Technknowledge

Debuting at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata is the first vehicle to feature Hyundai's "Fluidic Sculpture" design language--"Fluidic Sculpture" obviously being market-speak for bulbous and swoopy.

The Sonata will debut with a 2.4-liter gasoline direct injection engine and a pair of six-speed transmissions, one automatic and one manual. However by the end of 2010, a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine and a Hybrid Blue Drive model are set to join the lineup. However, the Sonata will not get a V6. This is a four-banger only party. The 2.4-liter launch engine will output 198 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, while delivering 23 city/35 highway mpg. A performance oriented SE model boosts the horsepower to and even 200-ponies and adds uprated suspension components.

Cabin tech packages include a DVD/MP3-compatible Dimension audio premium audio system with a 6.5-inch touchscreen navigation system that is optional on the GLS and SE trims. Stepping up to the luxury-oriented Limited trim adds HD Radio and makes a navigation-free version of the Dimension audio system a standard feature, as well as opening up the option to choose a 400-watt Infinity audio system with touchscreen navigation. Regardless of trim, choosing the premium audio option also nets a touchscreen navigation system. The nav system's data is stored on 8GB of flash memory, so we expect that it's a similar system to the one found in the Genesis Coupe.

XM satellite radio is standard (with three months of service included), as well as access to XM NavTraffic and XM Data Services when equipped with navigation. Also standard are Bluetooth handsfree connectivity and iPod/USB connectivity.

If Hyundai's Elantra Touring and Genesis coupe and sedan are any indication of the direction the Korean automaker is heading, we may find the new Sonata stealing a few Camry and Accord sales when it debuts in 2010. However, until we can get some wheel time with the midsized sedan, you can check out our gallery of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata.

The Sienna's Dual View display seems a bit wide for single source viewing, but dual source may be okay.
(Credit: Toyota)

2011 Toyota Sienna
This week the 2011 Toyota Sienna debuted at the LA Auto Show and while the minivan's new Venza-esque aesthetic, 3.5 and 2.7-liter powertrains, and available all-wheel drive are, well, kind of interesting, we're most intrigued by the new Dual View rear seat entertainment system.

Folding down from its hiding place in the Sienna's ceiling, the Dual View display appears to be a super-wide 16.4-inch display. However, it is actually two smaller displays seamlessly butted against each other in one frame.

When watching a single source, the Dual View displays a single image. Choose two video sources (such as a DVD and the RCA inputs) and the two Dual View system switches to a split screen mode, displaying the two images side-by-side.

The rest of the Sienna's cabin tech package consists of the same DVD-based navigation system that Toyota's been using since forever, Bluetooth connectivity for calls and audio streaming, USB and iPod compatibility, and an 180-degree Panorama Camera rear monitor.

Check out our photos of the 2011 Sienna from the floor of the 2009 LA Auto Show.

Saab's new model doesn't look very happy at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

A week before the Los Angeles Auto Show, GM's deal to sell Saab to Koenigsegg fell through, making the Swedish carmaker's future uncertain. But the company's plans for a future that might never come are evident in the 2011 9-5 sedan. This car incorporates much of the jet fighter design Saab used in its Aero-X concept from a few years ago. The pillars and roof of the 9-5 have a more angular design than previous Saabs, yet still maintain the Saab identity.

Saab also modernized the technology in the 9-5, going to a hard-drive-based navigation system and a USB port for audio sources. The driver will see information projected on the windshield through the car's Pilot HUD feature.

Motivating the 9-5 is a turbocharged 2.8-liter V-6 making 300 horsepower, putting power to all wheels through Saab's XWD system. An electronic limited slip differential helps keep power going to the right wheels when cornering. Saab also incorporated an adaptive suspension in the car to minimize body roll.

The company says it will start selling the 9-5 in late 2010, but Saab's currently tenuous situation might mean the 9-5 never sees production.

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is finally coming Stateside and during a private event held earlier this evening ahead of the LA Auto Show, General Motors – 20 minutes after announcing the departure of Fritz Henderson as CEO – unveiled the U.S.-spec version of its Cobalt replacement and Toyota Corolla competitor.

