Porsche will reveal new mid-engine sports car in LA

Porsche has officially announced its plans to reveal a "mid-engined sports car" next week at the Los Angeles Auto Show, in addition to showing off its latest crop of 911 models – the GTS and Speedster. It might sound vague, but we're placing bets that the German automaker's big reveal is the much-rumored Cayman Clubsport, a sort of "hardtop Boxster Spyder."

According to earlier reports, the Cayman CS will be motivated by the automaker's 3.4-liter flat-six, with power expected to be around 333 horsepower. Much like its Boxster kin, the Clubsport's main objective will be lightness, with sources saying that anywhere from 162 to 184 pounds will be shed from the stock Cayman S body. This means things like fabric door pulls, aluminum body components and lightweight alloy wheels will be on hand, keeping the Clubsport focused on being a nimble, spirited track day queen.

We'll have the official word live from Los Angeles next week, so stay tuned. To read all of the elusive details, follow the jump for Porsche's press release.

[Source: Porsche]

Videos: First look at Audi Q5 Hybrid ahead of LA debut

Audi has big plans for this year's LA Auto Show. The company plans to unveil an all-new hybrid version of its Q5, and a couple of videos of the machine have already made their way onto the internet. From what we can tell, power comes courtesy of a 208 horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine coupled to a 44 horsepower electric motor. All told, the set up is good for 354 pound-feet of torque.

Those are stout numbers by any measure, but the really impressive bit comes from the fact that the vehicle can whisk along on full-electric power for up to 1.9 miles, all while cracking off a 0-60 mph run in a little over seven seconds. Keep your peepers peeled for more information as we move closer to the LA show





[Source: World Car Fans]

Three colors available for U.S.-spec Fiat 500

Next week's Los Angeles Auto Show marks the official debut of the America-bound Fiat 500, and we'd be liars if we said we weren't immensely excited for the pint-sized hatch's arrival here on our shores.

Fiat has now posted on its Facebook page the three colors available for the first batch of 500s, called Prima Edizione, slated for consumption here in the United States. Rosso (red), Bianco (white) and Grigio (grey) will all be on hand for the first round of Fiat customers, and we're eager to see the rest of the color choices that will come our way shortly thereafter.

All three colors are indeed flattering on the too-cute 500, though we're rather partial to the deep hue of Rosso or the understated Grigio. Of course, there's nothing wrong with the Bianco that we've come to love from afar all these years. See all three for yourself in the gallery, below.

[Source: Fiat USA Facebook]

First photos of U.S.-spec Mitsubishi i-MiEV revealed ahead of LA debut

We first saw sketches of what Mitsubishi's i-MiEV might look like when it arrives in the United States, and now we have the first official images a week before the car's public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Sure, the production-ready i-MiEV you see here loses many of the aggressive-looking elements of the preview sketch, but Mitsubishi has indeed followed through on its promise to offer more robust dimensions and an upgraded interior.

The U.S.-spec i-MiEV is 11.2 inches longer, 4.3 inches wider and 0.2 inches taller than the JDM version. We're glad that Mitsubishi has added a lot of length and width while only minimally increasing height, since that should beef up the rather narrow i-MiEV's stance here on American roads. Inside, the interior looks substantially more comfortable, with a two-tone color scheme and a redesigned center stack, encompassing updated audio and HVAC controls.

Mitsubishi is still targeting an on-sale date near the end of 2011 for the all-electric i-MiEV, with prices coming in below $30,000 (before government rebates). Hit the jump for Mitsubishi's official press blast.

U.S.-spec 2012 Mazda5 coming to LA Auto Show

We first saw the next-generation Mazda5 when it debuted in Geneva earlier this year, but now Mazda has confirmed that the version destined for the United States will be revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month. Badged as a 2012 model, the U.S.-spec Mazda5 won't differ all that much from its European kin in terms of appearance. A good thing, since the mini-minivan benefits from a healthy does of Mazda's swoopy Nagare design language.

Unsurprisingly, the 2012 Mazda5 will be powered by the same 157-horsepower, 2.5-liter inline-four that we enjoy in the Mazda3 and Mazda6. Happily, Mazda will still be offering the 5 with a manual transmission in addition to the standard automatic, making it more attractive to those of us who prefer the engagement that row-it-yourself gearboxes have to offer. Multi-configurable seating for six is available inside with the usual list of standard and optional features.

In addition to the new 5, Mazda will be bringing its Shinari concept that we had the chance to check out a few months back. It previews the next generation of Mazda styling language and we're eager to get up close and personal with it once again at the LA show. Follow the jump for Mazda's official press release.

BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics approved for production

According to the folks who follow all things BMW, the automaker's Vision Efficient Dynamics (VED) concept has been given the greenlight and a few details on the green machine have come along for the ride.

The VED's will reportedly carry either the i1 or i100 name, and that moniker will be placed on a chassis made of carbon fiber and powered first by either by a gas hybrid or fully electric motor. About a month ago it was rumored the coupe would first be available with the drivetrain from the ActiveHybrid 5 Concept, which itself was derived from the ActiveHybrid 7 Series. That option would be good for 300 horsepower thanks to a TwinPower turbo paired with a 40 kW electric motor and running through an eight-speed transmission.

Nissan dishes out specs* for the 2011 Leaf

Speculation surrounding the on-road abilities, battery size, curb weight and other trivial aspects of the 2011 Nissan Leaf should dwindle down soon now that Nissan of Europe has officially released a complete spec sheet for its battery-powered vehicle. Rather than linger on discussing info contained within the automaker's absurdly long press release, we'll move straight to the numbers.

The Soon Turn Three Wheels – Battery Powered Motorcycle With Gyroscopes

Uno electric motorcycle is designed by Ben Gulak, a Canadian studying Mechanical Engineering at Harvard University. The Uno motorcycle have two parallel wheels with a side by side configuration that resembles the outlook of a unicycle.

The difference to a unicycle are an angle iron, batteries, gyroscopes, and wheelchair motors. Gulak has also added appealing color to make the Uno motorcycle looks more attractive than a segway plus a motorized wheel-chair. Weighing approximately 120lbs, the wheelchair motors will let users to ride the Uno motorcycle up to 2.5 hours long.

Volvo’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell: Join The Waves?

A pleasant moment to read the news about what Volvo has been pushing in the past couple of months! The new Hydrogen Fuel Cell is somehow a silent agreement with the rest of the market that, the era of fossil fuel has come to an end, and green vehicle system is the ultimate answer for future means of transportation for our planet.

However, unlike those battery powered EVs, Volvo and a Sweden base company – Powercell, is now developing a new range of hybrid cars that combine the new hydrogen fuel cell technology would enjoy significant boost up of additional mileage by up to 155 miles or approximately another extra 250km!

And surprisingly the system seems to have similarities with Honda FCX Clarity‘s hybrid hydrogen EV system.