ANDREA SEABROOK, host:
Fireworks, strobe lights and 120 head of Texas longhorn cattle helped introduce the new models at the North American International Auto Show that opened in the media today in Detroit. It's the biggest and most widely covered auto show in North America.
Ford introduced the Verve by lowering it from the ceiling. Those cattle, they came herded down a Detroit street by new Dodge Ram pickup trucks.
But with oil hovering around $100 a barrel, and gas at about $3 a gallon, the talk of the show wasn't so much the spectacle but new greener innovation by automakers.
NPR's Anthony Brooks is at the show in the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit.
And Anthony, tell me where you are right now.
ANTHONY BROOKS: Well, I'm in the exhibition hall, Andrea. And all around me, I can see dozens of shiny, brand new cars that are on display from Honda, from Dodge Chrysler. Behind me is Jeep. And they actually have a Jeep mounted vertically - climbing the wall. In front of me is the new Ford Escape hybrid. There are automakers, virtually, from all over the world, all touting their new cars. And as you suggested, green is the theme here - or at least one of the themes.
SEABROOK: Hasn't been a great year for Detroit, huh?
BROOKS: No, not at all. U.S. carmakers have lost a lot of money. GM actually posted a $39 billion loss in one quarter of last year. Keep in mind that was largely a sort of an accounting issue. However, it was an indication of the kind of troubles U.S. automakers have been in. So they're hoping that this auto show marks the beginning of some kind of recovery. And they're hoping that green can lead the way.
SEABROOK: So the big theme, as you're saying, this year is green -environmentally friendly cars. But U.S. automakers are still counting on the sale of those big trucks and SUVs.
BROOKS: Absolutely. And with gasoline selling around $3 a gallon, with the price of oil up close to $100 a barrel, and now that Congress has finally passed new fuel efficiency standards, everyone is tripping over each other, claiming that they're the new green. At the same time, big pickup trucks and SUVs still represent Detroit's bread and butter.
And so, you know, you have Ford trotting out its new F-150 pickup truck, which is the most popular selling truck in America. You have - you mentioned all those cattle being herded up Washington Boulevard. That's the new Dodge Ram pickup truck. You have Corvette with a new V8 that can go 200 miles an hour. So there is a bit of schizophrenia. On the one hand, it's green. On the one hand, it's still big. It's still muscle. It's still hauling power and the sort of horsepower contest and love affair with big cars that continues to hold sway here in Detroit.
SEABROOK: Tell us a little bit about some of the cars that are going for that fuel efficiency. I understand the smart car may be coming to the United States now.
BROOKS: Yeah. Well the smart car was introduced by Mercedes. And that's a good example because that was literally the first car that Mercedes rolled into their display as part of their so-called reveal. They're tiny and they claim they get about 50 miles per gallon. BMW, you know, high-performance luxury cars - they're talking about green. So it's pretty much cars from all over the country and all over the world that are picking up on this theme.
SEABROOK: Really quickly, Anthony, those cattle. How did they get there and how are they going home?
BROOKS: Well, those cattle were brought up on a private train, along with their horses and 12 cowboys and cow women who actually helped herd them down the street. And they'll be going home to Texas on a private train.
SEABROOK: NPR's Anthony Brooks, reporting from the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Thanks, Anthony.
BROOKS: Thank you, Andrea. It's a pleasure.