Press preview days started on Wednesday 16 November 2011 and it was a busy time. First, there was a palpable level of optimism this year – more than there has been in the past three years. We all hope that the economy doesn’t do a double dip recession and that Europe’s euro doesn’t tank or disintegrate.
There are tons of new products, including promised electric vehicles and hybrids. Internal combustion engines are going to be with us for a very long time, and in 2011, manufacturers are showing off the latest in fuel-saving technologies including direct injection, turbo-charging, 6- 8- and 9-speed automatic transmissions are here or coming to many different products. Accessories like air conditioning are no longer run by a belt on the engine, they are powered by the car’s electrical system. Same for power steering. It’s a testament to modern automotive engineering that a large, heavy rear-drive sedan like the 2012 Dodge Charger is rated at the same 31 mpg highway as is the all-new 2012 Honda CR-V.
Part 1 is BMW Group through Honda/Acura. Enjoy!
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- The new 528i for 2012 no longer has a 3.0 liter in-line 6 cylinder engine. Instead it has a more powerful 2.0L turbo-charged engine that will get better fuel economy. You don’t pay less.
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- The new 2012 BMW 528i has a relatively low sticker price; but the option list can add up fast and many of the optional items should be standard.
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- 2012 BMW ActiveE fact sheet. $499 + tax a month for 2 years. You put in the charging station.
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- 2012 BMW ActiveE front
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- 2012 BMW ActiveE interior
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- 2012 BMW ActiveE rear
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- 2012 BMW ActiveE side
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- 2012 BMW M5 fact sheet
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- 2012 BMW M5 front
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- 2012 BMW M5 rear
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- 2012 MINI Cooper S Coupe front
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- 2012 MINI Cooper JCW Coupe front
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- 2012 MINI Cooper JCW Coupe interior
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- 2012 MINI Cooper John Cooper Werks (JCW) Coupe rear
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- 2012 MINI Cooper S Coupe rear
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- BMW i3 Concept charging
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- BMW i3 Concept front
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- BMW i3 Concept – dash
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- BMW i3 Concept interior driver’s side
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- BMW i3 Concept – rear seats and cargo
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- BMW i3 Concept rear cargo space
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- BMW i3 Concept side and charging
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- BMW i8 Concept Front Left Side
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- BMW i8 Concept Front
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- BMW i8 Interior
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- BMW i8 Concept interior – rear seats
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- BMW i8 Concept Interior
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- BMW i8 Concept – rear
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- BMW i8 Concept – Side
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- 2012 Chrysler 300C
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- 2012 Chrysler 300C
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- 2012 Dodge Challenger
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- 2012 Dodge Charger Police Pursuit – this is NOT something you want to see in your rearview mirror with its lights on.
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- 2012 Dodge Charger Police Pursuit – a mean-looking car, that’s for sure.
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- The Super Bee lives!
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- 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee
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- 2012 Dodge Charger with the Pentastar V6 engine and ZF 8-speed automatic transmission.
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- 2012 Dodge Charger – note the new transmission shifter for the new 8-speed automatic.
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- 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
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- 2012 Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty – Modern Warfare 3 edition.
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- 2012 Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty edition with lots of MOPAR accessories.
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- 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
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- 2012 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty with a Hemi V8
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- Side badging for the 2012 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty
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- A 2011 Chrysler 300 with a 426 cu inch V8 engine
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- The interior of the Chrysler 300 426
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- The stunning 2012 Aston Marton One 77. They are only making 77 of them. They are all sold. If you want one, you probably can’t have one, even if you cough up the $1.7 million.
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- Another shot of the Aston Martin One 77
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- There are no bad angles for the Aston Martin One 77
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- This is the new 2012 Bentley Continental GT Convertible. The changes are subtle, but you don’t want radical changes on expensive cars like this.
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- The upgraded interior of the 2012 Bentley Continental GTC is a nice place to spend time.
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- If you’re looking for personal luxury that is the equal of a Rolls Royce, look no further than the all-new 2012 Bentley Mulsanne. It starts at $292,000.
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- The interior of the Mulsanne is a beautiful thing. Nearly everything is hand made. There is no plastic. Just wood, leather and metal. Nice stuff.
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- Check out the detail of the wood trim on the Bentley Mulsanne. That’s hand craftsmanship.
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- The 2012 Lotus Evora is beautiful. I’m not sure I could take the yellow color.
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- I’ve never heard of it – a Mastretta MXT. Looks like fun. It’s a rear engine 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbo engine that flogs the rear wheels.
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- Another rare site, even in Los Angeles. The Morgan Aero Super Sports. Those Brits have a way with their home-grown industry.
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- The interior of a Morgan Roadster
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- The new 2012 Ford Escape has a larger cargo capacity than the outgoing Escape.
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- The 2012 Ford Escape is built on a Focus platform. The styling shows shared design language with the Focus.
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- The 2012 Escape has a nice-looking, verstaile interior. Watch out Honda CR-V!
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- The 2012 Ford Escape is completely different from anything Ford had done in the past.
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- Another look at the tail of the 2012 Ford Escape.
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- The 2012 Ford F-150 Raptor pickup truck. It screams macho and heavy.
