Autobytel Was In the Thick of It!
The 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show kicked off this week in a blur of shiny metal and hot lights, and Autobytel was on hand to cover it all.
With more than 50 world debuts and North American reveals, the preview days of the show kept thousands of journalists from all over the world extremely busy. The Autobytel team has been hard at work to bring the LA Auto Show to you. Read on to see some of the newest additions and imaginative concepts that crossed our paths.
They may not quite turn over or even roll and they might just be cardboard in structural spots but it wouldn't be an auto show unless some of the manufacturers had some creative concept car designs to show off.
Concepts are usually a sign that a car company is doing pretty well and wants to experiment and push the bar of the public so that they can get feedback on how they can change - or at least not get stale. Some of the noteable concept cars at the 2012 LA Auto Show:
A luxury race car? Yes, please! Bentley shows off its racing heritage with this concept designed to race in the GT3 Series ... and possibly be available to private buyers who want to have the perfect track car.
This compact luxury 3-door electric car gives a glimpse into what BMW is considering for urban buyers.
Hyundai proudly showed off their youthful side and commitment to Gen Y with a Veloster sporting a roll back canvas top, a drop-down tailgate and cargo area covered in a mosaic of recycled skateboard decks.
Next up are the cars that will move you...quickly.
Luxury Cars & Sports Cars at the LA Auto ShowThe line between luxury cars and sports cars is becoming blurrier by the year and so, for the sake of this summary of the 2012 LA Auto Show, we have clumped them together in one sleek, sexy and horsepower-riddled group. This is a writhing mass of high-performance, improved efficiencies, new technologies and fine appointments.
Audi brought the option of clean diesel to North America with 3 luxury sedans and its well-selling SUV.
With 4 doors, a V8, 5.0-liter engine and an 8-speed automatic transmission, Jaguar is attacking high-performance and luxury in this limited edition racer.
The iconic and sole Japanese supercar sold in the U.S., the GT-R gets improvements to the interior and the not-so-easy-to-see performance area.
It may be a lower price point than its peers in this summary but this 370 horsepower HEMI V8 is a muscle car that will only be available in an edition of 2,500 examples.
More, more, more technology. Better, better, better design. Finer, finer, finer sophistication. All from the makers of Honda.
The 3rd generation Cayman is lighter, more powerful and more efficient with an estimated 32 mpg.
It will reach 205-mph and is the fastest Bentley road car ever. Need we say more?
The Vaquish is back and it is all new. You just have to see this - it is probably the most popular car to see at the 2012 LA Auto Show. (Check back with AUtobytel next week. We will have a first drive review!)
Keep reading for the sedans that stole the show.
The Sedans of the 2012 LA Auto ShowIt is a short list but it is pretty much a guarantee that the following two cars will sell more in volume than all of the previous list of luxury and sports cars combined. They are popular for so many reasons.
The Civic gets a mid-cycle refresh after only one year and it is debatable if it was necessary or not but what has been done has even more significant upgrades, even if no one asked for them.
The mid-size family segment is extremely competitive and Mazda is here to play. With a new design, new technology and an optional diesel powertrain, don't underestimate this car.
Read on for a huge segment with some surprising updates and entries.
2012 LA Auto Show Crossovers and WagonsWe are betting that no one doesn't know someone with a crossover SUV. The category is hot and the updates keep coming.
Ford calls it a wagon so, don't call it a minivan when you see how cool this 7-seater looks!
Fiat joins the crossover rush with a 5-seater that pronounces small with an Italian accent.
Improved fuel efficiency and a turbo option are what's new. A XSUV that will last a lifetime stays the same.
The RAV4 is losing its iconic spare wheel but is gaining an actual liftgate and so much more.
Hyundai says that the Sorento is 80% new and given their obsession of listening to customers, you may not immediately see all of the changes, but they are there.
Keep going to see what is new and coming for more of the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Shows debuts and reveals.