#2011LosAngelesAutoShow

Porsche had a treat for all of us attending the LA Auto Show this year leading up to the unveiling of the new Panamera GTS. A video was shown on the big screen boasting four of Porsche’s talented drivers, all taking a seat in the new Panamera GTS and having one hell of a ride out on a track. Greeting us on the show floor were drivers Patrick Long and Romain Dumas to pull the cover up off the new GTS.

Now Porsche has the video to share with the rest of the general public, showcasing all of the GTS’s strengths. Four passenger seating, ridiculous power, control and well, amazingly good looks. If you can’t tell by now, we’re huge fans of the new Panamera GTS… if only it came with a manual.

Check out the video after the break.

Just a few years ago picking a Top 10 Cars list from the LA Auto Show would have been a simple task, with few world premieres and most of the vehicles on display having already been revealed at some overseas venue. That’s no longer the case, with over 20 global debuts this year. So with a sizable list to choose from, the AutoGuide team sat down at the end of the two media days of press conferences to determine the most exciting, most interesting and most important reveals of the show. And here they are:

If you’re a lover of hot-hatches then there’s a lot going on at Ford these days that will interest you. For starters there’s the new Focus ST, a high-performance version of the new compact hatch that’s set to take on cars like the Mazdaspeed3 and Civic Si. It makes 247-hp from a turbocharged direct-injection EcoBoost 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and thanks to a long list of upgrades an an innovative torque distribution system, looks to be plenty fun, and plenty capable.

Prior to this year’s LA Auto Show, there appeared to be a great deal of buzz surrounding the Dodge stand, after all the limited production Yellow Jacket Challenger and Charger Super Bee were due to make their debut here, most attendees expecting them to make a splash, finished in retina scorching yellow.

Over a year ago Honda and Mazda got the ball rolling, announcing new B-Spec race cars based on their sub-compact Fit and Mazda2 models. Since then numerous other automakers have signed on, ranging from Fiat with the 500, to Kia with the Rio. The latest automaker to toss its tires into the ring is MINI, with a B-Spec race version of the Cooper Hardtop.

The Fiat 500 was just an appetizer. This is the car Fiat fans have really been waiting for, the 500 Abarth. Built by the automaker’s in-house tuning division, the Abarth model gets a long list of upgrades, from a lower and stiffer suspension, to upgraded wheels and, most importantly, a turbocharged mated to the 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engine to deliver 160-hp. Find out more on the Fiat 500 Abarth in the video below.

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.

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.

Over the past few decades, one of the main criticisms that could be made against Buick models is that they were quasi-luxury cars, never quite rising to the status of a the Germans or Japanese. Buick now seems ready to raise the bar, with the debut of the LaCrosse GL Concept at the LA Auto Show.

Adding performance, power and style, Porsche has unveiled the new Panamera GTS at the LA Auto Show. Already an impressive performer, Porsche ups the ante with a long list of upgrades, ranging from the brakes to the exhaust system, to a standard Sport Chrono Package with launch control. Power has also been increased 30-hp from the 4.8-liter V8 for a total of 430-hp.

With custom bodywork and a lowered suspension, this Panamera is starting to change our opinion on the car’s much-maligned looks.

For more on the new Panamera GTS, watch the video below:

Star of the upcoming movie Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Paula Patton, was on hand in helping introduce the North American debut of BMW’s i3 and i8 Concepts. Neither of these concepts are new to us, having seen them in detail at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but it’s understandable with the i8 playing a major role in the upcoming movie why BMW would give it center stage at the LA Auto Show.

At the LA Auto Show today, BMW announced pricing on their new 2013 3-Series. The 328i will start at $35,775 while the 335i will start at $43,275.

Giving us our first look at what the production BRZ will look like, Subaru has revealed a concept version of the rear-wheel drive sports car at the LA Auto Show. Sporting styling and performance additions from the brand’s STI division, it’s hard to miss some of the add-ons.

Lincoln’s full-size crossover just got plenty of upgrades for 2013 including Continually Controlled Damping, Lincoln Drive Control, more standard horsepower along with a 1-mpg highway improvement, new interior styling, a new MyLincoln Touch system, upgraded exterior design and new safety and convenience features.

Lincoln has revamped its MKS for 2013, sporting a whole new exterior appearance as part of a change in the brand’s design direction.  While different, it’s not exactly a departure from the previous model, although with this just a mid-cycle update any drastic changes will have to be saved for the next all-new model.