Auto News 5

Over a dozen concept and production vehicles are expected to make their global debuts at this year's LA Show alongside some 30 vehicles making their first appearance on North American shores.

Sure, it looks familiar. It should; this brilliant design exercise was done seven years ago, and traces of its lines and vestiges of its surfaces have turned up on numerous BMW concept and production models since. lines that were superb on the 2006 Mille Miglia concept car or that seemed not to make any sense in the grotesque (but very important) X Coupé were established by this concept, which BMW has finally made public.

You've got to be pretty old to remember when new cars didn't have catalytic converters. Whether you know it or not, these now-ubiquitous devices occupy a frontal position in the assault against dirty car emissions. But being green wasn't popular in the early 1970s. The automotive enthusiast community saw government emissions regulations and catalytic converters as the enemy of performance and horsepower.

As I drove home in the CLS last night, I couldn't stop thinking about Jaguar's XF. The Mercedes has a dramatic presence that the XF is missing. I don't find the CLS gorgeous - especially the headlights - but it does stand out in the crowd. What a great concept Mercedes has. Build the E-Class for the more traditional Benz buyer and the CLS for the person who wants a bit more style. Unfortunately, the CLS doesn't drive as well as the Jaguar. The Mercedes V-8 is very strong but the seven-speed automatic is slow to downshift. I also find the air suspension really disconnects the driver from road. It is too floaty and I don't like constantly having to toggle the suspension switch to try to contain body motions. In the end, I wish the XF was more dramatic like the CLS but that the Mercedes drove as well as the Jaguar.