2013 Los Angeles Auto Show

THERE were few surprises at this year’s Los Angeles motor show, with Porsche debuting its Macan compact SUV, Mini tearing the covers of its new Hatch and Subaru showing off its new-generation WRX performance sedan as expected.

Subaru pulled a rabbit out of its hat by showcasing a concept previewing the sixth-generation Legacy/Liberty mid-sizer ahead of a likely 2014 production debut.

Jaguar’s sexy F-Type coupe was given its first public airing before an expected local on-sale date in the quarter of this year.

Ford debuted a concept version of the vehicle that could become the Blue Oval brand’s Territory replacement come 2016 when the company shuts its local manufacturing operation.

The mid-size Edge SUV is likely to be confirmed for right-hand drive production shortly and is the front-runner to replace the Falcon-based Territory and sit above the recently launched EcoSport and Kuga SUVs.

Honda was one of a number of car-makers flying the flag for green motoring at LA, with its futuristic FCEV hydrogen fuel-cell concept.

26/11/2013
AFTER unveiling two Nismo cars in Tokyo, Nissan continued the high-performance push in LA with a 180kW/325Nm version of the Sentra, which may pave the way for a hotted-up Pulsar in Australia.

Fellow Japanese maker Subaru followed up its anticipated WRX launch and a first look at what the new Liberty may look like with the unveiling of a Legacy (as it is called in the US) concept.

The Germans had a good presence on the first few days of the show with a convertible version of the 4 Series from BMW as Mercedes rolled-out an outrageous AMG Vision GT concept followed by a fire-breathing AMG variant of the Mercedes GLA compact SUV.

Ford added to the SUV-count with its near-production ready Edge after Porsche showed-off a Cayenne performance-matching, but more compact Macan SUV.

14/11/2013
CALIFORNIA’S biggest motoring extravaganza is just around the corner and on top of the already announced reveal of the Mini hatch and Porsche Macan SUV, a number of other car-makers have given us a sneak peek of what to expect.

We already knew Subaru was going to rip the covers off its highly-anticipated WRX at LA, but the Japanese car-maker released a bit of a teaser this week to keep us interested. Unfortunately for them, someone leaked full images of the hi-po contender shortly after, meaning the reveal at LA may not be a complete surprise.

Lange Rover have confirmed a stretched version of its third-generation Range Rover SUV will be on show in LA, while Honda will reveal its FCEV concept, a hydrogen fuel-cell powered car that previews the design of its next-generation hydrogen models.

GoAuto will have more stories leading up to and during the show so keep checking GoAuto.com.au for updates.1/11/2013Despite clashing directly with the Tokyo motor show, this year's LA motor show looks set to be huge, with organisers confirming that there will be no fewer than nine international premieres at the 2013 event.

Already confirmed for an LA debut is Porsche's highly anticipated Macan compact SUV that has so far only been seen testing in heavy camouflage.

Fellow German car-maker Mercedes-Benz is reportedly planning to reveal the barnstorming S63 AMG performance sedan that is likely to be powered by a V12 and be capable of racing from a standing start to 100km/h in under four seconds.

The third-generation Mini hatch will be showcased at LA, with the BMW-owned brand already confirming a suite of new lighter, more efficient engines and transmissions, including two petrol and one diesel, from the hip hatch's global launch early next year.

Other brands that have confirmed an LA debut this year include Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Subaru and Volkswagen.

19/12/2012
LOS Angeles’ big motor expo is renowned for its green tinge due to California’s strict emissions and fuel economy rules, so motor manufacturers frequently save up their breakthrough vehicles for this event.

Expensive sports cars that find favour with cashed-up Californians – including the Hollywood set – also are there in droves every year.

This year, however, the LA show clashes directly with Japan’s biggest auto event in Tokyo, so it will be interesting to see how the car manufacturers share the goodies.