By Sherrice Gilsbach, AutoWeek

Earlier in the month we studied the history of the Acura MDX, and how it went from the rookie on the Acura block to the top seller in less than 10 years. This week the next-generation MDX was revealed to a round of applause during press preview days at the Detroit auto show, but some argue the 2014 model is hardly a redesign.

It's true -- if you just take a quick glance at the 2013 and 2014 models side-by-side, few differences will jump out at you. However, closer inspection reveals subtle changes have been made, which may be exactly what appeals to the MDX crowd.

Here are five exterior features that are definitely new on the 2014 Acura MDX:

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos Canada

The results are in: during a press conference early in the media days of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week, the North American Car and Utility of the Year awards were presented to Cadillac and Ram. The former for its ATS, which was General Motors' fifth such award, while the Ram 1500 was Chrysler Corp's third in the truck/utility category.

The ATS, with 207 points, beat out heavy favourites like the Honda Accord (159) and Ford Fusion (124), further solidifying Cadillac's efforts at producing a BMW beater. 

Meanwhile, the Ram was the only 'real' truck in the mix, and collected 261 points to beat the second-placed Honda CR-V (142) and Ford C-Max (87).

Nearly 50 journalists from Canada and the United States are polled and asked to vote on the awards, which is now into its 20th year. Last years winners were the Hyundai Elantra and Range Rover Evoque.

The ATS also gained another feather in its cap this morning by being voted as the 'Best of the Best' by the Canadian Automotive Jury, a group of 10 of Canada's most influential car journalists. The results were announced today on CTV's Canada AM and the award will be presented to Cadillac at the Montreal Auto Show's media days on Thursday. The ATS beat out the Accord, Kia Rio and Mazda CX-5 in the final tally.

Whether the ATS can pull out another win in February remains to be seen. The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada will reveal its Car and Utility Vehicle of the Year winners during the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto in about a month from now. Unfortunately, the Ram didn't participate because there weren't enough new or heavily updated pickups on the market to warrant a class this year.

What do you think? Are the ATS and Ram 1500 worthy of the selection? Let us know in the comments.

Join us as MSN.ca Autos hits the auto show floor January 14th and 15th, during the press preview days! Get expert updates and opinions on vehicle announcements throughout the press days. You can also submit comments on what you'd like to see and share your thoughts!

 

By Jeremy Sinek for MSN Autos

Detroit, Mich. -- Sixty years of Corvette history opened a new chapter Sunday night with the official unveiling of the seventh generation of America’s sports car. The presentation of the C7 Corvette on the eve of the Detroit auto-show press days was a true “reveal” of the kind rarely seen these days: apart from some teaser photos of a heavily disguised development mule, there had been no official “leaks” or sneak-preview pictures of the 2014 redesign.

So special does Chevrolet believe the new ‘Vette is, that it has resurrected the Stingray moniker – a storied nameplate first used on the generation-two (C2) Corvette in 1963. The name was dropped with the advent of the C4 in 1983.

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

We knew that Mercedes-Benz would be showing off its latest E-Class at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and we figured the high-performance E63 AMG model would receive a similarly subtle makeover. The current car's only been in its current configuration for a couple model years, so why mess with it when you have a dozen other models to worry about?

Apparently, we were wrong.

News broke this morning that just about everything has been tweaked or replaced, and that Audi no longer holds the killer-app of all-wheel drive when it comes to high-powered German sleeper sedans. Yes, that's right: The 2014 E63 AMG will come to North America exclusively with 4MATIC all-wheel drive. The system is rear-biased, sending only 33 percent of power to the front wheels in normal conditions, however we're sure that ratio can be altered at will. The system also delivers torque-vectoring, which means more power to the outside wheel in a corner to fight understeer.

The reason for the 4MATIC system is that the twin-turbocharged 5.5-litre received a modest power boost, meaning regular E63s now produce 550 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque. However, there's an optional package that can up those to 571 horses and an amazing 590 lb-ft. S models also bring a real limited-slip differential, along with a 0-100 km/h time in about three and a half seconds, just one-tenth faster than normal.

