The most spectacular Golf of all is fantastic but pricey. Will we get the chance to buy one?

Volkswagen sure knows how to please. The new, sixth-generation Golf is one of the better compact cars, a great-handling hatchback that’s comfortable, too. And we think the sportiest Golf, the 200-hp GTI, is even better—witness its inclusion on our 2010 10Best Cars list. (The previous GTI, based on the Golf V, made the 10Best roster the three years before that.) Now Wolfsburg is adding the Golf R, an all-wheel-drive variant that is the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive Golf ever.
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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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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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Lexus has introduced an all-new, second-generation GX 460 luxury utility vehicle for 2010 that is more powerful, more efficient, quieter and more luxurious than the GX 470 model it replaces. The 2010 GX 460 achieves all of these significant developments while its 10 standard airbags and the available Pre-Collision System help enhance safety.
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At $89,725 the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 arrives just in time for the holidays.

The BMW ActiveHybrid X6 will arrive in US showrooms right on the heels of its North American debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show. The one-of-a-kind Sports Active Coupe featuring two-model hybrid technology will be available beginning December 5, 2009 with a base MSRP of $89,725, including destination and handling.
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Here are the first official pictures of the all-new Volvo S60 – sportier and more dynamic than any previous Volvo model.

“The all-new Volvo S60 is sculpted to move you. It looks and drives like no other Volvo before and the car’s technology will help you to be safer and more confident behind the wheel,” says Stephen Odell, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

The Volvo S60 can be equipped with Pedestrian Detection – a groundbreaking safety feature that can detect pedestrians in front of the car and brake automatically if the driver does not react in time.

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Ford Motor announced today that Azure Dynamics Corporation has joined in a collaborative effort to deliver a pure battery electric Ford Transit Connect van for the United States and Canadian markets in 2010. Azure will integrate its Force Drive(TM) battery electric drive train in the Transit Connect van for commercial fleet and retail use.

The collaboration with Azure Dynamics for the Transit Connect BEV will build on the existing business relationship between Ford and Azure as well as their shared experience with battery supplier, Johnson Controls-Saft.
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Chrysler Group LLC today announced pricing for the all-new 2010 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty pickups, offering more content at a lower price.

The all-new 2010 Ram Heavy Duty features three cab styles (regular cab, crew-size cab and Mega Cab) and two cargo-box sizes (6-foot, 4-inches and 8-foot), single- and dual-rear-wheel configurations, five trim levels, all-new exterior and interior styling and superior towing capability.

The all-new 2010 Ram is available with a starting U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $28,165 for regular cab models, $31,415 for crew cab models and $36,865 for Mega Cab models.

All prices include $950 for destination. The all-new 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty arrives in dealerships in late 2009 calendar year.

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Nissan today announced the latest addition to its Krom specialty vehicles lineup, the 2010 Nissan Rogue Krom edition, which is scheduled to go on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide in December 2009.

The new Rogue Krom edition is designed to offer a unique dimension to traditional compact sport utility vehicles with its aggressive sport styling, exclusive 17-inch wheels and a center-exit sport-tuned exhaust. Nissan also offers a Krom edition of the popular Nissan cube®.
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Toyota announces the unveiling today in Japan of the compact luxury sedan “Sai”, which is planned to go on sale in Japan on December 7.

SAI G “AS package” (with options)

The Sai is based on a concept derived from the Japanese word sai—which means “talent” when written as “sai” and “coloration” when written as “sai”—as a hybrid-only sedan “combining advanced talent and multi-color sophistication”.

The Sai, designed with extensive consideration for the environment, features a gasoline-electric hybrid system with a 2.4-liter engine for outstanding fuel efficiency and use of Ecological Plastic (made from plant-derived materials) for approximately 60% of the interior surface area.
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Toyota announces the launch in Japan today of the redesigned “Mark X”, which furthers the series’ “sporty and luxurious” concept by offering enhanced quality in an authentic rear-wheel-drive sedan.

The Mark X features a dynamic low center of gravity that is combined with powerful driving performance made possible by a new 3.5-liter V6 engine. The style and driving performance of this upscale vehicle are in tune with adult sensibilities, delivering in-touch-with-the-road steering that responds instantaneously to the driver’s every wish, stability at high speeds and a smooth comfortable ride.
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The all-new 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is much more than an off-road performance truck capable of taking on the toughest terrain a customer can throw its way. According to the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA), it’s also the one and only 2009 “Truck of Texas,” the seventh consecutive time a Ford truck has won the award.

“Winning the Truck of Texas is a distinct honor,” said Mark Fields, president, The Americas, Ford Motor Company. “Texans know their trucks, and this award is further proof of why the F-150 remains America’s number-one selling pickup. We built F-150 SVT Raptor for truck enthusiasts. And we’re gratified it’s gaining recognition for both its unequaled off-road performance and confidence-inspiring on-road demeanor.”
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The all-new 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour will feature a versatile, upscale 5-passenger interior with an innovative rear storage area, a standard 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine and available four-wheel drive when it goes on sale in November, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

“Honda has a longstanding reputation for maximizing interior space and utility in its vehicles,” said Erik Berkman, vice president of corporate planning and logistics for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Like the award-winning Honda Fit, the Accord Crosstour uses a versatile design to create an interior that functions with the practicality of a larger vehicle.”
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Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced the introduction of the all-new Step WGN. With the largest interior space in its class*1 and first in class*1 under-floor storage for third-row seats the all-new Step WGN offers more convenience than ever before and best-in-class fuel economy*1.

The new Step WGN and Step WGN special-needs vehicle*2 go on sale in Japan today, with the Step WGN Spada and Step WGN Spada special-needs vehicle*2 to debut in Japan on Friday, October 23.
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