As Greg noted this morning, the New York Auto Show will feature the unveiling of Government Motors’s — er, General Motors’s — new prototype, the PUMA (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility), an electric vehicle developed with Segway. Essentially, the two-wheeler is a motorized rickshaw for use by the hip urban-mobility crowd instead of bicycles or motor scooters or pedicabs.

And, of course, the PUMA fits the government’s vision for the country’s largest automaker as a “green” company. No doubt the PUMA, if produced, could be a benefit against rising CAFE mandates, much as automakers are allowed to sell golf carts to satisfy California emission rules.

But less publicized is GM’s decision in recent months to eliminate its performance division — reportedly as a result of government pressure. Sports versions of vehicles — such as Cadillac’s V8-powered V-series or Chevy’s SS cars — will disappear from the company lineup, taking with them the sexy cache they often brought to their market segments.

Interestingly, Ford — the lone Detroit Three automaker not to take federal money — has conspicuously ramped up its performance division in recent months, perhaps angling for market share abandoned by GM as well as advertising itself as a performance-oriented brand. Ford is planning a sports version of its Taurus (the SHO) as well as mulling whether to bring in the 300-hp “pocket-rocket” version of its European Ford Focus.

Or maybe two-wheeled pedicabs are what make you salivate.