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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Just a few days after Ford debuted the all-new 2010 Fusion, official pricing has been released. The Fusion can be had in five different model trims: S, SE, SEL, Sport, and Hybrid, with a choice of four- or six-cylinder engines and manual or automatic transmissions, depending on the model.

The base Fusion S rings in at an MSRP of $19,270 while the top-dollar Fusion Hybrid can be priced from $27,200. Rounding out the middle of the range we have the SE at $20,545, SEL at $23,975, and Sport at $25,825.

Click through the post to see a more detailed list of some of the features found on each model.

The Chevrolet Spark (née Daewoo Matiz) is a cheeky little ultra compact sold by General Motors and partners nearly everywhere in the world save the U.S. While the General’s ad tactics for the little Spark may involve playing on the rebellious nature of the youthful market the car is positioned to be sold to, we were still a little baffled by the message offered in this Argentinean spot. Perhaps there’s something lost in the translation but the Chevy ad is seemingly in strong opposition to the institution of marriage—as evidenced by this literal destruction of a strong symbol. Still, the Spark has never looked more delicious.

+ Ad Freak: Chevrolet Spark | "Cake"

Allegedly designed to alert the driver/rider any time the modified vehicle is emitting enough carbon monoxide to be harmful to the environment—which would be an awful lot if we had to guess—this original tailpipe trumpet certainly gives added credence to the term, engine note. Creators Allora & Calzadilla are most likely more interested in making a social statement than tuning (sorry) exhausts but the concept makes for, at the very least, a fascinating visual effect. The next attempt had better be a French horn.

+ Lisson Gallery    

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The Infiniti G37 Convertible has been speculated and teased for quite some time now, but the official details about the drop-top G have finally been released. A three-piece folding hardtop allows this G37 to do battle with the likes of the Saab 9-3, Mercedes-Benz CLK, and BMW 3-Series in the premium cabriolet market. The G37 Convertible can either be mated to a six-speed manual (in the G37S) or seven-speed automatic transmission, though unlike the coupe and sedan, no all-wheel-drive G37x version is available.

Infiniti has added a few technological goodies that make this convertible even more attractive, including an available Bose Open Air sound system that dynamically changes sound equalization based on outside noise, top position, and vehicle speed. On top of that, there's an adaptive dual-zone climate control system that adjusts the fan's speed depending on vehicle speed and whether the roof is on or off.

We do love convertibles here at Winding Road and NextAutos, and we're eager to get some seat time in the latest addition to the convertible segment. We're also happy to see that the folding hardtop hasn't ruined the G's sleek shape too much, either.

Scroll through our gallery of images to see the G37 Convertible in all its glory and click through the post to read Infiniti's press release.

With new models of each car being announced this morning by Porsche, our early conversations revolved around the specific merits and downsides of the Boxster and the Cayman. With power, pricing, and performance all within fighting distance of each other, which Porsche would you rather park in your garage? Cayman or Boxster, you make the call, in comments. 

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Now that the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan have been completely refreshed for the 2010 model year, it only makes sense that their platform-mate, the Lincoln MKZ, would get a couple of updates. The styling has indeed been influenced by that of the larger MKS sedan, though we don't find it to be nearly as attractive as its Fusion and Milan siblings.

Under the hood is a 3.5-liter V-6 which produces 263 horsepower and 249 pound-feet of torque mated to a six-speed automatic. The MKZ is said to sprint from zero to 60 miles per hour in 7.1 seconds, or six-tenths of a second quicker than the previous model. Both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive are available.

The interior gets a slight update with a handful of useful features like Ford's updated navigation interface with Sirius Travel Link, Sync, rain-sensing wipers, and a reverse camera system.

Click through the post to read the official press release from Ford and have a look through our gallery of images, as well.

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With around 1.8 million units sold so far and some 90 awards won, the Mazda3 has been treating the Japanese automaker quite well ever since its initial release five years ago. So to keep the favorable trend going, Mazda will show the all-new Mazda3 sedan at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show.
 
The styling has been nudged towards what the automaker likes to call a unified Mazda global "family face." This translates into a lower air intake, and a modernized and 'instantly recognizable' five-point grill. The lines have also been tweaked and molded on the body for a more coupe-like shape, featuring a similar the C-pillar profile as the one on the 2009 Mazda6.

Interior upgrades include a sharper and more contemporary look than the previous generation, with keyless entry and push-button start as its standard party piece. Options will include rain-sensing wipers, heated side mirrors, leather upholstery, and heated seats. While these changes are nothing too special, it does come with a Bose 10-speaker premium surround sound system, a dock for iPods, Sirius satellite radio, and connectivity for cell phones and portable media players. These additions should happily satisfy anyone with a techno-accessory junkie within.
 
