FRANKFURT (Reuters) -- The industry will crawl rather than soar from the depths of the past year, If executives interviewed at the Frankfurt motor show are any sign. Here's a sampling of comments ...

Martin Winterkorn, CEO, Volkswagen AG:

"The difficult crisis in the automotive industry is not over yet, but there are increasing signs that the bottom has been reached."

"The industry can be cautiously optimistic."

Michael Macht, CEO, Porsche AG:

"Indications have been increasing that we may have passed the economic trough. Even if the coming months will likely remain difficult, we at Porsche are cautiously optimistic for the calendar year 2010.

Tadashi Arashima, CEO, Toyota Motor Europe:

"I feel consumer confidence is not so strong yet."

On winding down incentives: "I hope some kind of soft landing approach will be taken."

Bernhard Mattes, chairman, Ford of Germany:

"I do not expect that we will return to conditions like in 2007 or early 2008 in the short term. That means we will see a slow recovery in 2010, 2011 and then have better and more stable market conditions in 2013, 2014."

"I am skeptical that things will go as high as 2007 again."

Allan Rushforth, vice president, Hyundai Motor Europe:

"It won't be until 2015 that the market picks up significantly and we'll be seeing 2007 levels in Europe again."

Jean-Marc Gales, head of Peugeot and Citroen brands, PSA/Peugeot-Citroen:

"The German market will fall (next year) but the fall will be offset slightly by the light commercial vehicle and fleet sales markets which will pick up. Next year with the gradual economic recovery certain large fleets will be renewed. We'll also see the light commercial vehicle market start to grow in some markets like Germany and Italy."

"I am expecting a recovery in the Russian market -- it's just that I don't know if it will be in two months, five months, 10 months, but it will come back."