2010 Honda Accord

The 2010 Honda Accord now includes Bluetooth HandsFreeLink for all vehicles equipped with leather seating surfaces, as well as those equipped with a navigation system. The Accord EX Sedan and EX-L Sedan add rear-seat ventilation ducts. The graphics for the climate control buttons are improved.

The Accord is Honda’s midsize car, which was completely redesigned for 2008. With more dramatic styling and an increase in size, the new Accord sedan offers the most room and comfort ever offered by an Accord. The latest-generation Accord includes three firsts for Honda in North America: next-generation Variable Cylinder Management, interface dial controller and dual-chamber driver’s and front passenger’s side airbags. Offered in both sedan and coupe versions, the coupe receives more aggressive styling to differentiate it from the sedan. The Accord was first sold in the U.S. in 1976 as a compact car and has grown larger and more luxurious, moving into the midsize category in 1998.

Acura RL

The RL is Acura’s flagship 4-door sedan, which was redesigned for 2009 with more aggressive styling. It continues to be a showcase for the latest advances in electronic technology, including Acura’s Collision Mitigation Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control and improved Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). The RL also offers AcuraLink weather, a new Note function for XM Radio, Traffic Rerouting, Active Sound Control, Smart Entry, Bluetooth Audio and HandsFreeLink that now features more than 700 voice commands and improved voice recognition. The RL joined the Acura lineup as a replacement for the Legend in 1996 and had previously been redesigned for 1999 and 2005, when SH-AWD was added.

Volkswagen CC

The CC is Volkswagen’s new four-door coupe that Volkswagen describes as combining sports car dynamics and dimensions with sedan comfort. Wider, longer and lower than the Passat sedan with a long hood, strong shoulder line, rear-swept roofline and short trunk lid, the athletic but elegant look is accentuated by large wheels and tires, deep front air dam and bold grille. Inside the four individual sport seats sit low.

The 2009 CC is a 4-door, 4-passenger sports sedan, available in 4 trims, ranging from the Sport to the VR6. Upon introduction, the Sport is equipped with a standard 2.0-liter, I4, 200-horsepower, turbo engine that achieves 21-mpg in the city and 31-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional. The VR6 4Motion is equipped with a standard 3.6-liter, V6, 280-horsepower engine that achieves 17-mpg in the city and 25-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard.

Named for one of the most challenging corners on the Le Mans racing circuit, the Arnage was fittingly introduced at the French circuit in April of 1998. It was 70 years prior that a Bentley, powered by a 4.5-liter engine, achieved victory at the 24 hours of Le Mans endurance race. To commemorate this achievement the Arnage was initially offered with a 4.5-liter engine developed with BMW and Cosworth, making it the first engine in nearly 60 years that was unique to the Bentley marque. In 2002, the Series Two Arnage was introduced, completely reworked and powered by a Bentley-built 6.75-liter V8 engine. The Arnage T was the first of the Series Two, and was followed a few months later by the Arnage R. The long-wheelbase Arnage RL was added for the 2003 model year.

Engine

• 6.75L V8, 16 valves, 450 hp @ 4100 rpm
• 6 speed automatic transmission
• 10 mpg city / 14 mpg hwy

Acura MDX 2009

The 2009 Acura MDX is Acura’s midsize luxury crossover SUV with seating for seven occupants. Acura was one of the first import luxury brands to offer a sport utility in 1996, with the SLX, which was a rebadged Isuzu Trooper. The MDX concept vehicle was unveiled at the 2000 North American International Auto Show and the production version debuted a few months later at the 2000 New York Auto Show. For 2007 the MDX was redesigned with a more athletic appearance, a longer and wider body, a longer wheelbase and a lower ride height. Acura’s flagship SUV was tuned on the world famous Nurburgring racetrack in Germany and is the sixth Acura project to be designed and engineered in the U.S.

The MDX has a refined and powerful 300-hp V6. It is more agile and quieter than its predecessor. The third-row seat folds easily into the floor and is a better fit for kids than adults. The dashboard is a sea of tiny, similar-looking buttons. Crash-test results are impressive.

2011 Honda CR-Z Concept

This spiritual successor to the venerable Honda CR-X originally made its debut as a concept car two years ago at the Tokyo Motor Show. And now, at this year’s show, Honda has revealed a new CR-Z, a 2-seat hybrid sports coupe that looks very much like the final production version scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. in the second half of 2010.

"Beyond great styling and features, the CR-Z will bring new levels of engagement and fun to customers interested in a small car or a hybrid vehicle," says Eric Berkman, Honda’s vice president of planning.

Fitted with a 6-speed manual transmission and sport-tuned suspension, the upcoming CR-Z certainly will be engaging for the driver, the first hybrid sports coupe on the market. Although the car on display at Tokyo has a tiny back seat, the production CR-Z (which makes its worldwide debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January) is a sporty 2-seater, one with the added practicality of a hatchback.

Star in Australian International Motorshow

The Ferrari Califorinia

Lamborghini Gallardo Spider

Toyota Hybrid Supra HV-R

Lexus IS 250C

Lexus LF-Xh Concept

Volvo XC60

Nissan Mixim concep

Holden Volt concept

Koenigsegg CCX

Peugeot 308CC

New Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart

Volvo C30

C30 is a 2-door, 4-passenger sports coupe, available in two trims, the T5 and the T5 R-Design.

