Car shows

News leaked out early today that Mitsubishi will debut its upcoming plug-in hybrid Outlander SUV at the 2012 Paris Motor Show.

Although there is no official news release or announcement from Mitsubishi, Edmunds InsideLine confirmed with a company spokesperson that the SUV is headed to the auto show next fall. It also confirmed that U.S. buyers will get the vehicle either in late 2013 or 2014.

The plug-in hybrid will be based on the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander, and will have three driving modes, including all-electric, serial hybrid, and parallel hybrid. Based on the PX-Miev II Concept that debuted at … Read more

Do children still enthuse about cars? Toyota is hoping they'll become future buyers with the Camatte, an EV concept showing this week in Tokyo.

Named for the Japanese verb kamau (to care), the Camatte is designed to prompt tykes to care about car ownership. The seats and pedals can be adjusted so that kids can drive while an adult in the back seat helps with steering.

It won't be road-worthy, however, and is designed for use on go-kart tracks and other private facilities, with a top speed of 25 mph. Can that really rev kids up? … Read more

China's international auto show in Beijing starts on Friday, April 27, but we have an early look at the production cars and concepts that will be on display.

The show features cars from Chinese automakers and their joint venture partners, the latter including such well-known brands as Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Jeep.

Some of the concepts will be the basis for new, global production models. Many employ electric or hybrid power trains.

Get a look at Chinese market production models from BAIC, Geely, GAC, and Brilliance, companies that may eventually … Read more

Following the example of Porsche, which used its Cayenne SUV to create more stable revenue, Lamborghini wants to add an SUV as a third model in its lineup. At the Beijing International auto show, Lamborghini finally revealed what its SUV will look like.

Using the sharp edges of its current design language, the Urus concept presents a very unique look for a vehicle designed to drive offroad. Although about 16 feet in length, similar to the Cayenne, the Urus concept is only about 5.5 feet high, making it more like a raised sedan. … Read more

Concept cars make up our favorite displays at international auto shows. These cars show off the latest thinking within design departments, and often contain new ideas in cabin and power-train technology.

The latest season was particularly satisfying, featuring the return of an icon, promising new production-intent vehicles, excellent styling, and low- or zero-emission technology. … Read more

Every automaker realizes the importance of China's growing thirst for cars, and the unique requirements of the market. Audi comes to the 2012 Beijing auto show with a concept vehicle that mixes practicality and excitement.

The RS Q3 concept is based on Audi's Q3 compact SUV. Not sold in the U.S., the Q3 seats five and has a little cargo area. It is similar to the BMW X1 that will be coming to the U.S. this year. If BMW is successful with its car, maybe Audi will follow suit.

The Q3 can be had with a … Read more

As I unpacked my luggage on the night before the 2012 New York auto show, I made a very unfortunate discovery. I'd forgotten to bring my DSLR's charger and my camera's battery was dead. This wasn't a showstopper--we tend to cover these shows with the assistance of a dedicated photographer much better than I am--but it did mean that I'd be doing a bit of solo shooting with little more than my smartphone's camera.

Now, the HTC ThunderBolt 4G's camera is nothing to write home about, but with the aid of an app … Read more

During CNET's press preview of the 2012 New York International Auto Show, I did not see some of the cars I hoped for, but saw plenty I liked. This show proved to be the most practical of the season, eschewing weird concept cars for real rubber meets the road stuff. The cars presented here are the ones you will see on the road and consider buying.

I was particularly pleased to see some much-needed new tech features from Acura, Infiniti, and Subaru, which should keep those companies relevant in this increasingly competitive space. Also on the stands were another affordable and economical BMW, along with a very strong showing of what will come of the Chrysler reorganization under Fiat. And let us not forget the flying car. Everyone wants to know about the flying car.

Here are some of the hot new cars from the show. … Read more

NEW YORK--Fans of the old Dodge Viper may be disappointed in its rebirth. While still driven by a ridiculously powerful engine, and maintaining its cabin far to the back of the car, the 2013 SRT Viper comes with unforeseen refinement.

Instead of strict power to the wheels with no electronic interference, the new Viper comes with traction and stability control. An active suspension system lets the driver choose between street and track modes. Body work around its side pipe should even protect the legs of passengers getting out of the cabin.

But it would be foolish to lament the previously … Read more