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No Surprise: Lincoln green-lights the MKT
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Crossovers/CUVs, Lincoln 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lincoln MKT concept.
As reported earlier, Lincoln has given the MKT crossover the green-light, with the production version set to debut in Detroit this January and sales beginning sometime next year.
The MKT is built atop the same platform as the Ford Flex, but Lincoln insists that the two models won't share a single body panel. Power will be provided by either a 3.7-liter V6 or a 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, equipped with direct-injection and a turbocharger, however a hybrid drivetrain will not be offered. A six-speed automatic gearbox, complete with paddle...
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GM employees to get sneak peek at production Volt
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, LA Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet, GM 
Pending white collar cuts and dismal sales data have resulted in morale problems at General Motors. That's going to put a damper on the Detroit automaker's centennial celebration, so the General plans on showing employees a near-production-ready Chevy Volt to give workers hope. The (hopefully) game-changing extended range electric vehicle will be shown internally around the September 16th centennial, and employees who see the Volt will, of course, have to check their cameras and phones at the door. That doesn't mean the public won't soon get an...
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$90m upgrade to Cobo being pushed as automakers drop out
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Etc. 
The North American International Auto Show is by far the largest auto show in North America, but the small, aging facility that houses the new car party is prompting automakers to ditch the event all-together. In response to news that Suzuki has joined Porsche in bowing out of the 2009 show, the city of Detroit is rushing a $90M plan to increase floor space by 80,000 sq. ft. The move is seen as a stop-gap measure, with other more grand plans still on the way at a later date. With far superior facilities in New York, Chicago, and LA, Detroit may not have...
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Suzuki bows out of 2009 Detroit Auto Show
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Trends, Marketing/Advertising, Suzuki 
Porsche and Suzuki rarely come up in the same breath, but here is something they both share: neither will be in Cobo Hall when the Detroit Auto Show opens in January. Joining the Stuttgart sportscar/SUV/SUS maker in skipping the show, Suzuki has said that they are pulling out for a slightly different reason. Whereas Porsche had said that Detroit wasn't a very important market for them, Suzuki is saying they didn't like the space they were offered. Here, Suzuki is hitting closer to what many people feel is the real problem with Cobo, there just isn't enough room. It's...
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Lexus considering two dedicated hybrid models
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Crossovers/CUVs, Lexus, Rumormill 
We've known for quite some time that Toyota would be introducing the world to its third-generation Prius hybrid sedan at next year's Detroit Auto Show. Expected to be powered by a revised and enlarged 1.8-liter engine and electric motors, the new model aims to continue Toyota's hybrid dominance, at least for the next few model years. We also expect Lexus to get its own more luxurious version of the Prius, and Inside Line is reporting that it will come in calender year 2010 and could be the first Toyota-made hybrid with...
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Next-gen Prius coming in January with more power, efficiency
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Toyota  The current Prius is baked from a refined recipe that results in a roomy, practical and efficient vehicle lurking under an eco-statement exterior, or at least we thought so. Five years on, it's still the most popular way to conspicuously consume under the guise of saving the planet. Toyota hasn't been resting on the success of its green badge of targeted consumerism, so we're going to see a new Prius at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in January, according to Toyota President Watanabe. The 3rd-generation Prius will grow in size, and engine displacement will be bumped to...
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Spy Shots: 2010 Ford Taurus... finally
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Ford 
Around 2 AM EST on Monday night, one of our readers sent us a tip about a photo making the rounds on two Taurus-specific forums. We followed both links and came across the spy shot you see above - now rumored to be the 2010 Ford Taurus. Big deal, right? It was, but not for the reasons you think. While we like spy pics as much as the next pistonhead, we have a policy against posting photos taken inside an automaker's design studio. Unlike the shots snapped by Frau Priddy and the crew at KGP, our legal department insists...
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Lexus execs spills the beans: GS F model, 1-series fighter, hybrid galore
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Convertibles, Coupes, Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Green, Crossovers/CUVs, Lexus, Australia 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus LF-A Roadster concept.
Lexus Australia's chief executive, John Roca, gave up a number of product details to The Australian in an interview this past weekend, including the addition of an "F" variant of the GS sedan and possibly a full-size LS limo. Both models are aimed to attack luxury stalwarts Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz by offering a number of high-performance variants and also developing a new model that would slot...
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REPORT: Land Rover to build the LRX
Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, SUVs, Geneva Motor Show, Land Rover 
Click above for high-res gallery of the Land Rover LRX from Geneva
We've big fans of the Land Rover LRX concept's styling, which looked as good in black (unveiled in Geneva) as it did in the original white (unveiled in Detroit). So we're suitably pleased by reports that Land Rover is preparing to build the vehicle, which could get the nameplate Freelander Sport in keeping with the nomenclature already set in place by the Range Rover Sport.
The production LRX would target the likes of the...
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Audi R8 V12 TDI has a "50/50" shot at production, gets driven
Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, Geneva Motor Show, Supercars, Audi 
Autoweek and Fourtitude were able to enjoy some seat time in the Audi R8 V12 TDI LeMans concept before its official unveiling in Geneva last week. Their drive was short (about an hour with a 50 mph speed limit imposed by Audi's boffins), but their time at the airport adjacent to Sebring International Raceway has made an impression.
The crimson beast we saw in Geneva was the same concept that was displayed in Detroit, simply sporting a new paint job, but spending quality time with the...
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