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Take a panoramic look back at the 2012 New York auto show

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

Suzuki Kizashi EcoCharge hints at hybrid future

Suzuki's Kizashi is a solidly performing midsize sedan. It produces a reasonable amount of power. It's not terribly efficient, but also not particularly inefficient. There's not much to complain about when it comes to the Kizashi, but not much room for praise either. At the 2011 New York auto show, Suzuki pushed its lovably meh sedan in two very different directions with two very different Kizashi concepts.

The Kizashi EcoCharge concept aims to increase fuel efficiency by as much as 25 percent over the standard Kizashi Sport. It starts by reducing its gasoline engine displacement from 2.… Read more

Nissan Leaf Nismo RC prototype tests battery tech on the track

Looking to breathe a bit of excitement into its electric vehicle efforts, Nissan will be putting its Leaf of the race track--if but in name alone.

Debuting at the 2011 New York auto show, the 100% electric Nissan Leaf Nismo RC (Racing Competition) prototype shares little more than its lithium-ion battery technology, general styling cues, and its name with the Nissan Leaf we're familiar with. The RC wheelbase is 3.9-inch shorter wheelbase, overall height has been chopped by 13.9 inches, and there are two fewer doors. However, the racer is 0.8 inches longer overall and 6.… Read more

Early reveal of LF-Gh previews Lexus' future

Lexus gave us a peak at the headlights and taillamps of its upcoming LF-Gh concept last week. The automaker must not have been satisfied with the underwhelmed response from the public and automotive press, because this week it has released more photos showing off the rest of the concept hybrid sedan.

Between the A and C pillars, the LF-Gh isn't packing any surprises for anyone who's familiar with Lexus' current LS and GS offerings. However, at the front and rear ends things start to get interesting.

Out back, we can see how the wrap-around taillamps work out on … Read more