You wouldn’t expect a Kia to be the star of an auto show. Then again, you probably wouldn’t expect a 250 hp, widebody Kia Soul.

Unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show, the wildly modified Track’ster is just a concept… for now. Kia has announced that while it has no plans to bring this specific car to market, company execs are awaiting market reaction to judge if a high-performance crossover is in the cards for Kia.

GALLERY: Kia Track’ster Concept

Find out more about the Track’ster below and let us know if you think Kia should build a high performance crossover:

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Easily the most beautiful piece of sheetmetal unveiled at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, the Lexus LF-LC Concept stunned crowds with its technology, style and mystery – hinting at a future super coupe that’s still a few years off.

Created by the brand’s Calty design studio in Southern California, one can’t help but wonder how a vehicle like this moves from concept to reality. To answer that question the Toyota luxury division has commissioned short film that entitled “Resonance of Passion” that is, in and of itself, is a work of art.

GALLERY: Lexus LF-LC Concept

Watch the Lexus LF-LC Concept Inception video below”:

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As though the reveal of the NSX Concept at the Detroit Auto Show didn’t garner enough buzz, Acura is looking to reach an even wider audience by showcasing the new hybrid sports car during this weekend’s Super Bowl. And to help out they’ve employed the help of two of the word’s best known comedians, both of whom just also happen to be well-known car buffs: Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno.

The spot pits the two against each other to be the very first to own the new NSX, which isn’t set to go on sale for another three years.

How does it pan out? Watch the video below and see for yourself:

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One of the stand-out cars at this year’s North American International Auto Show, the Cadillac ATS looks extremely promising. In the 4th installment of Cadillac’s “The Journey” series, we witness GM’s commitment behind this product, from conception, to development, to its debut at the Detroit Auto Show.

Tuned during Nurburgring shakedown testing, the ATS aims to take on the best of what Germany has to offer– the luxury compact sedan segment. Weighing less than 3,400 lbs, the ATS is expected to carry 100 lbs less than either an Audi A4 or Mercedes-Benz C-Class. What’s more, the ATS will also possess an all-original chassis attaining 50/50 weight distribution, must like the segment leading BMW 3-series. But most of all, the party piece of the ATS’ handling dynamics will be its magnetic ride shocks– a first in this segment.

The Cadillac will come with as many engine trim options as its German rivals, offering a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder base power plant producing 200-hp, a 270-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and a 318-hp 3.6-liter V6. Expect a diesel engine offering later in the ATS lifecycle as well.

A lot rests upon the ATS as its success will draw implications to Cadillac’s future in the global market. GM North America President Mark Reuss is confident, boldly introducing the ATS at the Detroit Auto Show as, “this is the car to finally challenge the German cars at their own game and win.”

GALLERY: 2013 Cadillac ATS

Watch the 4th video of “The Journey” series below and look out for an appearance by AutoGuide’s very own Editor-in-Chief Colum Wood!

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Tanner Foust recently spent the day at Homestead-Miami Speedway, putting the new Ford Focus ST-R turnkey race car to the test. The Global RallyCross Champion and founding member of the Octane Academy, not to mention Top Gear television celebrity and former Formula Drift champion, came away impressed with what the Focus ST-R could do on the track.

The Focus ST-R is scheduled to make its racing debut at the upcoming Grand AM weekend at Daytona on January 26-27th in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. The ST-R is powered by a turbocharged 2.0L EcoBoost engine mated to a six-speed Getrag transmission. Unfortunately Ford hasn’t disclosed how much power the ST-R puts out, but based on the video it appears that the Focus will be quite impressive in its competition debut.

Check out the video after the break.

[Source: YouTube via Ford Racing TV]

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Toyota motorsports partner Gazoo Racing is known for its Super GT teams and Nurburgring race cars. How do they stack up when it comes to the sport art of drifting? Not too well, judging from this video.

As part of a demonstration event held at the Tokyo Auto Salon each year, automakers, tuners and racing teams get the chance to display the power of their vehicles on a small course set up outside the venue. One of the vehicles this year was a Lexus IS-F prepped by Gazoo.

We don’t want to ruin it for you, but let’s just say, perhaps there’s a reason pylons are made of plastic.

Watch the video below:

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And the world’s fastest hybrid is? The Porsche Panamera Hybrid S? Sure… that sounds believable, especially after watching the teaser video below. But wait…

The hybrid Porsche sedan isn’t the only car in the clip below. Watch carefully at the 0:15 mark and you’ll see the reflection of another car in the Porsche’s shiny paint. Why yes…. that is an Infiniti M35h.

Infiniti already pulled a stunt in the UK to promote the M35h as the world’s fastest accelerating hybrid, but since then Porsche has released its new 380 hp gasoline-electric sedan with a claimed 0-60 time of 5.7 seconds.

So which car is actually faster? You can check back on January 23rd to find out.

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Buick has achieved two straight years of growth and the brand is looking to keep up the momentum, targeting new buyers with unconventional new products. The Enclave SUV kicked-off the new Buick and it’s been a smash success, and even near the end of its product cycle continues to be the brand’s best seller. So if one crossover is a good idea, two must be better… right?

That thinking has spawned the Encore, a sub-compact crossover, that’s a step down in size from GM models like the Chevy Equinox. Rather than being based on a compact car platform like the Cruze, it’s based on the sub-compact Sonic.

For more on the Encore, watch AutoGuide’s first look video from the Detroit Auto Show below.

GALLERY: 2013 Buick Encore

The compact car category continues to grow and is increasingly becoming the most important and highest volume segment in America. For years Chrysler hasn’t had a competitive offering, something it is looking to change with the all-new Dodge Dart.

Sharing its underpinnings with an Alfa Romeo it’s the direct result of the tie-up between Chrysler and Fiat, with all the benefits that can have.Included in the list of rather European specs listed for the Dart are a fully-independent rear suspension and an optional turbocharged 1.4-liter 4-cylinder mated to a dual-clutch transmission.

Unveiled this week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, see AutoGuide’s first look video of the 2013 Dodge Dart below.

GALLERY: 2013 Dodge Dart

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Expanding the Prius range of vehicles to four, the new “c” model is the smallest and most affordable Prius yet. Toyota also promises it will be the most fun to drive and it will get an even higher fuel economy rating than the standard Prius with 53 mpg combined. Unveiled this week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, watch AutoGuide’s first look video of the Prius c below.

GALLERY: Toyota Prius c

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