Show & Tell 2007 North American International Auto Show

While new cars are the stars at any auto show, it's our craving for comfort and convenience that drives automakers to create new - and sometimes inane - features for us.

Automakers call them "surprise and delight features." You might have another name for them, depending on your hunger for the latest and greatest.

- Larry Printz

turnabout is fairly easy

Chrysler's Town & Country and Dodge Caravan feature "Swivel 'N Go " seats that allow second-row passenger seats to turn 180 degrees and face rearward. This makes it easier for siblings to fight and, in quieter times, eat or play, since a table can be set up between the second and third rows. For the mature, this could be ideal as a work environment. However, legroom is limited, so be sure whoever is facing you is a close friend or family member.

Ford's Airstream concept has a similar feature, allowing the front passenger seat to face rearward. This gives easy access to squabbling siblings.

so is staying connected

Microsoft's Sync software, exclusive to Ford through the end of 2008, enables drivers to seamlessly control wireless gadgets, such as cellular telephones and MP3 players, through the car's voice command system.

Anyone who has tried working on a Windows PC may be skeptical of Microsoft's claim that Sync will simplify connecting wireless gadgets to your car. We'll see. It will be available in 12 upcoming Ford models, including the Focus.

set the mood

Remember the romantic little restaurant with a scenic view? Provided you're not parked at Wal-Mart or some other overly-bright place, low-level mood lighting can lend the same ambience to your car.

The industry's hottest trend is courtesy of the LED - light emitting diode - which is strategically placed in the interiors of the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Focus, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Avenger and several Scion models and illuminate when the headlights are turned on. Seems more like a gimmick than the safety feature that automakers proclaim it to be, since most controls are already backlit.

It remains to be seen what the lights do for your mood as you sit in traffic while the Berkley Bridge opens at the Downtown Tunnel.

trunks disappear

Trevor Creed, senior vice president of design for the Chrysler Group, opines that the days of American cars with large trunks are over. With many drivers owning some form of SUV, crossover SUV or minivan, it would seem that Americans really would fall for luxury hatchback concept cars such as the Chrysler Nassau, Nissan Bevel or Ford Airstream . Just don't call them hatchbacks, a term seen as downscale. Automakers prefer the term "monospace."

droptops change

The days of convertibles' being broken into with a pocket knife are over. BMW, Chrysler, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Pontiac, Volvo, and Volkswagen all displayed models with hardtops that fold into the trunk.

The added security comes at the expense of styling, which runs from ungainly to acceptable. Another downside: cargo space is usually reduced to the size of a briefcase. None of this may matter. Great convertibles are so good looking, why raise the top?

we're still fuelish

Think Americans like fuel economy?

Not in our hearts. We're a nation whose favorite sports include NASCAR, which basically involves watching cars turn left. This might explain the appeal of the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 (600 horsepower) , Lexus IS-F (400 horsepower) , and Ford Interceptor (400 horsepower) . When it comes to cars, performance matters more than fuel economy once fuel prices ease.

the smoke clears

The last time fuel prices spiked, the diesel engine's popularity exploded. That darling of the 70s is returning in many models from Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volkswagen and Jeep. But the clatter and smoke are gone, thanks to new, ultra low-sulfur diesel and a special fluid that reduces tailpipe emissions. And diesels still return excellent fuel economy.

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