July 26, 2010

2011 Ford Explorer Raises XSUV Bar - Explorer Reinvented

The 2011 Ford Explorer is the latest iteration of the Ford Explorer and arguably one of the most important.  In many ways the Explorer launched the popular use sport utility vehicle market in the USA when it introduced the 4-door Explorer in 1991.  Previously, 4-door SUVs had been either Jeep Cherokees, the occasional Japanese entry and Chevrolet/GMC Suburbans.  With the introduction of the Explorer the growth in the SUV market skyrocketed until almost one in four vehicles sold in the USA was an SUV of one type or another.  In its heyday, Explorer was counted among the top five best selling vehicles in the USA and in its top year sold almost 450,000 units.

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Until the new Explorer, the Explorer had been very much a two box SUV designed to move five (and later seven) people comfortably.  While Explorer was an "SUV" it was a pretty mild one.  It was known for being easy to live with but not for its prowess off-road.  Ford never pretended the Explorer had the off-road chops of a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

EcoBoost 4-Cylinder OPTIONAL Powertrain  The base engine for the Explorer is the 3.5L V6 with 290-horsepower.  This engine is expected to be in 75% of Explorers sold.  The extra cost optional powertrain is the 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine with 237-horsepower.  This is an unusual pricing strategy for any manufacturer - giving LESS FOR MORE.  Of course, Ford will position the EcoBoost 4 as the high technology, high fuel economy alternative that is worth more.  Well, we'll be watching this one closely because Americans usually don't buy less for more and many still believe the adage "There is no replacement for displacement."

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July 20, 2010

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe - Flash and Dash

We met up with the Cadillac CTS Coupe crew at Dogpatch Studios in the Dogpatch area of San Francisco.  Grabbed a CTS Wagon and headed to the Carneros Inn in Napa Valley where we tag teamed with a CTS Coupe that was the feature of this drive evaluation. Cadillac lodged the media at the Bardessono Hotel in Yountville.  Environmentally pure, the Bardessono is an experience in itself.  

The CTS Coupe is the third of the three bodystyles Cadillac plans for the CTS.  The first was the sedan introduced in 2008 followed by the European-inspired wagon in 2009 and now the Coupe in 2010.

Cadillac_CTS_Coupe_2011_R34.jpgCadillac_CTS_Coupe_2011_SV.jpgCadillac_CTS_Coupe_2011_F34.jpgDon Butler, Vice President of Cadillac Marketing took the gathered press through where Cadillac is and where Cadillac plans to be in the future.  Bold, product-oriented positioning will have Cadillac going head-to-head against Audi, BMW and Mercedes.  Lexus was added as an afterthought. 

Cadillac had set up a flurry of identical specification CTS Coupes for this group of journalists and analysts to drive through the hills surrounding Napa Valley.  Some of the most picturesque and challenging roads in the country put the CTS Coupes to the test.

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July 1, 2010

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee - Reincarnation of a Winner

The first generation Grand Cherokee was launched in an age of soaring SUV sales. Its only real competition at the time was the 4-door Ford Explorer and the 4-door Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Jimmy. There were, of course, several Japanese entries to compete with as well, but the Grand Cherokee was perceived to be atop the category. In one focus group AutoPacific held during that time, a participant described the Grand Cherokee as "the chairman's Jeep. It's the one parked outside the corner office."

In subsequent years the Grand Cherokee faced more and more good competition. Its share of segment deteriorated. Its image deteriorated. Chrysler cost reduced the vehicle and its presence suffered. Then came Daimler and the merger of equals creating DaimlerChrysler. Then came Cerberus buying Chrysler from Daimler for a song, trying to turn it around and failing. Bankruptcy and now Chrysler is managed by Fiat SpA.

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While all this was happening, products kept getting developed. Some were delayed. But the fourth generation Jeep Grand Cherokee development continued. In fact the Jeep development team was also tasked with developing the next generation Mercedes ML 5-passenger SUV. The result is the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. A loose platform companion with the next generation ML and the best Grand Cherokee ever.


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June 21, 2010

Cadillac Launches Premium Care 2011 Model Year

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Cadillac Adds Premium Care  Cadillac is adding standard scheduled maintenance - Premium Care - to its 2011 Model Year products. Providing scheduled maintenance is a way to demonstrate commitment to the customer, reduce ownership costs and increase customer loyalty. BMW has been offering scheduled maintenance for years and has effectively shed its "Break My Wallet" image that existed prior to the scheduled maintenance program.

