“The all-new Infiniti JX crossover will allow us to continue to expand the Infiniti brand’s presence in the Americas,” said Carlos Tavares, chairman, Nissan Americas.
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But even the companies that did take part in the show didn't really impress with their offerings. The fact that the first press day was more than enough for the participating [mainstream] brands to announce their new production and concept models at the Cobo Center, says a lot about this year's event.
"Deciding this year's Design Challenge winner was a tremendously difficult decision as the quality of entries has increased throughout the years", agreed the Design Los Angeles judges. "This year's winners - the Cadillac Aera and the smart 454 WWT - offer two very different visions of the 1,000 lb. Car, yet are equally as amazing. They are both very expressive of their brand; GM is art and science and smart is playful and fun".
Even though there's a familiar resemblance with the latest Subaru Legacy, the concept features more aggressive and taut lines and a lower, almost coupe-like roofline. As Phil pointed out in our previous post, let's just hope that the next Impreza will keep if not all, most of the key styling elements seen on this concept model. For now, hit the break to watch a pair of promotional videos as well as a clip from the LA Show presentation of the Impreza Design Concept.
This year's edition of the motor show will play host to some 20 world premieres and no less than 30 North American debuts across all vehicle categories ranging from an array of new models from the reborn Chrysler Group, to a Subaru study and the quirky Nissan Murano Convertible. Check out our A-to-Z guide right after the break.
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We'll just add that the market launch is scheduled for December with prices (including $825 destination) starting from $25,995 for the base 2011 Charger SE with the V6 Pentastar. If you want the HEMI V8 effect, the rear-wheel drive R/T will cost you $30,995, while the AWD version, $33,145. Enjoy the video and our high-resolution image gallery after the jump.
"[The team] Taking their inspiration from nature, they designed a vehicle which is fully integrated into the ecosystem, from the moment of its creation right through to the end of its service life. The Mercedes-Benz BIOME grows in a completely organic environment from seeds sown in a nursery. Out on the road the car emits pure oxygen, and at the end of its lifespan it can be simply composted or used as building material."
The creation of the RAV4 EV was a two pronged attack: Toyota engineers took care of the powertrain upgrade/engineering as they normally would a mid-cycle product change, while Tesla engineers developed the battery pack and related systems.
Toyota says that the EV version of Toyota's CR-V fighter weighs about 220 lbs more than a comparably equipped V6 model, but retains similar acceleration figures. Due to the weight gain (couldn't we call in Lotus to tackle that?), suspension and steering components had to be properly modified or relocated to maintain proper balance.
Lamborghini achieved this by replacing numerous parts with carbon fiber components, both in the cabin and on the body. Those obsessed with numbers should know that 40% of the weight savings can be traced back to the exotic composite.
The body shell is a spaceframe structure, made from aluminum, another material that goes easy on the scales, while being extremely strong. Making this setup even better was a huge task, Lamborghini says, but, thanks to the aforementioned carbon fiber parts, in the end, engineers pulled it off.
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GM's engineers were keen to point out that the rag-top Camaro comes with significant structural changes that give it "superior bending and torsional stiffness than its closest competitor" (we'll assume the General is pointing its arrows to Ford's Mustang), and better torsional stiffness than the BMW 3-Series convertible.
"The addition of the five-door to the Range Rover Evoque line-up extends the appeal of our brand still further," said Land Rover's Managing Director Phil Popham. "While retaining everything that's great about the Range Rover Evoque coupe, this new five-door bodystyle will offer customers even more choice, greater versatility and flexibility."
Leaving the femme fatales aside, Volkswagen's hardtop convertible enters the 2012 model year with a mid-life facelift that brings it more in line with the company's latest products and includes a more Golf-like fascia with new headlamps and a far less prominent front grille. The reshaped front and rear bumpers, plus new two-part LED rear lights and mirror designs round off the exterior makeover.
For the interior, VW made some subtle upgrades in the form of new trim on the instrument panel and doors, and different controls on the air conditioning system.
