by Richard Yarrow (12 Jan 06)

It's January so it must be Detroit. The travelling circus that is the global motor show scene has trundled into town. Same people, same stands - but new cars to get excited over.

The event didn't disappoint, though arguably there was little for Brits to get too worked up about. This year's exhibition will be remembered for the rebirth of two classic American muscle car legends - the Chevrolet Camaro (pictured) and Dodge's Challenger - created to do battle with a third that's already on sale, the Ford Mustang .

Officially the Chevy and Dodge are concepts, but there's little doubt they will be built. The success of the Mustang - first revealed as a prototype at the same event three years ago - means the two companies can't afford not to.

Neither will come to the UK officially but will arrive via independent importers. They'll also snap up the Toyota FJ, a chunky new American market SUV that's got more character in one knobbly tyre than the rest of the Toyota range put together. It started out as a concept - ironically on the same day as the Mustang in 2003 - but top marks to the Japanese firm for having the guts to go with the original Tonka styling. Prices start at $22,000 (£12,500).

Day one was dominated by the word "ottoman". Bizarre but true. I heard it three times at three different press conferences in the first three hours. For those of you who can't remember back to the Seventies when such things were fashionable, an ottoman is a posh name for a foot stool. For car makers, it's the latest gimmick in getting passengers to relax in the back seat. You can understand it with the all-new Lexus LS luxury saloon, but does the Ford Super Chief pick-up - described to me by one PR person as "a sledgehammer of a car" - really need a foot stool?

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