Created to showcase the potential future of Subaru designs, the Legacy Concept was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. This concept comes exactly 20 years after the Subaru Legacy – the company’s most successful model – was first brought to market.

Strong and powerful lines make up the general design of the vehicle and give it a more resounding presence. The “Ultimate Silver” color helps to highlight the different features – especially the large fenders.

Sharp angles are everywhere on the Legacy Concept with large air ducts up front, rectangular exhaust pipes and chunky five-spoke wheels.

A new headlight design, featuring LED bulbs in both circular and stacked rows, is similar enough to the current headlight design – a sign that this aspect of the concept is likely to be carried over to the upcoming production model.

In terms of a drivetrain/powertrain combo, the Legacy Concept features Subaru’s famous Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system and a 3.6-liter Boxer engine.

Inside, the cabin features touch screen controls and an interior designed for four adults.

Subaru Legacy Concept:

For more on the Subaru Legacy Concept see the official release after the jump:

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After a press conference the day before where every new, exciting and award winning GM vehicle was paraded before the media, the General’s second North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) press conference featured a sparse stage populated only by the upcoming Checy Volt and GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner.

Wagoner announced that the battery packs that will be used in the company’s upcoming plug-in hybrid Volt will be manufactured in the United States. The 31,000 sq.-ft. facility (roughly the size of GM’s display at the Detroit Auto Show) will be built in Michigan in 2009 with output of the battery packs in 2010.

The lithium-ion battery cells for the Volt will be provided by LG Chem and LG Chem’s subsidiary, Compact Power Inc., (based in Troy, MI) will build the battery packs until that facility is operational.

The production facility is, however, just the beginning of GM’s commitment to hybrid-electric power, which to date is a commitment of over $1 billion. General Motors will work with the University of Michigan’s College of Engineering to develop a battery lab to develop new battery designs.

The Chevy Volt and the Voltec hybrid-electric system (which can power the car for 40 miles on zer0-emissions electric power before switching over to a conventional hybrid system) will begin production in late 2010 to go on sale in 2011.

Fisker Automotive had on display at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit the production version of its Karma hybrid that it first unveiled in concept-form at the show 12 months ago. The company also took the wraps off a new concept, the Karma S – a hard top convertible featuring Fisker’s Q-Drive hybrid powerplant.

The Karma S is quite possibly even more beautiful than the sedan version with similar styling and CEO Henrik Fisker’s own signature style.

The Karma S, like the sedan, will use the Q-Drive hybrid system designed by Quantum Technologies. Using a direct injection 2.4-liter four cylinder Ecotec engine, mated to two electric motors the Q-Drive powerplant makes 408hp and can propel the Karma to 60 mph in just 5.8 seconds – almost half the time of any existing hybrid.

The Karma S is slated for production in 2011 with the Karma already taking orders. In fact 1300 Karma models have already been ordered and owners will take delivery before the end of 2009.

When asked how an upstart company like Fisker Automotive could bring a plug-in hybrid to market before automotive giants like General Motors or Toyota, company CEO Henrik Fisker said, “It is because we break all the rules. We have the best automotive engineers and at Fisker Automotive there is no pyramid. Decisions can be made right away.”

And speaking of immediate decisions, when probed about the possibility of “green lighting” the Karma S, who would make that decision and when, Fisker replied that he does and, “I’m green-lighting it right now.”

For more on the Karma production model click here.

Chinese battery company and auto manufacturer Build Your Dreams (BYD) announced at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit that it is already selling its F3DM compact plug-in hybrid and F6DM family-sedan plug-in hybrid in China and has plans to do so in the near future in the United States.

The manufacturer recently made news when it announced that Warren Buffet and MidAmerican Energy Holdings had invested $230 million for a 10 percent stake in the company. The money which will be used to continue the company’s expansion and the development of its e6 electric vehicle.

Both the F3DM and F6DM can travel 62 miles using a zero-emission electric engine. After that point a 1.0-liter gasoline engine will kick in to power the electric engine and charge the batteries. BYD claims the vehicles can be recharged in a standard outlet in seven hours but can also receive a half charge in just 10 minutes. Total range of the vehicles is 267 miles.

Performance is hardly astounding but these are hybrids after all. With the same engine both models have an output of 168hp and 265 ft-lbs of torque. The F3DM can hit 62 mph in 10.5 seconds and the larger F6DM can hit the same speed in 13.5 seconds.

The “DM” in F3DM and F6DM stands for dual mode, as BYD’s hybrids are able to run as both zero-emissions electric vehicles and as conventional hybrids.

With the slogan “Always Open” MINI unveiled the convertible versions of it’s successful second generation Cooper and Cooper S models.

The Cooper will come with a 118hp four-cylinder engine and the Cooper S with a 172hp powerplant.

Impressively MINI claims a 22 percent reduction in emissions and fuel compared to the past convertible model.

The last Convertible version of the MINI Cooper was a sales success with 164,000 units sold. MINI expects equally impressive sales for the second gen ‘vert after the new coupe models posted surprisingly high sales during 2008.

In fact MINI sold roughly 232,000 units last year (with the US accounting for roughly one-quarter of those). This gave the company a sales growth of 29 percent over 2007.

For the 2010 MINI Convertible, MINI is putting its “Always Open” motto into practice with the inclusion of an “Always Open timer.” This fun gimmick will allow drivers to keep track of how long they drive with the top down.

