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Cadillac had fighting words  backing up the ATS , a car that GM North America president Mark Reuss said will challenge German supremacy in the sport-sedan segment. Touting the brand's latest small sedan, Reuss said the ATS is "the most mass-efficient car in its segment," with a curb weight of well under 3,400 pounds. The proof will be in the driving, but the ATS fits the Cadillac lineup and it doesn't look deliberately scaled down. More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage Photos don't do the headlights justice. They're intriguing. They sweep over the fenders, ending above the front axle, and there's a bit of first-gen CTS in their character. It's a cool look. A shoulder line appears under the C-pillar, sweeping around the tail. It looks OK, but I found the rear too busy and a bit forgettable. The wheels max out at 18 inches — appropriate here, if smaller than some rivals' wheels — to keep unsprung weight down, Cadillac says. Cabin materials ...

By Jerry Edgerton (MoneyWatch)   Ford's redesigned 2013 Fusion, introduced today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, will add a plug-in hybrid version and feature technology previously available only on luxury models. The new Fusion will come with a choice of power plants, each of which the company says will deliver better gas mileage than competing mid-size sedans of similar engine type. The turbocharged, 1.6-liter gasoline "Ecoboost" engine will get expected ratings of 26 MPG in city driving, 37 on the highway. The revamped Fusion Hybrid ratings should be 47 MPG in city driving, 44 on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata hybrids. The new lithium-ion batteries will allow the Fusion to continue under solely electric power to 62 mph before the gas engine kicks in instead of the previous cutoff at 47 mph. The all-new model will be the oddly-sp...