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Subaru takes another look back, this time at the 2004 WRX STI

Here we have the followup to the rally-mimicking Impreza 22B STI that Subaru recently chronicled in its Vintage Garage series: the 2004 Impreza WRX STI. Displacement for the boxer four was upped from 2.2 liters to 2.5, and after noticing how many buyers had installed larger turbochargers on their WRXs, Subaru decided to bolt on one in-house. That gave the final product 300 horsepower and a 0-to-60 mile-per-hour run of just 4.6 seconds.
It was stiffer, it's body from nose to front doors was penned by Peter Stephens, he of the McLaren F1, it came with a driver-controlled center differential, driver-activated cooling spray for the turbos and 300 pound-feet of torque. This is a curio from a time when, after a new WRX STI came out, you started poring through magazines to see how the Mitubishi Evo was going to respond. You can find out more about it in the video below.

Kirobo speaks in space with Toyota voice tech

We knew this moment would come. Partly because Toyota told us it would back in July, but also because we've been watching too many sci-fi movies. The moment in question is when a robot would hold a conversation with a human in outer space. Which may not seem that cataclysmic, but we're here to point out that a) this is the first time it has ever happened, and b) it could mark the beginning of the apocalypse, wrought on us by robots from outer space.
The conversation took place on board the International Space Station between Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency and Kirobo, a foot-tall robot that encompasses the latest advancements in voice-recognition software achieved by Toyota. We can only (but would rather not) imagine what practical applications this might have in the future, but for now, you can watch the landmark event unfold in the video below.

Volvo Polestar celebrates STCC title with Black R edition S60, V60 and XC60

The relationship between Volvo and Polestar was forged - and forges deeper still - on the racetrack, where the latter fields the former's tin-top entries in the STCC, WTCC and V8 Supercars. And based on their success together in touring-car racing, Volvo has had Polestar amp up a number of its production road cars. What we have here is the latest.
This year Volvo and Polestar dominated the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship, taking both the drivers' and manufacturers' titles. So to celebrate, Polestar has rolled out a new Black R package for the S60 sedan, V60 wagon and XC60 crossover.
The package includes an upgrade to 329 horsepower for the T6 engine and to 230 hp for the D5, and further enhances with special wheels, a dropped suspension, special sport seats and more. Unfortunately the package is only being offered in Sweden, but you can scope out the details in the press release below and the photos in the gallery above.

Renaultsport prepares Dacia Duster to tackle Dakar

If you've ever seen a Dacia up close, it'd probably strike you as one of the least likely vehicles to take racing. The Romanian-made vehicles (also sold as Renault models in certain markets) typically drive around a hundred horsepower to the front wheels through a five-speed gearbox and offer little more. Nor should they, really, because they're budget-oriented forms of transportation, but neither should they be taken racing. Or so you might assume, but apparently nobody has told that to the engineers at Renaultsport, who have prepared Dacias to compete at Pikes Peak, in the Andros Trophy for ice racing and at the Dakar rally.
That's where the firm's Argentinean team intends to field a pair of V6-powered Dusters next month. In fact they already entered an earlier version of the vehicle in the rally this past January, but apparently couldn't manage to finish any higher than 29th place. The Renault team is undoubtedly hoping for a better result this year, and while they haven't released any details on the vehicle's specifications, you can check it out in the video clip below.

Wedding couple celebrates nuptials in the parking lot with donuts

Weddings are often joyous, fun-filled occasions full of revelry and some serious celebrating. And while we appreciate the fact that a couple is being joined together, we have a feeling a video like this could have very easily ruined said couple's big day.
It stars a bride, a groom and a BMW M3. But rather than the couple being in the car and laying down some rubber, the E46 M3 is doing donuts around the couple. We shouldn't have to explain why this is a bad idea - even if the driver is competent, this could have gone wrong pretty easily. Still, it didn't, and the end result is pretty cool.
Take a look below and let us know what you think in Comments.

