A 2009 Cadillac XLR Platinum on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The 2-seat convertible comes with a V8, 320-horsepower engine.

The five-passenger 2009 Nissan Cube, making its North American debut, features an asymmetrical body, wide doors, a wraparound rear window, and a refrigerator-style rear door.

Nissan debuted its 2009 370Z, the first redesign of the roadster since its reintroduction as a 2003 model. The vehicle is lighter with a shorter wheelbase than its predecessor. It's 3.7-liter V-6 engine produces 332 horsepower, 26 more than the last model. Nissan says it has the world's first synchronized downshift rev matching system for the six-speed manual gearbox.

Car detail specialist Larry Palmer cleans off fingerprints from a Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe, a four-seat convertible, at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008.

Brandon James, 2, from Long Beach, Calif., gets behind the wheel of the Cadillac XLR convertible with his aunt Sue Burkitt. The crowds at the auto show are a reluctant bunch this year; few said they had any intention of buying a new car anytime soon.

The bottom of a Ford Mustang 2009 is displayed to consumers at the L.A. Auto Show, Nov. 21, 2008.

The exotic Dutch race car maker Spyker Cars showcased a limited-edition version of its GT2 LeMans, the C8 Laviolette LM85, a mid-engine, two-seat sports car. Just 24 of these babies will be built.

The new Lamborghini Murcielago LP 640 Coupe, a permanent 4-wheel drive 6.5L Engine/12 cylinder supercar. The automaker can use a supercar: Sales at Lamborghini are down 15 percent year-to-date.

A Volkswagen Jetta TDI diesel engine on display at the L.A. Auto Show. Green Car Journal named Volkswagen's 2009 Jetta TDI as the "Green Car of the Year" on Thursday, making it the first clean-diesel vehicle to win the prize.

Ford Motor Co. maintained a larger presence at the Auto Show than the other Big Three, unveiling the 2010 Ford Fusion Sport (pictured) and Mercury Milan sedans, and new hybrid gas-electric versions that the Dearborn, Mich., company hopes will take sales away from the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

The all-electric Mini E from BMW made its world debut this week. More than 10,000 people have already inquired about leasing one of the 450 cars that will hit roads in California, New York and New Jersey next year as part of a one-year test program.

Chrysler Dodge EV, an Tesla-like all-electric sports car, is powered by a 268-hp electric motor and a 26 kWh Li-ion battery.

General Motors showcased its Chevrolet Volt, the extended-range electric vehicle expected to go on sale in late 2010.