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Good news for Lexus tuners: Lexus announced yesterday that it will expand its line of F-Sport Performance Accessories for the GS, IS-C, and IS AWD. The announcement corresponds with Lexus’ display of F-Sport equipped versions of those models at the Chicago Auto Show.

Among the new accessories are 19- and 20-inch alloy wheels, sway bars, brakes, lowering springs, performance clutch, performance exhaust, shifter, and floor mats.

Click through the gallery above to see the F-Sport accessories, or scroll down to read more about them in the press release from Lexus.

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If you discuss the TSX with the Acura product planners, they say that it directly competes with the likes of BMW's 3-Series and the Audi A4. We've often referred to the TSX as a sort of "entry-level luxury car," because it's four-cylinder power and front-drive-only setup always left a little to be desired when our minds pondered over premium sport sedans.

However, we now have a reason to start taking the Acura folks seriously in their claim. For 2010, the TSX will be outfitted with an optional 3.5-liter V-6 engine, producing 280 horsepower. Sadly, this engine will only run through Acura's five-speed automatic, and front-wheel drive will be the only available drivetrain. Additional new features for the V-6 TSX include eighteen-inch wheels, and a double-wishbone front and multilink rear suspension. A V-6 badge will be slapped onto the trunk, but a slightly revised front fascia will set this TSX apart from its four-banger brethren.

Scroll through the images above to see the six-cylinder TSX in all its glory and click through the post for Acura's press release.

Ah, the Genesis Coupe. Today seems to be full of news regarding Hyundai's new pride-and-joy sports car. To further show that Hyundai is dead serious about the two-door Genesis being a performance car, they have now unveiled a new R-Spec edition, complete with nineteen-inch gunmetal alloy wheels wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza rubber (225/40YR19 up front, 245/40YR19 out back). Additionally, the braking system has been upgraded, and the R-Spec will use Brembo discs measuring 13.4 inches up front and 13.0 inches at the rear.

Powering the R-Spec will be the base Coupe's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, good for 210 horsepower, a top speed of 137 miles per hour, and the ability to achieve 30 miles per gallon on the highway. A limited-slip differential and a track-tuned suspension will also be standard fare on this tuned up Genny.

Pricing for the R-Spec has been set at $23,750, which is $3000 less than the high-grade 2.0T Track model. Hyundai says that this will allow customers to have a bit of cash leftover for their own tuning needs. Click through for Hyundai's press release with the full R-Spec details.

Editor's Note: Hyundai currently does not have any press shots available at this time, and when we went back to the show floor to bring you live shots, the R-Spec Genesis was nowhere to be found. We promise to upload photos as soon as they become available, but in the meantime, our friends at Autoblog managed to snag some pretty good shots of the car during the short time that it was out in the open.

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The Kia Spectra has packed its bags and is making way for the new 2010 Forte sedan. We wouldn't count on seeing a five-door variant of the Forte (to replace the Spectra5) simply because Kia is hoping that their new Soul fills that segment. Still, the Forte looks a whole lot better than the outgoing Spectra, and only time will tell if it can run with the Honda Civics and Mazda3s of the world.

For the full details on the Forte, head over to our post from earlier today, but be sure to scroll through the gallery above to see the Forte from all angles.

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Fans of the original Scion xB and upcoming Kia Soul are surely thrilled to learn that the Nissan Cube will be hitting North American dealerships in just a few months. Powered by a 1.8-liter inline-four, the Cube (like the other cars in its segment) will provide excellent fuel economy with the ability to haul copious amounts of people and things.

Nissan gave us the inside scoop about the new Cube Krom yesterday, and they mentioned that the whole Cube line will start at under $14,000. We're excited, and you should be, too. In that spirit, here's a gallery of the U.S.-spec Nissan Cube, complete with some live shots of the Krom, too.

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To go along with the twentieth anniversary of the Mazda Miata (MX-5), the Mazda folks brought along a few Miata-based concepts from past auto shows, including a Miata M Coupe, a sexy speedster-like concept, and a Mazdaspeed Cup concept from just a few years ago.

While we're plenty excited to drive the new MX-5, walking through these forgotten concept cars made us remember how much we really have loved the open-top Mazda roadster. Click through the gallery above to see all of the one-off Miatas direct from the Chicago Show floor.

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Can you believe that Mazda's little two-seat roadster is twenty years old? Seems like just yesterday when we took our first drive in the first-generation Miata, but alas, our little baby is all grown up, and for it's big Two-Zero, Mazda has gone and refreshed the MX-5 with a new fascia, some new tuning, and a wider range of color and interior choices.

Mazda already spilled the beans about the new MX-5 long before the Chicago Auto Show, but we've just now had the chance to see the updated car in person. Click through our gallery of images above, and click here to read all the details about the new MX-5.