Audi adding 11 new models, focus on CUVs and fullsize luxury

A press release celebrating Audi's delivery of 1.5 million vehicles this year contains almost a passing reference to the future of its lineup: Audi will add 11 models, expanding from 49 models to 60. The news was delivered at the Audi Forum Ingolstadt during the handover of an A3 Sportback to its German buyer, as execs noted that the brand has hit its target of 1.5 million in annual sales two years earlier than planned.
CEO Rupert Stadler said Audi will "expand our product range from the current 49 to 60 models. We see a great deal of potential, particularly in the SUV segment and in the especially prestigious fullsize category." We have little idea of what kinds of cars that could entail right now, other than the Q1, but we'd like to think it could include an RS8, a production version of the Sport Quattro concept and even the Nanuk.
The model aggrandizement will be part of Audi's push to reach two million annual sales by 2020. You can get a few more details on it in the press release below.

Motor Trend pits Aston V12 Vantage S against Jaguar XKR-S GT in battle of the Brits

With the recent increase in higher-performance versions of already high-performance vehicles, like Mercedes-Benz and its AMG Black Series, the public is now gaining even greater access to speed and maneuverability. Two of the most recent sports cars to get their wicks turned up include the Jaguar XKR-S GT and the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S.
Both of these cars are the pinnacles of their lines, with the Jag lording over the XKR-S, XKR and XK while the Aston rules over the standard V8 Vantage S and V8 Vantage. Motor Trend has opted to pit the two rivals together for some thorough testing, and it just happened to bring along a few video cameras to capture all the action.
There's nearly 19 minutes of super hot sports car action below, so scroll down and enjoy.

Listen to the Lamborghini Hurac'an fire up

Lamborghini just revealed all the juicy details about its 2015 Huracán this morning, but apparently Autobild was on hand for a photo shoot of the car, and shot this quick video of the new Lambo starting up. It's not a rev-happy video, but we're still happy a camera was on hand to capture the raucous exhaust note as the 610-horsepower V10 roared to life.
The note emanating from the Huracán's quad exhaust outlets doesn't sound quite as high-strung as an Aventador or Reventón, but it's definitely a throatier, more menacing sound than the Gallardo it was designed to replace. While the video posted below is a good tease of what the car sounds like in real life, we can't wait to hear this engine hitting its peak horsepower at 8,250 rpm.

Tesla begins selling in China, despite lack of formal company name

Car buyers in China can now start shopping for a new Tesla Model S. Only problem is, the California-based automaker doesn't seem to have hammered down a brand name for that market. According to Reuters, Tesla is still dealing with a trademark squatter for "Tesla" (or "Te Si La"), so in the meantime, it is a brand without a name.
Tesla has launched a website in China under the Tousule name, but it doesn't appear that will be the official nomenclature for cars sold in China. According to the report, a Tesla salesman in Beijing doesn't know when - or even if - Tesla plans to come up with a Chinese name for its brand. We reached out to Tesla for a comment on the matter, but we've yet to receive any response regarding this ongoing situation in China.

VW Jetta GLI turns 30, celebrates with special edition model

It was 1984 when the Volkswagen GTI powertrain was combined with a trunk in the form of the Jetta GLI. To mark the 30th anniversary, starting next year Volkswagen will only be offering the GLI Edition 30 (click image above to enlarge), distinct from the current 2014 on sale by details like 18-inch "Laguna" wheels, a decklid spoiler and Edition 30 badging outside, red accents on the V-Tex leatherette seats, steering wheel and shifter inside.
Power has moved up a skosh in 30 years, the original model's 90-horsepower, 1.8-liter engine supplanted by a 201-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo unit shifted through six close-ratio gears instead of five. The trim options will drop from three to two, the GLI Edition 30 coming in either standard spec or with navigation.
Prices haven't been announced, but the press release below has other tidbits to tide you over while you wait.

Autoblog Podcast #361

Episode #361 of the Autoblog podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Jeff Ross and Michael Harley talk about Dan also interviewed author PJ O'Rourke about his new book, The Baby Boom. We start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. You can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #361:
Topics:

Lexus' Detroit reveal is RC F, will have 460-hp V8

Yesterday, we brought you the image above, sent out by Lexus, teasing its Detroit Auto Show reveal. At the time, all we knew about the car was that it's a coupe, and falls into the automaker's F performance line. But now, some more details have leaked.
An anonymous tipster passed us a link to this website, which Lexus is using to invite folks to an event at the Detroit show where the new RC F coupe will be revealed. But that same tipster also sent us a scan of the mailed-out invitation, shown at right (click the image to enlarge), which clearly states that the RC F will be powered by a 460-horsepower V8. The invite also says Lexus will show its 2015 RC 350 coupe in Detroit, following its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in November.
We cannot totally verify the authenticity of the scanned invitation, but with a corresponding website live on the web, it all looks pretty legit to us. Stay tuned for more details closer to the RC F's debut in January.