Premium Brands Abandoned Standard Scheduled Maintenance  In the past, most of the European luxury brands included standard scheduled maintenance - BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Land Rover. As costs went up and belts had to be tightened all with the exception of BMW dropped out. Surprising because consumer input to AutoPacific has indicated that standard scheduled maintenance is a strong enticement in selecting one brand over another.  BMW was winning the battle with no competition.

Standard Scheduled Maintenance Returning as Customer Satisfaction and Marketing Tool  Brands have begun to slowly return to standard scheduled maintenance as a customer satisfaction enhancer and sales enticement... Volvo, Volkswagen are now on board.  Jaguar has added its Platimum Coverage for 2011 that provides all scheduled maintenance for 5-years or 50,000 miles.  2010MY Land Rover models include scheduled maintenance for a short period after purchase. Perhaps they will follow Jag's lead.

In any event, standard scheduled maintenance appears to again gain traction in the marketing wars at the top of the market.  That VW has adopted it may indicate adding standard scheduled maintenance even to popular high volume brands.

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June 15, 2010

Driving Impressions: 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD

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We recently had the opportunity to drive the new 2011 Silverado HD and Sierra HD pickups. They may not look very different, but with an all-new frame and chassis and an improved powertrain these vehicles should be considered all-new.
New and improved is the theme, at least in every aspect except exterior and interior appearance.

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June 10, 2010

2011 Hyundai Sonata Wins AutoPacific President's Award

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We knew the 2011 Hyundai Sonata is a good new car, but we did not know how good. Luckily, the 2011 Sonata was launched early in 2010 during the time period AutoPacific's 2010 New Vehicle Satisfaction Survey was in the field. We were able to add the new Sonata to the 2010 survey to see how this newcomer would compare with 2010 model year competition. Nine-hundred seventy-five owners of the new Sonata responded to AutoPacific's survey on our VehicleVoice survey site.

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The results were astonishing. The Sonata scored the highest ratings ever in the 14 year history of AutoPacific's vehicle satisfaction research. As a 2011 model year car, the Sonata was not eligible for AutoPacific's 2010 Vehicle Satisfaction Award, but we felt it was only right to recognize the Sonata in some way. Hence, AutoPacific is awarding the 2011 Hyundai Sonata with its first-ever President's Award.

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June 8, 2010

Bourbon, Bluegrass and THE BOOK - Driving the 2011 Infiniti QX56

The King is DEAD, long live the King. Very appropriate for the all new Infiniti QX56 being launched in the USA later this year. But first, we have to set the stage for the review itself - not the vehicle. Infiniti hosted small groups of journalists at the 21C Museum Hotel in Louisville. The hotel itself was worth the trip. Quirky, quaint with 42 plastic red penguins to entertain the guests. Penguins with bibs at dinner. Penguins with a shower cap in the tub. The "museum" part of the hotel's title relates to the art on display - all by artists alive today and produced during the 21st Century. When an artist dies, their works are removed to a private gallery in the owners' quarters on the 4th floor of the hotel. Oh, yeah, THE BOOK - found in the bar with a plain cover is worth the price of a martini.

The great drive in the QX56 through bourbon country and horse country from Louisville to Frankfort (Kentucky's capital) was picturesque and the roads were great. Not much traffic. Rolling hills. Perfect for the large sport ute. Major surprise, however, was that the historic mile-after-mile of white fences Kentucky horse country is known for has transformed into creosote black fences... lower cost and longer life. The drive through northern Kentucky is highly recommended. Hopefully you have more than a stock rentacar. Don't forget to stop at Choctaw Jim's general store in Campbellsburg. They make a mean peanut and jelly sandwich with peanut butter bread. Yum. The only blemish is that the authentic American Indian artifacts mostly are made in China.

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Intiniti QX56 Formidable Competitor in Premium Luxury SUV Class Now, about the second generation Infiniti QX56. As you probably know, the first generation QX is based on the Titan pickup and assembled at Nissan's Canton, Mississippi assembly plant. The new QX is based on the Japanese market Nissan Patrol and produced in Japan.

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March 30, 2010

WOW! $25,000 For an EV? Here Comes Nissan LEAF!

Nissan has today announced U.S. LEAF pricing. On the eve of the New York show, they have successfully caused a near-unanimous "WOW" across the industry with an amazingly low price for high-technology system. Profit per vehicle is not something automakers are happy to talk about in any situation, but the expectation is that Nissan may not make any profit on the LEAF for many, many years. Still, the combination of an affordable price and the years of deep legwork Nissan has done in preparing consumers and communities for the product, the LEAF is the biggest step yet in advancing the cause of electric vehicles. What does this mean for the success of LEAF? Here's my first reaction...

