At this year’s North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), taking place from Jan. 13 through Jan. 27, dozens of production and concept vehicles appeared from such companies like Ford, Hyundai, General Motors, Dodge, Toyota and more.

 The mass-unveiling of next year’s models always causes a big stir in the automotive industry and this year was no different. Many companies brought new and exciting entries but none have quite as much significance as the "big-three" American companies GM, Ford and Dodge who all have a lot riding on this coming year to pull them out of fiscal slumps. Dodge, under new ownership, is looking to rebuild and grab a sizeable section of the truck market with their updated Ram pickup. Ford is trying to keep their stronghold in the truck market by making critical changes to their volume seller, the F-150. Both Ford and Dodge are playing catch-up in response to GM’s new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra which are vastly improved over the previous models and selling like hotcakes.

Dodge is looking to cash in on the truck market with their new and improved 2009 Ram 1500. Designers looked to the Dodge Charger for inspiration when working on the Ram - the grill now has a forward slant, the interior vaguely resembles that of a Charger and the belt line has been raised to give it that in-your-face stance. Dodge spent a lot of time and money on the restyling of the interior making it roomier, more comfortable and more refined. A new instrument cluster looks richer, the center console houses a gated gear shifter and the right rear passenger has a built-in cooler under their feet.

The Ram will be powered by three different engine options; a 3.7-liter V-6, a 4.7-liter V-8 and the famous 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. The Hemi will be producing 380 horsepower and 404 foot pounds of torque which is a 10 percent increase in horsepower and 8 percent increase in torque from last year. The Hemi will also include many new features to help with fuel economy such as a revised version of the multi-displacement system and a more free-flowing exhaust system. A five-speed transmission is available with every engine.

One of the most exciting things coming from the new Ram this year is the addition of an in-bed storage system called the RamBox. The illuminated storage units open upward on each bed rail revealing tons of space for odds and ends. The bed also includes a built-in cargo management system that is completely adjustable for any size item. The Rambox is a segment exclusive and could very easily attract many buyers to Dodge.

While Dodge is needing new customers, Ford is trying to keep their existing ones. They have spent a lot of time redesigning and refreshing the F-150 making it resemble its big brother, the Super Duty. Ford is also updating the F-150 with styling like that of the Expedition and Edge. A larger, more pronounced front grill will help announce whose truck this is. The truck is longer and taller too, with six inches added to the overall length and 21 millimeters added to the roof height. Those extra millimeters help the F-150 meet new safety requirements for rollovers enforced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

At the heart of the mighty F-150 are three separate engine options; two versions of the 4.6-liter V-8 and the 5.4-liter V-8. Ford has dropped the 4.2-liter V-6, the base engine that has been in F-150s for at least five years. The replacement is the current 4.6-liter V-8 making 248 horsepower and 294 foot-pounds of torque. A new version of the 4.6-liter adapted from the Mustang GT will be Ford’s volume seller. It makes 290 horsepower and 317 foot-pounds. Ford says the new V-8 actually has better fuel economy than the current one.

Some of the biggest news is the addition of a new trim level - the Platinum edition. The Platinum features upscale amenities which appeal to the urban trucker and for the buyer who doesn’t want the southern feel of the King Ranch edition. With this new addition to the lineup, the F-150 spans the board from bare-bones fleet trucks to full-out luxury that competes with Cadillac’s Escalade.

Incorporating innovative features such as a storable bed extender, removable bed dividers, backup camera and the tailgate step borrowed from the Super Duty, the F-150 is sure to please the loyalists. The tailgate step slides from the top of the tailgate and folds downward to provide a platform for stepping into the high bed of the truck.

At this point in time, the F-150 is the sole vehicle holding Ford’s head above water and Ford cannot afford to go wrong with this revamp. It’s a make or break deal.

In news from across the pond, a new beginning has occurred at Hyundai and it’s called "Genesis". Hyundai is bringing a new car into America that falls into a totally new league for the Korean auto manufacturer - the luxury/sport sedan. Genesis is aimed at the BMW 7 series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. An entry-level example of those sedans cost around $70 thousand dollars while Hyundai’s pricing starts at a meager $30 thousand dollars!

The Genesis will include an optional all-aluminum 4.8-liter V-8 producing an impressive 375 horsepower wrapped in a rear-wheel-drive package. The car will also include such features as 20-inch wheels, heated seats, HID headlights, parking proximity sensors, navigation system, 600-watt Infinity sound system, auxiliary input jack for iPods and a 30-gigabyte hard drive for music storage. This will defiantly be a great alterative to expensive German sedans. The only question: will America accept this unfamiliar nameplate into the luxury game?