2014 Hyundai Azera gives you more for less

The Azera is sort of the forgotten Hyundai. Despite just having rolled out the new version a couple of years ago, the Korean automaker hasn't been able to move them very quickly. Where the smaller Sonata and Elantra sell in the tens of thousands each month, the fullsize Azera barely reaches that in a year. In fact it's Hyundai's second slowest-selling model, behind the flagship Equus. But Hyundai's not resigning itself to letting Azeras sit around on dealer lots. Thus, the company is actually reducing the car's price while increasing the array of standard equipment.
Now starting at $31,000, the base 2014 Azera now comes with a six-inch color LCD, backup camera, blind-spot mirror and three years of Assurance Connected Care services. Spring for the $34,750 Azera Limited and you get an eight-inch display, electroluminescent gauges, LCD trip computer and power folding mirrors.
Despite the increased level of specification, the Azera is now $1,250 cheaper than the previous-year model, while still offering the highest specific output and most front-seat room in its class. Scope out the details in the press release below and the fresh batch of images in the gallery above for a closer look.

How Ford hid the 2015 Mustang from spy photographers

Now that we've finally seen the 2015 Ford Mustang, it's fun to go back and look at the spy shots we spent months pouring over, trying to dissect what was under all the camouflage. For the most part, Ford did a good job of concealing the car from spy photographers, and it released a video showing how much work went into doing so.
As crude as the Mustang's camo looked, all of the hard plastic, foam, vinyl and ratchet straps were actually created and put in place by a specific design team. The whole idea was to hide the car's identity, but it certainly ended up acting as a magnet for attention, too. According to Ford's press release, it took less than an hour for spy shots to appear online after the car was taken on public roads for the very first time - this is likely in reference to our first official spy shots of the Mustang from June, shown in the gallery below.
Scroll down for a press release and video, which shows footage of the 2015 Ford Mustang testing with minimal camouflage. This is probably the same track session where we got our first look at the Mustang's face back in August.

Honda favoring turbo over hybrid for US-market Vezel

While Honda gears up to unveil the new Fit to the US market at the Detroit Auto Show next month, back in its home market, the car's crossover cousin is just going on sale. The Vezel was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show last month and already has a three-month waiting list in Japan, where Honda projects that 90 percent of customers will opt for the hybrid version. Not so in the United States, however.
When the Vezel reaches American showrooms, there'll be a number of key differences. For starters, it will carry a different name, though Honda isn't saying what that will be. For another, it will be built for North American consumption at Honda's new plant in Mexico, roughly half of whose production capacity is reportedly being allocated to the new crossover. And finally, it'll have a different engine.
In Japan the Vezel is being offered with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, with or without electric assist. Honda won't offer the hybrid version here - at least not initially - but it is preparing to offer a turbo option. Although it has yet to announce US specifications and options, the 1.5-liter turbo four (also unveiled at the Tokyo show) is considered a stronger likelihood than the 1.0- or 2.0-liter versions.

2014 Lexus GX 460

The Toyota 4Runner has always held a special place in my heart for its boxy styling and off-road prowess, but until now, I never had the chance to drive its more luxurious cousin, the Lexus GX 460. Granted, the GX actually has more in common with the foreign-market Land Cruiser Prado, but all three SUVs ride on the same body-on-frame platform.
Originally an answer to the luxury SUV craze from the early 2000s, the GX hasn't changed all that much since its introduction more than a decade ago. It's a big SUV with plenty of space and crammed with just about all the luxuriousness Lexus could fit into a 12-year-old vehicle, but, more importantly, it still has the chops to go places many vehicles in its segment wouldn't dare venture. And just for good measure, Lexus tacked on its new signature spindle grille in what has to be its most pronounced appearance yet.
I've had a chance to drive most of the latest Lexus products (including the IS, ES and GS) to see just how competitive Toyota's luxury arm has gotten in recent years, but after spending a week with the 2014 GX 460, it's refreshing that, for now, Lexus has resisted the urge to follow some of its rivals in replacing rugged, body-on-frame SUVs with softer, car-based crossovers.

