First shown in concept form at the January 2007 Detroit Auto Show, Volt will be the first plug-in hybrid to come to market. The four-passenger sedan differs from the Prius and its conventional hybrid ilk because the plug-in charger provides enough juice to travel 40 miles in purely electric mode. Enough, General Motors planners contend, to handle the daily commute for 70 percent of all Americans. For longer drives, Volt’s small internal combustion engine kicks in. Unlike a conventional hybrid, that gasoline engine serves only as a generator and never directly powers the wheels. The problems: cost (an estimated $40,000) and volumes too low to rebuild the troubled maker’s balance sheet.
Courtesy of GM
The Fiesta, which launches in the U.S. with a 2010 model and is already on sale abroad, differs sharply from the stripped-down econobox that previously bore its name. Hip, attractive and well-equipped, it underscores that small is indeed beautiful, as well as fuel-efficient. Ford marketers seem confident: They are loaning cars to 100 young influencers, who will critique the car via YouTube, blogs and other social media. A successful Fiesta would validate Ford’s strategy to trim development and production costs by turning to its European studios for the smaller products in its lineup.
Arnd Wiegmann / Reuters
It’s conventional wisdom, within the media, to argue that the entire future of the American auto industry is based on smaller, greener cars. Don’t believe it. Even at $4 a gallon gas, there was still plenty of demand for pickups and SUVs. Most consider the Jeep brand Chrysler’s most valuable asset, and arguably the most important model within that lineup is the Grand Cherokee. An all-new version debuted at this week’s New York International Auto Show, and will go on sale later this year. It’s a lot more stylish than the boxy, outgoing Grand Cherokee, with a more luxurious and well-executed interior that could spell trouble for import competitors. Jeep will also need to upgrade the smaller models, like its Compass and Patriot, targeting fuel-conscious urban motorists.
Courtesy of Chrysler
Yes, Buick. Until recently, most observers had written the aging brand off for dead, but General Motors has given it a proverbial new lease on life thanks to strong demand in the fast-growing Chinese market. To everyone’s surprise, last year’s Buick Enclave SUV has captured a hip, young, and affluent buyer and the next chance for the brand to prove itself is with the upcoming launch of the midsize LaCrosse. The totally redesigned sedan was largely developed by GM’s Chinese product-development center and will be the flagship for the Asian unit. But don’t think cheap-and-cheerful: It’s big with China’s executive set, and marketers will pursue the same type of audience here.
Courtesy of GM
Taurus brings to mind a plasticky rent-a-car, but most forget that it was a somewhat revolutionary sedan when it debuted in 1986. After a brief respite for the brand, Ford’s new version harkens back to the original, with striking styling, a plush and luxurious cockpit, and the sort of advanced technology—automatically adjusting cruise control, monitors when you back out of a parking spot, etc.—you’d normally have to pay thousands more for on a true luxury vehicle. The 2010 sedan will even park itself. Ford is also bringing back the legendary Taurus SHO, a V-8 speed demon, powered by a more fuel-efficient “EcoBoost” engine.
Ford Motor Co. / AP Photo
The smallest of the domestic Big Three is betting on style. The 200 has the same winning look that worked for the bigger 300 model earlier this decade, and an elegant interior that holds its own with entry-luxury models—but for a lot less money. A prototype version also redoes the engine: It will be electric-powered.
Courtesy of Chrysler
