Auto News 5

Though it's only been known by the nickname "New Midsize Sedan" so far, Volkswagen is already making sales projections for its new, U.S. market specific Passat-replacement. VW hopes to sell more than 60,000 units of the large sedan in its first year.

Porsche has been absent from the Detroit Auto Show since 2007, but the automaker is gearing up for a triumphant return by announcing that it will unveil a “spectacular” vehicle at this year's show.

Resembling a cross between the Mini Coupe and Countryman, the Paceman is built on the same platform as the Countryman and designed to use the 211-horsepower, turbocharged, 1.6-liter I-4 engine from the John Cooper Works model Minis. The adaptation of Mini’s ALL4 all-wheel-drive system allows owners to feel as rugged as a flannel shirt while cruising mall parking lots in washed-silk comfort. In normal driving, ALL4 sends 100-percent of the power to the front axle, but an electromagnetic center differential allows as much as half of the car’s power to be sent to the rear axle in low-grip situations. The suspension system is also lifted from the Countryman using a MacPherson strut in front with a multi-link system in back. Mini states that the Paceman delivers typical Mini agility and confidence while maintaining the compliant and comfortable ride customers expect in this segment.

Hyundai is excited — and Honda might be scared — about the Hyundai Veloster’s Detroit Auto Show reveal.

A preview concept of the next-generation Escape SUV with Auto Stop-Start technology is a distinct possibility for the 2011 Detroit Auto Show.

The third-generation Toyota Prius will soon be getting another family member in the form of a larger people mover style vehicle. According to a recent Automotive News report, the new car will be called the Prius-V and will more than likely feature a larger cargo area and more room for second-row passengers.

I drove the Camry immediately after spending some time in a new, fully loaded Ford Taurus Limited. While the Taurus is a newer, more glamorously styled car with more bells and whistles than the Camry, which looks kinda stodgy by comparison, I had only to spend a few minutes in the Camry to discern the major differences between these two upscale family sedans. These differences can be described in two words: continual improvement.

It's quite remarkable how, in the short span of a few years, the compact-crossover segment has blossomed from a handful of vehicles to a category nearly as dense as the mid-size-sedan field. But then, small utes are an entirely rational, left-brain purchase, because they offer both family-car practicality and trucklike utility. It's a solid formula for sales, if not excitement.