When any manufacturer, but particularly an industry titan like Toyota, rolls out a new vehicle that they say is “in a new class”, well, the hairs on any journalist’s neck stand up a bit. That was certainly the case as we listened to Toyota’s executives and engineers roll out the new Venza.  But after a couple of days of driving it, talking to Toyota about it, and reviewing the data, we think they have a point. It’s a subtle point, but a point nonetheless.

You’ll notice that so far we haven’t said what the Venza “is”.  We haven’t put it in a category. Before we discuss the category the vehicle belongs in, we invite you to do the same experiment we performed with some of our colleagues at the launch.  Take a good look at the pictures of the Venza. What would you say this is?  Just for fun, make a mental note of that, so you can compare your reaction to what a group of journalists said in response to the same question.

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Yesterday, we reported that Suzuki's Kizashi might never see dealer lots, but a new report suggests otherwise. After the automotive press went up in arms about the possible cancellation of Suzuki's entry into the mid-size sedan segment, the folks at Automotive News made a few phone calls, and now Suzuki spokesperson Jeff Holland says that, "The production version will debut at this year's New York Auto Show in April."

This comes as a relief to us at NextAutos, since we've long been anticipating the Kizashi and hope it really boosts Suzuki's sales in America. Stay tuned for the live reveal from New York this April.

+ Autoblog: Reports of Suzuki Kizashi's demise highly exaggerated, coming to NY

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CAR SUMMARY
New for 2009, the Lancer Ralliart fills the wide gap between the Lancer GTS and Lancer Evolution. Mitsubishi wants this car to be their version of the Subaru Impreza WRX, and with all-wheel-drive capability and a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, the Ralliart indeed fits the bill. The Ralliart's aggressive styling, sporty handling, and twin-clutch transmission make it a worthy competitor not only for the WRX, but for the Mazdaspeed3 and Volkswagen GTI, as well.

PROS
- Turbo-four engine makes for a quick and powerful Lancer.
- Aggressive styling sets the Ralliart apart from the competition.
- All-wheel drive makes this sportster four-season friendly.

CONS
- Interior refinement is a bit lackluster.
- Price point may be higher than some would like to spend.
- Fuel economy is poor compared to competitor offerings.

Read more about the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart on the vehicle's Buyer's Guide page, where you'll find our driving evaluations, previous road tests, galleries, and more. You can find Buyer's Guides to other vehicles in the NextAutos Car Search database.

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Spy photographers are a bit on the unpredictable side by their very natures, foregoing time clock and schedule in favor of waiting out the newest and freshest in unseen automobilia. Sometimes that mutable lifestyle can lead to interesting results, such as this recent submission of totally unexplained Mercedes-Benz E-Class images.

The three trim level seen here—labeled Classic, Elegance, and Avantgarde—would seem to be an early finished look at the next generation E-Class. The overall look is a more sculpted and edgy package than the current car, something that has certainly been hinted at in the camouflaged spy images we’ve seen to date. Have a closer look in our gallery above.

Update: We’ve gotten some interior shots to go along with the initial three images of the new E-Class this morning, with a few added details as well. As best we can make out, even the standard interior will come with the buyer’s choice of Nappa leathers, while a spat of chrome accents and eucalyptus trim come into play on the more premium trim levels. You’ll see this in more in the new photos above.

Now that General Motors is being forced to do some major downsizing across its range of manufacturers, this news doesn't come as a big shock to us. According to the boys at Jalopnik, Pontiac executives have told their dealer network that the automaker plans to kill the upcoming G8 ST, an American re-badge of the popular Australian Holden Ute.

Pontiac has long tried to badge themselves as GM's performance-oriented brand, and with the introduction of models like the G8 and G8 GXP, we were starting to take them seriously again. The G8 ST (Sport Truck) would have been in a segment of one if sold in America, making us remember the days of the old El Camino and other ute-like vehicles such as the Subaru Brat and Dodge Rampage.

+ Jalopnik: Pontiac G8 ST Officially Dead: GM Kills El Camino... Again

For a while now, Honda has been deliberating as to how it plans to restructure itself and its luxury marque, Acura, over the next few years. We already spread the word that a future NSX replacement was canned in the works, but now it seems that more casualties have come up across the two brands.

