Today at the New York Auto Show, Kia unveiled the Forte Koup. Based on the Koup Concept which made its first appearance at last year’s New York show, the Forte Koup is the first ever two-door from Kia.

The sporty-looking new model is based on the same platform as the sedan and will be offered in two trim levels: EX and SX. EX models will get a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 156hp and 144 ft-lbs of torque. This motor can achieve 25 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. It comes standard with a five-speed manual with an automatic option that is unfortunately just a four-speed.

The more powerful SX model will get a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 163hp and 168 ft-lbs of torque. This engine is capable of 22/32 mpg (city/hwy) with a six -speed manual (nice!) or 23/31 mpg with a five-speed automatic.

EX models will get 16-inch wheels with 205/55/16 tires and SX models will receive 17-inch alloys with 215/45/17 tires.

We eager to see how the little Koup drives, but won’t get our hopes up to high as the rear suspension is a semi-independent torsion-beam setup. The front is an independent MacPherson strut setup.

“On the heel of the introductions of the Soul and Forte sedan, Forte Koup represents the next exciting step in the transformation of Kia design and offers a blend of sporty and emotional appeal,” said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing at Kia USA. “We believe our new design evolution coupled with standard Kia value and safety features will continue to attract customers to the Kia brand.”

GALLERY: Kia Forte Koup 

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As promised, Mistubishi pulled back the cover on the Outlander GT Prototype at the New York Auto Show, a concept car that will influence the next generation Outlander “compact” SUV.

Prior to the show, Mitsu teased us with blurry images of the new vehicle and now we can see more clearly what we saw then – an EVO-inspired front end.

The production model is expected to look quite close to this concept and will feature a more powerful 236hp 3.0-liter V6 engine. An Idle Neutral Logic system will work with the V6, shifting the transmission into Neutral when the vehicle comes to a stop to help preserve fuel. The car will also feature Mitsu’s world-famous Super-All-Wheel-Control System.

Other highlights include a 710 watt audio system and a 40 gig hard drive with a navigation system.

GALLERY: Mitsubishi Outlander GT Prototype

With news of the new Subaru Legacy already out, it was a safe assumption that it would be the focal-point of the company’s press conference at the New York Auto Show. The company did unveil that model, but also had a Subaru surprise in store, in the form of the 2010 Outback.

The new Outback will be powered by either a standard 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder engine with 170hp or an optional 3.6-liter six-cylinder boxer engine with 256hp. The 2.5-liter motor will come standard with a six-speed manual with an optional CVT transmission. As for the flat-six, it will come with a five-speed automatic.

The spaciousness of the new Outback has been improved with eight percent more cargo volume. This is due in part to an all new vehicle platform that is two inches wider than its predecessor. The wheelbase has also been exteded by 2.8-inches, although the actual length of the vehicle is slightly less than the ’09 model.

For ideal off-road capability, the ground clearance has also been improved and is now rated at 8.7-inches. 

GALLERY: 2010 Subaru Outback

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The new Volkswagen Golf has been named the World Car of the Year (WCOTY) by the International Motor Press Association. The group, comprised of journalists from twenty-five countries picked the new Golf over the other two finalists, the Ford Festiva and the Toyota iQ micro-car.

But the WCOTY awards are about more than just one car, as awards are also handed out in the design, performance and environmentally-friendly categories.

Taking the top spot for the Performance group was, not surprisingly, the Nissan GT-R, which beat out finalists like the Corvette ZR1 and Porsche 911 Carrera.

In the Green Car category, the award went to Honda for its FCX Clarity hydrogen-fuel cell car, which is capable of 72 mpg. Other finalists in that segment were the Mitsubishi iMieV, as well as the Toyota’s iQ.

The top cars in the design category are always amusing because of how odd they normally are… and this year was no exception. Nominated were (again) the Toyota iQ, the Citroen C5 Sedan and Tourer, the Jaguar XF (which we can almost understand) and the Fiat 500. And the 500 took the top spot for best design. Apparently “looking cool” wasn’t one of the qualifications.

General Motors used the New York Auto Show to stage the official first showing of its GT1 line of special edition Corvettes. The car wasn’t competing for the spotlight, however, as GM generally ignored the car and instead decided to focus on its new SUVs – like the GMC Terrain and Yukon Denali Hybrid.

