| Automakers are developing awesome | | | | Dodge Ram. General Motors will showcase |
| concept cars to wow more shoppers and to | | | | an ultra-powerful Corvette and a 550-hp |
| win back customers. Aficionados find | | | | Cadillac CTS. The Nissan Motor Co. will |
| them excellent unfortunately, they | | | | set free the 480-hp Skyline GTR, and |
| cannot have them yet. They belong to the | | | | Toyota will sell its new Highlander SUV. |
| future. And the future is not today. | | | | For Ford CEO Alan Mulally, the NAIAS |
| Ford Motor Co. introduced its | | | | gives him an opportunity to drive home |
| fuel-sipping subcompact - the Verve - at | | | | the themes he has sounded as he tries to |
| the North American International Auto | | | | return Ford to profitability by 2009. |
| Show with the hope of putting a halt to | | | | The Verve represents what Mulally wants |
| the ongoing sales doldrums. But it would | | | | Ford to become: a company that builds |
| not go on sale in America for at least a | | | | world-class, fuel-efficient cars the |
| couple of years. | | | | same way from the same parts all around |
| Chrysler LLC will also introduce unveil | | | | the globe, realizing huge economies of |
| three electric-car concepts that are | | | | scale, a release said. |
| years away from reality. General Motors | | | | Toyota and Honda already have |
| Corp. will again tout the electric Volt | | | | hot-selling small cars in America. This |
| it hopes to build - by 2010, the auto | | | | raises the query of whether the Dearborn |
| maker promises, reported the Wall Street | | | | automaker's subcompact will be very |
| Journal. Honda Motor Co. has a hydrogen | | | | late. "In North America, we've given |
| fuel-cell car and Toyota Motor Corp. | | | | short shrift to this end of the market," |
| plans to present a small, aerodynamic | | | | said George Pipas, Ford's top sales |
| truck prototype, the release divulged. | | | | analyst. "It's a valid concern." |
| "While the future of these companies | | | | Ford, meanwhile, has a number of |
| will be greatly dependent on new | | | | upcoming vehicles this year. Besides the |
| technology development, today's reality | | | | new F-150 truck, Ford will launch a new |
| is that they must sell as many of these | | | | small sport-utility called Flex and a |
| big trucks as possible to fill their | | | | new Lincoln sedan this year. |
| plants and drive cash flow," said John | | | | "We're not going to say that we don't |
| Casesa, a former Wall Street analyst who | | | | mind not having more small cars," |
| now heads his own advisory firm. "They | | | | Mulally said. Of the Verve, he noted: |
| have no choice." | | | | "Would we like to have it sooner? You |
| With gas prices rising, automakers are | | | | bet. Do we care more about getting it |
| forced to develop fuel efficient | | | | right? You bet." |
| vehicles. But reality dictates that auto | | | | Aside from the goal of wowing shoppers, |
| shoppers cannot have them for now. They | | | | automakers should also focus on the |
| will actually hit American roads in the | | | | quality of their products. To stress, |
| coming years. | | | | Bilstein will never ink a good |
| Like Ford, Chrysler's main new model is | | | | reputation if quality is sacrificed. |
| a huge pickup truck, the redesigned | | | | |