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Lexus LF-C2 Concept shows polarizing looks are here to stay

Well, that's one question answered. When Lexus released the first teaser for its LF-C2 Concept, we figured it'd be one of two things - either it'd be a convertible based on the LF-LC Concept car or it'd be a thinly veiled concept version of the RC Convertible. Turns out, it's kind of both.
The LF-LC styling straddles the wilder, concepty looks of the LF-LC and the still wild, but more grounded, looks of the RC. That doesn't mean it's not a polarizing piece of design, with Lexus styling trademarks like the dominating spindle grille and separate LED running lights. Lexus' knife-edge cuts and folds in the bodywork have been toned down relative to past concepts, but the overall look here, particularly in the rear fenders, is rather busy.
"The LF-C2 concept shows what's in store for our brand's future design direction," Lexus boss Jeff Bracken said. "This concept shows consumers around the world Lexus' devotion to emotional designs as well as our passion for an exceptional driving experience."

Chevy reveals diesel-powered Colorado ZR2 Concept

Chevrolet is reintroducing its best-known off-road badge for the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, with the return of the ZR2 on the all-new Colorado pickup. While we're plenty excited about this particular concept, it's what sits under the hood that we're most excited for, because this particular vehicle is motivated by Chevy's eagerly anticipated 2.8-liter, Duramax diesel.
With 181 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, this diesel-powered Colorado has a lot more going for it than just its engine. Its body is some four inches wider than the current top-end Colorado Z71 and features new front and rear fascias with integral skid plates, a built-in winch and flip-out tow hooks.
The ZR2 Concept isn't just all shirt and no trousers - it will be better able to handle trails, with increased stability and more aggressive approach and departure angles (30.7/22.7 degrees versus 25/21 on the Z71) thanks to the aforementioned body tweaks, two-inch lift and King coilover shocks. Adding to the concept's off-road abilities are 275/65 tires on 18-inch "bead-lock-style" wheels and electronically locking front and rear differentials.

2015 Toyota Prius C is still colorful, still gets 53 mpg

Few vehicles can match the affordable fuel economy of the $19,000, 53-mile-per-gallon Toyota Prius C, and that fact isn't likely to change for 2015, as the Japanese company has issued a moderate refresh of its sub-compact hybrid.
As mid-cycle refreshes go, this is a pretty standard affair, with a larger grille and tweaked LED headlights at the front of the Prius C, and more expressive taillights at the back. Toyota made some minor changes in the cabin, updating materials throughout, but not fiddling too much with the overall level of equipment.
Aside from those modest changes, this is the same fuel-efficient five-door, retaining its 1.5-liter, 73-horsepower, 82-pound-foot four-cylinder, while an electric motor tosses in an extra 26 ponies, for a total system output of 99 horsepower. Along with the 53-mpg highway rating, the C will return 46 mpg in the city.

2015 Maserati Quattroporte gets the lightest possible updates

A week after its debut on the interwebs, Maserati has trotted out its freshened Quattroporte range at the LA Auto Show, giving us our first in-person look at the changes to the top-of-the-line GTS trim.
Maserati has tweaked the headlights across the range, while the GTS gains new body-color trim pieces on the lower bodywork. Red badging on the wheelcaps and and a freshened trident badge are some of the more obvious changes, while new lower bodywork is matched to the main exterior color. While these tweaks are nice, we aren't totally sure they deliver on the "sportier and aggressive appearance" that the Italian company is aiming for in model year 2015.
What do you think? Could Maserati have stood to go further for the 2015 Quattroporte, or is this sort of super-light freshening just what the doctor ordered? Let us know what you think in Comments.

2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600 is a silver arrow aimed at Bentley [w/video]

The Mercedes-Maybach S600 is a car made for a town like Los Angeles, which so thoroughly enjoys excess. We're not only discussing the new car's wildly opulent interior, which is arguably the nicest ever fitted to a car with a Silver Arrow on its nose, but its mechanicals. Mercedes-Benz's engineers have had as much of a field day with the greasy bits of the Maybach S600 as the designers did with the cabin.
Under hood sits a 523-horsepower, 612-pound-foot, twin-turbocharged, 6.0-liter V12 that can sling the upmarket S600 to 60 miles per hour in five seconds and on to a limited top speed of 155 miles per hour. While those figures aren't immensely impressive, what they are, to borrow a phrase from Rolls-Royce, is "sufficient." Regardless, with peak torque coming in at just 1,900 rpm, we've little doubt any of the chauffeurs driving the Maybach will be complaining.
There's not much information available in Mercedes' sprawling press release on the suspension technology in its flagship S-Class, but expect some iteration of the brand's stellar Magic Body Control to deliver a truly sublime ride and handling experience.

