Make room for a new star on the horizon. The Hyundai Genesis has been awarded the exclusive title of 2009 North American Car of the Year. This is a first for the Korean auto Manufacturer and will most likely not be its last. The Car of the Year study was conducted by a large panel of independent automotive journalists. They evaluated the cars based on innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. Over 50 new vehicles introduced in 2008 were reviewed. The Hyundai Genesis was ranked higher than the acclaimed Volkswagen Jetta and the eagerly anticipated Ford Flex.
As the name suggests the new Genesis reflects the Hyundai evolution. Over the last two decades Hyundai has made continuous improvements, 
added innovative engineering and truly listened to what their customers want. Today the Hyundai line is synonymous with affordable quality and reliability. Safety is a key element as well, the Genesis also earned the highest 5 star safety rating from the NHTSA this year.
But don’t mistake the Genesis for just another well made sedan. This baby can hold its own against racing legends such as BMW and the Porsche Boxter with 290 horsepower, V-6 and 0 to 60mph in 5.7 seconds. Innovative technologies such as five-link front and rear suspension and adaptive front lighting (AFLS) which matches the vehicle’s turning angle for the best possible visibility, further enhance the driving experience. The ultra comfortable interior has features such as a heated and cooled driver’s seat, and a Lexicon Discrete 7.1 surround sound system previously reserved for Rolls Royce owners.
Remove the Hyundai badge and the Genesis sedan could easily be mistaken for a luxury vehicle with a price tag in the $40,000 to $50,000 range. But as always, the Hyundai price point is palatable and realistic. A breath of fresh air in the current economy. The base price for the 2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan is around $33,000. For around $36,000 the vehicle comes with upgraded wheels, leather trim and a sunroof.
Mercury’s 2010 Milan Hybrid is one smart vehicle. It has been labeled the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan in America, getting more than 700 miles to a tank during city driving. As with most Hybrids, the engine is powered by a combination of a gasoline engine and an electric motor which draws power from a battery pack and never needs to be plugged in.
A regenerative braking system captures energy generated from braking and transfers it to the battery for storage and later use. The 2010 Mercury Milan is equipped with Smartgauge™ with EcoGuide technology, allowing the driver to monitor performance-related information such as fuel economy history, battery-charge status, electric mode indicator, engine output power and battery output power. Milan drivers can monitor their driving efficiency by selecting a dashboard graphic display with “energy “ leaves and vines which grow as their driving efficiency increases.
All and all the Milan Hybrid is a great choice for saving money on fuel expenses but further savings may occur at tax time. The IRS has approved a tax credit between $850 and $1,700 for those who purchase a Mercury Milan before March 31, 2010 making the Milan Hybrid one sweet and smart deal.
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GM unveiled the 2010 Buick LaCrosse at the 2009 Detroit auto show. And as expected the LaCrosse looks like a dead ringer for Buick’s Invicta concept car. The styling of the LaCrosse is quite multi-dimensional. It sports a signature Buick grille, has large chrome trimmed LED taillights, chrome trim around the window openings, and a visual crease that flows from the grille. It has a boat tail crease in the rear bumper, integrated exhaust ports, and large headlights.
On the inside, the cabin is two tone with a outsized instrument panel. At the top of the center stack a large touch screen navigation system is placed. There is also blue ambient lighting in the center console and door panels as well as real wood inlays and a silver trim.
As far as under the hood, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse comes available with a six speed automatic 3.0 Liter V6 direct injection 
engine producing 255 horsepower and 211lb-ft of torque or a 3.6 Liter direct injection V6 with 280 horsepower and 261lb-ft of torque. It also comes available in three trims, the CX, the CXL, and the CXS. The CX trim is standard while the CXL trim has leather seats, dual zone climate control, fog lamps, LED turn indicators, 18 inch wheels, and an all wheel drive option. The CXS package gets similar upgrades in addition to real time active dampening suspension and 19 inch wheels as an option.
Estimated fuel efficiency for the 2010 Buick LaCrosse is about 18mpg in city and 27mpg in highway for the basic 3.0L unit and 17mpg city and 26mpg highway with the 3.6 Liter. Buick is pinning a lot of hope on the new LaCrosse, and has accordingly paid a lot of attention to the little things the company hopes will make it a success.
Materials, style, design, accessories, and features are all intended to provide a world-class experience. The new Buick will be assembled at GM’s Fairfax facility starting in February. The LaCrosse should hit showrooms in 2009 as a 2010 model. Estimated price for the new LaCrosse is $27,085.
The 2009 Hyundai Genesis is a site to behold. Beautiful, sleek lines and muscular shoulders, innovative technology and superior engineering make this vehicle a work of art.
To further embellish their masterpiece, Hyundai partnered with the world renowned Prada Design Center of Italy.
But don’t expect to see a Prada wearing Hyundai Genesis on any runways near you.
Only three Genesis Prada models have been created. Two of the vehicles will be auctioned off for charity and one will be kept by Hyundai for nostalgia’s sake.
source:http://worldwide.hyundai.com/web/News/View.aspx?idx=175&nCurPage=1&strSearchColunm=&strSearchWord=&ListNum=114
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Scion recently debuted a new Release Series auto; the latest limited-edition Scion was newly revealed on Feb. 11th2009 at the Chicago Auto Show. Ironically the 5.0 Series tC was unveiled one year after the debut of its predecessor, the tC RS 4.0, but caught much more attention. In comparison to the tC RS 4.0, Scion has made significant modifications that go beyond the new flashy exterior.
The Scion tC RS 5.0 still has the TRD (Toyota Racing Development) theme but nearly everything in the TRD parts catalog has been added to the car. This limited-edition Scion has custom 18-inch wheels in matte black, a rear sway bar, a sport muffler, lowering springs, and an optional lip spoiler.
The tC RS 5.0’s interior also includes black cloth seats with red accents to contrast how dark it is, black leather steering wheel with matching red stitching and special TRD- emblem floor mats. To mirror its limited-edition status, the Scion tC 5.0 is also individually numbered. Expect to see the new tC arriving in style. Best of all these details is that this TRD-infused car will only be an additional $2,300 to the base price of the typical tC. Manual five- speed transmission will have a retailing starting price at $17,000 and a no-hassle automatic transmission will retail at $17,800.
See the new Scion at the Palm Spings Auto Mall
Source:
http://www.nextautos.com/chicago-2009-scion-tc-release-series-50-rolls-out
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/11/chicago-2009-scion-tc-release-series-5-0-is-errr-i-releas/
http://www.motorauthority.com/scion-announces-tc-release-series-50-pricing.html
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