CES 2009 is finally here, and with it comes a torrent of new car-related electronics, as well as updates of old favorites. From car audio to fuel savers to driver safety, the range of products at CES will cover the gamut.
Here's a sample of what you can expect to see over the next week.
Describing it as an early Christmas present, Volvo released pictures and details of its new S60 concept car today. We appreciate the company's generous spirit, but we really wanted an Audi R8 V10. Maybe Santa will be nicer next year. Volvo shows some standard concept car cues in the S60 concept, with a center stack handmade out of some kind of crystal we've never heard of (Orrefors anyone?), LED headlights, and no B-pillar, giving the car an open feeling when the front and rear windows are down.
The body design looks good, and we would like to see … Read more
For the second year, CES devotes its North Hall to automotive technology, showing the growing interest in electronics for the car. As we would expect, stereo manufacturers such as Alpine and JVC will be showing new in-dash products, expanding the idea of what the traditional stereo head unit can do. GPS and Bluetooth hands-free devices will also have a heavy presence, with connected GPS devices making an appearance as a new trend. We are also looking forward to seeing innovative new in-car services, such as Internet radio, satellite TV, and new digital music options.
At our CNET Car Tech stage … Read more
There are luxury brands--Mercedes-Benz and Lexus come to mind--then there are luxury brands, cars with the leather from a herd of cows and wood from a whole forest. Spyker, Ferrari, and Bentley all showed off hand-crafted cars at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. These cars feature beautiful and unique styling, high-performance engines and driving gear, advanced cabin tech, and prestigious brand names. The prices they command put them in the realm of sheiks and movie stars.
At the 2008 LA Auto Show, Porsche unveiled its new Boxster and Cayman models, presented alongside the first Porsche ever, a 1940s-era Porsche 356.
While the tweaked exteriors aren't drastically different from the previous generation, the technology under the hood has changed quite a bit. Four new, larger engines are also more efficient, thanks to the inclusion of direct injection technology and optional PDK double-clutch transmission.
View more photos of the new Porsche Boxster and Cayman.
The Aston Martin DBS is a beautiful car, and sitting in one is a very special experience. Sitting in a DBS and listening to a Bang & Olufsen audio system takes that special experience and adds a choir of angels. The high-end Danish audio-components maker lends its expertise to Aston Martin with its Beosound DBS system, now coming as standard in the new DBS. At the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show we sat in the DBS as a Bang & Olufsen representative played a variety of music through the system.
The car spun around on its turntable as a drum-and-bass … Read more
The gods of automotive design say that five years is too old for a car, so Ford went and redesigned the perfectly good Mustang for the 2010 model year. Fortunately, Ford didn't fix what wasn't broken, instead choosing to enhance design elements of the Mustang that make it such a good take on the classic 'stangs from the late '60s and early '70s. For this update, the hood gets bulgier, the front fenders drop a bit while the rear fenders climb a little higher. Roof options include metal, convertible soft top, and glass--the latter a unique design from … Read more
Maserati showed off an updated Quattroporte sedan for the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. The 2009 Quattroporte gets a design consistent with the 2008 GranTurismo, including the toothy grille, and it gets reworked head and tail lights. The S model of this curvy sedan gains some oomph, with a big 4.7-liter V-8 under the hood, half a liter bigger than the standard model. Best of all for car techies, Bose contributes an audio system and infotainment package that combines navigation, cell phone, and stereo.
See the 2009 Maserati Quattroporte.
See all coverage of the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. … Read more
The 2009 Nissan Z has finally been revealed and we've got the official photos to prove it. But how much can you tell by looking at a photo? As it turns out, a lot actually.
The most obvious changes are the new boomerang-shaped headlamps, which match the design language established with the 2009 Nissan Maxima. The Z takes the concept a step further by mirroring the design with boomerang shaped taillights, as well. I didn't think that I'd like it, based on the spy shots, but they look pretty good in the official shots.
Other more subtle … Read more
Our favorite part of any car show are the concept cars, design studies shown off by automakers to test audience reaction. At the 2008 Paris Motor Show, we've saw a variety of concept cars demonstrating everything from small, eco-friendly city cars to high-performance exotics. Some of these cars are merely a gleam in their designers' eyes, while others are already being slated for production. Take a look at the automotive future.
Click here for photos of concept cars from the 2008 Paris Motor Show.
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