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Pricing Summary
$32,380 ($25,280 after $7500 Federal tax credit)
$349/month for 36-month lease (Nissan takes the credit to enable that price)
$2200--AeroVironment home-charging dock and installation (also eligible for tax credit)
$99 Registration fee, refundable (www.nissanusa.com)

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December 2, 2009

2011 Audi A8 Premium Luxury Reveal

On Monday November 30, Audi AG revealed the all new Audi A8 flagship sedan to the world media in Miami, Florida. There were 850 journalists in attendance from the USA, Europe, South America, China, Japan, Russia... anywhere you can name.

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Capping Audi's Centennial Anniversary, the launch of the A8 is very significant to the company. The A8 is being introduced in Europe and China earlier in 2010 with the USA getting A8 in Winter 2010 or Spring 2010.

Study Team Visits USA and China The A8 has a special place in AutoPacific's heart. In early 2006, AutoPacific hosted an Audi study team working on finalizing the concept of the A8. The team was in the USA for about three weeks. After visiting the USA, they spent a month in China where Audi outsells BMW and Mercedes-Benz by two-to-one. This group of engineers, planners, designers, financial experts and production managers were extremely enthusiastic, very knowledgeable and anxious to do what was right for the car and for Audi.

The results of their work is the all new 2011 Audi A8. Wow, what a car!

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December 1, 2009

Audi A8 Premiere - Launch Gala the Old Way

Old Time Extravaganza Let's call it a shindig. A Hollywood premiere. Audi celebrated its 100th Anniversary and introduced its all new A8 premium luxury sedan to the world on Monday night in Miami Beach at the renowned Founainbleau Hotel.

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Audi's Miami Beach Pavilion Hidden by Palm Trees

Audi constucted a monolithic hurricane-capable structure about a quarter mile up Miami Beach in which to hold the affair. The building will be used for about a week with Audi-related events. Media and glitterati on Monday night, dealers, community VIPs, consumers will all get a chance to see the new A8 during the week of November 30.

The total cost for the program is said to be $9.5 - $10million. This is a very significant sum today and goes back to the way automakers used to launch their cars - before today's huge buget cuts.

Miami Design Week As a sponsor of Art Basel Miami Beach, Audi has provided transportation to various venues and display space for contemporary art.

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November 4, 2009

Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia

It's not everyday you have the chance to visit a brand spanking new automotive assembly plant, but the new Kia plant in western Georgia (USA, not Eastern Europe) makes Kia latest "transplant" to build new vehicles in the States. Kia began producing the all-new 2011 Kia Sorento in small volumes in fall 2009, right on schedule. Full production begins in mid-November.

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Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG) is a 300,000 unit capacity assembly plant situated along Interstate 85 in western Georgia adjacent to the Alabama border. Its location is about 85-miles east up the 85 from the Hyundai assembly plant in Montgomery, Alabama. Surrounding and between the plants are suppliers providing components not only to the Kia and Hyundai plants in the area but some also produce components for Honda, Mercedes, and Nissan plants in Alabama and Mississippi.

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November 3, 2009

2011 Kia Sorento Crosses Over - Becomes Soft-Roader

OK, OK. I know that title has been used for about every traditional SUV that has evolved into a Crossover SUV in its latest incarnation and that is just what the 2011 Kia Sorento has done. Sorento becomes thoroughly modern with the introduction of its 2011 model.

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The first generation Sorento; Kia's first entry in the mid-size SUV arena, was a traditional SUV It had body-on-frame construction, was based on rear wheel drive architecture, had a traditional shape, carried five passengers and was powered by a V6 engine. Many people thought the Sorento was based on the Hyundai Santa Fe, but that was far from the truth.

The first year the Sorento was on the market it won AutoPacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Award for best-in-class Mid-Size SUV. Clearly, its owners liked the product.

Now comes the all, new Sorento...

