Auto Shows
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It was ten years ago that the first Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, a hardened version of the already tough Jeep Wrangler, made its debut. Named after one of America’s most demanding off-road trails, the vehicle featured Dana 44 axles, Rock-Trac four-wheel-drive, 16-inch alloys and diamond plate rocker panels. Suffice it to say, the Rubicon models were the most extreme Wranglers ever produced, especially the Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited models, which brought even more utility to the table. Now, Jeep is celebrating its original Wrangler Rubicon with a special 10th Anniversary Edition, which makes...
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2013 Fiat 500e Electric Hatch Makes L.A. DebutThe electric version of the Fiat 500 goes on sale in the summer of 2013, but only in limited markets.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2013 Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio Preview: 2012 Los Angeles Auto ShowLove the Fiat 500 Abarth but really want to get an open-air driving experience? Well then, Fiat has just the thing for you as it's revealing the 2013 500c Abarth, where the c stands for cabriolet. Basically, take the sliding soft-top from the 500c, put it on a 500 Abarth, and you have the right...
Joel Feder -
2014 Jaguar XFR-S Bows At 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show: VideoThe most powerful Jaguar sedan ever is ready for a world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and the first photos have hit the Web just before its official reveal. The Jaguar XFR-S sedan counters the efficient new V-6s added to the luxury four-door's lineup with a blistering 550-horsepower...
Martin Padgett -
2014 Ford Fiesta ST Preview: 2012 Los Angeles Auto ShowWhen Ford showed the Fiesta ST Concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year, we all knew it was only a matter of time before a production model made its debut. And one year later, at this year's 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, that is exactly what is happening as Ford has announced the new 2014...
Joel Feder -
Audi Confirms Four New U.S. Diesels For L.A. Auto ShowIf you love glow plugs and green-handled fuel pumps, get ready to love some new Audis. The German luxury carmaker will be bringing four new diesels for the U.S. market to the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. The Audi A6, A7, A8, and Q5 will all get TDI "clean diesel" versions next week, joining the Q7...
Nelson Ireson -
It's that time of year again: auto show season. With most of the biggest and best events of the year lined up over the next six months, we'll be seeing the best of the industry's new offerings as well as concepts for what's to come. The 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show promises to impress with more than 40 debuts, including 24 world debuts. The show, held in the Los Angeles Convention Center, brings journalists and industry executives from around the world, as well as design competitions, technology showcases, green car awards, and, of course, thousands and thousands of car lovers who come to see...
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2013 Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio Teased In New VideoFormula 1 is in the U.S. for the first time in five years this weekend, and it's already leading to the product tie-ins. No, we're not complaining. In this video you see the first footage of the Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio, due to be unveiled at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show in just under two weeks...
Nelson Ireson -
Mercedes to debut Ener-G-Force off-road concept in L.A.When tasked with illustrating the “Highway Patrol Vehicle 2025,” the designers at the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio based their idea on what a future version of the G-Class SUV would look like. For police use, it was critical that the truck be able to reach incident scenes both...
Kurt Ernst -
Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge Entries RevealedEvery year, the Los Angeles Auto Show offers up its Design Challenge, meant to give attendees a look into the world of automotive design. Last year, the theme was “Hollywood’s Hottest New Movie Car,” and the award went to designers from Smart. This year’s theme was the...
Kurt Ernst -
Supercharged CR-Z Concept Highlights Honda's SEMA LineupWhile we like the basic shape of Honda’s CR-Z “sports hybrid,” its performance never managed to captivate us. Even with the six-speed manual, it’s too sluggish to be amusing, as the car struggles to break the 10-second barrier for the 0-60 mph run. In Eco mode, with the A/C...
Kurt Ernst -
Comedian Jeff Dunham’s Dodge Challenger SRT8 SEMA ConceptComedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham probably wouldn’t have been the first guy to pop into our minds when the task of designing a SEMA concept reared its ugly head. Nonetheless, Dunham is a car guy with a penchant for Mopar muscle cars, and we’ve already seen evidence that he can...
Kurt Ernst -
The Ford Mustang has charged to the top of the popularity stakes at the 2012 SEMA show, taking out for the first time the event’s award for the “Hottest Car” to customize. The Mustang held back some strong competition, particularly from the Chevrolet Camaro, which has won the title for the previous two years. The award honors the most popular vehicle chosen by aftermarket firms as the best platform for accessorizing, and with the Mustang being one of the most popular vehicles in the world to customize, the award is certainly long overdue. The winning vehicle is judged...
