LA Auto Show

To call the Jeep Wrangler “iconic” would be something of an understatement. With a body shape that traces all the way back to that World War II workhorse, the Willys, the Jeep is an enduring symbol of Americana. Ten years ago, to counter accusations of the brand having gone "a bit soft," Jeep introduced the hard-core Rubicon Wrangler variant, named for one of America’s toughest mountain trails. Now comes the Anniversary Edition, packed with even more off-road ruggedness and ability – and a nice bit of red leather.  Read More

Due for its public debut at the upcoming Los Angeles motor show, Mercedes-Benz AMG has finally revealed images and details of the SLS Black Series. Ever since the gull-winged wonder was first released in 2010, enthusiasts and schoolboys have been anticipating the inevitable ultimate (road-going) version. It'll come as no surprise that the beast in question is wider, harder, faster, and completely awesome.  Read More

What will highway patrol vehicles look like in 2025? That's the question posed by this year's Los Angeles Design Challenge, and Mercedes-Benz has answered with the Ener-G-Force design concept. Despite the brief, the company's North American R&D team hasn't totally abandoned the past in looking to the future, conceiving a rugged, fuel-cell driven concept based on the existing G-Class that would produce its own hydrogen from water on the fly.  Read More

If the horse is not humanity's favorite animal, it should be, as it has served us far better than any other domesticated animal. It has been the predominant form of personal transport for the last millennia, has done more work for us than any animal, and its mastery became the fundamental military technology which helped Genghis Khan build the biggest empire in history. The notion of using advanced technologies to replicate and extend the personality and functionality of the horse gave Honda a wonderful platform to explore in its latest design concept. Part sci-fi and part technology-crystal-ball-gazing, here's what a synthetic Horse V 2.0 might look like 200 years hence.  Read More

MINI has unveiled the final production version of its MINI Roadster which is set to join the company's rapidly-expanding lineup next year. Looking pretty similar to the Roadster concept unveiled alongside the MINI Coupe concept at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the sixth model to join the current MINI line-up is the first open-top two-seater in the company's history. It features a manually-opening soft-top roof and will be offered in four different engine variants.  Read More

After announcing this week that the Spark mini car that is already sold in markets around the world will be available in the U.S. and Canada from next year, Chevrolet has revealed that an all-electric Spark will hit showrooms from 2013. Modeled after the Chevrolet Beat concept that appeared at the 2007 New York Auto Show, the Spark is a five-door, four-passenger hatch designed for urban environments that Chevrolet claims will offer more interior room than other mini cars. It will also be the smallest Chevrolet available in the U.S. and Canada.  Read More

The 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge – which asked designers to come up with an efficient 1,000lb (454kg), four-passenger vehicle that maintained comfort, safety, driving-performance and style – has finished in a tie between GM’s Cadillac Aera concept and the Smart 454 from Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design. Previously, the Design Challenge was restricted to major Southern California automotive design studios but this year saw the field widen to include studios from Germany and Japan, resulting in entries from Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Maybach.  Read More

If you spend a lot of time behind the wheel of your car, then having a properly adjusted seat is of the utmost importance – not only does it maximize safety and driving skills, but it also minimizes back, shoulder and neck strain. With over a dozen adjustments available on some vehicles’ seats, however, it’s sometimes difficult to figure out the optimum combination of settings. Automotive parts designer Faurecia has what it is toting as the solution to this problem, in the form of its new smartphone-based SmartFit system.  Read More

The sales of traditional sedans have taken a hit in recent years due to the popularity of crossover SUVs, but that hasn’t stopped Nissan coming up with a new sedan concept in the form of the Nissan Ellure Concept hybrid vehicle. The company says the car, which will debut at the 2010 LA Auto Show, isn’t intended as a preview of any upcoming production model, but is rather a confirmation that the sedan still has some life left in it yet and will remain a core part of Nissan’s product portfolio.  Read More