As promised, we now have plenty of photos to share with you of the new Ford Focus Race Car Concept, after its debut at the LA Auto Show.

Debuting alongside the high-performance Focus ST on which its based and sporting the same 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost 4-cylinder, Ford has designed the car to meet regulations on several continents, with its debut set for the 2011 British Touring Car Championship.

Ford says the car will meet regulations in the U.S. and it intends to offer the car to teams in the U.S. (likely to race in Grand AM and World Challenge), however, there are no existing plans for a factory backed team. (Unfortunately for the Focus, it’s not the Mustang and will, therefore, never get Ford’s full racing attention here in the U.S.)

The Focus race car gets an adjustable coilover suspension, Ford Racing sway bars, massive 320-millimeter front brakes with race pads and some ultra-sexy 18-inch wheels. Inside there are the usual goodies like a roll cage and Recaro racing seats.

“There has been tremendous interest from the racing world in the new Focus, and it’s the perfect fit for a global touring car,” said Jost Capito, director of Global Performance Vehicles and Motorsport Business Development. “Even more, by working with professional private race teams, we’re ensuring Focus has the support it needs to compete and win around the world.”

GALLERY: Ford Focus Race Car Concept

The Mercedes-Benz GLK will get a diesel option in 2012, making it the lone compact luxury SUV to be offered with an oil-burning powertrain. Mercedes-Benz will also offer a diesel C-Class at launch in 2013.

Mercedes will also re-introduce the E-Class diesel for 2011, after a one year hiatus. Ernst Lieb, Mercedes USA’s President, said that the take rate for their Bluetec diesel engines ranges from 12-20%, with the E-Class on the low side, and the GL enjoying more diesel-oriented customers.

Lieb said that he would like to see the take rate grow to between 15-20% in the United States, but higher vehicle and fuel prices have kept consumers wary of buying diesel. By contrast, the take rate for diesels in Canada, with even pricier vehicles and fuel, approaches 80% consistently.

[Source: Ward's Auto]

Hyundai has just added to the attractive qualities of its all-new 2011 Elantra sedan by announcing a new base price of $14,830. This is on top of the beautiful new exterior and the 40-mpg highway rating that Hyundai is promising for all models – not just special Eco models, like Chevy’s Cruze that cost a solid $4,000 more.

Powered by a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder the car makes 148-hp at 6500 rpm and 131 ft-lbs of torque at 4700 rpm. Using either a 6-speed manual or automatic the car will achieve 29-mpg city and 40-mpg highway for an average of 33-mpg.

Just two Elantra trim levels will be offered: GLS and Limited, with all models getting features like power windows with driver’s auto-down, remote keyless entry, 6 airbags and disk brakes at all corners. Limited models add items like fog lights, heated mirrors, a sunroof, 17-inch aluminum wheels (15-inch steel wheels are standard), leatherette door inserts, a leather-wrapped telescopic steering wheel with cruise and audio controls, heated leather front seats and even heated leather rear seats.

Thankfully Hyundai also offers a packages for the base GLS model including a Popular Equipment Package that adds cruise control, A/C, a telescopic steering wheel and 16-inch steel wheels. A Preferred Equipment Package adds on 16-inch alloy wheels, steering wheel audio controls, a Bluetooth hands-free phone system with voice recognition, a sliding center armrest and some upgraded interior trim. A Navigation package can also be had with a 7-inch monitor, while the Limited Premium Package includes items like a 360-watt audio system, as well as a “proximity key” and push-button ignition.

With the base model priced at $14,830 the popular GLS with the automatic transmission and Popular Equipment Package will run $17,080. The Limited is priced at $19,980; which rises to $21,980 for the Premium Package.

GALLERY: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Debut in LA

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See the official release with plenty of easy-to-read comparison charts of the new Elantra vs. competitors like the Cruze and Focus:

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Today at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, the group that hands out its Green Car of the Year award handed it over to Chevrolet for their Volt, which only made its official world premiere at the show the day before.

The Green Car of the Year is awarded by the Green Car Journal which uses an eleven-member panel to select the winner. The five finalists for 2010 were all 2011 models – the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, the Nissan Leaf battery electric car, the hybrid electric versions of the Hyundai Sonata and the Lincoln MKZ, and the straight-up gasoline-powered-but extremely thrifty Ford Fiesta, which achieves (40 miles per U.S. gallon (5.9 L/100 km; 48 mpg-imp) in highway driving.

Last year’s winner was the Audi A3 TDI.

GALLERY: Chevy Volt Debut at LA Auto Show

It’s been several months since Mazda first announced its new Shinari concept, but the car has finally made its world premiere at the LA Auto Show.

Looking even more stunning in person, the Shinari shows just how capable Mazda’s design team is. In fact, there’s enough talent over at Mazda that we’d politely request they share their creative skills with the rest of the industry.

