by Pierre Steyn

The Detroit motor show, officially known as the North American International Auto Show, kicks off today after a year of doom, gloom and bankruptcy. Pierre Steyn is there to see if reports about the death of the American auto industry are premature, or if there is an (electric) light at the end of the tunnel. Read his blog to find out.

Gone are the days where the Detroit motor show was all about the American big three – General Motors, Ford and Chrysler –pumping V8 muscle. Now the show seems to be about the revenge of the nerds.

Small fuel efficient engines, electrics, hybrids and alternative fuels now hog the limelight which a few short years ago belonged to the muscle cars from Motown. A world wide recession, rollers coasting fuel prices and the bankruptcy of both Chrysler and GM have meant that the automotive industry has had to take a long, hard look at itself. The jocks who once proudly claimed that there’s no replacement for displacement have been fired or put out to pasture.

In a country where bigger has always been better, the auto industry here is now pinning its hopes on small being beautiful. For the first time the stars of the show will be cars like the Mini Beachcomber, an open-sided concept which points the way to a new Mini SUV. Nissan will be showing its Leaf electric car, GM’s star of the show will be its small Aveo and Ford, the only American automaker to avoid bankruptcy, has chosen the show to introduce its first global car, the new Ford Focus, to the world a full year before it will hit dealer floors.

The Focus, which Ford calls its first global car, is an early favourite to be the star of the show.

Even though times are tough, Ford has weathered the storm remarkably well thanks to prudent management and investment in new products. It’s stand at the Detroit show is apparently its biggest ever, only one indication that it sees the current chaos in the motoring industry as an opportunity to gain market share. It seems to be working too. Sales and its share price are up.

And it will keep climbing if they keep building cars like the new Focus. We were given a sneak preview over the weekend before the official unveiling today. Designed by Martin Smith, the same man who penned the very successful new Fiesta, the latest Focus takes Smith’s “kinetic” design to the next level.

It leads the way for a new generation of C-segment cars that will be built on the same platform at four plants across the world. Expect up to ten models, ranging from the hatch and sedan to crossovers like the C-Max and even a transit van to be built of this platform.

It will go on sale in Europe in 2011 and we can expect our first new Focus in South Africa in 2012.  Engines will include new Ecoboost four cylinder turbocharged direct injection units, as well as 1.6-liter petrol and improved common-rail diesel engines.

Also expect a host of technological improvements in the interior, especially in the area of connectivity to the drivers “personal mobility devices” - nerd speak for cellphones, ipods ect.

Ford seems to believe a significant chunk of its core American market is ready to make the transition to smaller four cylinder cars – a point they’re emphasising by launching this “small” car in the traditional home of the V8.

I’ll report back to let you know how well this goes down once the show gets underway, and bring you the latest news on a host of other new cars making their debut at the North American International Auto show. Miraculously a few muscle cars might even have managed to slip through the cracks. Seems like some jocks never got the message that they’re supposed to be dead.