How green is the auto show?

How green is this year’s North American International Auto Show? It depends on who you ask.

The front pages of the Free Press and News have been trumpeting the relative greenness of this year’s North American International Auto Show. To wit, the Freep named the Chevy Volt the No. 1 star of the show and the Detroit News hyped Mercedes’ “clean diesels.”

Some bloggers agree. Treehugger says, “This year, it seems that the manufacturers are not only counting on attracting buyers with the promise of a greener earth. They’re designing some pretty hot looking vehicles as well….From stylish sport models to 4-wheel drive mid-size SUV’s, soon there could be an environmentally friendly choice for anyone.”

But on the flip side, WorldChanging’s Joel Makower is unimpressed. He asks, “But where was the green? This year, environmentally minded vehicles and innovations seemed few and far between. The well-choreographed and elaborately staged press events focused far more on horsepower and high-technology than on hybrids and hydrogen. “Muscle” was probably the show’s most exercised buzzword.”