LA Show 2009 Highlights:Volkswagen Up! Lite Concept

Volkswagen has seemingly combined the best of two of its recent Frankfurt concepts -- the E-Up! and 1L -- to form its LA show car, the Up! Lite. With a relatively spacious interior and a hybrid-diesel powertrain, this fuel-sipping concept could be the most production-viable Up! yet.

Although theoretically built upon the same "New Small Family" platform as other Up! concepts, the Up! Lite concept looks slightly different from its siblings. Volkswagen's tried to reduce drag by shrinking the front fascia, and the result looks more like a miniature Scirocco than an E-Up! Even though it's both lower and longer than the E-Up!, the Up! Lite has interior space comparable to a three-door Polo, and can easily seat four.

While the one-liter concept made use of a ridiculously tiny turbo-diesel engine and the E-Up! an electric motor, the Up! Lite combines the two into a single package. Motive power stems from the same 51-hp, 0.8-liter two-cylinder turbo-diesel TDI engine used in the 1L concept, but in this instance, it's pared with a 10-kW electric motor. Both power sources channel their energy through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

Power mostly stems from the microscopic TDI, but the hybrid driveline is capable of allowing the electric motor power the car on its own. VW claims the car has 1.2-mile range in EV mode, making it ideal for parking lots, neighborhoods, and other short-range, low-speed scenarios. VW could extend that range by stuffing in a larger battery pack, but the automaker claims the car's effiency would suffer as a result.

Honestly, if the figures given from this car are true, it's hard for any fuel miser to scoff at the Up! Lite. Volkswagen says the car can return approximately 70 mpg on the freeway -- substantially less than the 235 mpg offered by the 1L, but not bad for a vehicle that carries four and offers some additional cargo space.

The 70 mpg figure is accomplished in a few different ways. First and foremost, VW used a lot of carbon fiber and aluminum in the car's construction (both materials even appear in the 18-inch wheels). As a result, the car weighs a scant 1402 lbs.

Further, drivers can make the most of the Up! Lite's efficient powertrain by not using it to its maximum power. By selecting an "Eco" mode, output of the two-cylinder TDI is limited to 36 hp. This is ideal for long cruises, but full power can be dialed in should the driver need to pass (slowly, mind you; 0-60 mph comes in 12 seconds). Better yet, seeing as the TDI is shut off during stretches of coasting, the car's navigation system can route drivers on roads that offer long stretches where the engine won't be needed.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

LA Show 2009 Highlights: 2010 Volkswagen New Beetle Final Edition

Since its debut in 1998, the Golf-based, retro-styled New Beetle has gone through a refresh or two, with continual improvements made and additional trim levels added, including a drop-top version. Still, the party couldn't last forever, and now VW has announced that 2010 will be the final model year for this aging neo-icon.

To commemorate the end of the New Beetle (though an all-new car is said to be in the works), VW will launch a special Final Edition model run, with 1500 cars to be available beginning in Spring 2010. To be sold exclusively in the U.S., Final Edition coupes will feature unique Aquarius Blue paint and a black roof, while convertibles will get a two-tone paint scheme with Aquarius Blue and Campanella White, along with a white top and interior.

Each car will be individually numbered and will include a sports suspension, fog lights, 17-in. alloy wheels, the standard 150-hp 2.5L I-5 engine, and a six-speed automatic transmission. Pricing for the Volkswagen New Beetle Final Edition is $20,240 and $27,170 for the coupe and convertible, respectively, not including destination fees.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

LA Show 2009 Highlights: 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe

After a long wait—the concept debuted at the 2008 Detroit auto show—Cadillac has officially taken the wraps off the 2011 Cadillac CTS coupe. Originally planned as a 2010 model, the release was pushed back as General Motors slogged through bankruptcy restructuring and the sexy 2+2 will now debut at the Los Angeles auto show before hitting the market in the spring. Rear- and all-wheel-drive variants will be available, while a 556-hp CTS-V Coupe also is en route and will debut later in 2010.

Based on the CTS sedan, the coupe rides on the same 113.4-inch wheelbase, yet is about two inches lower and two inches shorter overall. The seductive design includes a more rakish windshield, as well as blacked-out B-pillars, hidden touch-pad door releases, a unique rear fascia with twin center-mounted exhaust outlets, and an integrated rear spoiler.
A 304-hp, direct-injected 3.6-liter V-6 is the only engine for non-V models and will be backed by a standard six-speed manual transmission—with a clutch and flywheel revised from the CTS sedan—or an optional six-speed automatic. Cadillac estimates highway fuel economy will be as high as 27 mpg. The CTS sedan with the direct-injected 3.6 is rated at 16 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway and manual gearbox and 18/27 with the automatic. Eighteen-inch wheels with all-season tires and a sport suspension will be standard on both rear- and all-wheel-drive versions, while a Summer Tire Performance Package will add sportier 19-inch rubber, likely only on rear-drive models. A limited-slip differential is standard, as is electronic stability control.
The CTS sedan is already a pretty posh place to pass the miles, and the coupe will include the same hand-stitched leather accents and attention to detail, along with similar amenities such as a 40-gig hard-drive entertainment system, a pop-up navigation display, active forward lighting, standard keyless access and remote start, a rearview camera, and a Bose audio system. Fourteen-way power adjustable Recaro sport seats, previously only offered on the CTS-V, also will be available on all coupe models.

