Wednesday, November 16, 2011

2013 Infiniti JX: New Luxury Crossover gets 7-Seats, 265HP V6 and a Starting Price of $41,400*


We had the chance to see Infiniti's new 7-seater crossover model in showcar trim at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California this past August, but now it's time for the final production version of the JX to make its world premiere at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

To answer your first question, we didn't find any styling changes whatsoever from concept to production, but that shouldn't come as a surprise as there was nothing really conceptual about the JX study in the first place.

There are some interesting styling cues to be found on the JX such as the crescent-cut D-pillar and the swoopy belt line, but it's hardly a looker in our books.

Hop inside and you'll find the familiar Infiniti styling sprinkled with plenty of wood accents and leather trim as well as a variety of gizmos such as a 15-speaker Bose Cabin Surround sound system with Acoustic Waveguide bass technology and the Infiniti Connection telematics system.

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New 2013 Mazda CX-5 Debuts in Los Angeles, Returns up to 33MPG


Like many other new production and concept vehicles, the 2013 Mazda CX-5 is making its first appearance on U.S. soil at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Mazda's entry in the compact SUV segment, which made its world premiere in Frankfurt this past September, will go up against the also new Ford Escape and Honda CR-V as well as the current Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage and VW Tiguan models.

The CX-5 is the first Mazda to fully encompass the Japanese brand's SKYACTIVE TECHNOLOGY, which is a suite of powertrains and a chassis architecture designed to save fuel and reduce emissions while retaining a sporty drive.

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Cuckoo Job? Toyota Station Wagon Caught with Oversized Bird Nest on Roof


We're not ready to call this one a cuckoo job just yet as it may very well turn out to be one of those publicity stunts seeking to get some viral attention on Youtube, but even so, strapping a huge bird nest-like wooden fixture on the roof top of a Toyota station wagon with yellow caution tapes doesn't seem like a very safe idea…

You can watch the short clip right after the jump.

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LA Show Preview: Jaguar's New 550HP and 186MPH XKR-S Convertible


Billed by Jaguar as the most powerful and fastest open-top GT model in the brand's history, the new XKR-S Convertible will make its world premiere today at the 2011 LA Auto Show.

Packing 550HP and 680Nm (501 lb-ft) of torque from its supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that was borrowed from XKR-S coupe, the convertible model accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.2 seconds and can reach an electronically limited top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph).

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New 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth Hits U.S. Shores with 160HP 1.4L Turbo Engine [36 Photos]


After the U.S. launch of the regular Fiat 500 and the canvas-top 500C, it's time for the Italian automaker to introduce the sportier version of its retro-styled mini, the new 2012 500 Abarth that makes its debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The good news is that Fiat opted to offer the 500 Abarth with a more powerful engine than the standard 135-horsepower four-banger that's available on the basic European model.

In the States, the hot 500 gets a turbocharged, twin intercooled and MultiAir-equipped 1.4-liter engine that produces a more robust 160-horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 170 lb-ft (230Nm) of peak torque between 2,500 and 4,000 rpm.

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LA Show Preview: 2013 Cadillac XTS gets 300HP V6 and Available AWD


The newest addition to Cadillac's sedan lineup, the 2013 XTS was fully revealed on Wednesday in advance of its first public appearance at the Los Angeles Auto Show later in the day.

The XTS takes its place as Cadillac's largest model replacing both the DTS and the STS. And large it is at 202-in. (5,131mm) long, 72.9-in. (1,851mm) wide and 59.1-in. (1,501mm) tall.

The XTS rides on a hefty 111.7-in. (2,837mm) wheelbase with Cadillac laying claims to 40 inches (1,016 mm) of rear legroom, which is about four more inches than the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class and about two more inches than the Audi A6. It also gets a capacious boot with 18 cubic feet (509 liters) of space.

The new Cadillac's exterior styling is more adventurous than the DTS/STS models and almost identical to last year's XTS Platinum concept study.

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All-New 2013 Ford Escape Officially Revealed, will be Sold as the Kuga in Europe [109 Photos]


Out goes the old in comes the new. Say hello to Ford's brand new compact crossover, the Escape, which will be a global model replacing among others, the Kuga in Europe.

The new Escape is definitely more modern than the best-selling model it replaces, something that Ford’s design boss, Martin Smith, is keen to stress out: “The Escape’s athletic good looks are no accident”, he says, adding that “we wanted to create the impression of an athlete like a runner or swimmer in the new body – right down to the defined muscles that convey movement and energy.”

The new Escape measures 178.1 inches (4.52 m) in length, 72.4 inches (1.84 m) in width, 66.3 inches (1.68 m) in height, while it rides on a 105.9 inch (2.69 m) wheelbase.

In the U.S. market, it will be available in both front- and four-wheel layouts with three gasoline engines, all of which are combined with a six-speed automatic transmission.

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