As fuel prices appear to have peaked, U.S. buyers are not as concerned about high-mileage transportation as they once were, and they have begun shifting focus from smaller cars to the high-powered trucks and SUVs American much prefer. Thus, the April 2012 University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute report indicates a slight downturn in the window-sticker fuel economy average of vehicles sold in the U.S. last month.

As part of the annual Michelin Challenge Design contest (student winners displayed at NAIAS next January) a panel of top vehicle designers present their ideas in Detroit this Thursday, discussing the challenge they face in the future of reducing vehicle weight while keeping the look of the vehicle “exciting”. Panelists include designers Bob Boniface (GM), Mark Trostle (Chrysler) and Michael Arbaugh (Ford).

Chrysler Group LLC, the biggest gainer of U.S. share in April, says it will skip the customary two-week mid-year shutdowns at four of its plants in order to build more vehicles and keep up with demand. In addition, two more plants will take one-week breaks instead of two. Chrysler deliveries climbed 33 percent in the first four months of this year to 539,216, according to researcher Autodata Corp.