Wagons =
Manuals =
Roof racks = I have never used one but would get one on a Van, SUV, or Avalance just because I think it makes the vehicle look better.

 

More use of ...
*turbo's
*AWD
*diesels

 

I was thinking of a VW Golf or Mini type of hatchback. The Cobalt and Solstice are not super practical in that they are NOT a hatchback and you can't put things like La-z-boy's and big TV's in them.

BTW,

JEDCamino - once, I owned a CRX Si, I bought it for a song because it had problems...put a few hundred bucks into it and it was running like a champ. I had been enjoying/driving it for about two weeks when a monster hail storm came and it's little aluminum foil body and thin glass were utterly destroyed.

 

Be glad you weren't in it and hit by a 1-ton truck or full-sized SUV

I'd like to see more in the way of sporty styling.

I also want to see more use of diesels in the US - maybe not in ponycars or high-performance units just yet, but I'd go for a V6 turbo-diesel version of an Explorer or TBlazer. And yes, the economy IS better for them today.

I'd also like to see more investement and development of continually-variable drive systems like Honda debuted a few years ago. As an engineer, I have clear visions of such a system that could actually outperform a manual in a drag race, yet offer smooth and constant ratio reduction down to levels unobtainable by conventional gearboxes - like .4:1. They could EASILY come to replace 6-speeds if you think about it, yet yeild phenomenal gas mileage if used with a DOD engine.

Just .02!