Honda will not be planning a successor to the S2000 roadster, nor will there be a drop-top version of the upcoming CR-Z coupe. Additionally, all plans for Acura's rumored V-8 engine have been shelved, as well as any future entries into the rear-wheel-drive segment. Honda was planning to potentially build these new RWD cars to compete with vehicles like BMW's 3- and 5-Series. The first of these examples was expected to roll out in 2015 as a 7-Series competitor. AutoCar also reports that the Honda Accord could move to one global model, as opposed to the two different versions which are sold around the world.

As we drive into the future, Honda will concentrate its efforts on building more hybrids and a new small city car. The automaker projects to build more than 500,000 hybrids by 2012, including the all-new Insight which will debut in Detroit next week.

+ AutoCar: Honda axes sports and luxury models (via AutoblogGreen)

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Bentley announced today that it will debut its Continental GTC Speed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

This more powerful version of Bentley's top-selling convertible features a 600-horsepower, twin-turbocharged W-12, the manufacturer's most powerful engine to date. The GTC Speed also provides 553 pound-feet of torque, a top speed of 200 miles per hour (195 with the top down), and will do 0-60 in 4.5 seconds.

Though still touted as a luxury vehicle, this performance-inspired Bentley sports a lower suspension, optional giant carbon-ceramic brakes, a discrete rear spoiler, and a highlighted lower air intake. According to Brian Gush of Bentley, the newest Speed model, inspired by its Speed Model of the 1920s, "is a driver's car which will redefine people's expectations of what a luxury convertible can achieve."

Check out the GTC Speed in our gallery above or scroll down below to read the official press release.

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After Mitsubishi unveiled the Lancer Sportback for Europe, the automaker announced that we'd be getting our own version in America at some point in 2009. Well, Mitsubishi wasn't lying, judging by this nearly production-ready Lancer Ralliart Sportback that was caught traveling up US-23 outside of Ann Arbor this morning.

While these prototypes don't have the stylish wheels and clear taillights of the Prototype S show car, we won't necessarily rule them out as options. Instead, these Sportback models were using the same wheels from the Lancer Ralliart and GTS sedans, and the standard red-enclosed taillights don't look too bad, either. As for power, we highly doubt that Mitsubishi will be tweaking with any of its engine choices. Additionally, we like that Mitsubishi opted to nix any sort of window between the C- and D-pillars, though we're sure how bad of a blind spot that will create until we get some actual seat time in the little Mitsu.

Us? We're looking forward to a seeing how this Mitsu stacks up to the Subaru WRX five-door, and we might even be hoping that the all-mighty Evo takes this body style someday, too.

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While earlier reports had said that the all-new Panamera sport sedan would be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, the folks at Porsche have confirmed that their newest model will, in fact, debut at the Shanghai Auto Show in April. This decision was based on the growing importance of the Chinese market, making Shanghai one of the more important auto shows of the year.

When the Panamera debuts, Porsche will show normally-aspirated and twin-turbo V-8 variants (read: Panamera S, Panamera Turbo), while the V-6 base Panamera will debut later in the year. All of the Porsche sedans will be rear-wheel drive, though the Turbo will be available with a "super-light" all-wheel-drive system. Expect the Panamera to go on sale in the third or fourth quarter of 2009.

+ Motor Authority: Porsche will unveil Panamera at 2009 Shanghai Auto Show

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Volvo recently launched a new option for the XC70 -- the T6 turbocharged 3.0L engine, with 281 hp. We just drove the car with the T6 and updated the Buyer's Guide for this interesting Volvo.

Car Summary

The XC70 has the hauling ability that families have come to cherish in their Volvo wagons, with a measure of sure-footedness on- and (occasionally) off-road. For most practical purposes, the XC70 functions the same as the slightly more civilized V70 wagon but it has that buff SUV-like body, extra ground clearance and driving position that customers like in both urban and exurban settings. Volvo’s AWD system performs admirably in most situations with its Haldex differential, but the XC70 still hasn’t got the same sort of athletic ride as some of the German competition.

