This week started, of course, with the Detroit show and Chrysler grabbed all the initial ink by launching its new Ram pickup truck line with the help of 120 Texas longhorn cattle paraded down the main street of the motor city. True, not all the cattle behaved impeccably but the automaker was rewarded with loads of TV, print and blog coverage.
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Not to be outdone, Ford unveiled a redesigned F-150 truck line with country and western music star Toby Keith while Honda, without the aid of cattle or country musicians, showed a thinly-disguised ‘concept’ version of its upcoming 2009 Pilot, the first redesign of the North America-focused large SUV since 2002.
Having got the gas guzzlers out of the way, Detroit switched to the green message, rolling out an array of fuel-saving technology, including a hybrid Saturn SUV and sportscar and hybrid versions of big GM pickups. Fisker showed off a gorgeous-looking plug-in hybrid and even Ferrari had a flex-fuel F430 on display.
Chinese firm BYD claimed industry-leading new battery technology and Johnson Controls showed off a new headliner made from environment-friendly materials rather than fibreglass. And Chinese vehicles were promised for US sale by the end of the year.
This side of the Atlantic, PSA showed off new vans and a revamped plant.
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By GlobalDataAnd we learned on rust problems with early-build Logans and that the ink was dry on Renault’s plans for a new plant in Morocco.
