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Washington wants smaller--or at least cleaner. At the Detroit show this year, the Big Three did their save-the-earth bit by displaying some "clean" concept cars. Chrysler unveiled its ESX2, which combines lightweight construction, plastic body panels and a hybrid power train (a small diesel engine, batteries and electric motor) to get 70 m.p.g. Ford displayed a concept vehicle fabricated out of aluminum, titanium and carbon fiber that gets up to 63 m.p.g. and weighs 40% less than a Taurus. Ford promised to adapt its Windstar minivan, classified as a truck, to meet lower emissions by 1999. But while the Big Three talk about adding a salad bar to the auto buffet, they are busily cooking up the industry equivalent of pork sandwiches. "Look, we can make a car that runs on rubber bands and squirrels on treadmills," sighs Chrysler vice chairman Robert Lutz, "but that's not what people want."
The Big Three won't U-turn away from big anytime soon. Last year sales of SUVs were up 32.4%, and truck sales of all types rose 4.5%. Passenger-car sales, in contrast, dropped 2.7%, according to Autodata Corp. of Woodcliff Lake, N.J. In that kind of market, the new Beetle is already living up to its far-out image.
--With reporting by Joseph R. Szczesny/Detroit