Visually, the car's get-the-hell-outta-my-way front visage automatically disqualifies the E63 AMG as an understated Q car, but it does look pretty stunning. The overall body shape hasn't changed since this is technically a mid-cycle refresh, and the station wagon version should be available too.

The cabin will certainly be the cosseting, leather-lined executive club as before... 

What do you think? Does all-wheel-drive go against everything AMG stands for or is this a case of better late than never? Would you choose the E63 AMG over the BMW M5 or Audi RS6? Let us know in the comments!

By Jake Lingeman, AutoWeek

The redesigned 2014 Lexus IS sport sedan will make its world debut at the Detroit auto show next week. But Lexus on Wednesday gave us a first look at the new car.

The 2014 Lexus IS uses a version of the platform that underpins the larger Lexus GS sedan. The IS will arrive with three main variants, including a hybrid and two F Sport upgrades.

The new IS gets the aggressive spindle grille of its stablemates, along with drastically reworked headlights, which now look like two parts of a wrestler's mask. Directly underneath the headlights are LED daytime running lights, which take the shape of a Nike swoosh. Wide wheel arches give the car an aggressive stance, while a character line sweeps from the bottom of the front tire to the top of the trunk.

By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos Canada

We’re less than one week away before the annual circus (a.k.a. "media days") comes to Detroit. And already we have a pretty good idea of what vehicles will and won’t be revealed. Some automakers may have a few surprises still hidden up their respective sleeves, but what 2013 Detroit show production or concept debuts that have already been officially — and unofficially — leaked or previewed are you most looking forward to checking out here at MSN Autos Canada next week?

By Greg Migliore, AutoWeek

Audi is upping the SUV ante at the Detroit auto show with a muscle-bound, all-wheeling machine, the 2014 SQ5.

This is the first Audi ute to get S treatment in the United States. It packs a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 pumping out 354 hp and 347 lb-ft. That prodigious output enables a sprint to 62 mph in 5.3 seconds en route to a top speed of 155 mph.

By Jake Lingeman, AutoWeek

The 2013 Dodge Dart GT will join Chrysler's stand at the Detroit auto show next week. For now, it will be the top trim in the Dart lineup, with a sticker price of $21,790 including destination. Dodge says it is still investigating the possibility of an R/T model for the Dart. Canadian pricing has not been announced.

The GT setup adds a sport suspension with frequency-sensing damping shocks. It will be offered with a six-speed manual transmission — an automatic is optional — and Chrysler's 2.4-liter four-cylinder Tigershark is the only engine available, producing 184 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque.

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

While the lifespan of a car or crossover might be five or six years between generations, for full-size pickups, those major milestones can be measured in decades. The current Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra - codenamed GMT900 - were revealed way back in 2003, and The General doesn't plan for their replacements to hit the road for at least another year.

But GM did show off the heavily redesigned 2014 Silverado and Sierra today ahead of a full reveal at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this coming January. 

The new trucks feature styling that's considerably more evolutionary than revolutionary, with bigger grilles and mirrors, and the use of LED accent lights on the Sierra. However, apparently GM has put these trucks through the aerodynamic wringer and every facet of the design has been engineered to be more efficient. Some new neat touches include the permanent 'corner' step built into the rear bumpers - a feature that originated on the dearly departed Chevrolet Avalanche - along with LED accent lights in the bed.

Mechanically, the trucks will use three versions of GM's new EcoTec3 engine family: a 4.3-litre six-cylinder, and a pair of V8s in 5.3- and 6.2-litres respectively. All feature direct injection, variable valve timing and the ability to shut off one bank of cylinders when cruising to save fuel. The only transmission offered will be a six-speed automatic.

Inside, the cabin is supposed to use softer materials but still retain usability as a truck, meaning the major controls were designed to be used with work gloves on. From the photos provided, we can see a colour display between the main gauges along with a bigger eight-inch touch screen, presumably available in high-end models. 

General Motors will presumably be revealing more specific information about horsepower, torque, fuel economy and pricing at the NAIAS. We'll keep you updated when more news breaks.

So what do you think? Has GM gone far enough with their new pickups? Are the people at Ford and Ram holding celebrations now? Let us know in the comments.