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If you haven't seen our coverage of the 2009 North American International Auto Show, you should check it out HERE.

There were lots of hot new cars and most of the reveals had some sort of "green" significance. What is your favorite green vehicle from the show? Why is it your favorite.

I think it's tough to beat the Cadillac Converj. The car looks great and it's one way to spread the cost of Volt development and perhaps make some money from the platform in the future.  

I vote for the VW Concept BlueSport. Lightweight, good looking, and should be fun to drive. Just get rid of the diesel and put in a frugal yet fun gasoline engine and I'm sold.  

Agreed, though a diesel isn't necessarily a deal-breaker for me.  I too would like a longer rev band offered by a gas motor, but the TDI isn't a bad mill, either.  I'm already picturing a nice week-long drive in the thing, with fuel stops few and far between.  

The converj makes me wonder why the first attempt at the plug in hybrid was a Chevy and not a Cadillac from the outset.

What happened to the days when the luxury car division lead the way with the new technology, which eventually filtered down through the other divisions?  

Acutally, the TDI is somewhat of a selling point for me on the BlueSport. The economy and torque are a definite plus, but I agree it would have wider appeal if offered with a 2.0T option.

The Converj is interesting theoretically, but there's no way I'd pay $70k for it. As it is, I think the Volt is going to be expensive enough at $35-40k, but I understand that the technology in it is new and expensive.

From some of the initial chatter I've heard, I think the biggest PR obstacle that GM is going to have to overcome with the Volt is that it CAN GO FURTHER THAN 40 MILES!! It seems a lot of people still think that's the total range, period. Not the pure-electric range, that along with the range-extender engine, the vehicle can go several hundred miles on a tank of fuel.  

PhillyJake,

I think it was a wise move for GM to introduce the technology behind the Volt as a Chevrolet. That shows GM is committed to providing the option for the masses to drive "green" cars. I don't think the Prius would be nearly as popular if it were a Lexus from the start. Now that the HS250h is on the way, Toyota stands a better chance to profit from the proven technology and luxury buyers can show their green intentions.

If the Volt technology debuted in a Cadillac, the news would be that GM doesn't care about the average Joe and wants the masses to keep buying trucks.  

Phil,

While I agree with the philosophy of your answer, note that the Prius originally sold at a price that everyman can afford.  The Plug-ins are looking to start closer to $40k, which is more Caddy country than Chevy.  

VW Concept BlueSport