International coalition

Most notably, Mercedes-Benz revealed at the Geneva show last week that it has suspended plans to bring the new B-class "sports tourer" to the United States because of the dollar's weakness against the euro, now worth about $1.30. Eckhard Cordes, head of the Mercedes car group, told Automotive News: "We cannot make sufficient profit with this car in the United States."

Last month the company all but shelved plans to bring the Smart brand to the United States; a final decision on Smart is expected in April.

The keenest loss for U.S. consumers is certainly the B-class, an evolution

of the premium small car A-class, popular in Europe for a decade. Not quite 14 feet long, taut and trig, the

five-seat compact wagon has amazing room inside and great views outside, and is loaded with unique features, including a quick-acting interior heater to rapidly warm up the cockpit on cold mornings. Already engineered to meet U.S. crash and emissions standards, the B-class could cost as much as $30,000 if sold in the United States at current exchange rates; even at that, it would have almost certainly been worth it to many California buyers who will migrate to the BMW 1-series and Audi's A3.

Other trends from the Geneva Auto Show:

Alfa in U.S. driveways?

One company apparently unfazed by the dollar dilemma is Fiat Group, which has plenty of financial woes already. It is now all but official that the company's Alfa Romeo brand -- beloved and bemoaned in equal measure -- will return to the U.S., though the timing is still being debated. In Geneva, Alfa Romeo unveiled the production version of the Brera 2+2 sport coupe, a stunning machine designed by Italdesign Giugiaro and based on a GM-Fiat shared platform (GM and Fiat have recently sundered their partnership in a deal costing GM $2 billion).

If and when the car comes to the United States, it will likely be powered by a GM-Holden V6. In a related development, Maserati will be repositioned within the Fiat Group. No longer the kid sister to Ferrari, Maserati will become the luxury nameplate over Lancia and Alfa Romeo. In America, it's likely that Alfa and Maserati will share dealerships.

A 'lounge on wheels'

But for every Eurocar we will see -- the A3, the 1-series -- many beautiful and desirable cars won't make it to our shores. Citroen unveiled the spectacular C6, a long and rakish luxury saloon with a high-tech ambience the company calls "lounge on wheels." With its longueur and pure, encapsulated styling, the C6 has a lot in common with the historic DS, including a hydro-pneumatic suspension.