First retail 2015 Ford Mustang headed to Barrett-Jackson

Want to be the very first person to own a 2015 Ford Mustang GT? Here's what you'll need to do: be in Scottsdale, AZ on January 18 for the Barrett-Jackson auction and bring a very big checkbook. Having a passion for charity isn't a bad idea either.
Yes, the first 2015 Mustang to be sold to the public will be crossing the block at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, with proceeds from the auction going to JDRF, the charity formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
"Ford Mustangs have always been among the most popular collector cars at Barrett-Jackson Collector Car events," said the president of Barrett-Jackson, Steve Davis. "While every collector wishes they had snapped up the first Mustang sold in 1964, this is an opportunity to realize that dream in a different way."

GMC Canyon will debut in Detroit

With the debut of the Chevrolet Colorado at November's Los Angeles Auto Show, perhaps it was only a matter of time before we saw the small truck's GMC counterpart. That time will be January, as we've received official confirmation that the GMC Canyon will be revived at next month's North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The news came in the latest issue of the Detroit Auto Show's newsletter, NAIAS Connect. The article hasn't been posted online quite yet, but it details the Canyon as one of the world production debuts slated for the show.
While we've heard rumors that the Canyon would arrive in Detroit, this is our first concrete bit of evidence. As we've detailed before, we expect the Canyon to be stylistically quite different than the Colorado, though the underpinnings will be shared. The teaser image we have above is currently our only look at the new truck. We'll hopefully have more details in the next few weeks as the GMC Canyon draws closer to its official debut.

Opel brings in Valentino Rossi, Bryan Adams to jazz up the Adam

Every notice than when an automaker brings in a fashion designer or celebrity to "design" one of its cars - and by "design", we mean give them fancy paintjobs - it's almost always a European city car? If it's not a Mini for the Life Ball, it's a special Renault Twingo, a '60s-style Alfa MiTo by an Italian artist or a Fiat 500 by Gucci. This time it's the turn of the Opel Adam, which GM's European brand has done up in collaboration with two well-known entities.
The first one, pictured above, is the result of a collaboration between MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi and designer Aldo Drudi. Done up with chrome and neon yellow, the special Opel features Rossi's signature and number 46 on the hood and an interior decked out in Dainese lather like Rossi's riding gear. Unveiled at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, this unique take on the Adam is being auctioned off on eBay to raise money for the Meyer Children's Hospital in Florence.
The second collaboration brings in a name you may not have heard of in a while: Bryan Adams. Not to be confused with Ryan Adams (the American singer), Bryan Adams is Canada's biggest rock star, but after gaining fame for tracks like "Cuts Like a Knife", "Summer of '69" and "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", the multi-Grammy Award-winning musician turned to photography, shooting everyone from Michael J Fox and Dustin Hoffmann to Amy Winehouse and Queen Elizabeth II.

Mercedes boosts production of hot-selling models including 2014 S-Class

Mercedes-Benz is having a hard time keeping up with demand for its C-Class, GLK-Class and the all-new 2014 S-Class, so it announced that a new plan to boost production capacity. This all comes as Mercedes expects to set an all-time production record of more than 1.49 million vehicles globally.
Thanks to strong sales in China, the S-Class is on a tear, racking up 7,617 global sales, and Mercedes said that it will lengthen the shifts at its plant in Sindelfingen, Germany to keep pace. Workdays were already extended 30 minutes this year and special Saturday shifts were added four times in 2013, but 2014 will see workdays stretched an additional 74 minutes.
As for the C- and GLK-Class, the assembly plant in Bremen, Germany began special shifts last month that extend through the end of this month; Mercedes also added that its Tuscaloosa, AL worked some Saturday shifts this year. Finally, the automaker's powertrain plant in Untertürkheim, Germany has been tasked with working longer hours to keep assembly plants supplied with drivetrain components. Scroll down for the full Mercedes press release.

Meet the Lamborghini Hurac'an LP 610-4

The "610" in the Huracán's designation is the amount of power this new supercar packs.
This holiday season, Lamborghini has a very special gift for automotive enthusiasts - the all-new Huracán LP610-4, also known as the long-awaited replacement for the Gallardo.

