DETROIT — If there was one thing conspicuously absent in the launches and unveilings at this year’s North American International Auto Show, it was trucks.
For many automakers, the big news this year was small cars. Ford offered up its new Focus, below, while General Motors, Chrysler and many of the foreign automakers had smaller cars to show. Some analysts wonder whether automakers are chasing the market or getting ahead of it.
“The compact car segment will continue to grow,” said Erich Merkle of in Grand Rapids. “But the rate of growth won’t be enough to accommodate all the new competitors and products.”
Ford chief executive Alan Mulally said most Americans know that fuel prices will rise again and want to insulate themselves from that risk as much as possible. Detroit News
