GM at Detroit gallery

On either side of a makeshift 'road', GM employees held banners up heralding the arrival of a host of new models, lead by the electric Chevrolet Volt.

Each banner carried a Volt-related phrase such as 'Here to stay', 'Charged Up', 'We're electric' and '40mpg'.

With as much whooping and cheering as you'd get a presedential rally, the electric car arrived in the hall. It can cover 40 miles solely on electricity.

The Volt goes on sale at the end of 2010, and its technology will be used in the new Cadillac Converj too.

It's not coming here but the Mondeo-rivalling Buick LaCrosse is big news in the US – there were rumours GM were planning to drop the Buick name tag altogether.

Americans love the Camaro and it got an enormous cheer from the partisan crowd. It comes here next year with V8 power.

Out goes the rather average Lacetti – in comes the distinctive Cruze. Another new Chevy, the Matiz-replacing Spark, will make its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.