A Mini Cooper is on display at the 2008 New York International Auto Show.

The Providence Journal / Steve Szydlowski

NEW YORK

A cloud hangs over the New York International Auto Show that opened yesterday in Manhattan and runs through March 30th.

And with U.S. sales this year now predicted by J.D. Power to be less than 15 million vehicles — compared with 17 million just a few years ago — it is hardly surprising.

Nor is it surprising that with a recession looming/already here and gas prices well over $3 a gallon, small and green are in.

“Small has become smart once again,” said Dick Colliver, Honda American’s executive vice president, in announcing the 2009 Honda Fit during the press preview on Wednesday.

Indeed, even Hummer has its cute concept on display, the Hummer HX, which its bigger siblings could run over in a heartbeat. However, it still displays the trademark aggressive styling, with flared fenders and big tires.

Ford is introducing its neat Transit Connect vans. These small and cheerful working vans come from Ford’s European division (they are made in Turkey) and can be converted for recreational use. The work area in the rear is easy to access as the side and rear doors are set low and the van has a high roof for plenty of headroom. Perfect for the average contractor.

Meanwhile, the Ford Verve, a compact concept also from Ford’s European design team, and the Saturn Flextreme plug-in concept, which comes out of GM’s Opel design team in Germany, both have flowing teardrop designs, with barely any differentiation of the windshield.

And the European origins of these two vehicles may be a major theme of this show: the move in the domestic market toward a range of smaller vehicles that are more integrated into the world market.

Indeed, in introducing the 2009 Fit, Colliver noted that Honda last year doubled its production of the compact to meet global demand. The vehicle, which first came out in 2001, is the Fit in Japan, China, and North and South America and the Jazz in Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and Africa.

“This is truly a world car,” Colliver said, noting the 2009 version is slightly larger and has a new engine.

Among other concept vehicles was Land Rover’s LRX, its high haunches and upward sloping beltline echoing a design theme seen on a number of concepts, including the Saab 9-X Biohybrid concept — although the Saab’s face is a lot beefier than its profile

The tiny lithium-ion battery powered Mitsubishi i-MiEV (Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle) is displayed in a variety of modes, including sedan and coupe.

Mitsubishi is also displaying its Concept-cX compact diesel SUV. The vehicle is stylish in addition to covering a lot of bases with its size and green power plant. And is ‘compact SUV’ the wave of the future?

Other concepts included the Suzuki Kizashi sport sedan, the wild looking Scion Hako and the Saleen S5S Raptor supercar.

And speaking of small urban vehicles, Smart has its three basic models — Pure, Passion Coupe and Passion Cabriolet — on display.

Tony Pordon, Smart USA Penske Autogroup’s senior vice president, said the iconic small car has proved enormously popular, with the company hoping to deliver up to 25,000 vehicles this year. Reservations, meanwhile, are slightly ahead at 30,000.

Safety is always an issue and Volvo had its new XC60 SUV, which it claims is the safest vehicle it has ever produced. Apart from the usual Volvo emphasis on structural strength and air bags, the XC60 is armed with proactive computer sensors that will automatically brake it before low-speed collisions and initiate warnings and the safety features in high-speed situations.

“The car knows before you crash,” said Volvo technician Hakan Ivarsson. “It’s a lot faster for the computer to do things to the car than the driver.”

Ford also has a display focusing on safety, with a 2008 Taurus SEL that had been crashed into a barrier at 35 mph. The result is a smashed in front end, but a cabin that is untouched.

Not all is small and green. Ford was displaying a number of versions of its immortal Mustang — the Bullitt version that was at the Northeast International Auto Show in Providence, the Shelby GT500KR and the 2008 Ford Mustang V8 with Warriors in Pink Appearance Package.

And Dodge had set aside a vast area to display three versions of its revival Challenger SRT8s in patriotic red, white and blue: the original SRT8, the SE and the R/T.

Other new production models making their debut were the Acura TSX, the Audi A4 Avant, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, the Kia Optima midsize sedan, the Nissan Maxima, and the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck — an updated version of the 2-seater sedan-with-a-flatbed Chevy El Camino and Ford Ranchero — from GM’s Holden division of Australia.

From Rhode Island, Mark Hurwitz is promoting the Newport Concours d’Elegance which is scheduled for the Memorial Day weekend. He has a display of four vintage cars — a 1927 Rolls Royce, a 1927 Bentley, a 1927 Dusenberg and a 1950 Buick Woody Wagon and a prototype modern Iconic roadster from Long Island.

Finally, the Harold LeMay Auto Museum in Tacoma, Wash., is displaying a number of cars that are either part of its collection or belong to members. The museum expects to break ground on its new building this summer, part of a $100 million program that will result in the largest auto museum in the world by far.

The show, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center on 11th Avenue between 34th & 39th Streets, is open through Sunday, March 30th, 11 am-to-10:30 pm; Sundays, 10 am-to-7 pm.

One word of advice: While the auto shows in Detroit and Los Angeles tend to have more concept cars, no show beats New York for attendance, with over a million folks expected in the show’s nine day run. So expect big crowds, especially on weekends.

For more information, go to:

www.autoshowny.com/

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