The C30 is Volvo’s new 2-door hatchback that joined the lineup for 2008 and is Volvo’s smallest car for the U.S. market at 8.5 inches shorter than the S40 sedan. The C30 seats four, with individual, bucket-style back seats that are moved a bit toward the center to provide forward visibility around the front seats. After receiving a good response to the subtle two-tone appearance on the C30 concept car, Volvo added optional two-tone body kit combinations that include contrasting-color lower body pieces. The C30 shares styling cues with the Volvo P1800 from the 1970s and also with the Volvo Safety Concept Car (SCC) and the 3CC Concept.

Upon introduction, both trims are equipped with a standard 2.5-liter, I5, 227-horsepower, turbo engine that achieves 19-mpg in the city and 28-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 5-speed automatic transmission is optional.

2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK

The 2010 GLK-Class is a 4-door, 5-passenger luxury sport-utility. The Mercedes-Benz GLK was first shown in concept form at the North American International Auto Show in January, 2008. The concept was very close to the production model which debuted later in 2008 at the Auto China in Beijing. While a diesel was on display in China, the U.S. initially receives the GLK350 exclusively. Unlike the brand's M-Class, the new GLK-Class features an angular design similar to the legendary G-Class. The GLK is the fifth SUV in the Mercedes-Benz lineup.

The Mercedes-Benz GLK is an all-new vehicle for the 2010 model year. The GLK is available as the GLK350 or GLK350 4MATIC, the latter utilizing Mercedes' proven full-time all-wheel drive system. Both trims are powered by a 3.5-liter 268-horsepower V6 engine teamed with an advanced seven-speed automatic transmission. Towing capacity is rated at 3,500 lbs while the GLK350 is estimated to achieve 23 mpg on the highway. As with other models from the German car company, the GLK is well equipped with the latest safety equipment as well as an array of luxury features.

2010 Honda Pilot

Honda Pilot debuted as a 2003 model halfway through 2002, the Pilot gave Honda a solid presence in the mid-sized crossover SUV market. Generation one had a successful six-year run, but time, market conditions, and customer expectations march on. So Pilot, generation two has made its entrance for model year 2009.

The Pilot is Honda’s midsize crossover SUV, which was redesigned for 2009 with the focus on increasing the functionality while adding more personality and available luxury options. The 2.9-inch-longer wheelbase gives the Pilot more second- and third-row legroom as well as additional cargo space. New to the Pilot is Variable Cylinder Management, which allows the engine to operate on six, four or three cylinders, depending on engine load, and nets a one to two mpg improvement in fuel economy. With seating for up to eight passengers, the Pilot debuted as a 2003 model based on the same platform as the Odyssey minivan.

The 2010 Pilot is a 4-door, 8-passenger sport-utility, available in 12 trims, ranging from the LX 2WD 5-Spd AT to the Touring 4WD 5-Spd AT w/ DVD.

Upon introduction, the LX 2WD 5-Spd AT is equipped with a standard 3.5-liter, V6, 250-horsepower engine that achieves 17-mpg in the city and 23-mpg on the highway. The Touring 4WD 5-Spd AT w/ DVD is equipped with a standard 3.5-liter, V6, 250-horsepower engine that achieves 16-mpg in the city and 22-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard on both trims.

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

2010 Honda Insight LX

The Insight was Honda’s first hybrid vehicle and returns to the market as a compact 4-door, 5-passenger hatchback that will be more appealing to American families. The original Insight was the first hybrid to market in the U.S. as a lightweight 2-seat subcompact car that lacked passenger and cargo utility. The new Insight is aimed squarely at the popular Toyota Prius and will be the lowest priced hybrid on the market. It uses the next generation of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology, which has been improved and strengthened to reduce the cost of the hybrid system.

The 2010 Honda Insight hybrid is a 4-door, 5-passenger hatchback powered by the next generation of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology that uses an electric motor between a 1.3-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The electric motor aids propulsion, and in some steady cruising situations, it can propel the car for a short time without the aid of the engine. The engine produces 88 horsepower and 88 lb-ft of torque and combined output with the electric motor is 98 horsepower and 123 lb-ft of torque. Honda quotes fuel-economy ratings of 40/43 mpg city/hwy.

Test drive of the new ‘09 Zap Xebra

Zap has finally updated its three-wheeled Xebra for 2009 with a new steel body and much more storage space through its new hatchback. While we’re happy to hear that one of the few actual electric vehicles on the market and available today has seen vital upgrades, we’ve yet to run across a review of the newly-revised model… until today. Mark LaPedus over at EE Times hopped in a new ‘09 at the local dealership in San Jose, California, and he’s shared his thoughts with the rest of the class, even comparing the Xebra with his 2008 Honda Accord. LaPedus seems to have liked the car, going so far as to suggest that he’d be willing to drive one on a regular basis.

Toyota Vensa

The Venza is Toyota’s all-new 5-passenger crossover vehicle that Toyota describes as a crossover sedan, combining the styling and comfort of a sedan with the utility of an SUV. Designed in North America, exclusively for the North American market, the Venza evolved from the FT-SX concept that debuted at the 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Toyota designers avoided the rugged edges and angles commonly found in SUVs in favor of a sporty, low-profile, silhouette with plenty of room and flexibility inside. Intended for buyers looking to move up from a midsize sedan or down from a large SUV, Toyota claims that Venza creates a new segment, although it looks a lot like what was once called a wagon, but with the driver in a higher seating position. SUV attributes include cargo capacity, flexibility, towing capability and all-wheel drive.

2010 Mazdaspeed3

The car's new Nagare-inspired styling follows the same lines as the Mazda3 4-door and 5-door previously introduced. The Mazdaspeed3 distinguishes itself from its more economical siblings with a lower airdam and round foglights, flared front fenders and a Subaru-like hood scoop to feed air to the turbo's charge cooler.