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August 2, 2009

2011 Nissan LEAF: First Look

Nissan will deliver its next all-electric vehicle in late 2010, for fleets only initially, in the United States as well as Japan and Europe. After teasing the project with a prototype of the drivetrain under a home-market Cube, Nissan has announced the name and released first photos of the production version.
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The new car will first be built in Oppama, Japan, but also at Nissan's Smyrna, Tennessee, plant. Battery production will initially be in Japan, with Nissan scouting supplemental sites around the world, and including the United States.
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July 30, 2009

2010 Suzuki Kizashi: Can This Flyweight Hold Its Own With the Big Boys?

Suzuki_2010_Kizashi_two.JPGSuzuki unveiled the company's very first mid-size sedan this week, and VehicleVoice staff were on hand to witness the car's global debut. The importance of the car to Suzuki cannot be overstated. The company has long been known for small vehicles, specifically compact cars and SUVs. But, buyers of small vehicles tend to want to move up to larger vehicles next time around and by and large, Suzuki has not had larger vehicles to move owners up into (we'll ignore the forgettable Verona, a rebadged Daewoo sedan). Thus, the company has not been able to retain its customers as they progress through their lifestages.

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June 30, 2009

2010 Lexus IS Convertible: Top Down Cruising

IS  C Exterior.jpgIn the battle for attention from car lovers, Lexus always seems to get beat up in the discussion of performance. Regardless of the numbers, Lexus' do not feel like BMWs. And they shouldn't. Certainly, Lexus' newest addition to the IS line will not get any better treatment from "true enthusiasts", but the folks at Lexus has thought this through. The new IS convertible delivers what the segment demands, and beats the competition on key metrics. Aren't those core Lexus Values?

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June 23, 2009

Taurus SHO - Super High Output - and More

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The Ford Taurus SHO returns after a decade's absence from the American auto scene. Formerly Yamaha engines provided the power for the SHO, but today Ford's new EcoBoost powertrain technology provides the power. EcoBoost in Taurus form includes twin turbochargers and gasoline direct injection. Still with a heavily beefed up 3.5L V6, EcoBoost bumps up power from 263-horsepower to 365-horsepower in the SHO. Torque grows from 249 lb-ft to 350 lb-ft. And rated fuel economy stays the same.

I guarantee that EcoBoost will never meet its rated fuel economy. It's just too much fun to stay on the throttle.

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June 9, 2009

2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring: Another Really Competent Hyundai

Hyundai_2009_ElantraTouring_rear34.JPGWanna know why the Elantra Touring looks absolutely nothing like the sedan that it shares its name with?

This wagon addition to the Elantra lineup was really sort of a last minute add to Hyundai's US product portfolio. You might recall that the previous Elantra was available as a SAAB-esque hatchback, and the one before that was available as a station wagon. However, because Hyundai's Korean management knew that Americans seemed to overwhelmingly prefer sedans over hatchbacks or wagons, they made the decision pretty early on to offer the current Elantra as a sedan only.

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May 19, 2009

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe: No New Ideas, Just Flawless Execution

Hyundai_2010_GenesisCoupe_drift.JPGI approached the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe with great interest. Yeah, sure, it's got all the things to make a car enthusiast swoon: great styling, rear wheel drive, and lots of power. But what made the car of particular interest to me was the fact that I had a small hand in the development of the car. I wanted to see how the finished product had turned out.

Yup, not that long ago I used to work for Hyundai as a product planning manager, and I watched the car's development as it progressed from simple sketches to computer generated 3D images to full-size clay models. I even got to drive early prototypes of the car over two years ago on Hyundai's test track in Namyang, Korea.

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May 11, 2009

2010 Toyota Prius: Wait...Did They Actually Make it Fun to Drive?

Toyota_2010_Prius_lineup.JPGThe second generation Prius, which debuted for the 2004 model year, has become an icon on many levels. It's a green statement. It's a political statement. It's even a technology statement. I've been saying for quite a while now that history will look upon the little lozenge-shaped car as THE iconic vehicle of this decade, much as the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air was the iconic car of the 1950s.

The second generation Prius was the car that brought hybrids to the mainstream. The dorky first generation car looked and felt somewhat like a science project...and the quirky original Honda Insight even more so. But Prius v2.0 boasted a really usable interior package, decent performance, and a unique look that proclaimed to the world that you were ready for something beyond the status quo.

There was just one problem: it was just so boring to drive. There was absolutely nothing rewarding about the way it drove, so it had zero appeal to anyone who actually enjoyed the act of driving. Its steering felt completely detached from the road, it rode harshly, and it squealed like a pig through corners. For the Prius fanbase, none of this really mattered much as driving appeal wasn't the car's point.

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March 27, 2009

Ford Fiesta Poised for USA Launch in 2010

We got the opportunity to briefly drive the new Ford Fiesta in Port Hueneme in anticipation of Ford's "Fiesta Movement" program where they will place 100 5-door Fiestas with influential Millennium drivers. Millennium means they were born between 1979 and 1985 and influential means that they have over 500 Facebook friends and thousands of followers on Twitter. To get qualified participants - or "agents" as Ford is referring to them - Ford held a contest on their website. There were about 3,300 applicants. Since all 100 of these European Fiestas will have manual transmissions we hope Ford screened for ability to shift and clutch.