The GT1 edition corvettes are being built to celebrate the tremendous success Corvette has had in racing over the past decade. The GT1 Championship Edition Corvette comes with racing inspired graphics, including driver flags and the series championships. On display in New York was a black version, but the the car is alos available in Velocity Yellow. Unfortunately the car comes with so not-so-race-inspired chrome wheels.

Inside the interior is swathed in ebony leather with yellow stitching and features GT1 embroidery on the seats, instrument panel and center console armrest..

Under the hood, the engine cover has a special carbon look with yellow Corvette lettering.

The GT1 Championship Edition is offered as either a coupe, convertible or Z06 (as shown in New York), with just 100 of each model being made in each color for a total of 600 units.

All models receive a navigation system and both coupe and convertible will include the Z51 Performance Package and performance exhaust with an optional automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

Pricing is listed as $65,310 for the coupe, $71,815 for the convertible and $86,385 for the Z06. The GT1 Championship Edition Corvette will go on sale in the Spring.

The GT1 Championship Edition Corvette was create in homage to the successes of the C6.R racing Corvettes which took the ALMS GT1 Manufacturers Championship for 8 years, claimed over 70 victories in the series and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans 5 times.

2009 will make the last year for the C6.R in racing.

GALLERY: GT1 Championship Edition Corvette 

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It’s now official, the 2010 MazdaSpeed3 has made it to U.S. shores. On display at the New York Auto Show the new model isn’t drastically different than the old one, it even keeps the same 2.3-liter direct-injection four-cylinder engine. Power is rated at 263 and 280 ft-lbs of torque.

This is enough for a 0-62 mph run of 6.1 seconds, so the run to 60 might be able to get under the 6.0-second mark.

As for the rest of the car, we’re happy to report that it has not been toned down from the Euro-spec version and that it seems every new innovation on the Euro-spec car has been kept for enthusiasts on this side of the Atlantic.

In terms of technological advancements, the MazdaSpeed3 has plenty of them. For starters the new engine features an advanced boost controller that reduces peaks for a more linear power delivery. The left and right drive shafts have been modified to reduce torque steer. The six-speed manual transmission now has wider ratios than before and the tranny uses a low-viscosity fluid to reduce shift effort.

With the new body and chassis, the 2010 MazdaSpeed3 is naturally better, however, it also gets large stabilizer bars, stiffer springs and shocks. As well, it now features 18-inch wheels with big brakes – 12.6-inches up front and 11-inches in the rear.

GALLERY: 2010 MazdaSpeed3

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Replacing the popular Land Rover LR3 model for the 2010 year is the evolutionary LR4. Looking in many ways quite similar to the previous model, the LR4 is more refined (particularly on the inside) while still keeping all the functionality that made the LR3 so good.

“The outgoing LR3 has well over 100 international awards to its name.  But for the new LR4 we’ve found ways to improve virtually every aspect of the vehicle’s design and engineering – some subtle, some major,” says Phil Popham, Land Rover Managing  Director.

Under the hood is a new 5.0-liter V8 engine (originally designed for the latest Jaguar models). This new powerplant can be found in the 2010 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport as well, and makes 375hp and 375 ft-lbs of torque, an increase of 25 percent more power and 19 percent more torque over the outgoing 4.4-liter engine. Acceleration to 60 mph is rated at 7.5 seconds. 

The new V8 makes use of variable camshaft timing and direct-injection technologies to deliver added performance. And thanks to a new six-speed automatic transmission, power delivery is smoother than ever before. 

The 5.0-liter engine is rated at a maximum towing capacity of 7,716 lbs.

The on-road driving dynamics of the LR4 are much improved thanks to new shocks and a lower center of gravity. Compared to the LR3, the LR4′s center of gravity is reduced by 1.65-inches up front and 2.44-inches in the rear. Highway dynamics are also improved due to the more luxurious front end design, which reduces lift on the front axle at highway speeds by as much as 50 percent. That new front fascia also features stylish LED lights.

To assist with slowing the hulking LR4 is a new set of brakes with twin-piston front calipers and 14.2-inch rotors with rear single-piston calipers with 13.8-inch rotors. 

A major area of improvement is the interior of the LR4. It has been completely reworked with a new dash, center console and new seats. 

“The new interior not only has a much more premium look and feel, it’s also gained improvement to its functionality.  The new console inclines towards the driver, the switchgear and controls fall more readily to hand, and new LED ambient lighting helps make the cabin a more pleasant and more easily used space after dark.  We’ve made the interior environment more premium too, with smoother surfaces, softer materials and close attention to critical details such as stitching,” says Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Design Director.

