Hop into any new car these days, and you'll likely have more switches and thumbwheels right in front of your face than some cars had across the entire dashboard a few decades ago. At last week’s auto show, we stole a few moments between press conferences to check out some new-car interiors. Our questions: How many buttons can you cram onto one steering wheel? Is there a point of critical mass? And just what the hell do all those buttons do?
The big winners at the Los Angeles Auto Show are usually the greenest, most-efficient hydrogen- or sea-water-powered cars. But the prettiest vehicles are found in the exotics wing. Although I appreciate many cars in my price range and slightly above, these astronomically priced cars are always the eye-catchers. Here are a few photos of what was happening below the radar and above six figures.
The Corolla has withered on the vine as far as technological updates go over the past few years, but it sure hasn’t slowed down in the sales department. Managing editor Patrick Olsen gets a closer look at the redesigned 2009 model, which will go on sale early next year.
Kelsey Mays already gave us a terrific overview of the all-new Lincoln MKS sedan. Now he shows us all the new technology crammed into the car, including a new take on the old-school door-mounted keypad, as well as the ability to find the cheapest gas prices nearby.
One important model that consumers will get their first look at during the L.A. auto show is the all-new Toyota Matrix. Cars.com managing editor Patrick Olsen gives us a quick run-through of what’s changed for 2009.
Kelsey Mays got to spend a lot of time with the new Lincoln MKS sedan at the 2007 L.A. auto show. Check out the latest video from the floor, as Kelsey walks you through key elements of Lincoln’s important new release.
The second and final day of the L.A. auto show's media preview is winding down, and we’ve seen a lot more newness from the automakers. Check out our reports and photo galleries from the floor on the Cars.com Auto Show pages, and tell us what your favorite debut was here at KickingTires.
Production Cars
2008 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid
2008 Dodge Durango Hybrid
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
2008 Subaru WRX STI
Concept Cars
Kia KND-4 Concept
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Day 1 Recap
Porsche rolled out its hybrid version of the Cayenne SUV at the L.A. Auto Show even though they couldn’t tell us if it was a production or a concept. Because the Cayenne Hybrid is expected for production by 2009 — definitely before the end of the decade officials told us — it doesn’t really fit the concept mode.
Other news came that the still unrevealed Porsche Panamera four-door sport sedan will get the same hybrid technology as the Cayenne. There are no official numbers for the system besides that it should reduce fuel consumption by 30% and should be able to cruise on electric power at 75 mph. We’ll keep waiting on more word of these luxury green machines.
Related
More on the 2007 LA Auto Show
More Porsche News
More Hybrid News
Car shows used to be just as much about futuristic concept cars as about cars coming to showrooms. That’s changed as of late, but we still like to see cars the Jetsons would drive (if they weren’t flying). In L.A., Kia has delivered a pure concept that it calls a look at the future of its SUV lineup. The KND-4 has some aspects we’d like to see in SUVs today and some others that are a bit spacey.
The proposed engine would be a turbo-diesel, which might be more accepted in the U.S. by the time a production version of a car like this materializes. There’s also a full computer keyboard that slides out of the front dash so passengers can check their email, we guess, though in a world of QWERTY keyboards slapped onto cell phones we wonder why anyone would need a full-size version.
What could be incorporated into any of today’s SUVs is a nifty under-floor storage system in the rear cargo area that has one section that lifts out like a hard-sided suitcase. We can take or leave the looks, but bring more innovative storage pronto.
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