The story behind the all-new 2009 Lincoln MKS was that you had this wonderfully attractive vehicle that looked the part of a luxury sedan but didn’t quite have the upgrade engine available to make it an outstanding luxury performer.

However, with the base model priced at $40,870, the MKS had a really competitive starting point.

Enter the 2010 MKS EcoBoost. This newest version of the MKS comes in front- or all-wheel drive with a new 355-horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 engine. Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, this EcoBoost engine option pushes the MKS into direct competition with some of the best sedans in the class, but at a much lower price.
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When Nissan revived the Z in 2002, the car was a revelation. Unmistakably a serious sports car, the 350Z had power to spare and it handled like a dream. As good as the 350Z was, the new generation of the Z – now called 370Z – is that much better.

Nissan kicked off the new generation of its affordable sports car in 2009 with a redesigned coupe. With a wheelbase almost 4 inches shorter than that of the 350Z, the new car actually handled better. And with a far superior interior, buyers of the last-generation model had to be kicking themselves for not waiting a little longer to buy a Z.
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Subaru today announced pricing on the 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition model at $32,995 plus $695 D&D. The new model is priced $2,000 lower than the base price of the 2010 WRX STI and will be limited in production. The vehicle features an upgraded performance suspension from the Japanese domestic market WRX STI spec C and spec C wheels.

The 2010 WRX STI Special Edition is aimed at the driving enthusiast who is willing to trade a few amenities to gain an extra measure of handling performance over the already extraordinary WRX STI.

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BMW announced pricing today for the 2011 ActiveHybrid 7models during their North American debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show.

BMW’s first hybrid performance/luxury sedans will arrive in showrooms in Spring 2011 with a base MSRP of $103,125 including destination and handling for the ActiveHybrid 7 and $107,025 for the long wheelbase ActiveHybrid 7L.
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In 2010, a revolutionary new Tucson joins the rapidly evolving Hyundai product line. The sleek crossover from Hyundai, with its athletic European design, strikes a stark contrast from its predecessor and improves in every functional area, from its roomier cabin with extra cargo space to its leap in fuel economy and technology.

Tucson features the company’s “Fluidic Sculpture” design language and is the first vehicle in Hyundai’s 24/7 version 2.0 product initiative (seven all-new models by the end of 2011).
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Volkswagen – Europe’s strongest automotive brand – is setting standards worldwide when it comes to efficiency with its clean high-tech TDI and TSI engines.

Now this is being followed up by latest coup at the Los Angeles Auto Show (December 4 to 13): the world premiere of the Up! Lite A progressive, fuel efficient and in all details cleverly designed four-seater with a hybrid drive.

Combined fuel consumption: 2.44 l/100 km or 70 mpg/highway! No other car is more sustainable. With a drive concept consisting of a TDI (turbo-diesel), electric motor and 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) as well as top aerodynamics (Cd value: 0.237), Volkswagen is driving CO2 emissions down to a sensational 65 g/km.

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The quest for high fuel efficiency and lower CO2 greenhouse gas emissions is bringing an increasingly diverse array of ‘green’ cars to our highways. We’re seeing environmental performance becoming more mainstream in vehicles of all types, from entry level to luxury cars.

Plus, there’s greater emphasis on advanced clean diesel, which typically offers abundant power at the ready along with greater mpg. Nowhere is this more evident than with the 2010 Audi A3 TDI, which has just been named Green Car Journal’s 2010 Green Car of the Year® at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show.
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Hyundai today introduced its all-new 2011 Sonata at the Los Angeles Auto Show. This marks the North American debut of the latest version of the popular midsize sedan, introducing Hyundai’s “Fluidic Sculpture” design language and an all four-cylinder engine lineup to the U.S. market.

Sonata is the second vehicle in Hyundai’s 24/7 version 2.0 product initiative (seven new models in the next 24 months) following on the heels of the all-new Tucson. Production of Sonata will begin later this month at Hyundai’s U.S. plant in Alabama with retail sales beginning in January.
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Magazine-thin laptops, MP3 players and bite-size candy bars are just a few examples of good things that come in small packages.

Now, for the first time in North America, Mazda is introducing its own affordable, fun-sized creation – the 2011 MAZDA2 at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto show.

A stylish, eco-friendly, fun-to-drive five-door hatchback, the MAZDA2 is Zoom-Zoom in its most concentrated form – compact and efficient, yet packed with style and substance. It will launch into the North American market in late summer, 2010.
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The 2010 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicle (PHV) will make it’s North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Built specifically to support a global demonstration program that begins this month, the Prius PHV is based on the third-generation Prius. The vehicle expands Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive technology with the introduction of a first generation lithium-ion battery that enables all-electric operation at higher speeds and longer distances than the conventional Prius hybrid.

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Volkswagen of America, Inc. today, at the 2009 Los Angeles auto show,  announced the 2010 New Beetle and New Beetle convertible Final Editions, which will mark the last of Volkswagen’s current generation of the iconic models.

Available in U.S. dealer showrooms beginning in the Spring of 2010, the Final Editions will be limited to only 1,500 units each. The Final Editions will receive a host of unique upgrades and touches that will truly set them apart from others cruising across the country.
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Toyota unveiled the all-new, third-generation Sienna minivan at a media conference today at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto show.

The Toyota Sienna is well known as a transportation solution for moving people and cargo comfortably and efficiently.  The third-generation Sienna will look and drive more like a sedan, conform to new ideas about personal comfort, easily accommodate cargo, and handle big loads.

The 2011 Sienna has been reinvented to handle these needs as it shifts to a more expressive and dynamic vehicle with a stronger profile, high shoulder character and responsive handling.  With state-of the art features and rewarding driving dynamics, it is a vehicle that car-lovers will find satisfying to drive.  Sienna will offer new models, including a sporty SE and a four-cylinder powertrain, as it continues to be the only offering in the segment with an all-wheel-drive option.
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G37 luxury sedan, Infiniti’s top selling model, now continus to offer exceptional performance, style and luxury with the 2010 model. This new 2010 Infiniti G37 Sedan is unveiled at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show, featuring refreshed exterior styling, refined interior and enhanced navigation system.

Since Infiniti first burst on the automotive scene 20 years ago, it has maintained a reputation as having not only one of the most dynamic product lineups in the industry but also one of the freshest – with a constant stream of new or enhanced models.

The 2010 calendar year is no exception with a greatly refined Infiniti G37 Sedan debuting prior the scheduled launches of all-new, next generations of the Infiniti M and Infiniti QX.
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Fans of India’s Nano will be pleased to hear that a hybrid version of the ‘world’s cheapest car’ may soon also carry the title of ‘world’s cheapest hybrid’ or maybe even the ‘world’s cheapest green car’.

Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group that produces the Nano, revealed the company’s move into the hybrid market in a Maeil Business Newspaper interview. However, no details were provided on what the type of hybrid system the green Nano will have.
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One year after promising to become the leading manufacturer in fuel economy, Hyundai delivered by topping the latest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy report. Hyundai passed all major manufacturers in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) including traditional leaders like Honda and Toyota.

The report demonstrates the effectiveness of Hyundai’s value-driven fuel-efficiency strategy, which focuses on the intelligent application of cost-effective technologies. The report also substantiates Hyundai’s leadership in the race to achieve the government-mandated 2016 CAFE standard of 35.5 miles per gallon.
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