Honda announced it will build a hybrid version of the Accord and virtually every manufacturer had some commingling of gas and electric technologies on display. Considering the success of Toyota's Prius, it looks like hybrids will be here into the foreseeable future.
Many execs seem convinced that people will move back into cars as the novelty of SUVs and pickups wears off and the attributes they like in those vehicles (all-wheel drive and higher seating positions, for instance) migrate over to sedans, coupes and convertibles.
Rumors& Lies
The Toyota Prius was named 2004 North American Car of the Year at the Detroit Auto Show.
KIA is looking to establish an assembly plant in the United States as its sales volume grows beyond 300,000 here.
The price of the VW Phaeton with the W-12 engine is $94,600. In 1949 that much money would have bought about 74 VW Beetles here in the United States. In fact, it only sold two here that year.
Mitsubishi has announced a new 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty on all its cars, including the EVO. New Mitsu U.S. leader Finbarr O'Neill used a similar warranty to boost Hyundai here when he led that company's U.S. efforts.
BMW built at least one minivan prototype before backing away from the idea.
Lotus will put its mid-engine Elise on sale here in May with a 190-hp Toyota powerplant and a $39,985 MSRP.
Rumors are that the Saturn Curve has already been ordered into production, but that no decision has been made on the Chevy Nomad, which is also based atop the Kappa platform.
In order to attract older, more credit-worthy customers, Mitsubishi is expected to ditch its rock-and-roll-themed ad campaign. The new ads will concentrate-get this-on the cars.