Prudence, Purpose Underscore NAIAS

There is palpable tension on the floor of this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Not so much of the impending-doom variety that hovered like a gray cloud over the 2009 exhibition. More like two underlying themes in conflict with each other.

On one hand there is the stark reality of realignment, a manifestation of the industry's response to the crippling recession.

The Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer and Saab brands are nowhere to be seen as General Motors Co., making its first home appearance since emerging from bankruptcy in July, occupies a scaled-down space.

But the upside is increased focus on the remaining brands. “We hear it from our dealers all the time that people are interested in American cars again,” newly appointed Buick General Manager Brian Sweeney tells Ward's.

Having cleaved Ram products from Dodge to create a stand-alone brand, Chrysler Group LLC seems re-energized following its journey through Chapter 11 protection.

“What was Dodge becoming?” asks Ram President and CEO Fred Diaz. “When you said ‘Dodge,’ the first thing conjured up in people's minds was ‘truck.’ That wasn't good for the Dodge car (lineup); it wasn't good for the Caravan (minivan). We needed to give Dodge its own personality.”

Diaz says the vehicle-identification numbers on Ram products will continue to indicate Dodge, but Chrysler marketing chief Olivier Francois tells Ward's the Dodge name eventually will disappear from the Ram line.

Meanwhile, Chrysler partner Fiat Auto SpA suggests its pending influence by showcasing a pair of Fiat 500s and a Chrysler-badged Lancia Delta “design concept.”

Ford Motor Co.'s stand is thinner, having divorced Mazda Motor Corp. And longtime neighbors, the Jaguar and Land Rover brands — acquired in 2008 by Tata Motors Ltd. — move across the floor to a high-rent district adjacent to the Bentley Motors Inc. booth.

Tesla Motors Inc., for the first time, occupies a main-floor spot in Detroit, reinforcing the show's other underlying theme: urgency.

Electrified vehicles are everywhere. In all shapes and sizes. And the rush is on to launch them.

Tesla debuts the interior of its Model S. The sedan-style EV, pegged at $49,000 after application of a $7,500 tax rebate, will launch in 2012.

It will accommodate up to 7 passengers. Design chief Franz von Holzhausen tells Ward's the car will be “as functional as any minivan out there.”

Valuable interior space is freed up because there is no engine or associated components, he explains. “We've got a trunk in the front and one in the rear.”

Tesla has said it expects to build about 20,000 units of the Model S annually. Another unnamed EV set to launch sometime after 2012 is expected to boost the fledgling auto maker's output to 200,000.

Both vehicles will be assembled at a new plant in California. Tesla is expected to announce the site soon, a spokeswoman says.

BMW AG rolls out the successor to its low-volume Mini E EV, the Concept ActiveE. Unlike the front-drive, Mini-based EV, the ActiveE is rear-wheel drive.

The car is based on the 1-Series Coupe and designed to “provide a taste of a purely electrically powered BMW,” with strong acceleration and good dynamic handling characteristics.

Volkswagen AG makes its intentions clear toward vehicle electrification, with two concepts unveiled at Detroit.

The New Coupe Concept, unleashed for the Volkswagen brand, is a midsize coupe that not only provides a peek at potential future electric-drivetrain technology for the brand but sheds light on the styling for the next-generation Jetta sedan, due later this year.

Audi's e-tron is a small, all-electric sports car that borrows the powertrain from the R8-based e-tron exhibited at the Frankfurt auto show last fall.

VW's full-hybrid NCC is derived from the same architecture that underpins the upcoming Jetta and is positioned between the Scirocco and CC in size and market intent. It is powered by a 148-hp, 1.4L TSI gasoline 4-cyl. engine mated with a 20 kW (27-hp) electric motor and 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Opulence is gauche on the show floor, with the possible exception of the Lincoln MKX cross/utility vehicle and its new split bow-wave grille.

Sensible is in. Consider Cadillac.

GM's luxury mark takes a big step in downsizing with the XTS Platinum concept. The top-of-the-line 4-door sedan combines GM's award-winning 3.6L V-6 with the auto maker's next-generation 2-mode plug-in hybrid system.

Also on the hybrid front, Hyundai Motor America flaunts the lithium-polymer battery technology that will generate power for its Sonata HEV.

“It's great from a thermal-management standpoint, great in (crashworthiness) — flexible and bendable,” HMA President John Krafcik says of the Sonata's battery.

The car is due on dealer lots in fourth quarter.

Hyundai also unveils a pair of new engines to power its redesigned-for-'10 Santa Fe cross/utility vehicle: a 2.4L I-4 and a 3.5L V-6. The 175-hp Theta II I-4 is expected to achieve 28 mpg (8.4 L/100 km) on the highway, while the 276-hp Lambda II V-6 is rated at 26 mpg (9.0 L/100 km).

And Ford confirms to Ward's it will launch a '12 Mercury version of its new Ford Focus. The redesigned C-car wins high praise from critics.

But it's not all serious business at NAIAS. American Honda Motor Co. Inc. takes the wraps off the all-new Honda CR-Z, a hybrid-electric vehicle focused more on fun than fuel efficiency.

“This is a 2-seat, personal sporty hybrid,” says John Mendel, executive vice president-American Honda.

BMW promises even more fun with its Z4 sDrive35is, a higher-performance version of the current Z4. An enhanced engine-management system features an electronically controlled over-boost function that provides a temporary torque peak of 369 lb. ft. (500 Nm). With this advantage, BMW says the roadster should be able to reach 60 mph in just 4.7 seconds.