Nissan introduced its new Pathfinder Concept SUV at the Detroit Auto Show today. Boasting an all-new design, Nissan looks to provide more passenger comfort, innovative technology, and fuel-efficient performance when production versions hit the showroom this coming fall.

The next Pathfinder promises an aerodynamic body combined with a more efficient V6 engine as well as the latest CVT transmission to make it one of the most fuel efficient 7-passenger vehicles available. Figures are expected to reach a 25 percent increase in combined City/Highway fuel economy while an intelligent four-wheel-drive drivetrain will also give the new Pathfinder towing capacity that is competitive with the segment leaders.

Al Castignetti, the vice president and general manager of Nissan North America said, “Nissan is in a great position today. Sales are up, market share is increasing and our dealers have a great selection of 2012 Nissan cars, trucks, and SUVs in inventory. This new Pathfinder Concept is just the beginning of a far-reaching wave of new products on the horizon for Nissan.”

Castignetti also added, “By the end of 2012, more than 70 percent of our sales volume will be all-new or redesigned.”

GALLERY: 2013 Nissan Pathfinder Concept

GALLERY: 2013 Nissan Pathfinder Concept

Kia design boss Peter Schreyer took Automotive News reporter Ryan Beene on a tour of the Los Angeles Auto Show, outlining his favorite designs of the show floor.

The big winners for Schreyer were the Range Rover Evoque (“If it wasn’t labeled a Range Rover, you’d recognize it as one”), the Porsche 911 and the Mazda MX-5 (with Schreyer stating he’d “…love to have a car like that for Kia…).

Shcreyer also discussed how styling cues were propagating across numerous manufacturers (such as the beltline of the Mercedes CL becoming ubiquitous) and how SUVs were becoming more car-like (describing the Honda CR-V, for example, as “…more harmonized and not so aggressive.”)

Of all the vehicles though, Schreyer seemed to love the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG the most. He described it to Beene as “…the most ‘Mercedes’ Mercedes.”

[Source: Automotive News]

See AutoGuide’s Top 10 Cars of the LA Auto Show Here

Chevrolet‘s new mid-size Colorado pickup will offer most of the functionality of a full-size light-duty pickup without the operating costs, according to Mark Reuss, head of General Motors North America.

“You may have 85, 90 percent of what a big pickup will do,” Reuss told Automotive News at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The previous Colorado offered a 5-cylinder and a V8 option but Reuss did not announce powertrain options. With upcoming fuel economy regulations and rising gas prices, the Colorado will be an important entry in the pickup truck segment, the dominant vehicle in the United States.

Reuss also said that ”rather than putting full-blown four-mode hybrids or two-mode hybrids into large pickup trucks and trying to get efficiency out of it, which is extremely expensive, we can do things with lower displacement, hybridization, alternate fuels.” Reuss also noted that the running costs of the Colorado would be significantly less than a full-size pickup.

General Motors will have to convince buyers that the smaller Colorado will be able to meet their needs, while marketing the pickup in such a way as to avoid the stigma that small pickups have among some buyers. GM did not say whether GMC will get a version to replace the GMC Canyon, sister truck to the Colorado.

[Source: Automotive News]

Americans have been historically unreceptive to small cars, and the 2013 Chevrolet Spark represents uncharted territory for the brand, which will introduce their first B-segment car since the Chevrolet Metro, long the butt of jokes for American society.

Unveiled at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Spark measures two feet shorter than the already compact Chevrolet Sonic, but is only 6 inches shorter than the Chevrolet Equinox mid-size crossover. These dimensions leave us a bit skeptical, as the whole package seems a tad top-heavy, but the 1.2L 4-cylinder engine only makes 85-horsepower, so high-speed cornering is more theoretical than realistic.

We do like the 2,269-lb curb weight, as well as the 7-inch touch screen and Bluetooth integration. The Spark has done well in a number of world markets where physical space is at a premium, and considering how much we liked the Sonic, we’re optimistic that the Spark will be a fun, if not sporty, urban runabout.

Gallery: 2013 Chevrolet Spark

The Honda Fit EV just made its World Debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show and we want to take this opportunity to tell Nissan that it needs to watch its mirrors. Promising a range close to the Leaf Leaf (123 miles vs 138 for the Leaf), and a price of just $36,625, the new Fit EV offers virtually all of the benefits of the Nissan, but with a  platform that has already proven to be versatile and fun.

Honda will initially offer the Fit EV on three-year lease plans for around $399/month and plans to find around 1,100 takers in those first three years. We don’t think that is an unrealistic expectation at all. The electric Fit joins natural gas, fuel cell and hybrids in the Honda lineup, making it one of the most diverse lineups in terms of alternative energy sources.

