Thanks to globalisation, there are now many cars sold in both the US and European car markets. But the Detroit auto show still has plenty of US-only cars that won't—and probably shouldn't—make it to Europe. For the most part they're giant 4x4s and pickup trucks. These monsters, though, have been conspicuous by their absence from the headlines at this year's show.

Might this mean that the US has finally realised that with petrol prices inexorably rising and worry about pollution growing, 15 mpg cars might not be the most appropriate method of transport?

You could get carried away with this reasoning. Sales may have been down 12% last year, but Ford alone still shifted 800,000 of its top-selling F-series. Nevertheless, with the car companies putting more priority on making the next generation of 'ordinary' cars exciting, the end of the truck's golden age might soon be in sight.

Chevrolet Silverado

The widely (and accurately) anticipated winner of the prestigious North American Truck of the Year, this is the best evidence that pickups aren't going away just yet. Chevy trucks are an institution in the US and thanks to extensive upgrades, the latest generation of the Silverado has been getting great reviews. MSN Autos' US reviewers recently drove it: they report that it's much improved and expect it to sell briskly. The range might include vehicles that will offend some European sensibilities (the Atlantic seemed pretty wide to us when we stumbled on the curiously titled "Silverado HD Dooley"), but these trucks have a big following. The strong showing new Silverado has made looks set to strengthen it.

Toyota Tundra

Japanese manufacturers have been eyeing the highly profitable US truck market for a while. Why haven't they pounced sooner? The stereotypical big truck buyer is a blue-collar, patriotic sort. They're a tough nut for foreign carmakers to crack, as Honda found with its Ridgeline and Nissan with its Titan—both large trucks being poor sellers in the US. But we think the Tundra, Toyota's first full-size (ie, massive) truck might turn out to be an industrial-strength nutcracker. On a static inspection, we found it very impressive, with build quality that easily puts its US-sourced competition to shame. Clever marketing and the fact it's built in Texas might help convert those sceptical patriots. It's likely to be a long haul, but Tundra looks up to the task.

Changfeng

This Chinese 4x4 specialist has made waves at Detroit. Its attempts to establish some credibility have been heavy-footed at the least, and in some respects simply absurd. But Detroit's bigwigs are agitated about this new threat anyway. The Chinese auto industry is developing at lightning speed, and the consensus view is that it will be a serious force within three to five years. The bizarre-looking Liebao CS6 illustrates both the inadequacy of the current range and the enormous potential of this resourceful and determined company—and country. The CS6 won't be sold in the US or Europe, but before long Chinese-made cars and SUVs are bound to be in both places.

Scion xB

Scion is a sub-brand of Toyota. It makes small, funky vehicles that appeal mainly to young urbanites. Worries about lost sales among its other small cars probably stop Toyota bringing it to Europe, but we think it might do well there. The boxy but cute xB is the most visually striking car in the range. A subculture has grown up around "pimping" this car, with a huge range of blingy accessories and upgrades available. Toyota's brave decision actively to support this cottage industry has been very effective in building positive perceptions of the brand among its target audience.

Ford Super Duty

It would be a crime to not include this monstrous truck in our list—and there are people who'd say it would be a crime to drive it. That might be going a bit far—it's a prodigiously powerful workman's tool that could be extremely useful, but it would never be considered a consumer product in Europe. It has an eight-foot cargo bed and is capable of towing 24,000 lbs (10,886 kg)—that's equivalent to 13 smart cars—thanks to a 6.4 litre engine that delivers 650 lb-ft of torque. All this while seating four people in comfort. Any redeeming features? Well, at least it's a diesel.