Thanks to: Car and Driver

LA Show 2009 Highlights: 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder

Tossed out the window -- no, out the open cockpit, actually -- are the radio, the air con, conventional door pulls, and more. Porsche says the result is a weight savings of 176 pounds over the Boxster S, making the new Boxster Spyder, at a claimed 2800 pounds, the lightest model in the maker's production-car lineup.

Perhaps stung by criticisms of "diluting the brand" (i.e., Porsche sport/utes and the new Panamera four-door), the iconic German speed factory has countered with a sporting piece nearly as pure and purposeful as James Dean's 1955 550 Spyder. As such, this newest, fastest Boxster also qualifies as the most toy-like model in the range, a pricey plaything for perfect days and writhing roads -- and almost exclusively so. How long would the Spyder's charms last, I wonder, without refrigerated air and the diversion of a radio during a long stop-and-go commute on a blistering summer day? (Not to worry: If you're feeling "unpure," you can pile on A/C, radio, nav, and whatever other options you like.)

So, no, in basic "stripped" form the Boxster Spyder isn't an ideal daily driver; you'll want to be rich enough to own one as your second or third car. Ah, but for those days that call for a leather jacket and driving gloves...

In addition to the jettisoned A/C and radio, the Spyder features aluminum doors (saving 33 pounds), lightweight sport bucket seats (saving 26 pounds), an aluminum rear deck (saving 6.5 pounds), and the lightest 19-inch alloy wheels in the Porsche catalog. Also changed over conventional Boxsters are the side windows -- they're lighter and lower -- and the soft top, which for Spyder duty is a manually erected affair that's little more than a handkerchief for blocking the sun (the lid, which stows away above the engine, isn't even waterproof; indeed, Porsche admits it won't stand up to a car wash).

Thanks to: Motor Trend

LA Show 2009 Highlights: 2011 Toyota Sienna

Toyota exposed its third-generation 2011 Toyota Sienna to the world today at the LA Auto Show and announced that it will be available with a four-cylinder engine when it hits showrooms in February. But while one end of the Sienna spectrum represents value and economy, the opposite end still features V-6 power and a push to make the Sienna's cabin an extension of the buyer's living room. With sheet metal designed in California and engineering developed in Michigan, the 2011 Sienna was clearly developed in America for Americans. Despite a shrinking market segment, Toyota says that the minivan is still a viable model and expects that its new Sienna will attract buyers who may not currently be fans of the segment. A new four-cylinder engine - a 187-hp 2.7L unit plucked straight from the Venza - will be offered as standard on the lower-range Sienna models, while the venerable 3.5L V-6 with 266 hp will continue to offered to those seeking more scoot.

A bevy of brand-new tech and luxury features are optionally available, including a 16.4-in. Dual View widescreen monitor that allows two separate input sources to be displayed at once, second-row captain's chairs with built in ottomans ('Lounge Seating', as Toyota refers to it), and a three-zone climate control system. A Panorama Camera rear view system also makes its debut on the Sienna, using two separate cameras to give the driver a complete 180-degree view from behind the vehicle. The 2011 Sienna is offered in a total of five trim levels - Sienna grade, LE, SE, XLE, and Limited. All-wheel drive is optionally available with the V-6 engine on the LE, XLE, and Limited models, while the four-cylinder motor is available on Sienna grade and LE models. The SE model is offered for those who'd rather have a sports car than a minivan, and features a more aggressive front valence, side skirts, 19-in. wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, and smoked taillights. Pricing has not yet been announced, but we expect to get the full skinny as we approach the 2011 Toyota Sienna's February on-sale date.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

LA Show 2009 Highlights:Honda P-NUT Concept

Yes, it looks as interesting in real life as it does on your flat screen. Honda says its new P-Nut design study (short for Personal-Neo Urban Transport) was created “exclusively around the city lifestyle” and embodies what it thinks is the future of urban mobility.Designed entirely at Honda’s Los Angeles-based Advanced Design Center, it sports a 133.8-in. length, 68.9-in. width, and 56.7-in. height. Its three passengers have equal amounts of legroom thanks to the driver’s front and center seating position.

Although a design study, the P-Nut manages to shed an inkling of light on what Honda hopes to achieve in terms of future model powertrain interchangeability. It's capable of being powered by an ultra-compact gasoline engine, gasoline-hybrid motor, or an advanced EV system. It’s styling too is said to preview upcoming models such as the CR-Z sports coupe.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

LA Show 2009 Highlights: 2011 Infiniti G

Joining the M on stage was a new 2010 G that had picked up a minor nip/tuck for the new year. Borrowing styling from the new M and the Essence concept, the G gets a revised grille, new wheels, more swoopy styling, a pointier rear end and new fog lights placed closer to the ground "where God intended them," according to Infiniti exec Ben Poore. Inside, it's been updated very slightly with new trim, updated gauges and a new center console.

Thanks to: Motor Trend