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The Fiesta has been on sale in Europe since August 2008 and about 117,000 have been sold to date. With the assistance of the EPA, Ford has been able to bring in 145 into the states for testing and evaluation purposes. The 45 not in the Fiesta Movement program will be used for other drive duties. Those have automatic transmissions.

During the short drive we were able to form some conclusions...

Fast A-Pillars: The styling of the Fiesta is great - using Ford's European "kinetic" design language. But, the styling comes with a price. Getting into the front seats is tough because the A-Pillar is so fast. The Fiesta is another car that you have to think about how to get in without injuring yourself.

Shin Warmer: The left side of the console gets so hot that it is objectionable. "Shin Burner" may be a better term than "Shin Warmer". This is an issue that needs to be addressed prior to launch in the USA.

Lacks Peposity: A small high image B-Car... certainly personified by the Fiesta... needs to be "peppy". The 1.6L 4-cylinder engine has 118 horsepower and, frankly, it feels like less. AutoPacific happens to be evaluating a Scion xD now as well. It is a 1.8L 4-cylinder with 128 horsepower with an automatic transmission. The Scion auto feels much better than the Fiesta with a manual. Very surprising.

Ford's powertrain plan includes an EcoBoost version of the Fiesta, but, hopefully, Fiesta's performance can be enhanced prior to its launch in the USA so you won't have to spring for EcoBoost to get sparkling performance.


January 12, 2009

2009 NAIAS: The Beat Sparks On, and Orlando Comes to Town

At the 2009 NAIAS, GM announced that in 2011, a production version of the global Beat minicar and the Orlando seven-seater will both join the U.S. lineup. The Beat, due for a Geneva show production introduction, will be called Spark for production. In the photos that follow, the white vehicle is the Orlando and the green the Beat (eventually to be renamed Spark.)

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Profitable or not, GM is bringing an international minicar to the States. While the Spark will reward drivers with terrific fuel economy, will the efficiency gains be enough to adapt to the small size?

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The Orlando brings an internationally sized seven-seater to the States. Orlando, introduced as a concept at the 2008 Paris auto show, will focus on moving people more than stuff. Its box shape will provide maximum cargo room for the footprint, but this will not be a vehicle measured by whether or not it can hold a sheet of drywall.
Follow the jump for more photos and Chevrolet's official release.

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January 9, 2009

2009 NAIAS: 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon

Cadillac's CTS expands the range. This car was formally introduced in Paris, and some attendees of the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance caught a look, but this is the first U.S. auto-show circuit showing. With the goodness of the CTS for a base, it should be no surprise that Cadillac has created a Euro-style, sexy-but-practical wagon.

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Follow the jump for more photos and the full Cadillac press release.

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2009 NAIAS: Saab 9-5 Griffin Edition

Though the future of Saab is very uncertain at the moment, the company does continue to work on new products. While we wait to see when new cars like the 9-4X might arrive, Saab gives the 9-5 a last special edition (a new 9-5 is also under development). The Griffin edition gets a fresh face, rear spoiler, specific 17-inch wheels, and two-tone interior with special stitching and high-gloss trim. The special edition is being offered on the wagon and sedan 9-5.

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Follow the jump for Saab's official press release.

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2009 NAIAS: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

Buick introduces the latest LaCrosse in Detroit. The mid-size sedan segment is still the largest, and with a three-vehicle lineup, LaCrosse is critical to Buick success. The LaCrosse is also the first U.S. production Buick to have its exterior styling led by GM's group in China. Don't let the idea discourage you; this is a good-looking sedan. Buick also ups the ante with technology features (side assist and adaptive forward headlights among them) to the brand and a notably improved interior (designed in the States). There are new engines, as well as available all-wheel drive for some models. The new LaCrosse will go on sale later in 2009.

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More photos and the full release follow the jump.

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January 8, 2009

2009 NAIAS: 2009 BMW Z4

After Mazda's Miata, BMW, Audi, and Porsche revived the roadster market. Arriving as a late 2009MY, the third generation BMW Z4 promises to be the sweetest yet. With a retractable hardtop and available 300HP 3.0L I6, I'm going to start saving my pennies now. Someday, Z4, someday...

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More photos and BMW's full release after the jump.

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