Now that people in usa are buying small cars, will the car companies create a shortage to drive up the price?

no I don't believe that at all, I worked for GM for 36 Yrs. and was luckily enough to work at a plant that built small cars and we always kept working through bad times and when gas prices rise people want the small cars we would work maximum overtime to build them which was 10 hrs. a day and 6 days a week.

No, they don't have to. They'll do what they did before.

They will wait for a new Democratically controlled congress. They'll cite all the reports about losing the US auto market to Japan. They'll beg for import duties of [pick any arbitrary #] $3500.00 per Japanese car. Then they'll raise their prices some other arbitrary amount, say $3500.00.

I do not believe that will be the case as the car companies are already charging the most that they can and still have any sales.

you're big cars are worth nothing right now and a little cars new or used just went up in value .is good business unfortunately .

Probably