Best of the Detroit 3
If the domestic makers are to survive or better yet, thrive, it won't be government loans that will do the trick. Rather, it's up to them to make got-to-have vehicles that can excite and motivate the buying public to get off the couch and into the nearest showroom. At the North American International Auto Show, the home team displayed a strong lineup of models that prove they haven't lost their mojo yet.
2010 Ford Shelby GT500
We liked what we saw of the redesigned Mustang at the Los Angeles Auto Show and that like has turned to love with the debut of the 2010 Ford Shelby GT500. The Mustang's new body, with its cut-off corners, makes this 540-horsepower muscle car look tauter than the previous model, although officially there's no change in overall length. In addition to the new shape, the GT500 borrows some suspension bits from last year's GT500KR, which gives this pumped-up pony car even sharper handling.
Dodge Circuit EV
In the early 1990s, Chrysler faced tough times and showed it had plenty of fight left in it by building the Dodge Viper. Now the company is taking a page from its history and showing that high performance can be compatible with the environment in the form of the Dodge Circuit EV sports car. Originally shown as simply the Dodge EV last year, the lightweight 2-seater has all-new bodywork with cues such as the division's trademark crosshair grille. With an electric motor producing 268 horsepower, the Circuit EV is said to have 0–60 mph acceleration of less than 5 seconds.
