Nissan 370Z News

But that is no surprise with the heads of the Big Three carmakers all skipping the event to continue lobbying for a $US25 billion lifeline from congress in Washington.Ford still splashed with the official introduction of the 2010 Mustang, but Chrysler and General Motors both wound-back their involvement in the second-biggest car show in North America.That left the way clear for the imports, with Mazda pulling the cover off its all-new Mazda3 - the last car it will develop with Ford as its owner - Nissan revealing its revitalised 370Z and a new Cube, and Honda revealing a radical looking new concept coupe called the FC Sport.Lexus also has a new RX SUV, which is being simultaneously unveiled in Sydney and will come as both a pure petrol car and a hybrid, Hyundai is showing a Sonata hybrid concept and the plug-in Mini E electric car is making its first public appearance.The LA show usually draws a crowd of more than one million visitors but the attendance is expected to be well down this year with car sales off by more than 35 per cent in October and America's annual selling rate down by closer to 40 per cent.Still, cars like the Mustang will still draw a crowd in a city which is one of the most automobile driven in the world and there are plenty of pointers to the future including a growing number of electric cars led by the Mini but including concepts from Chrysler. 

General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are arguing for their share of the rescue money provided by the American government as they continue to suffer the biggest losses in motoring history.The Bush administration opposes their call for cash but a bill has been presented by the Democratic party to the country's Congress, which is also in transition following the landslide win by president-elect Barak Obama, to give them some short-term relief.If any deal is approved - which seems a longshot - it will include a provision that none of the money can be used to pay executive bonuses.These have been a multi-million dollar windfall for most senior executives at the Big Three for decades, but look to pass into history - at least until the river of red ink in Detroit is damed.The proposal for the $25 billion assistance package has created a political furore in the USA, where one side of politics says the Big Three only have themselves to blame and the other is trying to protect jobs and even the pension and health insurance entitlements of retired workers.A USA Today-Gallup poll shows the split, as a 47 per cent of adults said they believe loans and other help for carmakers is "not that important".Meanwhile, everything from paperclips to concept cars has been culled as General Motors fights for survival.The one-time world leader, which is now certain to be overtaken by Toyota on the 2008 sales charts, has slashed all non-essential spending and has even withdrawn from the Los Angeles Motor Show later this week.GM was planning to unveil a new Buick concept car and something exciting for Saab, but has pulled both cars and also decided to keep its senior executives away from the California car show.Ford and Chrysler are also expected to go low-key in LA, leaving import brands including Nissan and Mazda - which will reveal their all- new 370Z and Mazda3 - to make the running.But it is the GM cutbacks which are making news in the USA, as the company - which is losing billions each month - reduces spending on everything from stationary to company cars. It has cut all executive bonuses and raised prices for executive lease cars.GM has admitted it will run out of cash reserves by the end of the year.Chrysler has also eliminated bonuses and is pushing e-mail to save on paper costs, while Ford is not having any Christmas parties in 2008 and has slashed all non-essential staff travel.