Bancho

At this point in the US it seems that legacy issues with the big three prevent any real credible competition within the lower priced/smaller car segment.

Probably the best thing that could happen, and the least likely, would be an all new startup car company that specialized in small, sporty or otherwise interesting, vehicles. I'd love to buy an American designed and built car if there was one that could compete on merit with an import. I don't want some giant truck thing or vanilla crap sedan that *everyone* loves and offends no one.