Dozens of new vehicles and a lot more new technology for cars were revealed by automakers at the glitzy Detroit Auto Show on Monday, while one manufacturer looked to tweak the interior design of a favourite old muscle car.
North America's big-three automakers are in a global fight for survival.
Ford is banking on so-called crossover utility vehicles to add new life to the struggling company.
Daimler-Chrysler is fine-tuning the minivan, even as other manufacturers end production of the quintessential family vehicle.
Credited with being the inventor of the minivan in the 1980s, Daimler-Chrysler is still trying to make the vehicle a perfect choice for families.
New models unveiled in Detroit include swivelling captain's chairs in the rear that allow people to face each other around a small table. That is just one of the 35 new features added to minivans in an effort to keep families coming back.
Chrysler minivans will also offer roll down windows in the sliding rear doors and more powerful engines designed to compete with Honda and Toyota, which have bigger power plants.
But Chrysler is also getting a boost from the fact that competitor Ford has completely discontinued production of their Freestar minivan.
Battle lines are also being drawn on the technological front, to appeal to tech-savvy buyers and increase fuel efficiency.
General Motors offered up a new option for the new-look Camaro, which is slated to be built in Oshawa, Ont. Owners of the new Chevy will be able to go topless as GM unveiled a new convertible version of the fabled muscle car.
Tech all the talk at auto show
But mindful of customers demanding fuel efficiency, and seeing the success of hybrids already in the market from rival Toyota, GM revived the idea of a mass-market electric car.
The concept Chevrolet Volt will draw power from batteries and will be able to run for 64 kilometres (40 miles). The automaker believes that distance makes it marketable to families for everyday use.
General Motors claims that the average American drives 64 kilometres every day. That translates into just over 24,000 kilometres a year. Motorists driving that distance would not need to buy any fuel for the Volt, saving thousands of litres of fuel.
Unlike hybrids which run under the combined power of gasoline and electricity, the Volt will be electric but will also be able to run on gasoline on longer trips. The small gasoline engine will keep the vehicle moving after the batteries run flat. At the same time, the gasoline engine will recharge the batteries.
While car makers were showing off their new designs and technology, in Las Vegas software giant Microsoft unveiled their so-called Connected Concept Cars at the Consumer Electronics Show.
Showing off a BMW X5, Hummer H2 and a Cadillac C75 refitted as connected cars, Microsoft demonstrated the package of functions including in-car email, entertainment systems and GPS navigation.
Cars fitted with the Microsoft service will be able to access MSN services such as stock market and weather reports. Plus, the software offers connectivity to Smartphones and PocketPCs with voice control to help drivers keep their hands on the wheel.
Teamed-up with Ford, Microsoft unveiled a multimedia communications system called Sync.
The system will allow mobile phones and portable music players to "sync-up" with a vehicle's controls using wireless Bluetooth or a USB 2.0 connection.
Sync will be operated using voice commands or control buttons placed on the steering wheel.
