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Mazda has announced that the North American spec Mazda2 (known in Japan as the Demio) will debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show next month. The subcompact hatchback has been successful  in other parts of the world, and will begin to be offered in the U.S. and Canada late next year.

Does this, as well as the arrival of the Ford Fiesta, spell a new trend in the future U.S. auto market?

See the Japanese version in the gallery above, or scroll down for the press release from Honda.

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For all of you (ourselves included) who have lusted after the Opel Insignia, it looks like we'll finally have the chance to see what the fuss is all about. As part of General Motors' strategy to build up the Buick brand beyond its LaCrosse, Enclave, and (aging) Lucerne models, the 2011 Regal will be arriving on our shores next year, available only with four-cylinder engines and front-wheel drive.

Initially, just the naturally aspirated Regal will be available, packing GM's trusty 2.4-liter, direct-injected four which produces 182 horsepower and is good for 30 miles per gallon on the highway. In the late summer of 2010, however, a model with the Ecotec 2.0-liter, 220-horsepower engine will roll out, mated to an all-new Interactive Drive Control System (IDCS) which allows the driver to change the suspension settings between Normal, Tour, and Sport modes. Both engines will be mated to six-speed automatic transmissions.

The Regal will come standard with many premium features, like heated, leather seats, Bluetooth, XM satellite radio, OnStar, and eighteen-inch wheels (or nineteens with the IDCS system). That, combined with the sleek styling of the Euro Insignia, should make the Regal a pretty fierce competitor for upmarket Ford Fusions.

No word on pricing has been released at this time, but we'll keep you posted. Stay tuned for more details when this car makes its official reveal at next month's Los Angeles Auto Show. In the meantime, click through the post to read GM's official press release.

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Oh, the Porsche Boxster. As we recently reaffirmed in our latest comparison test, the little two-seat roadster from Porsche is one of our favorite topless road cars, and now there's more to love. The much-anticipated Boxster Spyder won't make its official debut until December 2nd at the Los Angeles Auto Show, but the details and images have already leaked out ahead of time.

This lightweight, hardcore version of the Boxster starts with the well-received 3.4-liter, direct-injection flat-six engine, though power has been increased by 10 horsepower for a new total of 320. Combined with Porsche's PDK gearbox and Sport Chrono package, the Spyder will jaunt from a stand-still to 60 miles per hour in just 4.6 seconds and will do 166 mph flat out (with the roof off, of course). "Roof," though, is a figurative term with the Spyder, as the Boxster's standard folding lid has been replaced with a lightweight soft top that acts as more of a sunshade than anything else.

Other modifications include a special sport suspension which lowers the ride height by twenty millimeters, a standard limited-slip differential, and exclusive wheels. Aluminum door skins and lightweight interior door panels (from the GT3 RS) aid in reducing the Spyder's weight by 176 pounds over the standard Boxster S, and with a lower center of gravity, we're confident in saying that this thing will be well-suited for hot laps at your local track.

Look for the Boxster Spyder to hit U.S. showrooms in February of 2010 with a starting MSRP of $61,200. Click through the post to read the official press release from Porsche.

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It seemed a bit strange when luxury marque Lincoln entered into the subcompact segment with the C Concept at this year's Detroit Auto Show, but now Lexus is throwing their hand into the ring in the form of the LF-Ch Concept. This hybrid five-door will officially debut to the world next week in Frankfurt and will make its North American debut later this year in Los Angeles.

The design of the LF-Ch may lead you to believe that it's an athletic little performer, but there's an honest-to-goodness hybrid powertrain under that hood. While Lexus hasn't released the exact details, only saying that this concept is "powered by the latest generation of Lexus Hybrid Drive technology. A drive mode-switch allows the driver to select between four modes: Normal, Eco, and EV plus a Sport mode that amplifies throttle response for the most enthusiastic drivers." Sounds like the new HS250h to us.

And even if it is just a funky new body on the HS drivetrain, that's okay with us. It's sharp, has a sleek interior, and we really hope it comes to production. The world could stand to have more small hybrids in the automotive fleet. Click through the post to read Lexus' full press release.