Toyota has announced that starting in 2013, it will sell Lexus vehicles in India. No specific products were announced for sale, but likely contenders include the LS and GS sedans, as well as the RX crossover. Given India’s less than perfect roads, the LX and GX SUVs (based on the popular Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs) may also make it over.

While Lexus has been around for over 20 years, the brand didn’t expand beyond North American and Europe until 2o05. Asia, Russia the Middle East and now India are its latest conquests, and Toyota is hoping to repeat its success in markets like The United States. Unlike some luxury manufacturers, like Mercedes-Benz, Toyota will import Lexus vehicles from Japan and elsewhere. Mercedes chooses to assemble vehicles locally to avoid expensive import duties.

[Source: Left Lane News]

Honda announced today that they would use excess capacity at their Alabama plant following a $300 million investment in the facility. The investment will allow for a total of 340,000 units anually.

Rising exchange rates are forcing Honda to devote more resources to North American production while reducing exports. Honda will shift their Acura MDX luxury SUV to the plant from their Canadian factory in Ontario, and use their Ontario plant to produce the 2012 Honda CR-V crossover.

[Source: Reuters]

An article in Automotive News proposed that the Saab 9-4X crossover may be the world’s rarest new vehicle on sale. Although Saab had planned to sell between 15,000 and 20,000 examples globally this year (with half of sales conducted in the United States), a mere 194 have been sold through October in the United States.

While ultra-low volume cars like the Lexus LFA may sell in the double digits for a given model year, the 9-4X is a mainstream vehicle, built at a General Motors facility in Mexico and based on the Cadillac SRX crossover. Given Saab’s recent financial roller coaster, it’s no surprise that production and supply woes would be present. But the notion of a Saab being one of the rarest vehicles on sale, is highly ironic. For years, nobody wanted Saab products. Now it would be tough to find one even if you wanted one.

[Source: Automotive News]

The Ford Flex never really caught on in the marketplace, but the car has a cult following among a certain subset, who enjoy its quirky looks and seven-passenger layout. Ford unveiled a revised version Thursday at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

For 2013, the Flex will get a few changes to help make it more attractive to consumers. The base 3.5L V6 gets a 20 horsepower increase to 285, while the 3.5L Ecoboost V6 remains unchanged. A 1 mpg bump is also applicable to the base V6.

A revised front end (similar to what was previously seen on higher end Flex trim levels) marks the big change for this year, along with an updated interior and a new version of the MyFordTouch infotainment system. Features like a blind-spot alert system, adaptive cruise control push- button start, rear inflatable belts, rain-sensing wipers and active park assist will all be available.

Gallery: 2013 Ford Flex

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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The future of the Jeep Liberty will be revealed Wednesday when Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne  will visit the Toledo, Ohio plant that currently builds the truck.

The new Liberty will shed its traditional off-road roots and move to a Fiat-based car platform. While the move to a crossover may anger traditionalist, Marchionne was apparently less than enthused regarding the Liberty’s lagging sales, especially compared to crossovers like the Honda CR-V. There is also talk of reviving the iconic Cherokee nameplate for the new car.

The new platform is expected to underpin as many as 8 future vehicles. Chrysler will invest $365 million in the plant and add 1,105 jobs.

[Source: Automotive News]

BMW‘s X6 crossover is due for a facelift any time now, and our spy photographers have caught the vehicle uncovered.

Like any good facelift, the X6 has relatively minor changes, but is still distinct enough that owners of the previous car will feel compelled to trade up for the latest and greatest.

Engines won’t change, with the 35i and 50i models carrying over their turbo engines. Europe will get the obligatory diesel, while the ActiveHybrid model dies a long awaited death, obnoxious decals and all.

Gallery: BMW X6 Facelift

This year’s SEMA awards were announced Wednesday morning, with the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford F-Series and Jeep Wrangler taking home the awards for Hottest Car, Truck and 4×4 SUV respectively.

The big surprise here was the announcement of the Fiat 500 as the Hottest Sport Compact, despite a relatively small presence at the SEMA show. The Hyundai Veloster seemed like a far more likely candidate for the award, given the ubiquity of the new Hyundai hatchback.

