New models

LOS ANGELES -- Leading up to the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford teased a couple of technologies for the 2014 Fiesta model, then brought out the car at the show. With an innovative new engine option and its own MyFord Touch system, the new Fiesta should be a high-tech fuel sipper.

Last week Ford handed out specifications for a new engine option in the 2014 Fiesta, a 1-liter three-cylinder Ecoboost already in use in Europe. The engine sounds ridiculously small by U.S. standards, but its turbo and direct injection help it achieve 123 horsepower, which should be more … Read more

LOS ANGELES -- If you ever read an address off your phone and typed it into your car's navigation system, you experienced one of the biggest disconnects between smartphones and cars. At the LA Auto Show, Telenav demonstrated how its Scout navigation app solves this problem.

Last September, Ford and Telenav announced that Scout was compatible with Ford's Sync AppLink app integration feature. Sync AppLink lets drivers control compatible apps through their car's interface. Scout was the first navigation app to work with AppLink, and joined a growing number of compatible apps.

Telenav's Mark Burfeind demonstrated … Read more

LOS ANGELES, CA -- The 2012 Los Angeles International Auto Show is chock-full of world premieres of new concept cars and the debuts of production models that we're seeing for the first time, but there have also been a few "debuts" of cars that we're already familiar with. The LA Auto Show is also the stage upon which concepts and production cars that have been previously showcased abroad can make their North American debut in front of U.S. press and consumers.

Rather than simply overlook these vehicles with a "been there, done that" … Read more

LOS ANGELES - The Green Car Journal announced its Green Car of the Year award at the Los Angeles Auto Show, choosing the Ford Fusion in a field of five finalists that included Toyota, Mazda, Dodge, and another Ford model.

The 2013 Ford Fusion mid-size sedan comes out with a wide array of drivetrain options, from a standard 2.5-liter engine to a plug-in hybrid system. With its base 2.5-liter four cylinder, the Fusion gets an EPA average of 26mpg. Prospective buyers can also upgrade to either a 1.6-liter or 2-liter Ecoboost engine, each using direct injection and … Read more

Last week Ford told us the 2014 Fiesta, the smallest car in its lineup, would be offered with a new, fuel-saving 1-liter EcoBoost engine. Ford notes this week that the 2014 Fiesta will also get a new version of its MyFord Touch infotainment system, which marks the first time this model gets a navigation option.… Read more

At the Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford will unveil its 2013 Fiesta model, currently its smallest car. And along with its standard 1.6-liter engine, Ford will also be showing its smallest engine, the 1-liter, three-cylinder EcoBoost, a new option for the Fiesta model.

Three-cylinder engines are rare in the U.S., only used in the current Smart car or the odd past Asian import. In those applications, they have not garnered a really good reputation. But Ford's little mill may change all that.

Taking advantage of efficiency and power technologies, the 1-liter Ford engine produces 123 horsepower and … Read more

It seems like I only just recovered from the 2012 SEMA Show and the Los Angeles Auto Show is already looming on the horizon. Not that I'm complaining; the 2012 LA Auto show is looking to be a good one. Of the cars that we're expecting to see, there seems to be a good mix of small electric cars, exciting, unattainable supercars, and sensible crossovers and sedans. We've rounded up a selection of these rides to hold you over until our coverage kicks off on November 28.

2014 Chevrolet Spark EV Chevrolet takes its electric vehicle program … Read more

Automakers, recognizing some buyers' need for speed, oblige by tuning up their inexpensive compact models, delivering more power and better handling. At the same time, most of these cars retain their basic practicality, whether it is the stylish and easily parked Fiat 500 Abarth or the cargo-friendly hatchback design of the Focus ST.

Not only do these cars cost less than top performance models, they can also work as your only car, good for the daily commute, a road trip, and maybe even a track day.

Here are five cars designed to perform. … Read more

My favorite model in Lamborghini's lineup has for many years been the Gallardo, but the flagship Aventador is unquestionably the most powerful. With today's unveiling of a Roadster version, the Aventador also gets an injection of style.

Rather than a power-retractable roof, the Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster features a two-panel carbon-fiber roof that is manually removed and stored under the hood when not in use. Presumably, this configuration is partially to keep weight down and partially because the Aventador's V-12 engine sits where your average convertible top would be stowed.

Where the coupe displays its 700-horsepower engine … Read more