It’s common knowledge around the office that I’m a bit of a car junkie. In fact, they NY International Auto Show is a tradition for my dad and I. Over the weekend I made the yearly pilgrimage to The Javits Center in New York City for the big show. You can see some photos here. You’ll see that I gave it my best shot to get some interesting details as well as some more documentary images.

Like other years the show was well attended. However, the economic downturn has obviously effected the marketing budgets of the auto industry. The usual overdone showcases and ridiculous promotional pieces were notably scaled back leaving the actual products, and their charismatic presenters, to take center stage.

While design still seems to be bordering between cutting edge and heritage there was a new factor on the minds of the public, you guessed it. Fuel Economy. The reality of rising gas prices has pushed alternative fuel solutions into the foreground. GM seems to be putting their force behind Ethanol while Chrysler seems to be working out long range electrics, like the Dodge Zeo pictured above. Here’s what Doge has to say about it:

The four-passenger sport wagon was designed for driving enthusiasts and tree-huggers alike. It’s equipped with an all-electric, lithium-ion battery powerplant that can go up to 250 miles before needing to be recharged. And even though it doesn’t burn gas, it certainly can burn rubber, going from 0-60 miles per hour in under six seconds.

It’s interesting to see what happens from year to year at the Auto Show. It looks like Americans will soon be embracing a european approach of choosing small hatchbacks as opposed to gas guzzling SUVs. What’s your next car purchase going to be?