2016 Mazda CX-5 keeps it simple

Take a long, hard look, folks. This is the refreshed 2016 Mazda CX-5, which makes its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show today. And if you're thinking, "Say, that looks just like the old one," you really aren't alone. The visible updates certainly aren't major - Mazda has instead focused on giving the already-good CX-5 some thoughtful upgrades to make it a more attractive package than ever.
Outside, there are some slight changes to the styling, including new LED light signatures at the front and rear, as well as redesigned foglamp housings. Uplevel models also ride on attractive new 19-inch alloy wheels, with a dark finish.
Under the hood, it's all the same. Mazda's Skyactiv 2.0- and 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines carry over, with 155 and 184 horsepower, respectively. Front-wheel-drive, 2.5-liter models get a small bump in fuel economy, too - the CUV is now rated at 26 miles per gallon city and 33 mpg highway, up from 25/32. Models equipped with the automatic transmission now benefit from different drive modes, as well.

2015 Porsche Panamera Exclusive Series is a seriously quick way to spend $260k

Porsche is usually associated with being a sports car brand, but with vehicles like the Cayenne and Panamera it takes a step into the world of luxury against firmly established players like Mercedes-Benz. One way for the company to poke its head above the high-class fray is by taking things further, and in the case of the Panamera Exclusive Series at the Los Angeles Auto Show, it means pushing grandeur to extreme levels.
Coming in at an absolutely eye-watering $263,900, plus $995 destination, the Panamera Exclusive starts its life as the already sumptuous Panamera Turbo S Executive with a 4.8-liter, twin-turbo V8 making 570 horsepower on an extended wheelbase. To help justify the extra $63,000 for the Exclusive, though, the model gets 20-inch black Sport Classic wheels and an interior in swaddled in Nappa leather with dark walnut and piano black trim. Rear passengers also get 10.1-inch touchscreens mounted on the back of the front seats. A set of fitted Poltrana Frau leather luggage is included with each one, as well.
The luxurious sedan earns it Exclusive moniker because just 100 of them are being made worldwide. Scroll down to read about Porsche's ultimate limousine.

Audi R8 bids adieu with the 570-hp Competition in LA

Audi is saying auf Wiedersehen to the first-gen R8 at the Los Angeles Auto Show in the best way possible - the even more powerful, limited edition 2015 R8 Competition. This might be the vehicle's swansong, but it's going out with a bang.
Audi is sending just 60 of these supercars to the US, and the heart and soul is a beefed up version of the 5.2-liter V10 from the V10 Plus model. The mill now makes 570 horsepower, a 20-hp boost, and is mated to a seven-speed, dual-clutch S Tronic gearbox. Audi claims that the potent package shoots the Competition to 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds and to a max speed of 199 mph.
The extra ponies might be enough for some, but Audi really wants to make the Competition something special. Matte carbon fiber pieces replace areas around the car, including the rear spoiler, side slides, front spoiler, rear diffuser and center console. For contrast, the wheels and exhaust pipes are painted in high-gloss black. Ceramic brake discs should be a useful aid with deceleration, too.

Nissan details Craigslist 1996 Maxima restoration

"Luxury Defined," in the most ironic sense the galaxy has ever known, is now "Luxury Restored," in the real and incredible sense. Last September, Luke Aker made ads to sell his 1996 Nissan Maxima GLE, the YouTube version being a mix truth, bombast, a British accent and a ratchet strap. The ad tickled Nissan such that it bought the car from Akes and made a donation to a charity of his choice. Then they consulted with the citizens of the Internet to decide what to do with it, the final vote being a complete restoration and display at the company's Nashville HQ.
Friends, Netizens, countrymen, the job is done. Nicknamed "Old Glory," comparing the old car with the new is like reading one of those shelter dog rescue stories where the loving family nurses an impossibly cute pup back to health with handheld nursing sessions, baby bottles of warm milk and whispered lullabies. Only Nissan probably didn't sing to the Maxima.
The Maxima is now on display, and we hope they've hung the ratchet strap with it. You can see Aker's new video on the transformation above, plus another video and press release below detailing the Maxima's journey back to New Glory.

Volkswagen HyMotion says hi in the SportWagen and Passat in LA

Toyota is certainly grabbing attention with the pricing of its Mirai fuel-cell vehicle, but Volkswagen is proving it understands hydrogen too at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show with versions of the Golf SportWagen and Passat that showcase its HyMotion system. The German brand is already testing the technology with a fleet of vehicles in the US.
What's surprising is how easy VW makes incorporating the HyMotion seem. The truly novel part about the tech is its hydrogen fuel cell that generates the electricity used to drive the vehicles. The electric motor and transmission come straight from the e-Golf, though, in this guise the powertrain produces 134 horsepower, a jump over the 113 hp of the electric Golf. VW estimates that the SportWagen HyMotion can hit 62 miles per hour in 10 seconds, but where the fuel cell really excels is in range. The company claims that the system offers 310 miles of driving distance.
The SportWagen also shows that fuel-cell vehicles can be just as useful as their traditional, internal-combustion counterparts. The hydrogen is stored at 10,150 psi in four carbon fiber tanks underneath the vehicle. A lithium-ion battery in the rear gets its power from regenerative braking and provides power when setting off, when the fuel cell is still building up electric power. None of the parts intrude on the passenger compartment, and according to VW, refueling takes just three minutes.