Even though the 2011 Chevy Volt insisted it was an honor to just be nominated, you could just tell she had her eye on that shiny North American International Auto Show car of the year trophy. She had her acceptance speech ready in advance, kept shooting the evil eye at Nissans and Hyundais, and besides — could you believe that gown she wore?

The Volt, wait for it, electrified the judges at the Detroit car show, leading the way as American manufacturers swept the show’s top awards. The hybrid electric vehicle also took home the “green car” of the year award, and the Ford Explorer won truck of the year.

The wins may bode well for the American auto industry as a whole, which only a couple years ago was circling the drain as the federal government pumped it full of bailout money. MSNBC spoke to an analyst who predicts American manufacturers could move more than 25 percent more units in 2011 than the 12 million they sold in 2010, when the industry snapped a four-year slump.

GM’s Chevy Volt named 2011 Car of the Year [MSNBC]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.