denali should be in dealer showrooms by this fall.

Still in the concept phase is the GMC Granite, a down-sized model for a GMC that was probably in the Pontiac skunk works before that brand slipped away last year.

With the 2010 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe, GM once again sets the mark for luxury U.S. transportation. And the V-Series is a hoss - one fine looking hoss at that. Powered by the 6.2-liter 556hp V8, this Caddy goes. With its magnetic ride control suspension, it corners; and with its massive Brembo brakes, it stops. The V Coupe is a refreshing escape from the green theme pervading the auto industry today.

Moving to up the size ladder, Chrysler - in testing the large vehicle waters - stuck a Chrysler grille in a Lancia Delta 5-door hatchback for the NAIAS. Chrysler Group and Fiat Auto under the guiding hand of Sergio Marchionne are testing synergies to further merge the new partners. The Chrysler Lancia Concept looks promising.

The high-waisted Chrysler products of the mid-oughts are still in-your-face enough for the latest Chrysler 300 S to continue to evolve the look. Two powerplants are available - the 250hp 3.5-liter V6 and the 340hp 5.7-liter Hemi V8. In a departure from the all-chrome grilles, the grilles are now blacked-out. The side mirrors match the body paint and door handles are red-stitched carbon fiber.

One of the hottest cars at Cobo Hall is Dodge's 1:33 Edition Viper ACR - the handle coming from its 1:33.915 lap time at Laguna Seca Raceway. That's the quickest production car lap ever around the 2.238-mile elevator layout. In honor of the lap time, only 33 of these stunning red and black serpents will be built.

Road Test and Design Editor Emile Bouret will have full video, text and image features on all the new cars from the NAIAS beginning next week.