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This year’s LA Auto Show just so happens to coincide with a renewed fervor in the auto industry and it was evident from the sheer number of premieres. From the reintroduction of Fiat to the U.S., to the launch of incredible sports cars like the Porsche Cayman R or bizarre concepts like the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, AutoGuide’s video team was there to bring you the official unveilings in all their glitz and glamor.

Other major highlights include the debut of the Honda Fit EV Concept, 2012 Nissan GT-R, 2011 Hyundai Elantra, Buick Regal GS, Toyota/Tesla RAV4 EV, Nissan Ellure Concept, Mercedes CLS63, 2011 Dodge Charger, 2011 Dodge Challenger, Subaru Impreza Design Concept, Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante, Range Rover Evoque 5-Door and Ford Focus Race Car Concept.

Watch the extensive list of premieres after the jump and check out our 2010 LA Auto Show Coverage page for complete coverage.

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After stealing the show in Paris a few months back, Lotus brought its “New Era” roadshow to America and the LA Auto Show. With five brand new concept vehicles, Lotus is looking to generate interest in the brand and its new direction.

Based on the same modular platform, Lotus revealed the Esprit, a second-generation Elise, the flagship Elite and even a 4-door model called Eterne.

First to market will be the Esprit, with an on-sale date set for the Spring of 2013. With a body made entirely of carbon fiber it will be a true exotic, using a supercharged version of the Lexus 5.0-liter V8 making 542-hp in standard trim and a whopping 612-hp in R-spec trim.

Following the Esprit will be the Elan, launching in the Fall of 2013 as a coupe, with a convertible model set to follow. As a competitor to the Porsche 911 it will use a 4.0-liter version of the Toyota-sourced V6 found in the Evora, the Elan will be 200-lbs lighter. An R-Spec model will also be offered, boasting 450-hp. Both it, and the Elise, will use a combination of aluminum and composite materials to keep weight to a minimum. In addition, Lotus will offer both the Esprit and the Elan as a hybrid.

The flagship for the new Lotus will follow six months later in the Spring of 2014, with a standard trim making 612-hp. A hybrid option will be offered and this grand touring exotic comes exclusively with a retractable hardtop.

Spring of 2015 will see the launch of the second-generation Lotus Elise. Gaining size and weight over the current car the new Elise will come in at under 2,400 lbs. Power will come from a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with forced induction (either a turbocharger or supercharger), making a total of 316-hp. That should be enough to deliver a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds. Plus, those in search of a fuel efficient sports car will be able to get it with the new Elise as Lotus also plans to offer a hybrid option. Unlike the rest of the hybrids in the Lotus lineup, the Elise will be a mild hybrid (like the Honda system) and feature start-stop technology.

Completing the new Lotus lineup is the Eterne 4-door sports sedan. Again, based on the same architecture, its designed as a rival to the likes of the Porsche Panamera and Maserati Quattroporte, but wont hit the market until the Fall of 2015.

The goal with the five concepts shown is to expand Lotus production and sell between 7,500 and 8,000 vehicles annually.

GALLERY: Lotus Esprit

GALLERY: Lotus Elise Concept

GALLERY: Lotus Elite

GALLERY Lotus Elan

GALLERY: Lotus Eterne

Rarely, if ever, does a mid-cycle refresh get the attention that it has with the new 2012 Nissan GT-R. But there’s a very good reason the GT-R is making headlines half way through its production cycle.

A lot is new about this updated version of Nissan’s Porsche killer, and what’s most important might be the changes under the hood. Thanks to a retuned ECU with more boost and some larger exhaust pipes the new GT-R makes an additional 45-hp, with the new total an impressive 530-hp. Torque is also up significantly by 54 ft-lbs, for a new total of 488 ft-lbs.

Major aerodynamic enhancements were also made – even if it doesn’t look like it. Thanks to a larger front opening as well as a new rear diffuser and underbody trays the drag coefficient has dropped from 0.27 to 0.26 cd to help the car slide through the air. Those same upgrades also result in a 10 percent improvement in downforce, which is sure to help out on the Nürburgring.

Helping to cut weight (the GT-R could use to loose a few pounds) are a new set of Rays wheels – with a 10-spoke design on the Premium Package and a 6-spoke look on a new Black Edition package.

Inside the 2012 model gets an improved interior and some carbon fiber on the dash – although Nissan still has some catching up to do with competitors like Porsche. A Black Edition might just solve any issues we have with the car thanks to red Recaro seats and a red and black interior.

