By Justin Couture, Sympatico/MSN Autos

When it comes to midsize sedans, Subaru’s Legacy has never been a high-volume player. Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped Subaru from wanting to change things with the upcoming fifth-generation model, set to debut at the New York International Auto Show next week.
 
As with the Impreza, Forester and the Tribeca, the new Legacy hopes to attract the attention of the masses by improving its refinement, and making it more spacious.

The Legacy’s styling stays fairly close to the Legacy Concept, which appeared in Detroit this past January. Its visage features swept-back headlamps, larger trapezoidal grille and pronounced fender flares. As with other Subarus, the new Legacy no longer has frameless doors to reduce wind noise at speed.

By Justin Couture, Sympatico/MSN Autos

Following in the footsteps of its glamorous all-electric Roadster, Tesla has just unveiled its latest creation, the long-awaited Model S. 

Designed by ex-Mazda stylist Franz von Holzhausen, the Model S is a slick, streamlined five-door fastback. From the front, it looks a bit like Maserati’s six-figure Quattroporte sedan, particularly the shape and detailing of its grille and front fenders. From the rear, the Model S has a strong resemblance to Jaguar’s XF sedan, most notably its sweeping roofline, tail lights and the chrome trunk garnish. Turbine-style 21-inch alloy wheels and a full-length panoramic sunroof are also fitted. 

By Justin Couture, MSN Autos

Two years ago, Chinese automaker Brilliance made headlines around the world when its BS6 sedan - one of the first Chinese-designed and built cars to be sold in Western Europe - was crash tested according to the EuroNCAP procedures (64 km/h into an offset barrier). The car performed miserably, receiving a one-star rating. The grisly footage of the sedan hitting the barriers has become a landmark on popular video websites.

After the dust settled, Brilliance revamped the BS6 to include a sturdier frame, stronger pillars and seat belts with pretensioners. While that helped improve its crashworthiness to passable levels - three stars - the damage to the automaker's image was done. Or, so one might think.

By Justin Couture, MSN Autos

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its latest concept car, the F-Cell Roadster. It was designed as a sort of tribute to the brand’s first vehicle, the three-wheeled Benz Patent Motor Wagon, which launched way back in 1886.

Called the F-Cell Roadster, it offers thoroughly unique and crazy blend of the future and the past - just look at those skinny, wire-spoke wheels!

Fitted with bodywork that’s vaguely reminiscent of Mercedes’ Formula One racer, the F-Cell Roadster boasts lightweight carbon fibre seats trimmed in hand stitched leather, a wood-trimmed floor and a joystick in place of a steering wheel.

By Justin Couture, Sympatico

Korean automaker Kia has just announced the new Forte LPI Hybrid, its first hybrid.

Painted in day-glo yellow, Kia's Forte LPI Hybrid is the greenest version yet of the brand's freshly released compact car. Under its hood is a 1.6-litre inline-four engine that runs on LPG which produces 114 horsepower. It also uses a CVT transmission and a small, 20-horsepower electric motor to boost it along, and to recapture kinetic energy.

And while it's true that the Forte LPI Hybrid can't match Toyota's new Prius for fuel economy figures (its rating is 5.8 L/100 km,) its carbon dioxide rating is surprisingly low. As it runs on LPG, not gasoline, it emits just 103 g/km, which is nothing to scoff at given it is based on a run of the mill compact sedan.

By Justin Couture, MSN Autos

Italian sports car manufacturer Lamborghini has just issued a statement to counter rumours that it has cancelled its plans to produce a four-door sedan due to the economic recession.
 
The production version of the Estoque show car, which was displayed at last year's Paris auto show, was supposed to go toe-to-toe with the likes of the Aston Martin Rapide, Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed, Porsche Panamera, Maserati Quattroporte and other luxurious, six-figure four-door sedans.

By Justin Couture, MSN Autos

Should you so happen to have a bit of extra cash pooled up in your bank account and are looking for something new to fill your driveway that’s sporty and fun, Volkswagen might have the ticket. It has just announced that its perennial favourite, the GTI, will be going on sale late this summer / early autumn in North America.

So, what’s to be expected with this sixth-generation hot hatch? While it’s true that the new generation car (now called the Golf in Canada) shares a lot of its platform with the 2009 car, it wears new (more mature) sheetmetal, and its steering and suspension have been tweaked for improved on-road performance.

By Justin Couture, MSN Autos

As Canadians prepare for the launch of Scion next year, Toyota's youthful sub-brand is announcing a new show car for the New York International Auto Show which will take place in early April.

It has been speculated for quite some time now that Toyota is interested in bringing over its innovative iQ micro car to North America. The iQ has been nominated for several awards and has become a hit in Europe and Japan.

But the real icing on the cake is that Toyota describes the concept as "micro-subcompact", and says that it will represent "a new segment for the brand aimed towards the growing urbanization trend." This sounds a whole lot like the iQ.

By Justin Couture, MSN Autos

Yet another sky-bound four-wheeler is ready for takeoff. Massachusetts-based Terrafugia announced yesterday that its Transition two-seater “roadable aircraft” made its first flight.

Transforming from a “car” to a “plane” in a matter of thirty seconds at the touch of the button, the 100-horsepower Transition is able to fly at speeds of up to 185 km/h and can travel up to 740 km between fuel-ups.

However, Terrafugia has put just as much emphasis on its road-going abilities. When it’s not up in the air, the Transition is a standard, front-wheel drive vehicle that runs on premium-unleaded and will return 7.8 L/100 km (30 mpg) on the highway.

By Justin Couture, MSN Autos

Diesel has been a hot topic in the auto community over the past two or three years. A growing number of automakers – mainly German ones – have committed to the fuel, and we’re seeing their plans come to fruition. Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen have, or will be adding diesel-powered vehicles to their fleets such as the 2010 Audi A3 TDI, and 2010 Volkswagen Touareg Clean TDI.

However, some manufacturers are having second thoughts.

GM announced not that long ago that it has indefinitely postponed the launch of its Duramax "light duty" diesel engine for the Silverado and Sierra pickup trucks. Honda also announced that it had put its diesel-powered TSX on pause.