We were spoiled too long.

Minivans that leapfrogged the competition. Outrageously powerful Cadillac concepts as lavish as a rock opera. Luxury sport sedans that came to life as living art on the walls.

Most of what you see on the Cobo Center floor at the North American International Auto Show this week was designed and engineered -- "locked in," as they say -- well before the current meltdown in industry sales.

But if the show seems a little thin and aired out -- no Porsche, Nissan, Land Rover, Infiniti, a watered-down Mitsubishi display -- what will it be like next year after Detroit's extreme makeover unfolds? Will Hummer, Saab and Saturn be back?

More members of Japan Inc. are expected to pass Detroit next year after Detroit's plans to bypass Tokyo this fall.

Every automaker vows product development and engineering won't be sacrificed in the downturn. No one wants to be left behind.

But in reality, the industry's pipeline is shrinking.

A market that collapses overnight and generates just over 13 million new car and truck sales a year can't support over 300 unique products forever.

The casualties are already mounting.

There will be no Mercury version of the next Ford Taurus.

Strangely, the Pontiac lineup will expand with the new G5 coupe, G3 compact, and Solstice hardtop, before suddenly shrinking to become a niche brand. So there will be no Pontiac sport truck for North America after all. Mitsubishi is dropping the Raider pickup sourced from Dodge. It's the end of the line this summer for the Chrysler PT Cruiser.

The last time the economy was in such shambles and a new president was about to assume office, promising hope and change, it was 1933 and the Detroit auto show featured 26 manufacturers, down from 41 in previous years.

But the 1930s also saw the emergence of styling and innovation as a catalyst for a rebound. Like automotive engineers in the early days of the industry, designers became professionals.

The pressure to innovate will not let up this cycle and there are some promising advances and engineering marvels on display.

Aside from stellar fuel economy, the new Prius hybrid features a new glass moon roof packed with solar panels that powers a new ventilation system. It doesn't even require engine assist -- contributing to fuel economy. Moreover, it prevents the interior air temperature from rising when the car is parked or idled, and helps shorten the cool-down period when the car is restarted.

The redesigned Mazda3 is the first compact car with an available adaptive front lighting system with self-leveling bi-xenon headlamps -- a major safety advance for the segment.

And the battery-powered car -- featured by more brands in concept or production form than ever before -- just may give the industry the new spark it needs. It can't hurt that some of the biggest names in batteries worldwide have signed on to help electrify the automobile.

Look around. The advances are more practical -- "green" radiator tanks come to mind -- good for the environment and designed for the times. We may not be spoiled because our future choices will be limited, but we are getting back to basics. And that is a good thing.