Check out AutoGuide’s SEMA coverage here

Porsche‘s profits rose by 25 percent in the first 9 months of the year, as overall revenue and vehicle deliveries rose by 20 and 31 percent respectively.

Cayenne sales were up 74 percent, as the SUV became the brand’s best selling model, with 43,924 units sold. The Panamera was second with 18,750 sold. Sales of the 911 sports car were down by 13 percent to 13,777, although a new model will be launching in December. Sales of the Cayenne outrank Porsche’s sports cars by an astonishing 2:1 ratio, an unthinkable statistic as little as a decade ago.

Europe remained Porsche’s strong market, followed by the United States. Chinese sales were up 82 percent and show no signs of slowing down. Porsche’s upcoming Cajun small crossover should help push sales to even greater volumes when it launches in 2013.

[Source: Wall Street Journal]

Fans of the Land Rover Defender worried about the iconic off-roader’s impending demise should feel at ease, because the Defender has a long life ahead of it, with production scheduled until 2017.

While a new, more civilized Defender, will bow in 2015, the current vehicle will remain in production until 2017, and possibly as long as 2020. Changes in emissions and safety legislation that would have rendered the Defender unfit for sale have been ammended, or exemptions have been granted for the vehicle.

The Defender was also re-classified as a commercial vehicle a number of years ago, and reports suggest that this should help further safeguard the vehicle’s future in the European marketplace.

[Source: Autocar]

Porsche broke ground on an expansion of its Leipzig, Germany factory, that will produce its upcoming Cajun crossover, a smaller model expected to slot below the popular Cayenne SUV.

The $500 million investment will add 1,000 new jobs at the plant, which already produces the Panamera sedan and the Cayenne. The Cajun will ride on the same platform as the Audi Q5 and debut in 2013.

[Source: Left Lane News]

Sorry to get your hopes up, but it looks like the 2013 Chevrolet TrailBlazer won’t be coming here after all. Despite teasing us with a preview of the upcoming mid-size SUV, Chevrolet representatives said that there are no immediate plans to bring the TrailBlazer to our market.

The TrailBlazer’s platform-mate, the Colorado pickup, will be coming here, so there’s no reason why GM couldn’t change its mind. Nevertheless, Asia and South America will get first dibs on the truck, with Thailand serving as the TrailBlazer’s first market. GM noted that the TrailBlazer was developed by their Brazilian arm, which means the TrailBlazer will likely be a more compact, fuel-efficient SUV, although it will ride on a traditional truck platform, rather than a car-based frame.

[Source: Inside Line]

The Chevrolet TrailBlazer was killed off in 2009 to make way for GM’s new range of car-based crossovers, but evidently there’s still demand for a mid-size, truck based SUV, as Chevrolet has announced a new TrailBlazer based on the upcoming Colorado mid-size pickup.

Given that the Colorado was developed for world markets by GM’s Thailand division, expect the new TrailBlazer to differ from the outgoing vehicle, which could be had with a 6.0L small-block V8. The new TrailBlazer will be unveiled alongside the Colorado at the Dubai Motor Show in November. In the mean time, check out the press release below.

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Outlandish engine swaps are usually a fool’s errand that cost far more time and money than most people ever expect. Of course, if you’re a major automaker with endless financial and mechanical resources behind you, you can do whatever you want.

When Nissan set out to create the Juke-R, considerations like “budget”, “space” and “access to materials” didn’t matter. Since they had a Juke, a spare Nissan GT-R and a full workship at their disposal, they were able to go buck wild. Fitting the GT-R drivetrain into the Juke required serious work far beyond the pale of even an experienced hobby mechanic, but we’ll let the video explain how it all went down.

Hit the jump to see the official video

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The next generation Ford Escape is set to make its debut at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show and the decade-old SUV is set to be replaced by a much more modern crossover with three new engines.

Styling-wise, the new Escape should mimic the Vertrek concept (above) that originally debuted at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show in January, but the latest announcement comes regarding the new Escape’s powertrains.

