What if they held an auto show and nobody came? Well, not to worry, the 2009 North American International Auto Show had plenty of media in attendance and plenty of vehicle debuts. However, both were down compared to previous years.

What was missing was the typical level of over-the-top intros Detroit is known for including longhorn cattle drives, vehicles driven through plate-glass windows and celebrity presenters. The level of excitement and celebratory nature of the show was also down. And this year, journalists were treated to something new -- the cars actually took front and center instead of the props. Now that’s original.

PHOTO GALLERY

Concepts at NAIAS 2009 Detroit Auto Show

The Motor City's premiere event had a decidedly green theme including a specialized (and highly landscaped) test track were the media was able to drive the latest in “green technology” machines.

This year’s crop of concepts were less “pie in the sky” and more like “production previews.”

Kia introduced a blocky, Scion xB styled concept called the Soul'ster. This concept is an off-shoot of the 2010 Kia Soul hatchback available later this year. Kia’s pitch was that the Soul’ster is a two-door, two-wheel drive vehicle that looks off-road ready. The interior still has four seats, but the top peels back into the roll bars a la a Jeep Wrangler. While you can’t buy the Soul’ster you can buy the Soul, and Kia announced a very budget friendly price of $13,995 for the base five-door, four-seat version.

Volkswagen has fully embraced diesel technology and introduced a mid-engine, diesel powered roadster concept called the BlueSport. This concept features a striking silver exterior and tangerine-colored fabric convertible top over a black leather interior. Big wheel flares exaggerate the size of this car and large air intakes in front of the rear wheels give a hint to the engine location.

Inside the matte-black color scheme features minimal instrumentation and a simple design for two. The dash contains a touch screen interface for vital information and entertainment functions. The seats are one piece, and the confines are cozy. The Clean Diesel TDI engine has 180 horses and with a curb weight of only 2,640 pounds it would be speedy on the road. The BlueSport has a six-speed DSG gearbox and is rear wheel drive. VW claims 55 mpg on average and a driving range of more 700 miles.

Audi continues to push the design envelope delivering crisp, stylish cars packed with technology. The Sportback concept garnered favorable reviews from the media in attendance. This sedan concept basically previews the production A7 with a twist: It will feature a hatchback instead of a trunk. The prominent features of the Sportback include dramatic ringed, floating headlights and the bold shoulder design that supports the sides of the rear hatch.

The interior looks as if it was plucked off the line. It features a rich wood strip accented interior and a wide center console that reminds me of a classic wooden speed boat. For power, Audi employed a new 3.0 liter V-6 TDI clean diesel engine. This engine is production line, and Audi claims it will meet emission standards anywhere in the world. A seven-speed S-tronic transmission directs the power. The suspension system is composed of components from the A4/A5. Steering is accomplished via electro-mechanical steering in a car with a longitudinal engine.

Chrysler still managed to pull off a surprise when they introduced the 200C EV concept sedan. True the 200C is categorized as a concept but it puts a face on the new Chrysler. In describing this new look, think of it as a cross between a Audi A4 with a hint of BMW in the rear. This car will most likely be the replacement for the Sebring sedan and may keep the 200C name as it would slot under the top-dog 300C sedan.

Last year Chrysler touted muscle, this year the focus is on green powertrains. The 200C makes use Chrysler’s ENVI range-extending electric-vehicle technology. This technology is shared with three additional concepts Chrysler displayed: Jeep Patriot EV, Dodge Circuit and Jeep Wrangler Unlimited EV. The 200C is capable of running up to 40 miles on battery power. Range is bumped up to 400 miles using a small gas-fired engine and integrated electric generator.

This new sedan goes old school with rear-wheel drive and the option to go all-wheel drive. Chrysler says the 200C can hit 60-mph in about 7 seconds and reach a top speed of just more than 120 mph. A big feature of this car is the high-tech interior and the Uconnect infotainment system. To the right of the steering wheel is a flat screen area fully integrated into the dash design to provide a place to display various media. Chrysler indicates you can map directions, check a Facebook-type message page, purchase music, and operate various vehicle functions. Not sure when you’ll have time to drive, but if you do, the front passenger can pull out a personal computer that neatly stows in the dash. The Uconnect system even allows you to use your cell phone to call your vehicle to start it, adjust temperature controls or help locate its position.

At the Volvo stand, the company displayed a thinly disguised 2010 S60 in concept form. Like the Audi Sportback concept, the S60 has a racy, attractive coupelike design built around four doors, but it does not come with a hatch. It rolls on 20-inch wheels and specially designed tires with bronze colored brake calipers peeking out from behind. Once again Volvo moves away from the conservative, but tasteful designs that have characterized recent models.

Under the hood is Volvo’s turbocharged, gasoline direct-injection technology or GTDi. The engine is a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder with180 horsepower. The engine is mated to a six-speed dual-clutch auto/manual gearbox. Additionally, it can operate in a fuel economy conscious state called DRIVEe-Mode. This feature reduces fuel consumption via an economy mode that limits the function of select electrical and mechanical systems.

After the parallelogram doors complete their swing out and slide dance, they reveal an interior packed with visual and technical details. In the middle of this four-seater glitters the jewel in the crown: a floating center stack crafted from handmade, solid Orrefors crystal. It floats like a gentle, calm wave from the instrument panel all the way to the rear-seat backrest. The seats appear to float and Volvo uses acres of “blond” leather and wood inserts.

Cadillac once again pulled out a surprise coupe to display. The Converj is actually a better looking two-door than the new CTS coupe that’s still slated for production. Beyond the attractive styling the real highlight is the application of the Chevrolet Volt’s electric propulsion technology. The Converj’s Voltec electric propulsion system is an update of the Volt’s system. It uses a 16-kWh, T-shaped battery, an electric drive unit and a small four cylinder engine. The termally managed battery pack has more than 220 lithium-ion cells that provide the power to move the front wheels of this concept. Top speed is 100 mph, and it can travel 40 miles on electricity before the engine kicks in. The batteries can be recharged through a standard household outlet needing 8 hours from a 110-volt outlet or 3 from a 220.

This car is very stylized with an aggressive forward-leaning profile. It features an all-glass roof and rolls on large 21- and 22-inch wheels. The interior is punctuated by a flowing center console with an LED instrument cluster with touch-screen controls for the climate-control, stereo and navigation system all surrounded by cool blue and white lighting.

So, while the automakers are spending money on new product, they still have to spend them wisely. The new crop of smaller, close-to-production looking, concepts indicates that our automotive future will be very electric and high tech.