The power comes in the form of either a 2.0-liter inline-4 capable of generating 148 horsepower and135 pound-feet of torque, or a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder that produces 167 hp and 168 lb-ft of torque. To transfer power to the wheels, there is yet another list of choices ranging from a five-speed or six-speed manual transmission, as well as a five-speed electronically controlled Sport-AT autobox.
 

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Images of Nissan’s all new 370Z sports coupe are nothing new (though we’ve never had this many all at once before), as pics of the newest Z have been leaking out for some time now. But with Nissan’s launch of the new car at L.A. we have learned much more in the way of specifics regarding the 370.

For starters, the new Z is looking at pricing along the same lines of the current car (not a bad thing) with a base MSRP starting just below $30,000. That $30K now buys a more powerful sports car, with the new generation of Nissan’s VQ Series 3.7-liter V-6 making 332 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque against the old 3.5-liter engine’s 306 and 268 respectively.  Nissan also tells us that the newly powerful engine will have less to tote around, as considerable weight saving measures have helped to cut the curb weight of the 370Z by an estimated 225 pounds.

We’re also pretty excited by the first images we’ve seen showing the 370 interior up close, as the outgoing car always felt a bit let down in that department.  The driver’s seat has been the product of a great deal of thought and revision with revised lower seat cut-outs, a more secure frame, and a lower hip point than in the previous car. Materials seem of a higher grade throughout the cabin.

We’re anxious to get our hands on the new 370Z and report back with driving impressions sometime next month, stay tuned.

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Like its hardtop Cayman sibling, the Porsche Boxster also gets a few upgrades for the 2010 model year, specifically direct injection and Porsche's new PDK dual-clutch gearbox, along with some minor styling tweaks.

The base Boxster's 2.9-liter flat-six now produces 255 horsepower, an increase of 10 horses over the previous model, while the direct-injected 3.4-liter engine in the Boxster S pumps out 310 horsepower -- an increase of 15. The Boxsters should achieve fuel economy numbers in the range of 25 to 26 miles per gallon.

Scroll through the gallery for photos of the updated Boxster, and click on over to our earlier Cayman coverage for the official press release.

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Already one of the sexiest cars on the planet, Lamborghini has gone topless with its Gallardo LP 560-4 and created a new Spyder supercar to debut at the L.A. Auto Show.

While the specific details surrounding the Spyder won’t be known until the launch later today in L.A., it’s fully expected that the car will carryover most of the same mechanical bits from the fixed-roof LP 560-4—no bad thing in our humble opinion. That means that the 5.2-liter V-10 will still be churning out 560 horsepower, and will no doubt be turning heads with its sonorous goodness where ever it goes. 

The new Gallardo Spyder will offer a power-folding soft top that will likely go up or down in roughly 20 seconds. From the few top-up photos we’ve been given however, we’d recommend that the roof be raised only in the direst of emergencies, as it makes the otherwise stunning car look a little silly.

+ Autoblog: LA 2008: Lamborghini unveiling Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder

China’s Guangzhou Auto may not be on most car enthusiast’s radar screen right now, but should the upstart automaker choose to build something like this slinky concept roadster, we believe that a few more people would sit up and take notice.
 
The roadster concept was found at the GA stand at the company’s home auto show in Guangzhou, China, and very little is known about it yet—save that it look really, really good. GA has is currently a working partner with both Toyota and Honda though, so some kind of big backing for the concept is at least a possibility.

Trouble is, the GA concept does bear at least a passing resemblance to the Honda OSM concept from this year’s British auto show. We can’t really see the point in cribbing a concept vehicle from someone it’s already in business with, but then again, there are a lot of things on the China side that we don’t fully understand.

+ China Car Times: Guangzhou Roadster Concept - We want one.

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Porsche is preparing to launch the second generation of its super-desirable Cayman coupe at the L.A. Auto Show this week, prominently featuring new, more powerful, and more fuel efficient flat-six engines.

With a 2.9-liter six displacing 265 horsepower for the base Cayman, a bump of 20 ponies and 0.2 liters from the outgoing car. Meanwhile the hot Cayman S jumps from 295 to 320 horsepower wrought from its 3.4-liter boxer six. When used in conjunction with the new Porsche PDK transmission the 2.9-liter Cayman is rated for a consumption of 31 mpg on the highway.

Both levels of the coupe now come with the newest version of the Porsche Stability Management, now offering tricky braking assist features (Brake Pre-Loading and Brake Assistant) that should provide good service in emergency stopping situations. The Cayman wheels have been bumped up by a half of an inch in width to accommodate the new wizardry.

