Detroit Motor Show - Dodge

What's the main attraction?
With respect to cars at the show you'll actually be able to drive, it has to be the Caliber – Dodge's rival to the Ford Focus.

It arrives in the UK this July, and Dodge hopes its arresting looks will catch the eyes of buyers bored with more subtle designs.

The small family car market is pretty ferocious, so it'll need to do more than just look different.

'More bang for your bucks' might be another selling point for the five-door, which will be available with four-wheel drive. Product boss Thomas Hausch has previously translated the company's maxim of 'affordable power' into the most bhp at each price point that Dodge's compete in.

So, the entry-level 146bhp 1.8-litre petrol Caliber will need to start from £14,000 or less in the UK which, rather gallingly, is almost exactly how many dollars you'd have to part with here in the US (that's just under £8000 at the current exchange rate...).

A 156bhp 2.0-litre petrol and 136bhp 2.0-litre diesel (from Volkswagen) will also be available, with all engines matched to an efficient continuously variable automatic transmission.

Besides all that, there are other neat little touches, such as an interior light that detaches to provide you with a torch (it recharges when you plug it back in), a sliding centre console which houses your iPod, and the speakers in the tailgate fold down to provide you with tunes while you party on, er, around your tailgate.

Oh, and you'll also find some natty cup holders that glow blue-green so you don't spill your Slush Puppy down the fascia in the dark.

'Yee-haw!'
'Yee-haw' is right. This is another Chrysler group car that is inspired by the past like the Imperial, but the Dodge Challenger concept is an entirely different kettle of fish.

It's a real 'Dukes of Hazard'-style model like the original Pony cars from the 1970s, but don't get us wrong – it's very smart.

Thanks to a 425bhp engine, you could jump over some seriously big creeks in this fella, which Dodge says can reach 60mph in only 4.5 seconds and muscle its way up to 175mph.

When can I buy one?
Rumour has it that factory lines will start rolling in 2009. That doesn't necessarily mean that the cars will be brought to the UK, though. However, because it's based around the 300C platform (like the Chrysler Imperial), it wouldn't be too difficult to convert it to right-hand drive.

If Dodge doesn't bother doing that, specialist independent importers are bound to bring the car over if you're keen enough and don't mind it being in left hand drive.

What else is Dodge up to?
Dodge will launch a new family car to rival the Ford Mondeo in 2007, as well as a 4x4 closely modelled on the Nitro concept.