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The crowds at the show are a reluctant bunch this year. Anxious about the economy, the future of the Detroit Three automakers and the unpredictability of gas prices, few said they had any intention of buying a new car anytime soon. Those who did said they were either downsizing or looking for something with top-notch gas mileage. Nearly all had major reservations about a bailout of the U.S. auto industry.


Mohr, 50, said that under normal circumstances, he would be looking for a new car. He recently dumped his Lexus sport utility vehicle, leaving his four-person family with just a Volkswagen Beetle.


But, as he peered at a Jeep Wrangler at the Los Angeles Convention Center, he said the economic downturn has taken a toll on his dentistry business. He's holding back on any new car purchase for at least another six months.
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"This is the car I came to see," Sorensen said, pointing to Honda Motor Co.'s Insight hybrid, which the Japanese automaker expects to challenge the Toyota Prius when it goes on sale next year. "I'm kind of like, do I go the diesel route, or do I go the hybrid route. Obviously both are a big step in the right direction from where I'm at right now." what does he drive now?
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Ford has the most impressive spread — indeed, it is the only one with enough cash and credit to survive through next year. The Dearborn, Mich., company showed off redesigned Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans unveiled Wednesday, including hybrid models that can go up to 700 miles on one tank of gas. It also sported a giant Mustang display and a miniature Fusion race car track.


The mood was more subdued at GM. Two weeks ago, the automaker canceled the unveilings it had planned for the show, but its Chevrolet Volt — the extended-range electric vehicle that holds many of the company's hopes for a turnaround — attracted a modest crowd.


Chrysler's area, however, was almost funereal. Chrysler also abstained from any vehicle debuts, though it did showcase the three electric prototypes — a Dodge, a Jeep and a Town & Country minivan — that it unveiled in September.
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