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Ford may be throwing a party for its new Fiesta at the 2009 Los Angeles auto show, but it's not the only automaker introducing a subcompact hatchback into North America. In fact, Mazda's using the same venue to launch its 2011 Mazda 2 into the New World.inline_mediumwraptextright31530639/features/news/0912_2011_mazda_mazda20912_06_z+2011_mazda_mazda2+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Despite the demise of minivan programs at other automakers, Toyota plans to press forward with the traditional people mover formula. For those of you who still enjoy a minivan, feast your eyes on the 2011 Toyota Sienna which debuted at the 2009 Los Angeles auto show. Toyota hopes to become the segment leader by introducing more technology, comofort, and economy in its new minivan.inline_mediumwraptextright31553715/features/news/0912_2011_toyota_sienna2011-toyota-sienna-motion-view.jpgTrue

The nameplate "Giulietta" resonates with generations of car enthusiasts in Italy and elsewhere in the same way that "Corvette" and "Mustang" do here in the States. It was used, quite famously, on a sedan and coupe between 1954 and 1965 and then again on a sedan from 1977 to 1985. Just affixing it to a new product, as Alfa Romeo is doing to its all-new five-door hatchback set to debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show in March, is making a big statement about the company's expectations for the car and for the expectations that potential customers should have for it. Alfa Romeo's press release states: "In the Centenary year, the name is a tribute to an automobile myth and Alfa Romeo. The Giulietta is a car that, in the fifties, caught the imagination of generations of car enthusiasts, making the dream of owning an Alfa Romeo and enjoying the high level of comfort and technical excellence accessible for the first time. The Alfa Romeo Style Centre has produced a new Giulietta, a sports car capable of expressing both great agility on the most demanding routes and providing comfort on everyday roads."inline_mediumwraptextright27361885/features/news/0912_alfa_romeo_giulietta0912_AR_Giulietta01.jpgTrue

Another year, another special-edition Scion. The 2010 Scion xB Release Series 7.0 will debut this week at the 2009 Los Angeles auto show, and it carries some interesting special equipment.inline_mediumwraptextright31553223/features/news/0912_2010_scion_xb_release_series_70912_03_z+2010_scion_xB_release_series_7+front_three_quarters_view.jpgTrue