Ford’s venerable 2.5L four cylinder will stay in the lineup, but a pair of Ecoboost four-cylinder engines, displacing 1.6L and 2.0L will also be on offer. We expect the Ecoboost motors to be the “premium” offerings, with the 2.0L, 237-horsepower engine being the performance offering of the range. Ford also said that the 1.6L example will beat the Escape Hybrid’s 31 mpg highway rating. Stay tuned to AutoGuide for live coverage of the Los Angeles Auto Show starting on November 16th.

Jeep has scrapped plans to build a replacement for their Patriot and Compass SUVs in Italy, and will instead build a subcompact Jeep product in Italy that will also be badged as a Fiat in world markets.

The car will replace the Fiat Sedici, which is itself based on the Suzuki SX4. Jeep will then build a replacement for their two small SUVs, as well as an Alfa Romeo-badged variant in Illinois.

The Compass/Patriot will eventually be replaced by a single model that will likely ride on the same architecture as the Alfa Giulietta, that will also underpin a replacement for the Dodge Caliber.

[Source: Automotive News]

A Salt Lake City, Utah, rental car company had a bit of trouble recovering a 2009 Ford Explorer they’d loaned to 42 year old Jennifer Marshall Hansen of Sandy City, Utah, who failed to return the vehicle that was scheduled for September 1.

According to court papers, an Affordable Rent-A-Car employee used Facebook to “friend” Jennifer and then arranged a date to meet her. Jennifer agreed and drove to the meeting in the SUV she had loaned, effectively cooperating in her own capture.

Now, Jennifer Marshall Hansen faces a second-degree felony court of theft. If convicted, Hansen could get as much as 15 years behind bars. Quite a steep penalty for an overdue rental.

[Source: WashintonPost]

A study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety revealed a significant drop in fatalities involving accidents between a car or a minivan versus an SUV of comparable weight.

By comparing two sample sets, one used to record the number of crashes involving SUVs registered in 2000-2001 and another to record SUVs from 2008-2009, IIHS discovered that fatalities have decreased from 44 deaths per million registered vehicles to a dramatically improved 16 deaths per million. Only SUVs and trucks weighing between 3,000 to 3,499 pounds were recognized for the study.

Specialists have concluded that the positive findings have the continuing innovations on safety to thank. Late model cars and minivans possess more effective crumple zones, stronger structures, as well as curtain airbags. Preemptive sensors such as lane departure and blind spot warnings also improve a driver’s odds of avoiding an accidentally completely.

Newer SUVs and pickups have also lowered their crumple structures to better align with cars, allowing optimal energy absorption before violent forces from the crash enter into the passenger cabin.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Jeep Liberty SUVs built between 2002 and 2003 for an issue regarding the premature deployment of airbags.

NHTSA said that they’ve received 7 complaints regarding airbags deploying without a crash, with 5 of these incidents having caused injuries. 387,356 vehicles are said to be affected by the issue.

[Source: Automotive News]

It looks like mom can put her feet up and enjoy a quiet house for a couple of minutes – dads are getting more involved in kid carpooling duties, although they are more likely to drop the kids off at school in a utility vehicle rather than a minivan.

A new survey by Chevrolet shows that men are taking a much more active roll when it comes to dropping off and picking up the kids from school. The survey takes its results from an online survey conducted by Harris Interactive. The results show that 80 percent of American fathers with children aged 17 or younger enjoy an active daily family life and more than 70 percent drive their kids to school, daycare or extracurricular activities.

“According to recent Census data, there are 154,000 stay-at-home dads and more than 25 million dads who have kids under 17. The trend is shifting and men are becoming more involved with family-driving duties. We’re seeing the rise of the ‘Dadmobile,’” said James Bell, head of General Motors Consumer Affairs.

But according to these fathers, they’d much rather pull dad-duty in a utility vehicle. Moms still love their minivans (58 percent really dig them, thanks to features such as sliding doors), but dads think minivans aren’t manly enough. The survey also asked dads how cool their family vehicles were, and they came up with a 6.4 rating on a 10-point scale.

