Car shows

Volkswagen's superhot Beetle

LOS ANGELES--Volkswagen is keeping the specifications of the Beetle R concept a secret, but the production Golf R, coming out next year, should give some clues.

Letters like GTI and GLI used to spell performance in Volkswagen terminology, but the German carmaker is introducing a new letter, R. The company now has an entire performance division tuning up existing Volkswagen models and slapping an R badge on them. The first effort hitting production is the Golf R, and now Volkswagen is showing off a concept version of a Beetle R.

Based on the 2012 Beetle, the Beetle R concept has … Read more

2013 Cadillac XTS: Caddy tries its hand at a large sports sedan

LOS ANGELES--Cadillac killed two old birds with one stone today.

The old birds in question are the aging DTS and STS luxury sedan that will likely both be replaced by the new 2013 Cadillac XTS sedan unveiled here at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show this morning.

The XTS gets a healthy dose of Cadillac's Art and Science design language, so it's no surprise that the sedan ends up looking quite a bit like a larger, more upright version of the automaker's popular CTS sedan. The XTS also shares the 3.6-liter, direct-injection V-6 engine that lurks … Read more

Mastretta MXT: Mexico makes a sports car

LOS ANGELES--Using a rigid aluminum structure and a Ford-sourced engine, the MXT looks good and should feature excellent handling.

The MXT should go a long way toward changing perceptions in the U.S. about Mexican craftsmanship. This little sports car, the brainchild of Daniel Mastretta, uses a rigid, lightweight chassis made from aluminum and a short wheelbase, which should give it excellent handling.

Baby Toyota Prius c toddles towards production

The Prius family is about to get bigger and smaller at the same time.

Toyota continues its diversification of the Prius line of hybrid vehicles (which currently comprises the Prius v, the Prius Plug-in, and, of course, the standard Prius) with a new downsized model that the automaker thinks will be great for the tight-quarters driving of major metropolitan areas and as an entry point for young drivers interested in hybridization. We've known that this was coming--we've already seen the concept. Now, however, we finally know what the production model of the Prius c will look like when … Read more

2011 Los Angeles Auto Show preview

This week kicks off the Los Angeles Auto Show, where automakers show off their latest models and concepts in the city known for its car culture. CNET will be at the show during press preview days this week, getting a first-hand look. Here are some of the cars we are looking forward to seeing at the show: … Read more

130 sweet rides from the 2011 SEMA Show

The 2011 SEMA Show has come to a close, but I've still got an SD card full of photos of the hundreds of wild rides displayed there.

With that in mind, I've rounded up 130 photos of some of the hottest rides found on the floor of the SEMA Show. The cars have been split into four bite-size categories for quick navigation.

There were plenty of Asian imports to be found, with styles ranging from VIP to street tuner to race ready. This was the first year that I was able to check out the anime-inspired Itasha style … Read more

MyFord Touch gets graphics, performance update

Ford has announced an update to its much-criticized car tech interface, previously plagued by slow performance and cluttered screens.

Ford came out with its new MyFord Touch interface on the 2011 Edge last year. This interface featured LCDs on the instrument cluster showing navigation, phone, audio, and trip data, along with a big center touch screen allowing control over these different car tech functions. But the touch-screen interface came under much criticism by CNET and others for its slow performance and cluttered displays.

Today, Ford showed off an update to the system intended to address its various problems. According to … Read more

SEMA wrap-up: Modded cars and shiny tech

LAS VEGAS--This week, tuners showed off their latest automotive creations, putting new body work, stereos, and engine mods in cars such as Civics and Velosters at the SEMA show in Las Vegas.

The Specialty Equipment Manufacturer Association (SEMA) held its annual show in Las Vegas this week, and CNET was on hand to see the latest outlandish car mods and new technology on display. SEMA is a show for stuff you can do to a car after it leaves the factory.

Here are a few highlights from the show: … Read more

Hyundai remixes the Veloster, Genesis Coupe at SEMA 2011

LAS VEGAS--Hyundai's last few appearances at the SEMA Show have been so Genesis-heavy that I had to double-check I hadn't stumbled into Sega's booth.

Although the Genesis Coupe is still a large part of Hyundai's aftermarket strategy for the 2011 SEMA Show, the automaker's focus has been shifted to its new weapon of choice: the brand-new 2012 Veloster. Hyundai's booth was home to the unveiling of five custom Veloster models, including the ARK Performance Veloster that we saw previewed not too long ago.

The ARK Veloster features a laundry list of modifications that touch … Read more

Sylvania aims its zXe headlights at the tuner set

LAS VEGAS--When a manufacturer of headlights and auxiliary lights shows you its newest products, it's probably not a good idear to look directly into the light.

Sylvania isn't shy about boasting that it is the leader in automotive lighting technology, but I'll admit that I wasn't expecting to be wowed by a bunch of light bulbs. I was, quite literally, dazzled.

Once the after-image had cleared from my vision, it was explained to me that the new Slyvania Silverstar zXe line of aftermarket replacement headlight bulbs attempts to mimic the ultra white light of HID headlamps … Read more