Ford has just officially revealed the North American market version of the Fiesta hatchback, its widely popular and successful model currently on sale in Europe. Debuting alongside the hatch, is an all-new Fiesta sedan, designed specifically for North America. The Fiesta marks Ford’s return to the sub-compact segment for the first time in over a decade.

We can’t say the style of the car is as pleasing as the Euro-spec model (which we love), but it is close and retains most of that car’s sporty and youthful character. It also retains the high-grade interior with the Motorola Razor-inspired dash.

Under the hood of the Fiesta, we’re glad to see the peppy 119-hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine has been carried over from the European model. It makes 109 ft-lbs of torque and in our test of the Euro-spec model provided plenty of fun.

This engine also delivers impressive fuel-economy with a best-in-class rating of 40 mpg on the highway. This is in part due to a new six-speed automatic transmission, while a five-speed manual will also be offered.

Ford also promises that the car’s European driving dynamics have been retained thanks to an electronic power steering system that is not only responsive but helps to reduce fuel consumption. The suspension setup is a MacPherson Strut front design with a 22mm sway bar and a rear twist-beam setup. A set of 15-inch wheels will be standard with 16s optional. There will even be a set of 17-inchers made available through Ford Racing.

GALLERY: 2011 Ford Fiesta Hatchback

GALLERY: 2011 Ford Fiesta Sedan

Choosing to forgo the pomp and circumstance (not to mention the price) of the LA Auto Show, Infiniti unveiled a mid-cycle refresh of the G37 sports sedan alongside the all new 2011 M37 and M56. The G wasn’t exactly looking dated, but as the most important product in Infiniti’s lineup, the company didn’t want to risk falling behind.

The updates for 2010 do not include any engine or transmission modifications, which would have been nice, but we have to admit the G doesn’t really need improving in that area. That being said, the car retains its 328-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine, with the choice of either a 7-speed automatic or six-speed manual.

Outside the car gets a typically modest mid-cycle refresh with a new front fascia and front grille with separate fog lights. There is also a new rear bumper deign. In addition, G37S Sport 6MT models equipped with the Sport Package get a new and unique front fascia, grille and side skirts.

Inside there are several updates as well, with new gauges and an LCD screen display that is mostly white in order to not only make it easier to see, but to provide a more cohesive interior design. Models with the 7-seed automatic transmission get a new center console and the “Washi” aluminum trim has been replaced by “Shodo” aluminum trim. Infiniti has also chosen to make the Wheat and Stone leather interior colors even lighter. A new Graphite leather is also available for 2010 as is a new Maple wood trim.

Additional interior upgrades were made in the technology department with an upgraded version of the Infiniti Hard Drive Navigation System, which now includes XM NavTraffic with Real-Time Traffic Information and NavWeather, as well as Streaming Bluetooth Audio and a Zagat Restaurant Guide. In addition, Infiniti’s RearView Monitor is now standard on most models, while Intelligent Cruise Control is now available on the G.

Several changes have also been made to the different option packages available.

GALLERY: 2010 Infiniti G37

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MINI’s two new concept cars are slated to make an appearance at the LA Auto Show, giving Los Angeles residents and local media a first chance to see the two fun cars since their world premiere at the Frankfurt Auto Show. MINI has confirmed that the Coupe Concept will go into production along with another model, which we assume is the convertible.

Both concept cars are powered by the same John Cooper Works turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder as the current line of top-level MINIs, making 211hp and 192 ft-lbs of torque, with a bump to 206 ft-lbs possible thanks to an overboost function.

Inside the MINI Coupé Concept keeps much of the traditional MINI interior style. There are even two clocks inside, one for keeping time and one for keeping lap times.

We’ll be sure to bring you any updates if MINI makes any more official announcements about the future of the Coupe and Roadster concepts.

