Big Three make their case at Detroit show

"We'll be in a position to run the business at break-even or profitable at a much, much smaller industry than frankly a year ago that we ever felt would be possible to deal with," Wagoner said.

The new vehicles GM introduced Sunday included the Chevrolet Spark subcompact, which was called the Beat when GM unveiled it as a concept car in 2007. The three-door hatchback with a 1.2-liter turbocharged engine is about the size of a Honda Fit or Toyota Yaris and is set to go on sale in Europe next year and in the U.S. in 2011.

GM also announced that the Chevrolet Orlando seven-passenger crossover vehicle will go on sale in North America that same year.

But the surprise of the automaker's event was the unveiling of the Cadillac Converj concept car, which is designed to go 40 miles on electric power alone after being recharged from a standard wall outlet. A small gasoline engine would extend the range to hundreds of miles.

It's the same powertrain technology GM is using in the Chevrolet Volt, a much-anticipated extended range vehicle set to go on sale next year.

GM's Wagoner said the Detroit automaker's vehicles are smaller, smarter and more fuel efficient, with "enough towing capacity" to pull GM out of its current troubles.

Toyota Motor Corp. confirmed plans to have an all-electric vehicle on U.S. roads by 2012, introducing an ultra-compact battery-powered concept car at this year's Detroit show. It also unveiled the 2010 Lexus HS250h sedan that will go on sale this summer. It's the first standalone gas-electric vehicle for the Japanese company's luxury nameplate.

Honda Motor Co. unveiled its next-generation hybrid, the Insight, which will arrive in U.S. showrooms in April. The much-anticipated car is expected to compete head-on with the Toyota Prius, which remains the top-selling hybrid in the U.S.

BMW AG said it's ramping up its production of gas-electric hybrid vehicles, giving consumers hybrid options with the 7 Series and X6 crossover vehicle.

Volkswagen AG showed off a concept sports car — the Bluesport — that is expected to get 55 miles per gallon based on clean diesel technology, while Lamborghini showed off its new Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder, which sprints to 62 mph in four seconds and gets 20 mpg on the highway, respectable for such a high-end sports car.

The 2009 Mini Cooper convertible made its global debut. The four-seater has a powered soft-top roof that allows the driver to open and close it while going up to 20 mph.

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