While Porsche’s traditional evolutionary mode of styling change is in evidence here, the new Cayman hasn’t gone completely without visual updating. The front and rear ends have been massaged, with directional signals now integrated into the front headlamps, tapering LED taillights, and “rod-shaped” LED side lights.

Scroll down to read the Porsche press release.

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While Ford has already spilled the beans about the revised powertrain lineup for its newly redone Fusion (in standard, Sport, and Hybrid Flavors), the automaker has waited on the occasion of the L.A. Auto Show to show off the full redesign of the car.

The early verdict seems to be that the redux is quite an attractive one, with the Fusion looking more refined and upmarket in its newest iteration—a terrific thing in a market segment that offers ultra stiff competition and cross-shop happy buyers. The aggressive new front end of the car features headlights that have been well integrated with the three-bar grille, as well as a square power dome of the sort seen on the new Mustang.  Fusion Sport models get a boot lid spoiler and side skirts that amp up the go fast looks to go with the newly capable 263 horsepower 3.5-liter V-6.

Fusion’s interior has also been changed over to a slightly higher level of refinement, though the adjustments aren’t so great in scope as what we’ve seen Ford do with the Mustang living quarters. The center stack makes room for a large new 8-inch navigation screen, with cleaned up controls for the HVAC and media systems.  Plastics have been covered in softer touch materials and more metallic finish surfaces abound.

Have a closer look at the Sport and Hybrid Fusions in our gallery above, or delve deep into Ford’s thinking with the official press release below.

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While it’s impossible to make a fair judgment about the car without having had any time behind the wheel, what say you about the 2010 Ford Mustang from a purely aesthetic point of view? Are you in favor of, or opposed to the Mustang redesign after your first look? Give us your vote, in comments.

Do you like what you see so far of the new for 2010 Ford Mustang? Or do you think that the car has gone in completely the wrong direction and want to know who’s responsible for the change? In either case (we’re guessing the former), the Autobloggers have put together an interesting video, interviewing a few of the designers responsible for the new Mustang, and coving the details of the car in greater depth. Take a few minutes and listen up…this stuff is important.

+ Autoblog: VIDEO: Autoblog goes in-depth with 2010 Ford Mustang

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While we have already keyed readers in on the upcoming Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85—a road-going version of the Spyker GT2 Le Mans car complete with an Audi-sourced, 4.2-liter, 400 horsepower V-8—we were unable to show much of the massively orange car, until now.

In advance of the car’s pending debut at the L.A. Auto Show, Spyker has released a slew of new detail shots of the racer; all in its blindingly orange glory. Have a closer look at the Dutch super treat in our gallery above. Or, feel free to brush up on the details of the car (it comes with a watch!) in the full press release below.
  

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The Range Rover Sport is a vehicle that can go anywhere, do anything, and look trendy in the process. No, it’s not going to win any awards in within the Green crowd, but for the consumers who actually pay out for one of these (especially in Supercharged trim), it won’t matter. In our week with the Range Rover Sport, we found it to have more than ample performance, relatively good handling (for an SUV), and a pretty luxurious interior.

Click through the post for our editors’ full notes on the Range Rover Sport Supercharged.

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After what feels like an interminable period of waiting, following teaser shots, and hunting around for spy photographs, Ford has officially pulled the wraps off its 2010 Mustang, just hours before the car’s gala debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Realizing what a good thing it has had with the current (fifth) generation of Mustang since that car’s launch in 2005, Ford has taken an evolutionary approach to the new car; seeking to update or change the bits that weren’t quite right, without totally tearing up the successful blueprint altogether. That philosophy is most apparent in the exterior styling of the 2010 car, where the pointed massaging of a solid design has lead to a Mustang that is tauter, more athletic, and more refined than the outgoing product.

The Opel/Vauxhall Insignia has been chosen as the 2009 European Car of the year, beating out Ford’s all new Fiesta by a single point. The result is the closest such in the past eight years, when the Ford Mondeo was beaten by the Alfa Romeo 147. The Insignia received 20 first place votes and 321points from the jury of automotive writers, while the Fiesta garnered 19 votes and 320 points. Volkswagen’s new Golf ran third with 223 points, while the Citroen C5, Alfa Romeo MiTo, and Skoda Superb were fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.

NextAutos’ Reader Tim was the first to respond with the correct answer in the contest post we published last week, and will be on the receiving end of a fabulous NextAutos//Winding Road gift package! (Ok, it’s mostly tee-shirts and stuff, but hey, still free.) Thanks for playing!

Check out the full press release below.