Official release after the jump:

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Used to highlight the potential of the Microsoft SYNC system found in modern FoMoCo vehicles, the Lincoln C Concept is quite obviously a technology concept and not a production concept – even if it is based on Ford’s global small car platform.

The futuristic SYNC system in the C Concept allows drivers to interact with a computer personality by voice and have the computer perform tasks, such as adding meetings to an address book, making calls and providing you with navigation instructions – essentially things that GM’s onStar already does, although the SYNC system would perform the tasks itself, rather than a person on the other end of the phone.

Most impressively, however, is the fact that the conceptual SYNC system can search the internet for you, find articles or items of interest and even read them to you while you drive.

The C Concept show in Detroit features a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 180hp and 180 ft-lbs of torque, all the while getting 43 miles per gallon on the highway. The transmission on the concept is a dual-clutch system (likes Audi’s DSG system) that is operated by paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Now if only Ford could produce a car with this engine/drivetrain combo. That would be exciting!

Official release after the jump:

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Lincoln can’t seem to get enough of its own grille design. First they extended it until it enveloped the headlights and now they’ve come up with a significantly-sized crossover – presumably because that was the only other way to increase the surface
area on the front of a Lincoln.

The rear of the seven-passenger MKT isn’t much better as it seems to fade-off into a point.

Lincoln’s designs may be controversial but according to company execs the Ford luxury brand continues to out-sell Infiniti and Lexus in certain segments.

The new MKT, set to go on sale in the summer of 2009, features a standard 3.7-liter V6 engine with an optional 355hp EcoBoost twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6. Both engines come with a standard six-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Technological highlights on the new MKT include adaptive cruise control and a blind-spot monitor system.

The MKT will also feature Ford’s new revolutionary Active Park Assist system.

For 2010 the EcoBoost V6 engine will also be available in the MKS, where it will make 355hp, get 10 percent better fuel economy than a V8 and offers more power and torque than the Lexus GS460 and Infiniti M45.

Official release after the jump:

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With 700,000 Toyota Prius models currently on the road in the United States, Toyota today launched the third generation of the car that started it all.

The 2010 Prius will get better fuel economy and more power. Incredibly, Toyota has raised the mpg rating from 46 mpg in the current model to 50 mpg in this third generation vehicle. And that’s not 50 mpg highway either, it is the combined figure for city and highway driving.

This was achieved due to several innovations and updates, including the use of a larger 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and smaller and lighter generator, motor and inverter.

The new engine makes 98hp and the electric addition of 36hp horsepower raises the total to 134hp. Gasoline torque is rated at 105 ft-lbs with 153 electric ft-lbs of torque. Not only does the larger, more powerful engine reduce highway fuel consumption by allowing the engine to rev lower but the added power also increases performance. The new Prius will best the 10.5 second 0-60 mph time of its predecessor with a 9.8 second time.

The 2010 Prius also cuts a clean swath through the air thanks to a 0.25 drag coefficient – the lowest of any production car.

The incredible fuel efficiency rating is also due to some new innovations including a world’s first full electric air conditioning system and full electric water pump.

Yet another world first (the 3rd generation vehicle does hold 1,000 patents) is the solar panel roof. Energy collected from the roof actually powers the air circulation system inside the car when the vehicle is off. This way the cabin is kept cool(er) while sitting in a parking lot on a hot summer day. Not only will the interior then be more comfortable, but the air conditioning system won’t have to work as hard.

Much as the style of the 2010 Prius has been carried over from past models, so has the size. In total the third-generation vehicle gains just on inch in length and width. Still, interior space has been increased by five cubic feet.

Toyota expects to sell 180,000 units in the first year of production in the Unites States with a total production of 400,000 units. The increase in sales worldwide is due to Toyota’s market expansion – the current Prius being available in 44 countries and the upcoming model due to hit dealerships in 80 countries.

Official release after the jump:

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The Kia Soul hasn’t even hit dealerships and already the Korean manufacturer is showcasing a “convertible” version of its box-on-wheels.

Looking somewhat like a cartoon Jeep, or a creation from the Rinspeed design studio, the Kia Soul’Ster was designed to prove that basic transportation can be cool.

While still a concept the Soul production model is certainly affordable with a just-released MSRP of $14,000.

Design cues include a rivet design for the bodywork and a shorted windshield. The two-piece top allows passengers to expose the front and rear independently, using what Kia calls “elbow grease technology.”

While a cute means of transportation the Soul’ster has plenty of masculine designs including the use of anodized metal for the thick roll-bar, fender vents and skid-pad inserts.

The concept features 19-inch wheels and, says Kia, could come with the 1.6-liter or 140hp 2.0-liter engine found in the Soul. A 1.6-liter turbodiesel is also a possibility as it is offered in the Soul in other markets.

Official release after the jump:

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Thinking that they had a real speed deamon on their hands Jaguar execs handed over the new 510hp Jaguar XFR sedan to Rocketsports Racing for a top speed test at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

With modifications that the company describes as minimal (which actually included a fully stripped out interior, the addition of a roll cage, a front splitter and a massive rear spoiler) the XFR hit an astonishing top speed of 225.675 mph.

It isn’t quite enpugh to solidify the Jag as the fastest sedan in the world (that record belongs to the G-Power twin-supercharged M5 with a top speed on 228mph) but it’s close.

Official release after the jump:
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