Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Lexus LF-LC and LF-CC on Display at the LA Auto Show; Which One Do You Like More? [Poll]


They may be what you call "old news" in the motor show circuit, as the blue LF-LC was displayed at October's Sydney Motor Show, and before that, at the Detroit show in January (albeit in a different color), with the bronze LF-CC appearing in Paris in September, but there's no denying that the two Lexus coupes are amongst the most impressive cars at this week's LA Auto Show.

The bigger LF-LC is a pure sports car featuring a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain producing 499-horses (506PS) and all-wheel drive. Lexus officials have admitted that they are considering a production version, though no final decision has been reached yet.

Lexus' second study is the LF-CC for a coupe model based on the underpinnings and mechanical hardware of the next IS sedan.

In concept trim, the Japanese carmaker's BMW 3-Series Coupe-rival sports a hybrid systems comprising a 2.5-liter four-pot and an electric motor delivering somewhere around 200-horses to the rear wheels.

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Mercedes Shows SLS AMG Black Series, Announces Prices for New SLS GT and GL63 AMG in LA


Mercedes-Benz selected the Los Angeles Auto Show for the world premiere of its track-focused, but still street-legal, SLS AMG Black Series that was joined by the refreshed SLS AMG GT and the new GL63 AMG, both of which made their U.S. motor show debuts. Read more »

New 2014 Porsche Cayman Coupe is Lighter, Sexier and Faster. Priced from $52,600 [126 Photos & Video]


After the new 911 Carrera in both Coupe and Convertible body styles, and the latest Boxster roadster, Porsche revealed a new iteration of its third sports car series at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2014 Cayman.

Based on the new Boxster, the Cayman has been reengineered from the ground up and features a lightweight body design making it up to 30kg / 66 pounds lighter than the car it replaces, a 40 per cent stiffer body and more powerful and efficient flat-six engines that offer better performance as well as p to 15 percent greater fuel economy.

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LA Auto Show Welcomes All-New 2014 Kia Forte Compact Sedan with up to 173hp


The 2014 Kia Forte Sedan is yet another new model to receive its North American premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week. It will go on sale in the first quarter of 2013 offering buyers a choice of two four-cylinder powerplants and will be followed up by a five-door hatchback and a coupe model.

Kia's new compact-sized sedan, which our international readers may also know as the K3 (Korea) and Cerato (Australia, Brazil etc), slots between the Rio sub-compact and the Optima mid-size sedans.

The Korean carmaker highlights the new Forte's more modern design which it says is "inspired by European sport sedans" but born in California at Kia’s American Design Center in Irvine.

Under the new bodywork, you will find a chassis that is longer (by 1.2 inches), lower (0.6 inches) and wider (0.2 inches) than the previous Forte sedan. Furthermore, at 106.3-inch long, the new Forte's wheelbase is two inches longer than before for improved interior space.

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New 2013 VW Beetle Convertible Makes Motor Show Debut in LA, Starts at $24,995 [w/Video]


If you live in Europe, you've probably seen the new 2013 Beetle Convertible as it is already offered for sale, but on this side of the pond, the open-top Volkswagen just received its North American premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show, where the German carmaker also announced pricing. Read more »

2014 Sorento May Look the Same, But Kia Says 80 Percent of the Parts are New or Redesigned


If you were to take a quick look at the 2014 Kia Sorento, which is enjoying its North American premiere at this week's Los Angeles Auto Show, what you would probably see is the restyled front and rear ends, and some barely noticeable tweaks in the cabin.

Ask Kia, however, and the Koreans will tell you that there's much more than meets the eye to the revamped Sorento. In fact, Kia claims that more than 80 percent of the parts in the crossover are either "all-new or significantly redesigned", including the 3.3-liter GDI V6 engine producing 290 horsepower.

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2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sheds 200 Pounds, Gains Hybrid Variant


The new Mitsubishi Outlander's world tour continues with its North American premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Designed from the ground up to be offered with an advanced hybrid powerplant, the seven-seater 2014 Outlander also underwent an intensive diet losing around 200 pounds (91 kg) compared to the outgoing model.

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