Other highlights on the 2010 LR4 include keyless entry with a push-button start, Tow Assist, Gradient Release Control and a Surround Camera system that uses five separate cameras to help make parking easier. 

GALLERY: 2010 Land Rover LR4

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The new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport may only look slightly different from the ’09 models; and while there are some aesthetic changes, the real difference for both vehicles lies under their respective hoods. 

Standard models will get a new 5.0-liter V8 engine that makes 375hp and 375 ft-lbs of torque. This is an increase of 20 percent on the horsepower side and 16 percent on the torque side. Better yet, the new engine boasts a seven percent increase in fuel consumption over the outgoing engine. 

In the Sport model, this enough to achieve a 0-60 mph time of 7.2 seconds.

As for the Supercharged versions, they get a powerful new supercharged 5.0-liter engine with 510hp and 461 ft-lbs of torque. These models can run the 60 mph sprint in just 5.9 seconds - not bad for some of the heaviest vehicles ever made.

To help give the Range Rover Sport an even more sporty feel, it will be equipped with paddle shifters.

Another important highlight is the use of an adaptive damping suspension on Range Rover Sport Supercharged models. Working with the existing Dynamic Response system, this new setup uses DampTronic Valve Technology shocks which adjust 500 times a second, reacting to the road conditions. Both a “soft” and a “hard” setting can be pre-selected to better suit the driver’s needs.

There are plenty more innovations on the new models, but we’ll end off with a final tech gadget. On the Range Rover Sport, a 5-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) info screen (like the one introduced on the current 7 Series) will sit inside the instrument cluster, providing the driver with vehicle information. Rather than static physical readouts, the info is projected on the screen, which reverts to its black “off” setting when the vehicle is turned off. The Range Rover will employ a similar TFT screen measuring 12-inches, doing away with any physical gauges. 

GALLERY: 2010 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport

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UPDATED (October 2, 2009): Volkswagen has now officially released details on the 2010 Golf TDI. The new model is rated at 30/41 mpg (city/hwy) for the manual transmission and 32/42 mpg with VW’s advanced DSG automatic transmission. The car is priced from $21,990.

See AutoGuide’s 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI Review here:

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Noticeably absent from the North American market since 2006, the Volkswagen Golf TDI will return for 2010. The new model was showcased today at the New York Auto Show, along with the high performance GTI (see our review here). There weren’t any standard Golfs on the floor, but we do have info on that model too.

The new Golf TDI will use the same turbo-diesel 2.0-liter motor found in the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel, which is already on sale. Power is rated at 140hp and a significant 236 ft-lbs of torque.

This engine is capable of 42 mpg on the highway and 29 mpg in the city when paired with a six-speed manual transmission.

As for the standard Golf, it will be powered by a 2.5-liter five-cylinder that makes 170hp and 177 ft-lbs of torque. Both a 3-door and 5-door model will be offered with the 3-door coming in two trims (Trendline and Sportline) and the 5-door available in three trims (Trendline, Comfortline and Highline).

The 2010 Golf TDI will be available as both a two-door and four-door model, priced at $21,990 and $22,590 respectively.

GALLERY: 2010 Golf TDI

See our most recently story on the VW Golf TDI here

It’s here… the sixth generation Volkswagen GTI. Making it’s debut at the New York Auto Show the car is sportier-looking but less aggressive, looking more like the European Scirocco and trading in the massive front grille for a two-tier unit. 

The signature red detailing on the grille is still there though, giving the GTI a definitively different look than it’s Golf counterparts.

Volkswagen didn’t have any press materials available, instead directing people to its press site… where there was also no info available. 

If the Euro-specs hold true, the new model will have 207 hp from VW’s 2.0-liter turbocharged motor. Power is available as early as 5300 rpm and stays on full until 6200 rpm. Max torque is rates at 206.5 ft-lbs and comes on at just 1700 rpm.

 This is enough, says VW, for the 2010 GTI to accelerate to 62 mph in just 6.9 seconds. Top speed is 150 mph.

“XDS gives the car an enormous measure of driving stability. And it leads to greater driving enjoyment, since it reduces understeering,” says Stuck. “Experienced sports car drivers will be much more active underway. Yet, XDS is a very important safety feature for normal drivers too, because they will not experience any unpleasant surprises with the GTI.”

We’ll be sure to update with U.S. specs once they become available.

GALLERY: 2010 Volkswagen GTI

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