Detroit Auto Show 2008: Going Green, Staying Exciting

The Detroit Auto Show brought out the best of the struggling auto industry. While every industry leader tries to bring something unique and interesting to the Detroit Auto Show, few companies caught my attention with their displays. The Jeep display, complete with waterfall, really stuck out as something that was worth stopping for. For me, it's all about the cars and the concepts. One major trend and a few concept cars managed to catch my attention among the multiple displays.

The one clear trend that most auto makers finally started to catch on to is going green. The auto industry is being pressured by both the government and consumers to make their cars more green; whether it be for environmental reasons or for the money crunch felt by rising gas prices, auto makers are on the move. According to Road & Track's Shaun Bailey, Dodge's ZEO concept has no engine, just a motor and big batteries. It is claimed that the ZEO can go 250 miles on a single charge, and can go from 0-60 in 6 seconds. According to Bailey, the ZEO could be what the electric concept needed.

Jeep has come out with a concept that has yet again captured my attention. The Jeep Renegade is a plug-in diesel hybrid that has Road & Track's Shaun Bailey interested in it's wireless dash concept. According to Bailey, "all gauges, stereo controls and navigation displays are plug-and-play on the dash power bar". This means that all of these controls can be moved to be customized by the driver to make for one of the most detailed customized cars. This concept, that reminds people of a dune buggy, isn't something that will be seen, but offers up some great ideas coming in the industry.

Hummer's newest concept has some heads turning. With it's reputation for huge, gas guzzling vehicles still as solid as ever, Hummer has gone small with it's HX concept. According to Matt DeLorenzo of Road & Track, the Hummer HX is Hummer's direct shot at competing with the Jeep Wrangler. The HX still manages to keep many of the visual cues of it's big brothers. Considering the lack of competition to Jeep's Wrangler, this could be a legitimate concept.

The one concept that is stealing headlines across the auto world is the Mazda Furai. One of three of Mazda's new concepts, the Furai could be considered one of the most interesting, and according the Road & Track, was first introduced at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. What R&T calls an obvious attempt at bridging the gap between street-legal cars, and the race cars that aren't, the Furai is one of the most visually stunning concepts to grace the auto industry.

The 2008 Detroit Auto Show featured much more than you see here. Many more companies introduced eco-friendly cars. While some were completely free of emissions, others seem closer to reality, as the hybrid technology will allow lower emissions and better MPG ratings in the near future. As the industry is struggling, the 2008 Auto Show has made it clear that the auto companies are listening, and their attempting to reach consumers in interesting, and effective ways.