Ford and Volvo to Show Concept Ethanol Hogs at the Detroit Auto Show

The upcoming International Auto Show in Detroit will put the latest trends of the car world up on rotating pedestals, possibly even drape them in equally trendy human models. General Motors has announced it will unveil a plug-in hybrid prototype—an enticing rebuttal to the popular impression of GM as the EV1’s executioner. Ethanol and flex-fuel vehicles will also certainly be a common sight in the green car department. Both Ford and Volvo will be strutting ethanol-optimized concept cars. Ford’s Interceptor concept is a “powerful masculine sedan” with the heart of a Mustang. The E-85 fueled, rear wheel drive, 5.0-liter V-8 is intended to be an aggressive but family-friendly biofueler. No word on mpg, but 400 hp isn’t a promising sign. Volvo’s XC60 concept is an SUV with an ethanol optimized 3.2-liter powertrain. The Volvo pulls a less than admirable 19.2 mpg. Both Volvo and its parent company, Ford, are companies that have demonstrated genuine eco-ingenuity, but neither of these two contributions to the future of sustainable transportation offer much to get excited about. Hopefully what appears on the floor of the Detroit Show will push the envelope with more vigor. ::Green Car Congress (Ford, Volvo)