But, before the doors open on January 4 in LA, and January 9 in Detroit, we've got a taste of what's on offer. Read on to find out what some US automakers have up their sleeves...

Chevrolet Corvette Z06

If the brand new 2005 Chev Corvette is not enough, the "performance" Corvette Z06 takes a bow in both LA and Detroit. Packing 380kW, the 7.0-litre V8 bruiser is expected to break cover in Los Angeles, followed days later by the introduction of the convertible in Detroit. Wider tyres and Brembo brake callipers are a certainty, while a removable hardtop option a-la Merc SLK could be a Detroit surprise.

Chrysler Firepower

The Firepower's badge may change by the time this two-seater sportscar hits Detroit in January, but its striking styling is all but cast in stone ? or carbon fibre, Chrysler's material of choice for showcar bodies. Firepower is penned in "somewhere between" the Crossfire and last year's audacious ME4-12 concept.

Firepower shares its platform with the Dodge Viper, but comes in a more elegant and refined Chrysler trim, in the tradition of a classic grand tourer. Expect power to come from Chrysler?s 325kW 6.1-liter, HEMI V-8 due to first power the 300C SRT-8, with Firepower?s top end expected to top 300km/h and a sub-4.5 second 0-100 blast.

Dodge Charger

Dodge's great Charger nameplate makes a comeback in Detroit, and will arrive in US dealerships in the northern hemisphere's spring as an early 2006 model. The Charger will reportedly be powered by a 3.5-litre V6 or the optional 5.7-litre HEMI, but insiders expect the 6.1-litre HEMI to follow ? as it will be doing with the 300C, Magnum, and Grand Cherokee. DaimlerChrysler South Africa, meanwhile, will be whet late next year, with a view to the Dodge brand becoming standard on our market in 2006 ? watch this space.

Saturn Sky

You may not expect to see Saturn's Sky on the roads in South Africa, but it does have some significance for local motorists as it will share its chassis with the forthcoming Opel Speedster, a car we could well see here.

The second vehicle in GM's new Kappa sportscar family, Sky will arrive in Detroit in January. It shares its rear-drive architecture with the Pontiac Solstice, and the design theme will spill over to future Saturns due to appear in the next two years as GM and moves the brand upscale. Saturn dealers will get Sky in early 2006.

Ford Explorer Sport Trac Concept

If the Explorer Sport Trac concept due at the Detroit show is anything to go by, Ford's ageing Explorer Sport Trac looks set to be replaced.

It'll deliver "more of everything that helped the original sport utility truck launch one of the fastest growing segments in the industry," says Ford. And, with competitors like the Honda Ridgeline coming to the party, Ford has grown the Sport Trac almost five inches longer, two inches wider, and two inches lower than today's Sport Trac, giving it a "street" look.

Powered by a version of Ford's 4.6-litre V-8, the Sport Trac concept also features Ford's Roll Stability Control, while independent suspension is fitted at the rear. 21-inch wheels add to the bling of a concept vehicle that loses door handles in favour of keyless-remote controls. With Ford SA exploring future options and F250 set for to debut locally in March, this could well be one for South Africans to look out for.

Jeep Gladiator

DaimlerChrysler Chrysler Group design director Trevor Creed said: "We haven't done enough with Jeep, and we're going to do an awful lot more ? in a very short time."

The back-to-basics Gladiator boasts Landy Defender-like exposed door and hood hinges and a canvas roof rolling back like a sunroof or entirely removed.

Gladiator also features SA Ford Ranger-like dual doors on the passenger side and a cargo hatch for easy access behind the driver's door, which swings open a full 180 degrees. Based on Jeep's all-new "lifestyle vehicle" platform, Gladiator's most innovative feature is its 1.5m cargo bed, which is extendable through the bulkhead to almost three metres.

Boasting a part-time 4x4 powertrain, Gladiator is powered by Chrysler's 125kW 380Nm 2.8-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel mated to a manual transmission. The concept's bold front end "could be the inspiration for the next-generation Wrangler", Creed hinted. "We always learn our lessons from these concepts."

Mercury Meta One Concept

The safety-inspired Mercury Meta One concept, which boasts Freestyle undertones (a Land Rover Freelander rival in the US) will be unveiled in Detroit.

Featuring a Citroen C4-like lane-departure warning and Roll Stability Control, the concept will also show off a new Collision Mitigation by Braking system that uses cameras and radar to predict when a crash may occur and to prep the vehicle for the impact. The production Mercury version of the Ford Freestyle is due in 2007.

Pontiac

The Pontiac brand hasn't been seen in SA for years, but you may know it from Oprah, who isn't the only one showing off the new Pontiac G6. But Oprah only had the sedans; the sporty coupe will reach US dealerships in early 2005. The convertible will make its retail appearance in the third quarter of 2005 as a 2006 model. Expect a 190kW V6 to break cover in Detroit.

Along with the G6 twins, Pontiac will show the 2006 Torrent crossover wagon that shares its architecture with the Chevy Equinox, and is set to make its US debut in autumn 2005 with a 140kW 3.4-litre V6, in either front-drive or all-wheel-drive.

Come back tomorrow for Part 2 of motoring.iafrica.com's US Show spectacular when we look at the European brands on show.