The Shinari marks the start of Mazda’s new Kodo design language as it moves away from the past Nagare designs that can be seen on cars like the Mazda3.

A collaborative effort from Mazda’s design studios in the U.S., Germany and Japan, this new concept is set to inspire all future models by the brand.

A no-show at the Paris Auto Show, we finally had the chance to fully appreciate the car in LA and now you can too, thanks to our extensive gallery below.

GALLERY: Mazda Shinari Concept

Porsche is going on a hiring blitz, looking to recruit 100 engineers for its Weissach research center, ostensibly to help shore up ranks for the expected hybrid car blitz that was alluded to at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Porsche’s official press release (posted below the jump) directly mentions that engineers will be able to work on projects like the 918 Spyder, a hybrid supercar. With Porsche’s CEO stating that he is “confident hybrid technology will find its way into sports cars,” the hiring move is a logical next step, with fairly transparent motives.

[Source: Porsche]

Hit the jump to see the official press release

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Pagani’s new C9 supercar will get an all-new, custom made AMG motor, according to a statement just released by the company. The bulletin states that

The engine of the Pagani C9 is not a derivative of the AMG V12 engine developed for the SL65 Black Series, nor is the AMG V12 engine in the SL65 Black Series derived from the engine AMG is currently developing for the Pagani C9.The cars are very different in their character and conception and the engine will reflect this in its technical characteristics and behavior. The engine in the Pagani C9 has been developed specifically for that application by Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

Pagani has previously used AMG V12s, specifically the rare, but not tailor-made 7.3L V12 that was featured in ultra-rare vehicles like the limited production SL63. With AMG moving to turbocharged powerplants and smaller V8s, it’s possible that the new C9 will continue using a naturally aspirated V12, one that would require low volume production by AMG. Pagani has been able to use AMG engines due to parent company Mercedes-Benz’s relationship with Juan Manuel Fangio, a long-time Mercedes driver.

We’ve been hearing rumors for a while, but now it’s official. Ford will be cutting it’s stake in Japanese automaker Mazda, from 33 percent to just 11 percent.

The deal which is expected to be completed on Friday, will result in Ford becoming the fourth largest stakeholder in the company instead of the biggest, a title it has held since 1979. Back then; Mazda was struggling financially and Ford was willing to invest in the company, initially by taking a 25 percent stake, which was later raised to 33.4 percent; resulting in the American company taking controlling interest.

Now with Ford offloading 7.5 percent  of that interest (the shares will be transferred to Mazda’s business partners in off-auction trading through the Nikkei stock exchange); Chase Manhattan Bank is set to become the largest individual shareholder in the company. Nevertheless, both Ford and Mazda are adamant that the relationship they’ve forged over the last three decades will continue.

In a recent statement; Mazda’s CEO Takashi Yamanounchi declared; “Mazda and Ford will continue to collaborate on areas of mutual benefit such as key joint ventures, joint projects and exchange of technology information.”

[Source: Automotive News]

While BMW displayed its new 6 Series Concept on the floor of the LA Auto Show, out in cyberspace the German automaker one-upped itself by releasing full details and images on the 2012 BMC 650i Convertible.

Powered by a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 and making 400-hp and 450 ft-lbs of torque, the 650i will be available with either a six-speed manual or 8-speed automatic. BMW claims a 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds.

Using a soft top to reduce weight gain, the canvas can be opened in 19 seconds or closed in 24 seconds and can be operated at speed of up to 25 mph. Other highlights include a stunning new interior, with an optional color heads-up display (complete with 3D graphics no less), as well as a massive new 10.2-inch LCD screen for the Navigation and iDrive systems.

And how can we not mention the car’s design. With the previous 6 Series a bit of a styling dud, the new model is sophisticated yet sporty and a bit more adventurous than the cookie-cutter designs coming out of BMW lately.

With the launch of this new convertible, expect the coupe to follow shortly, then a coupe and convertible 640i model using BMW’s turbocharged inline-six, and finally a 650xi model in both hard top and drop-top forms.

GALLERY: 2012 BMW 650i Convertible

Official release after the jump:

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If you’re looking for a reason to relocate to Japan, we’ve got a great one. A brand new Ferrari, courtesy of Cornes & Co., is coming exclusively to Japan.

The all-new Ferrari, dubbed the California Limited Edition, is packed with upgrades not available in the standard model. With just 10 being made  – three in red, three in black and four in white – the California will comes with carbon fiber rocker panels, Rosso Brake Calipers door handles and fuel cap, and five-spoke diamond polished forged wheels with red prancing horse center caps bolted down by a set of titanium bolts.

To buy a Ferrari California Limited Edition, you’ll have to convert your $320,000 to Yen, which comes to about￥ 26,500,000.

[Source: GT Spirit]