The big three U.S. auto manufacturers have their sleek, environmentally-friendly concept cars on display at Detroit's International Auto Show. But analysts say Toyota is set to become the new heavyweight champion of car companies.
DaimlerChrysler AG is now trailing behind both General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co., while Toyota is in position to pass them all -- although the company claims not to care.
"GM is number one, Ford is number two and we just moved past Chrysler into number three -- that's the way things may stay for some time to come," said Jim Lentz, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A.
This year marks the hundredth anniversary of the North American International Auto Show.
Among some of the high-tech designs offered by GM is an electric-powered Chevrolet Volt, with a battery that can be connected to any household outlet and recharged.
It's part of GM's plan to compete with Toyota as the leading manufacturer of eco-friendly cars.
The Volt also features some of the show's trendy design features, like high doors and an imposing grill. And its roof looks to be almost entirely made of glass.
"What we have to do is have exciting cars and trucks," said GM chief executive Rick Wagoner.
"It's that kind of thing in the end that's going to keep us number one, or fall from the number one position."
Mike Jackson, chief executive of the U.S. auto dealership group AutoNation, gave the Volt high praise for its fuel-efficiency.
He told The Associated Press that current hybrid gasoline-electric cars are just a stepping stone to practical electric cars.
Jackson added that the Volt is impressive because it's far superior to past electric cars, which needed frequent recharging and performed like turtles next to gasoline-powered models.
The Volt can travel for 65 kilometres using its battery alone, and has tiny gasoline engine to recharge the battery when it's low on power. GM has said the Volt's battery should be ready by 2010 at the earliest.
"I do think that it's a very solid interim solution until we get a (hydrogen powered) fuel cell," said Michael Robinet, vice-president of global forecast services for Northville, Mich.-based CSM Worldwide, an auto industry consulting company, told AP.
Ford is also displaying a new hybrid car that runs on a battery and alternative fuel, like ethanol or hydrogen. But experts say it may not be practical, since drivers would have a hard time finding the right fill-up station.
"There isn't an infrastructure built in the U.S. where every on every corner there's a hydrogen filling station, like there is a gasoline filling station," said Miael Quincy of Consumer Reports.
With a report by CTV's Lisa LaFlamme in Detroit and files from The Associated Press
