12.01.2012

Motown finds its mojo

It was a good start by the away team as the Hyundai Elantra and Range Rover Evoque took the US Car and Truck of the Year honours at the Detroit show, a measure of how much competition the Big Three American carmakers face on their home turf.

But it wasn't long before the home side pulled it back as Ford gave strong hints about the appearance and make-up of the next Mondeo with the unveiling of the new Fusion.

The US Fusion is a mid-sized saloon, and the new model is the first of 10 related cars, to be produced at a combined rate of 1m a year including replacements for the Mondeo, S-Max and Galaxy MPVs.

Over at General Motors, the company said it is looking to attract young buyers with two sporty small Chevrolets which, it says, will look and feel like sports cars but cost around $20,000 (£13,000) in the US.

The concepts, called the Tru 140S and the Code 130R, are four-seaters which can achieve 40mpg. GM is seeking opinions from young buyers as a key part of the development process.

The early news set the scene for a Detroit show with a buzz about it. You could detect it last year but this time round there is even more confidence among the carmakers.

There is small chance of the market returning to the 16m plus of the mid-2000s, but the industry has shaken out and now finds it can still make money in a market hovering around 13m.

Even the elements were kind, it's many years since Detroit has experienced such mild weather. No snow on the ground and clear blue skies above, no trudging wearily through the slush to and from the Cobo Hall.

And there was real warmth inside the hall. While the Ford Fusion and the Dodge Dart represented a softer, more environmentally-friendly approach to new models there were still cars to drool over.

The new Porsche Carrera Cabriolet was one, while it was arguably outdone by the stunning Acura NSX.

Like most shows these days, most companies were talking green but there is still a heavy reliance on the internal combustion engine on this side of the Atlantic.

Petrol is still considerably cheaper than in the UK but reduced mpg and CO2 is very much at the forefront for all the carmakers with 40mpg seemingly the holy grail.

What about the Brit's? It's a shame Jaguar Land Rover did not have a stand allowing it to soak up the accolades as the Range Rover Evoque took the Truck of the Year title.

Mini showed off the new Roadster for the first time in the US and Bentley was also there, taking the wraps off two Continental V8 models, the new 4.0 litre, twin turbocharged GT coupé and GTC convertible.

The new Bentley V8 engine delivers maximum power of 500bhp and an extraordinary peak torque of 487 lb ft. It can reach 188mph but can also achieve outstanding levels of fuel efficiency and CO2emissions for the luxury performance sector and can travel over 500 miles on a single tank of fuel.

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