Auto News 5

Ford already spilled the beans that it intends to push the all-new 2012 Focus into motorsports events around the world, but it refrained from showing us what a race-spec form of its new global compact car could look like until now. The 2012 Focus Race Car Concept, which debuts later today at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, is designed to give us a sneak peek at what lies ahead.

Enter text here.Arguably, the true surprise came not from Cadillac, but GMC. Designers expounded upon the Granite concept shown earlier this year to create a stylish, compact pickup truck. The micro-ute features only a four-foot bed, but a trick split tailgate design allows the cargo space to securely haul items up to six feet in length. At this stage, the Granite truck is merely a design exercise, but it shows GM (a. is pleased with critical and consumer reaction to the Granite's design, and (b. isn't ignoring the conspicuous lack of a small, efficient pickup in our market.

Revitalizing the sedan isn't anything new to Nissan -- just three years ago it introduced the current seventh-generation Maxima as the new age affordable "four-door sports car" (or 4DSC) fit for mall sprees and canyon runs. Even still, Nissan's design leaders say, the well-aged segment remains bland.

Entering (or re-entering) a new market is never easy, but Fiat wants to make it as painless as possible for the customer, so the Italian brand announced today that the 2012 Fiat 500 will start at just $15,500.

Honda may be withholding the Fit Hybrid from Americans, but a pure electric version of the subcompact hatchback should reach our shores by 2012. Touting a usable range of 70 miles and a top speed of 90 mph, Honda introduced a concept of the Fit EV at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Following the successful launch of the Boxster Spyder, a lightweight, more potent version of the mid-engined Boxster S, Porsche has come back to the Los Angeles Auto Show one year later to give a similar treatment to its mid-engined coupe, resulting in the Cayman R.

Mercedes gave up building mere automobiles a long time ago. The current obsession is building ground-bound rolling rockets like their latest offering, the 2012 CLS63 AMG. Not only does it have the thrust to reach orbit but also the looks to impress any advanced civilization.