California’s influence on the auto market continues to expand, with models from 17 Southern California design studios influencing what Asian and European manufacturers are marketing to buyers in San Diego and throughout the United States.

This year fuel savings will be a huge trend with an emphasis on alternatives and boosting mileage. The buzz words are hybrids, diesels, fuel cells, ethanol, hydrogen, biodiesel, electric, “plug in” hybrids and just smaller cars and SUVs.

More manufacturers are offering hybrids or planning them. Toyota/Lexus leads the pack with five hybrids available and Honda is just behind with three. Surprisingly, General Motors is maneuvering this year to become the industry hybrid mogul.

In a speech to analysts before the start of the 100th Los Angeles Auto Show, Rick Wagoner, GM’s chief executive, promised to be aggressive in promoting alternative fuels. “We are going to keep working to displace petroleum as a motor fuel and expanding our commitment to electrically driven vehicles,” Wagoner says. His firm will offer full hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon by the end of 2007. Its Saturn division already offers a Saturn Vue mild hybrid and plans to introduce this year the Vue Green Line and Aura Green Line models as full hybrids.

GM also expects to sell a plug-in hybrid, which after a battery charge at home would allow operation of the car in electric-only mode for up to 30 miles, while retaining the normal hybrid mode for longer journeys.

Nissan, not fully convinced the time is right for mass production of hybrids, will offer late this year a hybrid version of the Altima, using Toyota technology.

Debuting at the Los Angeles Auto Show was Ford’s redesigned 2008 Escape full hybrid small SUV. Mazda will introduce its version as a Tribute model later this year.

For all the fuel-saving hoopla about hybrids, the financial arithmetic indicates the premium paid for most of these exotic vehicles ($2,500 to $3,500) is difficult to justify.

The technology certainly has not influenced Europeans, who pay between $6 and $7 per gallon of gas. It is tough to even find a hybrid when driving in Europe. The Europeans are looking to advanced technology diesel engines as the answer. Some 40 percent of all cars in Europe are diesel powered. The premium consumers will pay to gain the efficiency of a high-mileage diesel version of their chosen vehicle is $1,000 to $1,500. The 30 percent gain is superior to what hybrids offer.

Improving diesel engine emissions, Mercedes has introduced a clean technology, known as Bluetec, into the U.S. in its $51,500 E320 sedan. The Bluetec technology is shared among Daimler Chrysler, Audi and Volkswagen. Audi and VW soon will offer Bluetec diesels in 50 states. BMW plans to roll out its fuel-efficient fleet in the United States next year. Honda will follow suit in 2009.

Biodiesel fuel, derived from various plant and animal residue, is becoming more available. It is cheaper and more efficient than the highly promoted ethanol.

Hydrogen is considered to be the cleanest burning fuel of all. BMW displayed a prototype 7-series with a normal piston-type engine, which runs on hydrogen, at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Mazda also has built an RX-8 prototype using its rotary engine.

Most manufacturers have fuel cell prototypes that, using hydrogen as a fuel, generate electricity for the vehicle’s electric motor drive line. Mass production, however, is at least five or, more likely, 10 years off.

Even without the exotics, auto companies have been responding to high gas prices with the introduction of well equipped, reasonably priced smaller cars. The sporty handling $13,850 Honda Fit and the solid and practical $12,550 Nissan Versa are the darlings of automotive reviewers. The $11,050 Toyota Yaris with its smooth and perky 4-cylinder engine, and the racy $13,795 Mazda 3 were all new in 2006 and the small 190 hp Volvo C30 will be available this year.

In the popular SUV market, gas-thirsty truck-based SUVs are being challenged by car platform-based, more economical “crossover” SUVs.

Mazda’s large SUV, the CX-9, will be available soon.

Other cars shaping up to be hits in 2007, and their starting prices, are Jeep’s small $15,425 Compass; Isuzu’s $25,959 Ascender; and Dodge’s mid-sized SUV, the $19,225 Jeep Liberty-based Nitro and its smaller SUV, the $13,575 all-wheel-drive Caliber, available with a choice of three engines and a CVT transmission. Along with a redesign of the successful seven-passenger $40,000 MDX SUV, Acura now offers the smaller, less expensive $33,000 RDX SUV.

Worth watching for how the market reacts are Suzuki’s new small, all-wheel-drive, 4-cylinder $14,999 SX4 SUV, developed with Fiat, and the larger newly redesigned 252 hp, all-wheel-drive, seven-seat $22,899 XL7 SUV. Kia debuted its new “crossover” $16,995 Rondo all-wheel-drive SUV at the Los Angeles Auto Show and it looks like a great value in the lower end of the SUV range. Later in 2007, Land Rover will add the LR2 to its range of models.

For those of you with a little more pocket change, a new, faster Jaguar 420 hp XK-R sports car will hit the showrooms in 2007, or you may prefer the new 2008 Audi R8, German engineered, all-wheel-drive 190 mph true sports car.

The next two years will bring some exciting new automobiles to the lots of San Diego auto dealers. Like computers, cell phones and blockbuster motion pictures, many of them will have been designed in Southern California.

Motoring since 1952, Austin Lynas has owned 55 cars and at one time raced mini-sedans in England. An aerospace engineer, he was instrumental in developing the anti-skid systems used in British military aircraft that preceded today’s ABS systems. Lynas can be reached by e-mail at austin@sandiegometro.com.