Pros
- Load space is quite configurable and spacious
- Attractive, comfortable interior and distinctive "not-an-SUV, not-a-wagon" exterior
- Compliant ride mixed with acceptable handling gives a balanced performance for a taller AWD vehicle

Cons
- Doesn’t have the sporting feel (nor the sometimes crashy ride) of other premium wagons
- Expect to average no more than 20 mpg, except in pure highway driving

Read more about the Volvo XC70 on the XC70 Buyer's Guide page, where you'll find our driving evaluations, previous road tests, galleries, and more. You can find Buyer's Guides to other vehicles in the NextAutos Car Search database.

We recently posted a video of BMW engineers testing the new X5 M prototype around the Nürburgring, but a new video has surfaced starring the upcoming X6 M. In this video, ride along with some of BMW's development team and learn about some of the aspects that this high-performance X6 will bring to the road.

+ YouTube: BMW X6 M Testing

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In a somewhat odd turn of events, reports have popped up claiming that Suzuki may be stopping its development of the new Kizashi mid-size sedan, even though we've seen a number of prototypes running around in almost dealer-ready specification. While the Global economy may not be favorable to the automotive scene, it seems weird that Suzuki would completely nix the development of what could be a very important car for its brand.

The automaker has flaunted its line of Kizashi concept cars for quite some time now, and we were really hoping to see Suzuki pull through with a stylish mid-size vehicle. And while Suzuki does have a few attractive products in its showcase, the Kizashi could only have furthered Suzuki's quest to become a leading Japanese automaker.

As of this writing, the Kizashi's death is not set in stone, and we'll be sure to keep you updated with any breaking news on this front.

+ Reuters: Suzuki to shelve plans for large car (via Autoblog)

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After releasing a teaser video of the new Cadillac SRX playing in the snow, General Motors has officially taken the wraps off of the new Caddy crossover which will officially debut at the Detroit Auto Show in a few weeks. While the outgoing SRX was based on the CTS's platform, the 2010 SRX uses GM's Theta groundwork (also found on the new Chevrolet Equinox) to create an a more attractive MPV for the Cadillac brand. This means that while the outgoing SRX was available in rear-wheel drive (with optional all-wheel drive), the new vehicle will be offered in front-drive for the base model with AWD available. Additionally, the Cadillac designers have carried over with their "Art and Science" theme, making the new SRX doubly more attractive than the outgoing model.

The SRX can be had with a choice of two powerplants: a direct-injection 3.0-liter V-6 which produces 260 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, or a turbocharged 2.8-liter V-6 which pumps out producing 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Both are mated to a standard six-speed automatic transmission and, as mentioned before, can be had with front- or all-wheel-drive configurations.

All of this, combined with a rather attractive interior, should make the SRX a rather worthy competitor for vehicles like the Acura RDX and Infiniti EX35. We'll have live shots for you when the SRX officially debuts on the Cobo Hall floor. In the meantime, click through our gallery of press shots and click through the post for GM's official press release and a video!

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Even though Mercedes-Benz is working on a refresh for the CLS sedan "four-door coupe," the folks in Stuttgart have created this latest special version of the CLS, called the Grand Edition. Most strikingly, this CLS is available in platinum matte paint which Mercedes-Benz says is highly stratch- and dirt-resistant. However, if matte isn't your thing, black, siler, red, and grey are also available on request.

The CLS Grand Edition comes standard with bi-xenon headlamps, AMG eighteen-inch wheels coated a in titanium grey finish and housed inside 245/40 rubber up front and 275/35 tires out back. Additionally, the Designo interior comes with an Alcantara headliner and six different leather choices. Laurel wood trim and stainless steel pedals are also standard.

As for power, U.S. customers can expect the same 5.5-liter V-8 from the normal CLS550, while Global customers can choose from other powertrain options. The Grand Edition officially goes on sale today for €67,294 (around $93,000) and the first deliveries will take place in March. Click through the post for Mercedes-Benz's official press release.

Automakers like Tesla and Fisker have opened the door for electric sports cars, and now there are repots that Lotus is working on a battery-powered vehicle, as well. According to Lotus' CEO, Michael Kimberly, we should not be "surprised to see an electric Lotus shortly."

