Eager to expand their dominance of North American truck and SUV sales, the Big Three auto manufacturers are putting a new emphasis on the diminutive automobile.

As they focused on the high-profit sport utility vehicles in the 1990s, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler all saw their car sales slip to all-time lows.

Asian and European competitors moved in, to the point where Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, Volkswagen and others now control about 55 per cent of the car market -- up from less than 40 per cent in 1997.

But as GM's Lori Queen explains, it's a situation the Big Three all hope to change. And the 2004 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan is where they're showing off their latest foray into the small car market.

"I know for the Canadian market, it's even more important, because there's such a big demand for small cars in Canada," Queen told CTV News, describing the company's long anticipated replacement for Chevrolet's dated, but popular Cavalier.

"The Cobalt is huge because that's our key entry-level vehicle to get people in," she said, explaining that the Cobalt is designed to go head to head with Canadian drivers' current favourite car -- the Toyota Corolla.

"The really important piece of this segment is to get the 'fun-to-drive' back into the vehicle."

Chrysler is also betting that consumers are looking for smaller, fun-to-drive, sportier cars. It hopes the sleek lines of its two-seater Crossfire will fit the bill.

And over at Ford, a look back at its storied past provided inspiration for an updated take on its classic Cobra car.
While that's not for sale yet, the 2005 Mustang, which heavily borrows styling cues from the 1960s-era fastback Mustang coupes is.

Ford's introducing it alongside a family of new passenger car-based vehicles that compelled the Dearborn, Michigan automaker to dub 2004 "the year of the car."

Of course, foreign automakers aren't just sitting back and admiring the domestic Big Three's lineup of new cars. They'll be showing off 17 production and concept vehicles of their own at the Detroit show.

The Detroit Auto Show will open its doors to the public on Saturday.