The stars of the Detroit Motor Show

From the perspective of car experts, the new C-Class cars of Daimler's subsidiary Mercedes is the most important world premiere of the German exhibitors in Detroit. The car, which is also being manufactured in the United States for the first time, is likely to decide whether Mercedes will remain the best-selling premium manufacturer on the U.S. market.

The toughest competition is also from Germany. Audi, for example, is catching up quickly and continuing its successful run in the U.S. market. In Detroit, they are unveiling this car to show in which direction the design has developed: A crossover for any kind of road or trail.

The Bavarians will bring three world premiers to the car metropolis, including the M4 coupé (pictured), the M3 limousine and the 2 series coupé. The M models splurge with a 431-horsepower engine. But the electric cars, i3 and i8, are also presented at the booth - for those looking to soothe their conscience.

The BMW subsidiary Mini is presenting itself with a new look in Detroit. The design has been enhanced carefully, the engines completely revamped. The new Minis will be available on the U.S. market beginning this spring. The question is whether Americans will even get into such small cars, but 66,000 of them were sold in 2013.

The Swedish brand has been a part of Chinese carmaker Geely for some time now. It provides the necessary financial muscle and doesn't interfere much otherwise. This is evident in the XC coupé concept car, which had its world premiere in Detroit, and illustrates where the design of future models is going.

The GM brand has unveiled its new Corvette Z06. The manufacturer promises the strongest version of the American sports car icon so far. It has been upgraded vigorously under the hood: The engine boasts a muscular 620 hp and is clearly intended to leave its predecessor in the dust - which "only" had 512 hp.

A Ford Mustang with just four instead of the usual six or eight cylinders? Impossible! That, at least, was the initial reaction of fans after such rumors surfaced. But now, the new Mustang is available with an EcoBoost engine - and only four cylinders. So, it is possible after all. But don't worry - it still has 309 horses under the hood.

The Lexus RC had its world premiere in November in Tokyo. Now, the F-variant of the two-door sports coupé is on stage in Detroit. With 450 hp under the hood, it needs a five-liter engine to accomodate the muscle.