AutoGuide’s Live 2009 LA Auto Show Coverage Starts Here December 2nd

GALLERY: MINI Coupe Concept Debut in Frankfurt

GALLERY: MINI Roadster Concept Debut in Frankfurt

GALLERY: MINI Coupe Concept

Infiniti has just unveiled the latest generation of its M cars at the swanky SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. The M will be offered as both an M37 and M56, with both models being either RWD or AWD. Like the G37, the M37 is powered by a 3.7-liter V6 engine with 270 ft-lbs of torque. As for the M56, it gets a massive 5.6-liter mill with an impressive 420-hp and 417 ft-lbs of torque. In total, the new top-level M gets 95-hp and 81 ft-lbs of torque over its predecessor, the M45.

Those looking for even more sport can opt for a Sport Package (RWD only), that comes with 20-inch wheels, a sport tuned suspension, larger brake rotors with 4-piston front calipers and two-piston rears, 4-Wheel Active Steer (4WAS) steering, as well as a sport steering wheel, pedals and shift knob. Specific to the Sport Package are special double-piston shocks that deliver a ride that is both comfortable and stable. There’s even a unique front fascia.

Both engines come with Infiniti’s 7-speed sport automatic transmission, allowing the M56 to get even better fuel economy than the old M45.

As for the car’s size, it is larger than the outgoing M, measuring roughly half an inch longer at 194.7 inches, 2-inches wider at 72.6 inches. It is also roughly half an inch lower at 59.1 inches to help keep the car’s center of gravity low.

One of the most exciting features on the new M is Infiniti Drive that allows a driver to choose between four settings of throttle pressure and transmission shift points. There’s also an Active Tracing Control system that adjusts engine power and braking at all four wheels for optimum performance. Safety items include Blind Spot Warning and Blind Spot Intervention that helps bring the car back towards the center of the lane. There’s also an Eco Pedal feature that, when selected, uses green and yellow lights on the instrument panel to give the driver feedback on his or her driving, while also giving feedback through the gas pedal, pushing back to alert the driver when they are operating the vehicle inefficiently. Infiniti says that in testing this simple method has lead to improved fuel economy of five to 10 percent.

GALLERY: 2011 Infiniti M56 Debut

GALLERY: 2011 Infiniti M56 Official Images

GALLERY: 2011 Infiniti M37 Official Images

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One day ahead of the U.S.-market debut of 2011 Cruze compact sedan, Chevy gave us a little personal time with the what might just be a genuine Corolla killer. From the Cavalier, to the Cobalt, and now the Cruze, Chevy’s latest compact car is anything but. Chevy hasn’t given us any statistics on interior room, but the Cruze might just be large enough inside to qualify as a midsize sedan, not a compact.

What really sets the Cruze apart, however, is the turbocharged 1.4-liter Ecotec engine (standard in LT and LTZ models) that makes 138-hp and 148 ft-lbs of torque. Those are pretty standard numbers for this class of vehicle, but what makes the engine so impressive is that it achieves 40 mpg on the highway. A larger 1.8-liter unit will come standard on LS models and is expected to make roughly the same amount of horsepower but less torque. Both engines will be offered with either six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions.

With a 40-mpg highway rating the Cruze easily has the best highway mileage in its class, besting the current highway leader, another Chevy product, the Cobalt XFE.

In person the car is a bit more subtle that we at first though, although the calming silver/blue paint might have something to do with that. Style wise, it has a prominent front end, with Chevy’s corporate face that premiered on the new Malibu and can be found on vehicles like the Traverse. From some angles, the car does look like Hyundai’s Sonata – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Inside we were surprised to find that it’s actually as nice as the original press photos had us believe. Sure the leather isn’t Lexus quality, but it is reasonably good and the two tone cockpit has loads more style than pretty much any other compact car. Overall it’s very modern and more luxurious that we’d expect and there’s even a nice information center display between the two main gauges. Chevy says the interior is inspired by the Corvette and we’d have to say that overall, it’s not far off, which is both a compliment to the Cruze and a dis to the Vette.

Chevy says the Cruze has more passenger and cargo room than either the Civic or Corolla and due to significant efforts to reduce exterior noise is supposed to deliver a much more high-end driving feel than compact competitors. In addition, Chevy wants to position the Cruze as a segment leader in safety with standard equipment including ABS brakes, StabiliTrak as well as 10 airbags.

Along with some high-tech equipment like Bluetooth connectivity and an available navigation system, other optional highlights include heated front seats and available 18-inch rims.