Sharing much of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt's architecture, the Cruze has the potential to be a massive leap forward for Chevy in the mid-size/compact segment. Larger than the Cobalt in almost every dimension and packing a choice of either a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder putting out 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque or a naturally aspirated 1.8-liter four-pot, fuel economy and efficiency take center stage. However, "driving enjoyment" was mentioned more than once during the presentation, so to aid both its fuel consumption (an estimated 40 mpg with the turbo'd four) and enhance the experience, buyers will be able to choose between a manual or automatic six-speed gearbox.

Although we've seen the Cruze in person before (it's been on sale in Europe and other markets for over six months), its sharp lines, taut headlamps and enlarged grille play Dr. Jekyll to it's rather staid, Mr. Hyde rump. Inside, the two-tone brown and black leather interior is a tremendous improvement over the model it replaces, with an artfully sculpted dash and center stack surrounded by soft touch materials, brushed fauxluminum and a smattering of chrome. Back seat passengers should be equally pleased with the appointments and a 60/40 split bench ups the ante for usability.

The Cruze's arrival late next year couldn't be better timed, as Ford is readying the next generation Focus and Honda is toiling away on a reworked Civic. We're expecting to get some seat time in the coming months, and for the first time in recent memory, we're looking forward to sampling a new mid-size product from the General. Full details in the press release below the fold and check out the gallery of live images below.

California will be the "lead market" for the Chevy Volt when the electrically driven car is available at the end of next year, General Motors said Wednesday.

California was chosen because the state has the largest U.S. car market, and Californians are "known to be leaders in adopting groundbreaking new technologies," GM's vice president of global Chevrolet brand, Brent Deware, said in a statement pegged to this week's Los Angeles International Auto Show.

Production of the Volt is scheduled to start in late 2010. GM has not announced pricing for the 2011 model, though newly dethroned CEO Fritz Henderson acknowledged earlier this fall that the price would be about $40,000. (GM's board on Tuesday asked Henderson to resign, effective immediately.)

California, here we come.
(Credit: General Motors)

As part of the California rollout, GM plans to make 100 Volts available to three utilities for testing. The cars will be used as fleet vehicles, and performance data will be collected via GM's OnStar in-car communications for a Department of Energy-run research program.

Financially strapped GM has a lot riding on the Chevy Volt. The car is designed to run for 40 miles on its lithium ion batteries and then use an engine-generator combination for longer rides. GM expects that most customers will do the majority of their driving on electric charge only, making the cost per mile cheaper than gas-only cars.

Even with the public excitement over electric cars, automakers are still not totally sure how consumers will adjust to the new technology and how electric components will operate in real-world conditions.

GM, as well as other automakers, plans to offer electric vehicles in certain regions that will invest in the infrastructure to support them. The California research program calls for the installation of 500 charging stations at people's homes, at businesses, and in public places.

The CMT-380 serial hybrid sports car is built on a Factory Five Racing kit car platform.
(Credit: Capstone)

In an unlikely alliance, Capstone, manufacturer of electricity-generating microturbines, and Electronic Arts Chief Creative Director Richard Hilleman have built a hybrid sports car for the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show. The CMT-380 uses an electric power train with a range-extending diesel-fueled microturbine. A lithium polymer battery pack gives the CMT-380 80 miles of pure electric range, and the microturbine generates power for an additional 500 miles.

The car itself is built on a kit car platform, the Factory Five Racing GTM supercar. Capstone cites performance figures of 3.9 seconds to 60mph and a 150mph top speed. Impressively, the microturbine burns its fuel so cleanly that no catalytic converter or other exhaust treatment is needed for the car to meet California's Air Resources Board emissions requirements.

Not the first name that comes to mind in the automotive industry, Capstone has been making microturbines for stationary facilities and hybrid public transport vehicles since 1988. The microturbine in the CMT-380 is the company's smallest, generating 30 kilowatts. Capstone claims many benefits of its microturbine technology over an internal combustion engine, such as compact size, low maintenance, and efficient operation.

But forget buying your own CMT-380. Capstone says it may build a limited number based on interest at the Los Angeles Auto Show, but the car really serves as a demonstration of microturbine technology. Capstone will look for interest in the technology from automakers.
Originally posted at Los Angeles Auto Show