Any colour you like, as long as its green

The Big Three and European carmakers unveil new, eco-friendly models at Detroit's North American International Motor Show.

It was always going to be a more subdued North American International Motor Show for 2009. The credit crunch, last year's oil price spike and the Big Three calling upon the US government for financial assistance made last year's ostentatious displays of celebrity guests and lavish hospitality seem like a dim and distant memory. Instead, it was a lean, green show coming from Detroit with pretty much every stand, apart from Lamborghini and Maserati, offering some sort of environmentally friendly initiative. It remains to be seen as to which companies will succeed with their eco-friendly plans, which projects will never see the light of day and which ones will be taken seriously by the anti-global warming campaigners. The Big Three held upbeat, if pared down, press conferences this year. Instead of big-name celebrities onstage, it was suited execs for GM, Ford and Chrysler all putting a positive spin on the past six months of sales slumps and job losses. GM, with Michigan state governor Jennifer Granholm on hand for moral support, showed off 14 cars with a focus on green technology. The Cadillac Converj, a luxury hybrid concept, was one of the stars of the stand, while last year's much-hyped Chevrolet Volt got a revised launch date of late 2010. Ford packed bleachers in a cold Cobo Hall stadium with staff as well as press to announce hybrid technology on the likes of the Flex and Fusion while promising a fuel-saving Ecoboost system on all cars by 2013. Chrysler, the most troubled of the Big Three, launched three electric concept cars, but there was no production date announced. Whether these concepts will remain as concepts depends on whether 2009 heralds the end of Chrysler, something predicted by plenty of industry pundits. The European manufacturers, meanwhile, have not suffered quite as badly overall in the wake of the market downturn, but their Detroit stands were still subdued to match the mood of the show. Mercedes launched the concept BlueZero car, a zero-emissions, electrically powered hatchback with three models, a promise of a 2010 roll-out and a range of 600km for the top of the line model. Audi, BMW and Volkswagen's green efforts focused on clean diesel, which will not be of much use to UAE motorists unless diesel is made far more accessible here. However, the very sexy Audi R8 5.2 TSI is certain to do well in the UAE with the power of a V10 engine roaring behind the driver. Other environmental initiatives included an electric Mini and the promise of low- or zero-emissions performance cars from Fisker and Tesla. With UAW workers protesting outside Cobo Hall and everyone inside putting on a brave face and trotting out the clichés about looking forward to the challenges of 2009, it is clear that the scaled-back Detroit motor show is a sign of austere times ahead in the auto industry.