A total of six exterior colors will be offered for 2012 including: Solid Red, Gun Metallic, Pearl White, a limited production Super Silver, Jet Black and our favorite Deep Blue Pearl.

Pricing for the 2012 model starts at $89,950 for the Premium model and jumps to $95,100 for the Black Edition.

Get more details after the jump and browse though our extensive galleries below:

GALLERY: 2012 Nissan GT-R Debut in LA

GALLERY: 2012 Nissan GT-R

Official release and video of the 2012 Nissan GT-R after the jump:

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Okay, maybe we’re reaching a bit with these “debuts” but that’s how Infiniti is billing the American auto show unveiling of the new G25 sedan at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show today. Of course, we’ve seen this G25 before, but…it’s a perfectly fine looking sedan so we’ll humor them here a bit. As its name implies, the G25 is powered by a 2.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 that produces 218 horsepower and 187 lb-ft of torque. Pricing will start $30,950.

For $30,950, the G25 sedan scores you features like 17-inch wheels, xenon headlamps, leather seats, aluminum interior trim, power seats, and six-speaker stereo. The upscale Journey trim level adds a backup camera, heated front seats and dual zone climate control.

As a more affordable G sedan, the G25 will likely be a new volume seller for the brand, rivaling the likes of the Audi A4 2.0T and BMW 328i. We haven’t driven the car yet, but with the G37 arguably the best alternative to a 335i, we have high hopes for the Japanese sports sedan.

GALLERY: Infiniti G25

Official release after the jump:

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Infiniti brought out their new M35h, a hybrid version of the M sedan, packing a big V6 motor and the ability to hit 40 mpg on the highway. With 360 horsepower and a 7-speed automatic transmission, the M35h can get up to highway speed quickly, and can even cruise as fast as 62 mph on electric only power.

Fuel economy is only so-so.  With 25 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, it’s not far off from the V8 powered M56′s 27 mpg highway rating, but the big V8 only returns about 16 mpg around town. All the crazy tech features, like radar guided cruise control and a blindspot warning system, are present, as well as a pedestrian warning system for when the car is operating silently.

[Source: Nissan]

After the car first broke cover in Euro-spec form at the Geneva Auto Show, Mazda has finally rolled out the second-generation of its Mazda5 model at the LA Auto Show. The car’s clever packaging has yet to catch on, which is surprising when it delivers as much space as a mid-size crossover and comes with a fuel-efficient 4-cylinder engine. Oh, and Mazda has always offered the 5 (based on a version of the Mazda3 platform) with a manual transmission – how very European!

For 2012 the all-new Mazda5 gets a more swoopy design, while the engine grows in size from 2.3-liters to 2.5-liters with a total of 157-hp and 163 ft-lbs of torque. A 5-speed automatic transmission is standard on most models, with a 6-speed manual the base transmission on the Sport trim.

Mazda says fuel economy is unchanged, despite the displacement increase.

In terms of safety, the 5 comes with stability control as well as a new Brake Override Feature.

For 2012 the Mazda5 will be offered in Sport, Touring and Grand Touring trim levels. Standard features on the Sport model include 16-inch alloy wheels, power windows and door locks, power mirrors, A/C, a 6-speaker audio system, tilt and telescopic steering, remote keyless entry, a driver’s one-touch up/down window, a 50/50 split 3rd row seat and steering wheel mounted audio and cruise controls. Touring models get the 5-speed automatic, 17-inch wheels, an aero kit with rear spoiler, fog lights, Bluetooth and a leather wrapped steering wheel. The top-level Grand Touring trim then gets a power moonroof, HID automatic on/off headlights, heated mirrors, rain sensing wiper, driver’s seat lumbar, heated front seats and leather throughout.

GALLERY: 2012 Mazda5

Get even more details on all three trim levels after the jump:

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Citing the company’s long history of affordable compact cars that are environmentally sustainable, Mitsubishi today launched the U.S.-spec version of the electric i-MiEV at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show.

With some 4,000 i-MiEV models already on the road in different parts of the world, the car is now somewhat familiar, but the U.S. version has a few changes on the outside and underneath. The front fascia, in particular, has been reworked for U.S. standards, and Mitsubishi tells us this four-passenger car is intended to be the first salvo in the company’s push towards better overall emissions and consumption by 2020.