Honda will begin leasing the Fit EV to customers in select California and Oregon markets next summer, and will expand to six East Coast markets in early 2013.

Gallery: 2013 Honda Fit FV

While Volkswagen was displaying their “new” Beetle R “concept” and freshened 2012 VW CC at the Los Angeles Auto Show, there was also a new Passat sitting there which we have seen even more than the other two cars. Old news we were thinking… until Angus MacKenzie from Motor Trend stepped on stage.

Taking most of the assembled media members aback, Angus announced that the 2012 Passat had been chosen as this year’s Car Of The Year. From the largest field ever in the award’s 60-odd years of existence, the guys at MT picked the Passat. If we challenged you to name the 35 or so cars that were in the running this year, chances are you might have forgotten the Passat. But as Mr. MacKenzie pointed out, the new Passat was the best at meeting the magazine’s six judging criteria. We don’t have anything against the Passat, mind you, but we have to say that this selection was a big surprise.

Gallery: Volkswagen Beetle R Concept

Mazda unveiled their latest entry into the compact crossover market at the Los Angeles Auto Show Wednesday, with the 2013 CX-5.  The CX-5 will be the first vehicle to use a full suite of Mazda’s SKYACTIV technologies, designed to reduce weight and increase fuel economy without compromising the sporty character of Mazda’s offerings.

A 2.0L SKYACTIV 4-cylinder, similar to that of the Mazda3, will be featured on the CX-5, and while power and fuel economy figures weren’t announced 155-horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque, while two 6-speed transmissions, an automatic and a manual, will be offered. The Mazda3 can get as high as 28 mpg city and 40 mpg highway, and while the CX-5 may not match that, we expect strong numbers nonetheless. A diesel will also appear sometime after launch (Mazda gave no time frame, but has previously started that it will arrive, and initial driving impressions have been favorable. Mazda’s official press release is after the jump.

Gallery: 2013 Mazda CX-5

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Cadillac‘s long awaited XTS flagship has been officially revealed with a whole suite of technology features that should help it establish a niche among buyers interested in more than just rear-drive handling dynamics.

The XTS is based on a front-drive architecture, a move that has come under fire among some critics as counter-productive, considering that rear-drive is a supposed hallmark of prestige employed by European and Asian rivals. With the XTS, Cadillac has chosen to use a Haldex all-wheel drive system, similar to brands like Audi and Volvo, which should match nicely with the direct-injected 3.6L V6, as well as provide a strong selling point in Snow Belt states.

On the performance side, the XTS will also employ a number of GM’s most advanced techologies, including Magnetic Ride Control, a rear air suspension, a HiPer Strut front suspension and Brembo brakes. Traditional large-sedan attributes have also been given sufficient attention – the XTS boasts 4 more inches of rear seat leg room and more trunk space than most German competitors – no doubt a way to position the XTS as a livery car as well.

As with most modern premium cars, the XTS places a heavy emphasis on both safety and technology, with the two themes interwoven in a variety of systems that Cadillac is heavily touting. The XTS will use a variety of radar sensors to control features like Adaptive Cruise Control (which can speed up or slow down the vehicle automatically), Front and Rear Automatic Brakes (which can bring the vehicle to a complete stop if necessary to prevent low-speed collisions) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (which lets the driver know if there is pedestrian or vehicle traffic when backing out of a parking spot). The XTS will also have a vibrating alert placed in the front seat, which will allow the XTS to warn the driver of threats on either the left or right side that may be out of sight.

Other safety features like a Blind Spot warning system and a Lane Departure warning system will be made available, as well as 10 standard airbags. Cadillac’s CUE infotainment system will make its debut on the XTS, with an 8-inch screen that is said to offer an iPhone-like touch screen interface. An LCD instrument panel that can be completely customized will also be available, and is said to be an industry first.

GALLERY: 2013 Cadillac XTS

Check back later as AutoGuide brings you live shots of the Cadillac XTS at its live reveal at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The ultra-limited production Jaguar XKR-S will get a droptop companion sometime in 2012, with Jaguar unveiling the 2013 Jaguar XKR-S Convertible at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show on November 16th.

With a 5.0L supercharged V8 making 542 horsepower and 502 lb-ft , making it the most powerful Jaguar ever produced. The coupe can hit 60 mph in 4.2 seconds while reaching speeds of 186 mph. Expect the droptop to be just a tick slower due to the added weight. Jaguar will also show the C-X16 concept in North America for the first time, giving domestic show goers a glimpse of the amazing turbine powered concept.

[Source: Motor Authority]