Last Thursday through Sunday, the Knoxville Convention Center hosted the News Sentinel Auto Show where car dealerships from across East Tennessee showcased their 2009 lineups.

Manufacturers from General Motor to Mercedes were in attendance letting the local media and general public take a look at what’s new. In total, 24 different manufacturers were represented.

Some of the more exciting vehicles showcased were the 2009 Dodge Challenger and the Smart Fortwo. These two cars represent two different schools of thought: the Challenger - the raging muscle car with a healthy appetite for fuel and the Smart Fortwo - the tiny mini-car whose thirst for fuel is more like that of a lawn mower.

The Challenger is a throw-back to the late 1960s when horsepower was king. The Challenger shown here is an SRT-8 model with the available 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 engine. The estimated EPA gas mileage is fairly good for a massive V-8 at 13 mpg city, 18 mpg highway. With 425 horsepower, the Challenger rockets its five passengers from 0-60 mph in an amazing 4.9 seconds.

Dodge will be offering a 3.5-liter V-6 in the "SE" model and the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 in the "R/T" model Challengers. Pricing for the Challenger starts at $37,599 for the SRT-8 model. The SE and R/T models are due later this year.

On the "greener" side of things, the Smart Fortwo is designed for the tight squeeze of city driving. Coming in at just under nine feet long, the Fortwo can navigate traffic and park with ease. The Fortwo features a 1.0-liter inline 3 cylinder producing 70 horsepower - a far cry from Dodge’s 425 horsepower.

Although burdened with a sluggish 0-60 time of 12.8 seconds, the Fortwo redeems itself with an estimated 33 mpg city and 40 mpg highway. With three models available, the Pure, the Passion and the Cabriolet, and competitive pricing from $11,590 to $16,590, the Smart Fortwo is sure to please those looking for something new and different.

Production vehicles weren’t the only thing seen at this car show. Chrysler brought two of their concept cars to spark public interest. The Chrysler Imperial and the Jeep Gladiator were two popular exhibits.

Another interesting exhibit from Chrysler was the cut-away Dodge Ram 1500. The truck was literally chopped to pieces in order to show the major improvements Dodge put into the new 2009 pickup.

Ford and GM were present as well. GM showed new cars such as the Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G8, and the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid. Ford brought the new 2008 Mustang "Bullitt", a limited production car inspired from the 1968 movie "Bullitt" staring Steve McQueen.

If you missed the 2008 News Sentinel Auto Show, make plans now to attend this great event where you can find every major automotive manufacturer in North American under one roof.

What do you think? Will Americans give up their SUVs for small, compact cars like the Smart Fortwo? Will they have to? State your opinion in a comment below!