LA Auto Show

Nissan's V2G is taking home the coveted Design Challenge award at the 2009 LA Auto Show. Sporting a futuristic and funky style that has captured the imagination and excitement of the contest, the Nissan V2G looks a little like a high-end trike sporting some lobster claws, but what do I know. A panel of design professionals based the winning design on "originality of creative concept, integration of futuristic design elements and level of adaptation to the needs of the youth consumer in 2030." In any case, check out the full press release and image gallery after the jump.

So, part II of the Top 10 Most Exciting Cars from the 2009 LA Auto Show continues... The event was somewhat subdued and light on world debuts, but featured many of the outstanding models that we saw unveiled at the Frankfurt and Tokyo Motor Shows. As the last major auto show of 2009, this event was a decent bookend to a year filled with plenty of ups and downs.

The strangest occurrence at the 2009 LA Auto Show was the last minute change of presenter for the Motor Press Guild Keynote Address. Former CEO Fritz Henderson was asked by the Board to resign on Tuesday, and Bob Lutz quickly stepped in to deliver the speech. In any case, as the turbulence in the auto industry continues, innovation and progressive design have kept things interesting and exciting. As a side note, some of the coolest cars at the show ended up on this list as honorable mentions simply because they had so much exposure during the months leading up to the show and weren't so novel by the time the show rolled around...

I'm starting to sound like a broken record when it comes to auto show recaps. But the fact remains that due to the worldwide economic recession many OEMs are paring down their presentation rigs, bringing fewer cars or not showing up at all. The 2009 LA Auto Show, while definitely a noteworthy event with plenty to see and talk about, felt a little like going to a rock concert with U2 headlining and only getting to see the warm-up acts.

For this site, and our readers, the fact that Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley and Maserati did not attend was a huge disappointment. To boot, there were just a smattering of world debuts from other manufacturers. What follows is our rundown of the Top 10 Most Exciting Cars at the 2009 LA Auto Show:

Each year it seems that the LA Auto Show serves as the launch platform for the unveiling of a new special edition model from Scion. This year the company dropped the xB Release Series 7.0, a revitalized and jazzed up variant of their popular sport-ute. Only 2,000 limited editions will be built with each uniquely numbered. The show car, designated number 007, features a special purple hue known as "Murasaki" that has elicited visceral reactions, both good and bad.  

The Scion xB Release Series 7.0 comes with lowered TRD springs that drop the vehicle's height by a full inch. A four-piece DAMD body kit adds a lower front and rear lip, side skirts with a rear spoiler optional. A new sport exhaust system also is included with double-walled tailpipes.

Even though Ford just completed a model refresh of the Mustang for the 2010 model year, that hasn't stopped the Blue Oval from pushing forward with significant platform upgrades. It's nice to think that Ford initiated this at its own behest,  but a more likely scenario is that it's due to stiff competition from the six-cylinder Chevy Camaro, Hyundai Genesis Coupe and Nissan 370Z. In any case, the new 2011 Mustang sports a 3.7-liter V6 engine putting out 305 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, which is a HUGE improvement over the 2010's rather pathetic 210 hp and 240 lb-ft torque. What's even more impressive is that displacement has been reduced from the previous generation's 4.0L powerplant, and fuel efficiency increased to 30 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg in the city (automatic). This compares to 16 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway from the outgoing model.

Ford has definitely done its homework on its new transmissions for the 2011 Mustang. The new six-speed 6R60 automatic provides consistent fuel economy and comes with a hill-mode to assist with inclines. Performance remains crisp with a mapping scheme that provides quick shifts to keep the 2011 Mustang hauling. The manual gearbox features short throws and direct feel of the shifter for a better driving experience. The standard 2.73 rear axle provides a good balance between fuel economy and acceleration while an optional 3.31 rear axle ratio is available for better launches off the line.

Porsche's Boxster and Boxster S just found out they have a long lost brother. He's in better shape than they are, he's stronger, and much better looking. When it rains he puts on a funny looking hat, but that's ok, because he only really likes to go outside when it's sunny. He's the new Porsche Boxster Spyder, and he's already my favorite Boxster.

Let's start with the fact that at 2,800lbs this is the lightest Porsche offered today. This was achieved by deleting the A/C and radio, and using carbon seats. The most weight-loss happened above the neck, deleting the convertible top. Instead there's a hand-attached cloth roof. Frankly, it looks awful, and the fit is just ok. However, you'll quickly forget about it when you drive it. The mid-mounted engine makes 320hp and 273 ft-lbs of torque, both 10 higher than the Boxster S. With the PDK transmission sprints to 62 mph happen in 4.8 seconds and you can blow-dry your hair at 166mph. With new 20mm-lower springs and an LSD, this car will be incredible in the corners.

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