Power comes from a lithium-ion battery and electric motor that can be recharged in 16 hours from a conventional household outlet or 8 hours using a 220V outlet. A special 220V quick charger will, however, be able to charge up to 80 percent in just 30 minutes.

The other announcement today was that Mitsubishi has teamed up with Eaton to supply home recharging stations, and Best Buy to sell and install them. One last mention was the pricing, which will start at under $30,000 before any government incentives – or the optional graphics packages that will be available when the car hits showrooms next Fall.

Cars will hit dealers in California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii in November of next year with larger scale sales at the end of 2012.

GALLERY: U.S.-Spec Mitsubishi i-MiEV

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If your in the market for a new Corolla, the new A8 from Audi might not seem all that important, but to the German automaker it’s a crucial product for the U.S. market.

Audi is making huge sales strides here and built the new A8 to rival the very best from BMW and Mercedes. Again, the extended wheelbase “L” model might seem like a rare type of vehicle but in the U.S. it represents more than half all A8 sales. And after a look at the new car, debuting at the LA Auto Show today, it’s not hard to see why.

With a total length of 17.28 ft, the L is roughly 6-inches longer than the standard A8 – with all that space coming between the wheels to deliver half a foot extra in rear seat room. In that extra six-inches of space Audi has crammed the sort of luxury you might only expect on a yacht – and as much wood as a yacht too. The rear seats are heated and ventilated and can not only more forward and back, but also provide settings for cushion depth and seat back angle. And of course, there’s lumbar support and massagers built in. We particularly like the feature in the full-length center console that allows the rear seat passenger to push a button and have the front passenger seat move forward – making it easier to stretch out with the flip out ottoman and enjoy one of the two 10.2-inch LCD screens.

Other highlights include a fridge and folding table in the center console, as well as a 1,400-watt, 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System

Matching all that interior luxury is a suitable extravagant engine; displacing 6.3-liters and making 500-hp and 461 ft-lbs of torque. The W12 powerplant can accelerate the A8 L to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds.

Pricing for the A8 L starts at $84,000; a reasonable increase of just $6,000 over the standard wheelbase model.

GALLERY: Audi A8L

Poor Kia, always playing second fiddle to big brother Hyundai, including when it comes to Hybrids. Many months after the debut of the new Sonata Hybrid, the car’s twin, the new Kia Optima, now gets its own hybrid variant.

Using the same 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor and lithium-polymer battery, the combined output is 206-hp and 196 ft-lbs of torque. Fuel economy is projected to be 40-mpg on the highway says Kia, and if the package matches the Sonata Hybrid it will also get 36-mpg in the city. As a two-mode hybrid the system can operate on just electric power at up to 62 mph.

Unique to the hybrid model is a new front grille and 16-inch wheels, as well as headlights, fog lights, new front and rear lower bumpers and a rear spoiler.

Standard features include eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, dual zone climate control with rear vents, push-button start with smart key, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, automatic up/down on front windows, chrome interior door handles and a fixed rear seat with ski pass-through. An optional Premium Technology Package includes a panoramic sunroof, four-way power passenger seat, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, HID lights and a Nav system with 8-speaker infinity audio system.

Unique to the Optima Hybrid is a Virtual Engine Sound System (VESS), that plays an engine sound when in pure electric mode to notify pedestrians that the car is running.

Kia will also give the car an industry best 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty.

Click Here to Read AutoGuide’s Review of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

Click Here to Read AutoGuide’s Review of the 2011 Kia Optima

GALLERY: 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid Debut in LA

GALLERY: 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid

Official release after the jump:

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Every auto show brings a Scion debut of some sort, and while we don’t always get to see a new tC or some wild concept, you can count on something from Toyota’s youth brand.

Debuting at the LA Auto Show is the latest special edition of the popular xB model. Dubbed the xB Release Series 8.0 this Voodoo Blue box is the eighth special edition xB to be released – a hint at just how popular these limited edition cars are with the Scion crowd.

The Scion xB RS 8.0 comes with a four-piece bodykit designed by Kenstyle that adds some more aggression to the boxy shape. Also included in the package is a sunroof (with tilt and slide function not available on the current xB), as well as a a black fabric with blue highlights to match that exterior Voodoo Blue paint.

Just 2,000 xB Release Series 8.0 models will be built and priced from $18,405 with a stick shift or $19,355 with an auto-box. The rear spoiler can be had for an additional $320.

GALLERY: Scion xB RS 8.0