Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

First, you have a line of clean diesels from Mercedes-Benz.  The BLUETEC engine is designed to seriously chop down on diesel's exhaust.  There's no indication that these are to be particularly high mileage vehicles, and with the M-B brand, they'll certainly be pricier than if they'd come from elsewhere in the Daimler-Chrysler domain.  However, hopefully this introduction will set the stage for more of the clean, high mileage smaller diesel cars now available in Europe.

Those of us who have long advocated the development of ethanol from cellulose, using plants such as Switchgass which can be grown using less energy than corn, and which potentially can produce 2-4x as much ethanol per acre, will get a chance to see if it works when Volkswagon and Shell team up to give it a try.  

Toyota expanded it's hybrid line with the new 2007 Camry which has some keep tech refined from the Prius, but I can't really say I care for the styling.

This is the year for small vehicles, usually seen prowling the streets of Japan and Europe, to finally appear in the United States.  Having pushed the Civic upscale, Honda is bringing in the Fit while Toyota counters with the Yaris (picture above the jump).  Both are small conventional cars that get around 38 MPG, but there's a hint of other powertrain versions in the future. And if the Mini is just a little too Mini for you, but you still think it's as cute as a bug's ear, maybe you'll like the lengthened Mini Traveler.

Ford rolled out some interesting vehicles including this honking big Super Chief truck that is styled after art-deco transcontinental trains and contains an engine that can use hydrogen, E85, or plain old gas.  From the look of the thing, I expect it would use a lot of whatever it is burning.

Ford also showed off what has to be the coolest car on the concept circuit, the Reflex.

Sporting an engine that's a hybrid diesel-electric, this car wins on both fronts.  It can use biodiesel, and it's a hybrid -- beating the Prius at 65MPG.  It's also "environmentally built," down to using rubber from scrap sports shoes in some components.  Now, if you could only buy one, I'd line up on day one.

It wouldn't be Detroit if there weren't a new parade of gas guzzlers, including the new Camaro and Mustang GT500.  Both are nice, but I have to admit my heart belongs to the new Mazda Kabura.

If only they'd but an E85 hybrid engine in that thing, so I wouldn't feel so guilty for wanting it.

Stay tuned over the next couple of days, as auto makers will still be annoucing and showing off new models.