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Hyundai indeed made a big splash this year during the Super Bowl with their Genesis Coupe advertisements. The car was flogged around a track by drift champion Rhys Millen, and today, Hyundai has announced that Millen will be their star driver in their motorsports program, piloting a 550-horsepower Genesis Coupe. This car is set to participate in events such as the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the Formula Drift Professional Drifting Championship, and will appear at select Redline Time Attack events.

This race-ready Genesis Coupe has been stripped to the bone, outfitted with special eighteen-inch wheels, and the body panels have all been constructed out of carbon fiber. In doing this, the Hyundai folks aimed to keep the car's curb weight around 2400 pounds. The power source is based on the Genesis Coupe's 3.8-liter V-6, though displacement has been boosted to 4.1 liters and a large turbocharger has been added. Total output is now 550 horsepower and 520 pound-feet of torque, making this one super quick Genesis.

Click through for all of the full specifications and details about the Genesis Coupe drift car and be sure to scroll through our gallery of live and stock shots.

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Ford has already released the details about the 2010 Taurus SHO. The car's twin-turbo V-6 with 365 horsepower should surely be a hit, especially with the large crowd of SHO enthusiasts around the country. Additionally, a tuned suspension and torque-sensing all-wheel drive system will make this SHO pretty fun to drive, and with a starting price under $40,000, we're hoping they sell like hotcakes.

The floor has cleared out slightly, so we now have a gallery of live images of the new SHO. Click through our images above, and if you missed all the facts and figures, click here to read our earlier SHO post.

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Ford's latest entry into the North American commercial vehicle segment, the Transit Connect, will be available for individuals to purchase in just a few months. To get the ball rolling, Ford went ahead and dolled up some Transits for five small businesses around the country.

Small business owners were asked to write Ford and tell them the ways in which they think that the Transit Connect would be useful not only for their specific business, but for the entire commercial vehicle marketplace. Winners were chosen, decals were applied, and the vans were outfitted specifically for the needs that these five small businesses have.

The Kia Spectra and Spectra5 may be good contenders for the small car segment, but their design is running a bit long in the tooth and the interior refinement isn't as nice as new products from Ford or Honda. Thus, Kia has scrapped the Spectra -- literally -- and are presenting the all-new 2010 Forte which will go on sale around June.

Three trim levels will be available: LX, EX, and SX. The two base models will be powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine good for 156 horsepower and 144 pound-feet of torque, while the SX will use a 2.4-liter engine with 173 horsepower, besting the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3. The LX and EX will use five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions, while the SX will be standard with a six-speed stick or a five-speed auto.

In true Kia fashion, the Forte offers a host of standard interior amenities, especially on the upper trim levels. EX and SX models come stocked with power locks/windows, remote entry, air conditioning, steering-mounted audio controls, and cruise control. The SX adds a telescopic steering wheel and sport cloth seats with red accents.

We'll be getting our first face-to-face look at the Kia Forte later today, so we'll be sure to post a more robust gallery of stock and live shots. (Kia only released this one teaser image as of this writing.) Additionally, click through to read Kia's press release for all of the gory details.

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After years of hearing enthusiasts beg for its return, Ford has finally unveiled its all-new Taurus SHO, bringing back fond memories for the loyal group of drivers who really love this car. In its last iteration, the SHO used a Yamaha V-8 and was only offered in front-wheel drive, but this latest 2010 Taurus SHO will be offered with a twin-turbocharged Ecoboost V-6 paired with all-wheel drive. The powertrain is a slightly altered version of Ford's standard 3.5-liter Ecoboost six, but a few more ponies have been tweaked out, resulting in a total of 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. What's more, this whole package will be available starting at just $37,995.

While the SHO only offers ten more horsepower than a standard-spec Taurus, Ford has tuned the suspension system and revised the AWD mechanics, making it a sportier drive overall. Early SHO enthuasists will be sad to hear that no manual transmission is available, but Ford has revised the six-speed manu-matic for the SHO, and vehicles equipped with the optional Performance Package will have a short 3.16:1 final drive ratio. Other Performance Pack goodies include twenty-inch painted aluminum wheels and Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, upgraded brake pads, and a sport mode for the AdvanceTrac electronic stability control system.

Naturally, Ford will be shoveling all of its other technological and comfort features into the SHO, making it a pretty decent bargain at under $40k (and making the Lincoln MKS somewhat of a head-scratcher by comparison). Click through for Ford's own words and stay tuned for live images direct from the Chicago Show floor.

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North American customers will be able to go out and buy the new Nissan Cube this May, and we've now learned that the Scion-fighting box car will be priced at an extremely reasonable $13,990, undercutting the Honda Fit and Scion xD. Under the hood will be a 1.8-liter engine borrowed from the Versa, though the Cube's edgy looks (no pun intended) will surely be a hit with a different crowd of buyers.

Additionally, Nissan will offer a special edition called the Cube Krom which will have more than forty different accessories available, including interior illumination in twenty different color choices, "shag carpeting" instrument panel inserts, and custom sixteen-inch alloy wheels. Additionally, different front and rear fascias will set the Krom apart from the standard Cubes on the road, and interior amenities like an upgraded audio system, Bluetooth, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and woven black/gray seats will truly make it the premium choice in the Cube segment.