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MINI’s John Cooper Works Previews 2012 Essen Motor Show LineupThe opening day of the 2012 SEMA show has just passed but in just over a month the German equivalent, the 2012 Essen Motor Show, is about to kick off. Only yesterday BMW revealed some of its lineup planned for Essen’s annual tuner event, and today it’s MINI’s turn. When it comes...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Hyundai Veloster RE:MIX Production Model Debuts At SEMANeither Hyundai, nor the Veloster, are strangers to SEMA. But there is something new that includes all three: the RE:MIX. Revealed today in Las Vegas at the 2012 SEMA show, the Veloster RE:MIX is a production model built with the aid of the RE:MIX philosophy of "individual creativity, passion, and...
Nelson Ireson -
Mazda MX-5 Super25 Concept Endurance Racer At SEMAWhile we're huge fans of adding forced induction to Miatas and MX-5s, extra power isn't the only thing that can make a sports car faster. The SEMA special this year from Mazda is the Super25, built with an eye toward endurance racing speed and durability. An incremental evolution from the Super20...
Nelson Ireson -
Acura Shows Its 'Street Build' ILX At SEMAAcura bills its gateway-to-the-brand ILX sedan as the ideal blend of sport and luxury, but our experience with the car tells us it’s lacking in the sport department. Even with the 201-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine (the largest available), the car lacks the kind of thrust we...
Kurt Ernst -
Chevy Joins The B-Spec Fray, Shows Race-Prepped Sonic At SEMAAnnounced in 2011, the B-Spec series (sanctioned by both the SCCA and Grand Am) is arguably the cheapest way to go racing on a professional level. Up to now, the series has starred the Honda Fit, the Ford Fiesta, the Kia Rio, the Fiat 500, the MINI Cooper, the Toyota Yaris and the Mazda2. Now...
Kurt Ernst -
If you're a fan of all things modified and tuned up, then you're probably really enjoying the first day of SEMA's exploits. Add to the list these special-edition 2013 Subaru WRX and STI sedans, decked out in orange and black for Halloween--and going on sale in limited quantities soon. Just 200 of the WRX Special Editions will be sold, along with 100 of the WRX STI versions. All will be sedans. The WRX version features a dark interior trim borrowed from the STI line, with a black headliner, plus orange stitching on the seats, door panels, floor mats and shift boot. On the outside, a simple...
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Final 2012 Chevy COPO Camaro Is An Auction-Bound ConvertibleAt last year’s SEMA show, Chevy announced that it would build 69 COPO Camaros for the 2012 model year. The number was in honor of the original COPO (short for Central Office Production Order) Camaro, which hit the drag strip in 1969 as a factory-built race car. Like the originals, the new...
Kurt Ernst -
BMW M Performance Range Expands At 2012 Essen Motor ShowFor anyone unfamiliar with the Essen Motor Show, think of it as the German version of SEMA, which, incidentally, is taking place this week. The Essen show doesn’t actually commence until December 1, but BMW has given us a preview of some of the vehicles it’s planning to debut there...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Fiat Shows Off The Magneti Marelli Fiat 500 Abarth At SEMA: VideoLike all cars with a passionate fan base, Fiat’s 500 revival makes a great blank canvas for customization. Even from the show room floor, there are 500 models to satisfy the needs of most buyers, from those concerned primarily with fuel economy (the base 500) to those who spend weekends on an...
Kurt Ernst -
Volvo V60 Racing Concept Debuts At 2012 Sao Paulo Auto ShowThe Volvo V60 is the wagon version of the S60 sedan, and in the markets where it’s sold it’s available with a range of fuel-efficient powertrains including a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid option. However, a V60 concept unveiled at the recent 2012 Sao Paulo Auto Show is more about...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ford F-150 Tuner Trucks Headed To SEMA, TooThe best-selling vehicle in Ford’s lineup is the F-Series pickup, and that’s been the case for many years. If Ford is using SEMA to highlight other hot sellers, like the Escape and Fusion, it stands to reason that tuned F-Series pickups would command booth space, too. Truckin’...
Kurt Ernst