The Cruze is set to be built at GM’s Lordstown, Ohio plant with sales scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2010.

Get more Chevy Cruze news and info at CruzeTalk.com

GALLERY: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze

Frederick “Fritz” Henderson has resigned as General Motors chief executive officer.

Henderson (left, in the photo above) was appointed CEO on March 29, replacing Rick Waggoner who shown the door by the Obama administration. Over the last eight months, Henderson worked at reorganizing the company. GM announced that Chairman Ed Whitacre Jr. (right, in the photo) will take over as interim CEO until a permanent replacement is found.

“Fritz has done a remarkable job in leading the company through an unprecedented period of challenge and change,” said Whitacre. “While momentum has been building over the past several months, all involved agree that changes needed to be made. To this end, I have taken over the role of Chairman and CEO while an international search for a new president and CEO begins immediately. With these new duties, I will begin working in the Renaissance Center headquarters on a daily basis. The leadership team – many who are with me today – are united and committed to the task at hand.”

During Henderson’s tenure, GM filed for Chapter 11 protection and, 40 days later, emerged from protection with help from the government. On Nov. 16, Henderson announced GM would begin paying back the government’s $6.7 billion loan.

As part of the company’s recovery efforts, GM scaled back to four key brands: Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. Pontiac is shutting down and GM found a Chinese buyer for Hummer. GM also came close to finding new owners for Saturn and Saab. A deal with Roger Penske for Saturn fell apart, while a deal for Saab with Koenigsegg also fell through. GM also announced today it has “has received expressions of interest in Saab” and will evaluate potential bids before the end of December.

[Source: MSNBC and Associated Press]

At an off-site venue just ahead of the car’s “official” debut at the LA Auto Show tomorrow, Cadillac has given us a full preview of its new 2011 CTS Coupe. This addition to the CTS lineup, means that Cadillac now offers a Coupe, Wagon, Sedan and the high-performance CTS-V sedan. Cadillac has officially confirmed a CTS-V Coupe is in the pipes, but its unclear when we will get to see (and experience) that amazing machine.

As for the CTS Coupe, it enters a popular segment of the market, competing against vehicles like the BMW 3 Series Coupe and Infiniti G37 Coupe, as well as more high-end offerings like the Audi A5 and Mercedes E-Class Coupe.

One engine will be offered, a 304-hp 3.6-liter direct-injection V6 that achieves maximum power at 6400 rpm. Full torque of 273 ft-lbs will be available at 5200 rpm. A six-speed manual transmission will be standard with an available six-speed paddle-shift automatic. A limited-lip differential is also included. Cadillac rates this engine at 18/27 mpg (city/highway) for rear-wheel drive or AWD models equipped with the auto-box, while the manual transmission is rated at 17/25 mpg. AWD models will only be offered with an automatic.

The CTS Coupe is based on the same chassis as the sedan, with the same wheelbase, but an overall height that is roughly two-inches (51mm) lower and a length that is also 51mm shorter. Unlike the sedan, however, it is not a five-seater but a 2+2.

It may look significantly like the sedan, but little of the sheet metal (or anything else for that matter) is actually shared. In fact, the only identical arts are the headlights, front fenders and grille and the instrument panel and center stack. Original design cues on the two-door include the lack of B-pillars and the use of hidden door handles to give a smooth look to the coupe. Other highlights include a more steeply angled windshield and rear glass as well as a dual-exhaust setup with both pipes placed together in the center at the rear of the car.

Optional goodies include two performance packages, the first with 18-inch wheels and all-season tires, and a second with 19-inch wheels and high-performance Summer Tires. Also optional will be the 14-way power Recaro sport seats that until now could only be had on the CTS-V.

The CTS Coupe is scheduled to go on sale in the Spring of next year, with the the CTS-V version following shortly thereafter.

GALLERY: 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe

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Just a day before Ford will officially take the wraps off the U.S.-Spec version of the new Fiesta, a few CGI images of the car have shown up on the automaker’s website. Along with the hatchback version we also get our first look at the sedan, which was built specifically for the North American market. We’ll wait to see the car in person before passing judgment but so far it seems like the Euro-spec model’s more progressive style has been toned down a bit, with more soft round corners and less sporty edges. At least that’s the way the front of the car looks. Most other angles seem pretty much identical.