Nissan buys jalopy Maxima after seeing filmmaker's epic sales ad

When Luke Akers wanted to sell his 1996 Nissan Maxima GLE - yes, the one seen above that needs a ratchet strap to keep the front end from bursting with joy - the Florida filmmaker turned on his cameras and yelled "Quiet on set!" The result is a one-minute videographic homage to mankind's monuments, narrated with all the intensity of a BBC documentary to sell a 17-year-old sports sedan that comes "fully loaded with an engine, wheels, tires and an automatic transmission."
Just like the car in question, the ad did its job: Nissan bought the Maxima from Akers and the company donated another $1,000 to his charity of choice. Three cheers to both Akers and Nissan for their work. You can check out the video below, and head to the Ikonik Films site for the humorous print ads that were also part of the campaign.

IIHS announces this year's safest vehicles, toughens standards again [w/video]

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released its annual list of the best-rated vehicles for safety, and like last year, they're again divided into two groups: Top Safety Picks and winners of the tougher Top Safety Pick+ award. This year, however, the IIHS has changed its minimum criteria for each award, making them both significantly tougher to earn than last year.
The IIHS uses five tests to judge vehicles: moderate overlap front and side crash tests, a roof strength test, head restraint test and the recently added small overlap front crash test. Last year, a basic TSP award could be earned by achieving a Good rating in the first four tests, regardless of the vehicle's score in the new small overlap front crash test. For 2014, however, the IIHS is making the small overlap front crash test score count, requiring a Good or Acceptable score, along with a Good rating in the other four tests, to earn the award.
With the small overlap front crash test now incorporated into the basic TSP award, IIHS is changing the TSP+ award to recognize automakers that offer an extra level of protection with crash prevention technology. This year, any vehicle satisfying the criteria for the basic TSP award that also offers a forward collision warning system or automatic braking system will earn the TSP+ award.

Jaguar appoints Joe Eberhardt as North American President

Jaguar Land Rover North America has appointed a new president, Joachim Eberhardt. The German exec, 50, had previously done stints at Chrysler Group, DaimlerChrysler UK, Mercedes-Benz USA and Daimler-Benz.
Eberhardt joins JLR NA in a good, but challenging time for the company. It's fresh off the launch of the Range Rover Sport and Jaguar F-Type, which have been subject to rave reviews, and its overall sales are up 21 percent over 2012. Still, as Automotive News points out, the two manufacturers face a fight to become the equal of A-list competitors like BMW and Mercedes in the eyes of consumers.
"Joe brings a proven industry track record and valuable global leadership experience in luxury sales, service and marketing. We look forward to Joe leading our North American team in working with our retail networks to further grow the business and better serve our customers," JLR's group sales operations director, Andy Goss, said.

Next Chevy SS to be built in America, exported to Australia as Holden Commodore?

In response to a news report that the Holden brand itself could disappear and have its products and dealerships rebranded as Chevrolet in Australia, Holden CEO Mike Devereaux has said, "Holden is here to stay. It has been an integral part of Australia's history and will be part of its future." Australia's News Ltd ran a piece saying that Holden had to fight General Motors in the past to retain its name, and that when the Aussie brand ceases local operations in 2017, GM might use that as an opportune time to make the switch. That led to one "Holden insider" telling News Ltd that "There will now be the biggest fight ever to save the Holden brand from being shelved."
Deveraux also said, "We will import vehicles from all over the GM world using the scale, expertise and power of our global product development team." If the nameplate issue is actually settled, the remaining question is what products the Holden lion will be attached to. Speculation is that there's a chance the current Commodore would make a full-hemispheric-circle and, after being developed in Oz, built there and exported here as the Chevrolet SS, be built here and exported to Australia as a Commodore.
It will be a few years before we find out the specifics of Holden's long-term future, which also means we'll have a few years of rumors to sift through until then - such as the article in another Aussie paper suggesting Holden manufacturing might be shut down earlier than planned.