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- Here’s a red 2012 Ford F-150 Raptor
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- The 2012 Ford Flex gets an upgraded exterior
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- The 2012 Ford Flex also gets an upgraded interior and the latest versions of Ford’s electronics.
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- The 2012 Ford Focus Electric
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- 2012 Ford Focus Electric
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- 2012 Ford Focus Rally Car
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- 2012 Ford Focus ST. This should be one hot hatch!
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- The 2012 Ford Focus ST has more aggressive front fascia.
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- The Focus ST’s seats look fantastic and very comfortable.
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- This is the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi electric vehicle. It will come in a hybrid too.
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- The 2012 Ford C-Max Energi
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- 2013 Mustang Boss 302
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- 2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302 interior
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- 2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca
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- 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca
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- 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 interior
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- 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 will have 650 HP — just in case you want to go fast.
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- 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Interior
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- 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake
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- 2013 Mustang Boss 302 in a color your local peace officer will LOVE with his radar gun.
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- Ford Fiesta ST Concept
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- Ford Fiesta ST Concept interior
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- Ford Fiesta ST Concept
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- The 2012 Buick Verano is a Chevy Cruze underneath the nice Buick sheetmetal.
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- The 2012 Buick Verano has an upgraded interior, thick, bolstered seats and a two-tone color scheme. It photographs better than it looks in person.
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- 2012 Buick Verano
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- The 2012 Cadillac XTS is the new flagship for Cadillac – at least until they can get something that isn’t a Buick LaCrosse underneath.
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- The 2012 Cadillac XTS carries on Cadillac’s Art and Science styling language.
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- The door handle on the XTS is beautiful with a slim line of LED lighting embedded. Nice touch.
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- This 2012 Chevy Camaro Hot Wheels edition won awards at SEMA in Las Vegas last month.
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- The 2012 Camaro Hot Wheels edition has wild lime green paint – just like the toy cars.
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- 2012 Chevy Camaro RS Convertible – 45th Anniversary Edition
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- 2012 Chevy Camaro RS Convertible 45th Anniversary Edition
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- 2012 Chevy Sonic 3-door
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- A tricked-out 2012 Chevy Sonic. I wonder how much the matte black paint cost?
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- The little turbo engine inside the 2012 Chevy Sonic
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- 2012 Chevy Sonic interior
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- The 2012 Chevy Sonic 4-door sedan
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- 2012 GMC Acadia Denali
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- 2012 GMC Acadia Denali. You know, for all that extra money, I was hoping for something more that a bit of frosting on a stale cake.
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- 2012 GMC Sierra Denali 4×4 is gigantic and expensive.
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- 2012 GMC Terrain. A Chevy Equinox with GMC trimming. Badge engineering that GM shouldn’t be doing.
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- The 2012 GMC Terrain’s interior is pretty much the same as the Chevy Equinox.
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- This is the new ‘Bu. The 2012 Chevy Malibu. I know it’s supposed to be much improved, but I was disappointed in the styling.
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- I don’t know if the 2013 Malibu can take on the heavy weights like the Camry, Accord, Sonata, Optima and Altima. Look for the Malibu in an airport rental fleet on your next trip.
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- The 2012 Cadillac XTS. The new Flagship for Cadillac. It may get some Lexus buyers, but not many German car customers will defect for this.
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- The Cadillac CUE (Cadillac User Experience) touch-sensitive infotainment system. It’s introduction is in the new XTS.
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- The Cadillac Ciel Concept car is straight from Pebble Beach.
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- The interior of the Cadillac Ciel Concept is beyond the best in the marketplace today. If only Cadillac would produce something close to it.
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- Another shot of the Cadillac Ciel Concept’s interior.
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- The Cadillac Ciel has that elegant look of a 1960s Eldorado. Stunning in person.
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- This beautiful Cadillac ELR Concept has been recycled from last year. It may hint on the upcoming Cadillac extended-range EV that uses the Chevy Volt architecture.
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- You can’t buy the 2012 Acura SHIELD TL. It’s for Homeland Security. And it’s expensive.
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- These are your tax dollars at work. The sticker is a truely jaw-dropping $227,085. Of course, there is no sales tax when purchased by the federal government.
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- 2012 Acura TL
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- A detail of the 2012 Acura TL. It’s nicely stitched together.
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- This 2012 Acura TL is one nice Honda Accord.
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- 2012 Acura TL
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- SHIELD = Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division. I’ve never seen this before.
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- The new 2012 Honda CR-V has a nice large cargo space. So does the new Ford Escape.
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- 2012 Honda CR-V front. It has the current Honda corporate grille, but I’m not a big fan.
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- Here’s an alternative view of the 2012 Honda CR-V
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- Nice clear instruments on the 2012 Honda CR-V
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- 2012 Honda CR-V interior
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- 2012 Honda CR-V driver’s door
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- The tale of the 2012 Honda CR-V. It looks better in person, but it still looks a bit awkward to me.
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- The Honda CR-V’s shifter looks nice and this model has automatic climate control.
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- The Honda FCX Clarity is still a lovely design from a few years ago. It’s aged well. Too bad all Hondas don’t get this kind of styling. They run on hydrogen and I still see one on occasion when I’m in Santa Monica.
Todd Bianco's ACarIsNotARefrigerator.com Blog 