Click through the post for Nissan's own press release and scroll through our gallery of images for a full look at the Cube Krom.

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We've packed our bags and are ready to head out for the 2009 Chicago Auto Show. But before we put on our sunglasses and hit the open road, it's only fitting that another embargo would break before the McCormick Place doors open. Ford introduced their 2009 F-150 just a few months ago, and we now have the first special edition of their all-new truck: the 2010 F-150 Harley-Davidson. This vehicle marks the fourteenth Harley-Davidson collaboration with the Ford F-Series, though for 2010, the modifications aren't as impressive as in years past.

In the F-150's last generation, the Harley-Davidson edition featured a supercharged V-8 engine, but for 2010, Ford's naturally-aspirated 5.4-liter V-8 is the only powertrain available. Still, Ford has added a raft of appearance upgrades, including a sport suspension, twenty-two-inch forged aluminum wheels, and a model-specific grille. Inside, premium leather seats were designed to mock the actual leather jackets worn by the motorcycle enthusiasts, and Harley-Davidson logos are found on the seats and console, as well as a serialized plate.

We're hoping that Ford boosts the power in coming years, but in the meantime, there's no doubt that the Harley-Davidson F-150 is an attractive and shiny package which we're sure will be a big hit with the motorcycle crowd. Click through the post for Ford's press release.

It wouldn't truly be an auto show unless Scion debuted some sort of Release Series for one of the three economy cars in its portfolio. This time around, the tC coupe gets a limited-edition makeover, though this one proves to be a bit more serious than just a simple appearance package.

The tC Release Series 5.0 will have a TRD (Toyota Racing Development) theme, with special eighteen-inch wheels in matte black, lowering springs, rear sway bar, sport muffler, and an optional rear lip spoiler. Moving inside, the tC 5.0 will have a black leather steering wheel with red stitching, black cloth seats with red accents, and special floormats.

Only 2000 of the Release Series 5.0 tCs will be made, retailing at $17,000 with a five-speed manual transmission and $17,800 with a no-hassle automatic. Click through for Toyota's press release.

At the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, Ford announced its plans to slowly roll out a range of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), one of which would include some sort of commercial vehicle. Today, the Blue Oval folks have issued an official press release announcing that the Transit Connect will be available as a BEV in the second half of 2010. Ford will be working with Smith Electric Vehicles on all of the upcoming BEVs, a company that has been around since 1920.

The Transit Connect BEV will have an electric range of up to 100 miles. Since most Connects will be owned and operated by small businesses, many federal and regional programs will be offering incentives for companies who choose to electrify all their fleet of commercial vehicles.

This will be the first example of Ford's battery vehicle program. A small car (think: Focus) will be rolled out in 2011, next-generation hybrids will appear in 2012, and plug-in hybrids will also be available in 2012. Click through the post to read Ford's official press release.

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After years of success in Global markets, Ford has finally decided to bring its Transit Connect commercial van to the North American market. In the past, the Transit has been given awards such as Europe's International Van of the Year, and it will now come into the U.S. in a segment solely occupied by the Dodge Sprinter. The Transit Connect will be substantially smaller than the Sprinter, but will still be a good tool for small business and personal hauling solutions, offering 135 cubic feet of cargo space and an impressive 1600-pound payload capacity. (As Ford pointed out to us, that's a bigger payload than the current Dodge Ram pickup.)

Initially, only one powertrain offering will be available -- a 2.0-liter inline-four borrowed from the U.S.-spec Focus, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. In the Transit Connect, this engine will be able to obtain fuel economy figures of up to 24 miles per gallon on the highway, though EPA certification has not yet been completed as of this writing.

What matters most to consumers, though, is overall interior usability. The split rear cargo doors open to a standard 180 degrees, though optional 255-degree doors will be available. This means the Transit Connect will have 52.1 inches of overall load height, and inside, 59.1 inches of floor-to-ceiling height is available. There are 47.8 inches of space between the rear wheel wells, and the overall load length of the cargo space is a generous 72.6 inches.

Pricing for the Transit Connect will start at $21,475 (including destination) and will be hitting dealerships this summer. Click through the post for Ford's official press release, and stay tuned for live images direct from Chicago's McCormick place later this week.

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Mazda recently refreshed its MX-5 roadster for the Japanese market and we've now learned that the updated Miata redux is scheduled to make its American debut in a few weeks at the Chicago Auto Show.

Aside from a slightly updated design, not too much has changed about the Mazda two-seater. Mazda managed to boost two more horsepower out of the MX-5's 2.0-liter engine, but we're told that the car is lighter than previous models and that fuel economy will also be improved. A tweaked suspension should make for a much more sporty ride, though we don't have much to complain about with the current car's setup.

We'll have the full ream of details when the car shows its face at Chicago's McCormick Place in a few weeks. In the meantime, click through the post to read Mazda's press release.