The dads surveyed in the poll went with SUVs and crossovers as their preferred family vehicle, citing they could accomplish all their daily activities in them, whether it be work or personal. Dads want to do everything in their vehicles – from holiday travel (94 percent) to work commutes (63 percent) to household do-it-yourself projects (54 percent). Less than one quarter of those surveyed said they prefer a minivan for these tasks.

The study showed that on the top of fathers’ family vehicle must-have list is a safe, fuel-efficient vehicle. And since they are “kidpooling,” passenger capacity is pretty important to nearly 40 percent of fathers, along with functionality, ample cargo space and comfort. The survey also noted that two of the most stressful things dads had to deal with regarding travel are high fuel prices and traffic jams.

So who performs most of the school drop off and pick up duties in your household? Leave us your two cents in the comments section below.

NHTSA has announced a safety recall for 10,600 model year 2007-2008 Kia Sorento SUVs. A sensor used to deactivate an airbag when a child or baby seat is installed at the front passenger side may incorrectly deactivate the airbag when an adult is in the passenger seat. Airbag deactivation will cause an increased risk of occupant injury in the event of a frontal collision.

According to studies, this malfunction occurs when a heavier adult rider is present. The “passenger airbag off” warning light will illuminate in such an occurrence, notifying the occupants of the vehicle.

Kia is currently informing all affected Sorento owners to bring their vehicles to authorized dealerships to receive a reprogram for their OCS system.

[Source: NHTSA]

Fiat may shift planned production of Jeep and Alfa Romeo SUVs from the Turin plant to an American facility. If this is successful, Fiat will have space to produce a small car at the Italian plant. One insider said that the compact car may be built at the Mirafiori plant, and Fiat’s strategic SUV move is based on America’s ongoing demand for trucks, although Fiat has yet to make a final decision.

Less than a year ago, Fiat invested $1.44 billion in the Turin plant in order to produce Jeep and Alfa Romeo SUVs for late 2012, but since then, the Euro has increased nearly nine percent against the american dollar. This economic shift makes the possiblity of manufacturing Jeep vehicles aborad, then shipping them back to the U.S, a less profitable venture. Fiat will likely build the trucks stateside, allowing Jeep to remain domestic and providing Alfa Romeo with momentum to relaunch in America.

[Source: Detroit News]

The Mazda CX-5 will enter the highly competitive compact crossover segment in the U.S when it debuts in early 2012. The CX-5 prototype was equipped with 165-hp  2.0-liter engine producing 150 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission and the American version will likely use the same setup.

A diesel variant available in the U.S, equipped with a 2.2-liter, twin-turbo direct injection engine. The diesel will produce over 160-hp and about 310 lb-ft of torque.

The CX-5 will compete against the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Volkswagen Tiguan and Kia Sportage. The CX-5 will be 178.7 inches long, making it more than five inches shorter than the CX-7. The 106.3 inch wheelbase also makes it two inches shorter than the CX-7. The diesel will be added to the crossover in 2014 and will make its North American debut at the Los Angeles auto show in November. Mazda has yet to confirm pricing for the U.S market but Mazda reps say that the base model will sell for around $20,000.

GALLERY: 2012 Mazda CX-5

Click here to read AutoGuide’s drive of the new Mazda SkyActiv prototype and see after the jump to watch the video:

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The Honda Pilot mid-size SUV will be receiving some minor upgrades for the 2012 model year which includes exterior, interior and mechanical updates.

The most noticeable upgrade to the exterior includes a new grille and front fascia. The outgoing model’s six sided grille insert will be replaced with a distinctive three-bar horizontal design. The interior will feature upgraded materials and a revised instrument panel with new center stack layout. There have also been some minor changes to the audio and navigational systems. Fuel economy has also been improved by one mile per gallon overall to 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway for a combined rating of 21 mpg. The Pilot will still use the 24 valve i-VTEC 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 250-hp and 253 lb-ft of torque. The engine features Honda’s Variable Cylinder Management system that allows the V6 to operate in six-cylinder mode for power and four or three-cylinder modes for efficiency.

GALLERY: 2012 Honda Pilot