General Motors Corp. introduced its redesigned Cadillac CTS on Monday. The four-door sport luxury sedan is being built in Lansing and is to be released in the fall as a 2008 model.

A new engine choice is a 300-horsepower direct-injection version of the CTS's 3.6-liter V6. Cadillac will offer rear- or all-wheel drive versions of the vehicle.

The CTS has a larger sunroof that offers a view of the sky to passengers in both the front and back seats. Sculpted fenders emphasize the car's wider track, and a side air extractor, a styling element from Cadillac's past, has been added.

Inside is a new design theme with metallic finishes, chrome accents and available wood. Instrument panels and door trims are hand-crafted, Cadillac officials said.

------

Mazda Motor Corp. showed off a sporty, sleek-looking car Monday with its introduction of the Mazda Ryuga flex-fuel concept vehicle.

The ultra-low-slung Ryuga features a 2.5-liter flex-fuel engine that can use either gasoline or E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. It has a six-speed automatic drive train and headlights that use advanced LED and fluorescent tube technology.

Each side has a large, gull-winged door that allows access to both the front and rear seats. The Ryuga, which is Japanese for "gracious flow," resembles a two-seater on the outside but actually seats four.

There are no immediate plans to release the Ryuga, although Mazda plans to incorporate many of its advanced features in other vehicles, said Laurens van den Acker, general manager of the company's design division.

------

Mike Jackson, head of the largest U.S. auto dealership group, loves what he's seeing at the North American International Auto Show.

"The American consumers win again," he said Monday after spending some time on the show's floor in Detroit.

Jackson, chief executive of AutoNation Inc., said he is impressed with the new technology unveiled at the show as well as the car and truck designs.

He said the Chevrolet Volt (top), an electric car prototype unveiled by General Motors Corp. on Sunday, could make history once battery technology hurdles are overcome.

The Volt, which can travel 40 miles (65 kilometers) on its battery and has a small gasoline engine to power the car and recharge it after that, could be the solution to high gasoline prices.

"Technical solutions are on the way," he said.

Jackson said the Volt does not necessarily mean that GM is ahead of other manufacturers in getting the first electric car to market. Japanese automakers are leaders in gas-electric hybrids and are developing battery technology quickly as well, he said.