Acura launches ad spots for Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

Acura and Jerry Seinfeld are expanding their partnership as season three of the comedian's web series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, prepares to debut. Seinfeld has paired with director Barry Sonnenfeld to create a series of ads for the luxury brand showcasing the new Acura RLX and MDX.
There are eight spots, written by Seinfeld and directed by Sonnenfeld, that seemingly mock advertisements of the 1960s, with a deep-voiced, smooth-talking host highlighting the cars in question. It's all very folksy, Leave it to Beaver style humor. We'd be lying, though, if we said we weren't reminded a bit too forcefully of Dodge's successful range of Will Ferrell ads when watching the eight Acura spots.
"My idea for Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee was to show this certain aspect of the stand-up comedy world in a way that comedy fans would enjoy experiencing as if they were there," said Seinfeld. "There is absolutely no doubt that without Acura's support I would not have been able to continue beyond the initial experiment. And now Acura has enabled me to extend the concept by creating ads that fit the comedy tone of the show."

Toyota Camry re-earns CR 'Recommended' rating following crash tests

All is right again in the Toyota kingdom. The Japanese manufacturer's bread-and-butter sedan, the Camry, has been put back on Consumer Reports' "Recommended" vehicle list, following improved performance in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's crash testing.
You'll recall that the 2012 and 2013 Camry were infamously booted from the list due to "Poor" ratings in IIHS' notoriously tough small-overlap crash testing. Toyota vowed - just last week actually - to fix the ratings. As the Toyota brand's head, Bill Fay, said last week, "It's still a five-star car. It still does very well in all the IIHS tests. It did not in [the small overlap frontal crash test], and we're busy making the necessary adjustments so that we can address that."
Now, though, those redesigned cars have been tested, earning an "Acceptable" rating in the overlap testing. According to Consumer Reports, Camrys built from November 2013 on feature new internal structures that improve the car's crash test scores enough to make it a "Recommended" buy. IIHS has also elevated the car back to a position in its Top Safety Pick category, although it falls short of the new gold standard, the Top Safety Pick + rating.

Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG formalize technical partnership

The development of a partnership between Mercedes-Benz and Aston Martin has been a long time coming. The news dates back to 2008, and over the five years since was supposed to lead to a rejuvenation of both the Maybach and Lagonda brands. That program ultimately fell apart, but the tie-in was forged afresh in July when the two automakers signed a letter of intent over a renewed partnership. And now that partnership has been formalized.
In a deal just announced, Mercedes-AMG will build a new V8 engine for Aston Martin that will power a new generation of luxury GTs for the British marque, presumably to replace the 4.7-liter V8 in the Vantage. The relationship appears to be similar to the one already in place between AMG and Pagani, only in this case, will involve Daimler taking as much as a five-percent stake in Aston Martin and an observer seat on Aston's board.
The technical partnership is also set to lead to the supply of electric and electronic systems, and could incorporate "additional areas of cooperation in the future." Whether that will include a fresh attempt at reviving Lagonda remains to be seen, as does the future of Aston's long-serving, Ford-based 6.0-liter V12 engine. But for now you can read the full announcement below.

Lexus teases Detroit-bound F Performance Coupe... again

A few weeks ago, Lexus released a teaser image of its upcoming Detroit Auto Show reveal, simply calling it the "next Lexus F." Now, a new shot of the Detroit-bound car has been sent out, and while we still don't know what the new model will be called, we can tell you this: it's a coupe.
Originally, we assumed the new Lexus F model would be the successor to the IS F sedan. But now that we know it'll be a two-door, it stands to reason that this could be the performance oriented version of the 2015 RC coupe that made its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show earlier this year. Of course, Lexus is still keeping quiet on any specifics, simply stating that the company "will unleash its upcoming F model as a coupe, conceived with grit, an entirely new expression of design and uncompromising performance."
The official name of the new F model is set to be revealed in early January, likely just before its official debut in Detroit. Stay tuned for more, and scroll down to read Lexus' very brief press blast.

Chris Perry resigns as Chevy's US marketing chief

General Motors has cycled through marketing executives for its Chevrolet brand with surprising frequency over the past few years. In the latest development, The Detroit News reports that Chris Perry - Chevy's current head of marketing - announced his resignation on Wednesday, effective immediately. Perry's departure comes a little over three years since he joined Chevy after a 10-year stint at Hyundai, and just over a year after Chevy's former chief marketing officer, Joel Ewanick, was shown the door.
While Ewanick's departure apparently was not on good terms, Chevrolet chief Alan Batey reportedly stated that "GM would like to thank Chris for his dedication and contributions, and wishes him well in all his future endeavors."
Batey reportedly was just promoted to GM North America president, taking the new position on January 15 while retaining his position heading as head of Chevrolet worldwide.