Detroit's Come Back Cars

Detroit's Come Back Cars

If Chrysler, Ford and GM can get through their mess, these are the products they hope will pull them out to the other side.

Ford Mustang
Among the Big Three automakers, Ford Motor Co. is thought to be the strongest financially. That may be one reason why Ford is the only one to roll out significant new models at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show.
The redesigned Ford Mustang may not be the most advanced car the automaker revealed in L.A. but it will likely turn the most heads.

Chevrolet Camaro
Like the Mustang, the Camaro reminds us that there are still exciting, uniquely American cars that only Detroit can credibly market. While General Motors needs to step into the future with vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt, it still needs to maintain this important emotional connection.

Chrysler electric vehicles
When you think of the ultra-clean, electrically driven future of personal mobility, a four-door Jeep Wrangler probably isn't what comes to mind.
But this Wrangler is driven by a system similar to the Chevy Volt's. It will drive on battery power for up to about 40 miles. As the battery runs low, a gasoline engine will start up to generate more electricity.

Ford Might Be the Winner if the Auto Bailout Fails

The reason is that Ford alone among the Detroit Three has enough dry powder to get through what will be a very difficult 2009, when car sales aren't expected to top the 11.8 million units sold this year. (In 2007, 16 million cars and light trucks were sold.) General Motor's Wagoner and Chrysler's Nardelli made it pretty clear that without a government bridge loan — $12 billion in GM's case, $7 or $8 billion for Chrysler — there isn't going to be a 2010 for these companies, at least not without a pit stop in bankruptcy. Chrysler ended its third quarter with $6.1 billion in cash — but it's burning through $1 billion a month.