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Pebble Beach Concept Car Lawn adds class to the grass

While Pebble Beach is traditionally thought of as the refuge of the pristine and pricey vintage vehicles of the world, there's no shortage of newer vehicles on display. And when we say "new," we mean really new. As in, not even in production new. This is the concept car lawn, and it's home to an eclectic group of vehicles from past and present.
Of course, calling it the "concept car lawn" is a bit of a misnomer this year (as it has been in previous years, too). Production models like the Alfa Romeo 4C were on display, alongside known quantities like the Hennessy Venom GT and modified versions of already-on-sale models, like the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Waterspeed Collection.
There were a few concepts on display, though. Toyota debuted the critically acclaimed FT-1 Concept in a new shade, while BMW's Beijing Motor Show stunner, the Vision Future Luxury, was also parked on the expensive grass. Also appearing were the Nissan GT-R in sheep's clothing, the Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge, and the recently debuted McLaren P1 GTR.

US buyers show little interest in big hybrids

The idea of producing large, luxury-vehicle hybrids is turning into a "what were they thinking?" exercise in futility, USA Today reports. General Motors is discontinuing hybrid versions of the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs, while Mercedes-Benz and Toyota's Lexus division are doing the same with their S-Class hybrid and LS hybrid sedans, respectively. The culprit? Big price increases for fuel economy improvements that border on the unimpressive. Granted, the Escalade hybrid gets 31 percent better fuel economy than the standard version, but that still maps out to a combined fuel-efficiency rating of just 21 miles per gallon. That can be seen as a worthwhile increase, if it didn't cost over $8,000 extra. The 2014 Escalade Hybrid, for example, starts at $74,425 while the non-hybrid can be had for $66,295. Meanwhile, the Lexus full-size hybrid costs $6,000 more than the regular version but only gets 1-2 mpg better combined fuel economy. The result of all these high costs? Low sales. Through April, GM sold 82 of its hybrid SUVs and pickups, down from 541 a year earlier. And the LS hybrid sales were in single-digit territory for April. That isn't stopping Lexus from promoting its hybrids as the right solution (with the wrong facts), though. There are still automakers giving big hybrid vehicles a shot, though. Nissan's Infiniti division is selling a hybrid version of its QX60 and says an impressive 10 percent of QX60 buyers choose the hybrid, which costs just $3,000 more. Looks like money talks. Featured Gallery 2015 Cadillac Escalade: First Drive View 35 Photos News Source: USA TodayImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Brandon Turkus / AOL Green Infiniti Lexus Mercedes-Benz Hybrid lexus ls gmc yukon mercedes-benz s-class infiniti qx60 chevrolet tahoe

Junkyard Gem: 1999 Infiniti G20t

When Honda began making zooted-up Civics with big engines and different bodywork in the late 1980s, selling them as Acura Integras in North America and raking in many dollars, Nissan took note. For the 1990 model year and the launch of the Infiniti brand, the luxed-out version of the Euro-market Nissan Primera sedan got Infiniti G20 badging and went on sale over here. After a two-year hiatus in 1997 and 1998, the all-new G20 made its debut for the 1999 model year, and that's what we've got here: a fully equipped Touring version with 5-speed manual transmission, spotted in a Denver boneyard. The G20 Touring got leather seats, a limited-slip differential, and a racy-looking spoiler. Sure looks speedy, though the G20t was less about performance than it was about comfort. G20t buyers got these hep-looking 16" wheels. With just 140 horses from its SR20DE engine (which also went into the quicker Sentra-based machinery of 1999), the G20t wouldn't be beating many of its competitors in drag races.  With the 5-speed manual transmission, though, the stock G20t became tolerably fun. Plenty of G20 owners added more power and threw connecting rods enjoyed sport-compact domination during the early 20th century. This one seems pretty tired, but hints of the original snazziness of its interior remain. The good old packing-tape taillight repair. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Born in Japan, went to finishing school in Europe. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. In the UK, a man who felt compelled to play a driving game (equipped with a disturbingly phallic joystick controller) discovers the Primera. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This ad positions the Primera as the car of choice for bungling British bank robbers. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. In Japan, the TV commercials touted the new Primera's advanced suspension design. Featured Gallery Junked 1999 Infiniti G20t View 17 Photos Auto News Infiniti Automotive History Sedan Junkyard Gems