According to Motor Authority, this new Lotus will use a gas-powered generator to charge its batteries on the go and that this vehicle will be able to travel up to 400 miles on one tank of fuel. Lotus says that they're working in collaboration with a major automotive manufacturer to develop certain parts of this sports car. Also, MA points out that Tesla currently contracts Lotus to assemble the bodies for its electric roadster, though this new product from Lotus will compete directly with cars like the Tesla.

As for us, we're eagerly awaiting the fuel-sipping comparison test between these electric sports cars. Lotus wants to develop this car in order to expand its model range after the official launch of the new four-seat Evora later this year.

+ Motor Authority: Lotus working on range-extending electric vehicle

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Jaguar’s XF sedan has enjoyed heaps of praise from the public and the motoring press since its introduction, something that’s not likely to change when this “R” version hits the ground running.

This lightly dolled up Jaguar mule shows an XF-R that should be able to take the measure of even the sternest of the German competition, especially with a 500 horsepower supercharged V-8 churning away under the hood. The 5.0-liter eight is an all new direct injection engine as well, meaning that it’s likely cleaner and more frugal than big Jag engines of the past.

The XF-R will have a few subtle clues about its performance potential as well (if one can call 20-inch wheels subtle), with bigger shoes, a small rear lip spoiler, chromed quad exhaust tips, and revised bumpers. Take a look above.

Scroll down below to read more from our spy shooter in the field.

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When Ford told us that they'd be unveiling the "next chapter in the Mustang story" at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show, some of us were hoping for a sort of Mustang SVO replacement, but we're definitely pleased to see that Ford has finished up its development of the 2010 Shelby GT500 coupe and convertible. The new Mustang's exterior design looks especially bold in Shelby guise, and some of us think that the rear duck-tail spoiler meshes quite well with the new Mustang's rump.

When engineering the new GT500, Ford decided to take most of the inner workings from the current GT500KR, meaning that the newest Shelby cranks out 540 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque from its 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 and runs through a Tremec six-speed manual transmission. We're told that the clutch has been heavily reworked, too, which is indeed a good thing since the clutch in the current car gave us quite a bit to gripe about. Overall handling is supposed to be a vast step above the outgoing model, as well.

Inside, the new 'Stang's interior was fitted with a custom shift knob and special Shelby seats. In fact, the seats are custom fitted to each car so that the stripes within the leather match the stripes on the car's exterior. Alcantara trim can be found on the seat side bolsters, shift lever, emergency brake boot, and steering wheel. The 2010 GT500 is expected to hit showrooms this Spring.

We'll be sure to pass on live shots of the Shelby when it officially debuts at the Detroit show later this month. In the meantime, click through our gallery of shots and click through the post to read Ford's official press release.

The end of the year is always a time for reflection on the twelve months that have just passed. Changing the yearly calendar gives a sense of refreshment and is a time for new resolutions and goals. In the automotive world, we journalists reflect upon the cars we've driven and reviewed throughout the year, and we at Winding Road came up with our list of the Twelve Cars We Loved In 2008.

Thus, as our final QOTD for 2008, we want to know what vehicle you loved the most this year. Let us know your choices, in comments, and let us know what you think of our choices, as well.

+ Winding Road's Dynamic Dozen: Twelve Cars We Loved This Year

Even though Toyota expects to post its first operating loss in over seventy years, it still looks to be on track to out-sell every other automaker in the United States for the second year in a row.

The Detroit Free Press reports that even if Scion's 109,777 sales are excluded, Toyota still leads the industry with 1.7 million car and truck sales through November of this year. Toyota first took over the Number One spot last year when it topped Chevrolet by 41,296 vehicles, for a total of 2.3 million cars and trucks sold.

When reached for comment, George Pipas at Ford notes that "In times like these, who's on first is less important than who's still on the team, meaning who's still selling cars and trucks." On the other hand, the Freep also reports that Toyota won't be flaunting its top honors, with Toyota's Mike Michels saying, "We don't find that it's a very strong motivation for customers."

+ Detroit Free Press: Toyota to stay top seller in U.S.

We told you yesterday that Ford will be unveiling its new Park Assist technology on the Lincoln MKS and upcoming MKT, but the folks at FoMoCo have now released a video showing their new Park Assist in action, hosted by Ford's chassis chief engineer, Ali Jammoul.

+ YouTube (via Jalopnik)