As for the sedan, considering i’ts pretty much an all-new design, it seems to have turned out nicely. The metal badging on the front does seem a bit busy though.

Let’s just hope it’s as dynamic a car to drive as the European version.

Take a gander through the photo galleries and tell us what you think.

AutoGuide will bring you all the details on Ford’s new sub-compact (tomorrow) Wednesday, December 2nd.

AutoGuide’s Live 2009 LA Auto Show Coverage Starts Here December 2nd

GALLERY: 2011 Ford Fiesta Hatchback

GALLERY: 2011 Ford Fiesta Sedan

Audi’s all-new A8 model for 2011 was unveiled yesterday during the Design Week festivities in Miami and we have to admit that the anticipation might be better than the real thing – t0 look at anyway. That’s not to say the new A8 isn’t a good looking piece of sheetmetal, but it’s not the revolutionary work-of-art one might expect to debut at a design festival. Much of the look is typical Audi, with the A8 mimicking style highlights from the rest of the brand. In particular, the rear of the luxury saloon has a definite resemblance to the A5 and A4. This brand continuity in design also helps the A8 to look much smaller and sportier.

And sportier is where Audi wants to take the A8. To aid in making the car a more nimble handler, it gets Audi’s light weight aluminum space frame. The car is both longer and wider than its competitors and yet has a lower overall height for a better center of gravity. Compared to the previous A8, Audi says it is 3-inches longer and 2-inches wider. Audi hasn’t released any specific info on the curb weight of the vehicle but says it will be 50 lbs less than an S-Class and 200-lbs less than a 7 Series. Those numbers jump to 200 and 400 lbs respectively, if you put the AWD Audi up against AWD versions from Mercedes and BMW.

Under the hood there’s an updated version of Audi’s 4.2-liter V8 engine with 372-hp and 328 ft-lbs of torque, for a 0-62 mph time of just 5.7 seconds. Thanks in part to a new eight-speed tiptronic gearbox, Audi claims an improvement in fuel-efficiency by 15 percent.

Technological highlights on the car include a new version of Audi’s Multi Media Interface (MMI) called MMI Touch, that can recognize handwriting for entering navigation instructions. There’s also adaptive cruise control, night vision assist, Audi lane assist and Audi side assist, Audi braking guard to notify a driver of an impact and automatic emergency braking to actually stop the car if the driver doesn’t react. Finally there are some stunning full-LED headlights, that will actually point into a corner in accordance with the navigation system. And as for the A8′s new body, it is incredibly aerodynamic, with a drag coefficient of just 0.26 cd – just one tick off the Prius’s.

The all-new 2011 Audi A8 will go on sale late in 2010, with an extended wheelbase model offered at the same time. Audi has also said that it is planning alternative fuel vehicles (TDI, hybrid?), as well as a more luxurious offering and a sports version (S8?).

GALLERY: 2011 Audi A8

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With no new models lined up in the production schedule, Scion is getting ready to once again debut a limited edition Release Series version of its popular xB platform. Dubbed the xB Release Series 7.0, like previous RS models, this car comes with a full package of aftermarket parts, including a custom paint color, and retails for a pretty reasonable price.

Included in the list of modifications is a DAMD aero kit, including new front and rear lip spoilers and side skirts. In addition, a $320 rear spoiler will be optional. The whole package gets painted in a special color called Murasaki – which means “purple” in Japanese.

The DAMD kit has a unique rear bumper design that allows for a special center-exit exhaust system, designed by TRD. The car also sits lower on a set of TRD lowering springs.

Interior highlights include a RAZO GT Formula Spec shift knob as well as new black seat fabric with purple detailing to match the car’s exterior. There’s also plenty of RS logos and an individually numbered stainless steel RS badge. Just 2,000 xB RS 7.0 models will be built.

As for pricing, Scion lists the car from $18,320 with the manual transmission and $19,270 with the auto-box.

AutoGuide’s Live 2009 LA Auto Show Coverage Starts Here December 2nd

GALLERY: Scion xB Release Series 7.0

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