Nissan Maxima
What is it? The flagship sedan of the Nissan brand.
Why should you care? Under the skin are the mechanical roots of the Nissan Altima, which is a good thing. But the rich styling (done at Nissan's California studio) and sophisticated level of standard equipment mean this is one Nissan that nearly belongs as part of the Infiniti luxury brand. Only its front-wheel-drive layout keeps the Maxima a Nissan.
What makes it hot? Aside from the styling, a standard 290-horsepower V-6 engine.
On sale and how much? July, with a sticker likely starting in the mid-$30,000s.
Acura TSX
What is it? A near-luxury sedan from Honda's Acura premium brand. Based on Honda's European version of the Accord, the new TSX replaces a car that remains a delight to drive. Big shoes to fill.
Why should you care? Well, if you are a younger luxury car buyer, Acura wants you. So it's pretty sporty.
What makes it hot? The 201-horsepower engine is strong, offering, say Acura officials, more power across a wider range of speeds. A six-speed manual transmission is available, in addition to the five-speed automatic.
Moreover, the 2.4-litre aluminum-block four-cylinder engine meets the latest government standards for "ultra-low emission" vehicles.ƒo
On sale and how much? April, with a starting price in the mid-$30,000s.
Audi A4 Avant
What is it? A sport wagon due to go on sale early next year. The Avant is a derivative of the A4 sedan.
Why should you care? Audi's designers are clearly on a roll. This is a station wagon with saucy looks and plenty of room inside. Very, very European.
What makes it hot? The upcoming new Avant is 10 per cent lighter with a more rigid body for safety. The 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine produces 211 horsepower, 11 more than the current version.
It has lots of high-tech touches, too — like a parking assist feature and warning systems to prevent drivers from drifting out of their lanes.
On sale and how much? Early 2009 and the least-expensive Quattro version could have a sticker price as low as $42,000 or $43,000.
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
What is it? A near-luxury, rear-drive coupe that is both powerful and, apparently, very affordable.
Why should you care? Hyundai has now solidified a reputation for building generally reliable, better-than-average-quality vehicles. The next step is to go upscale with a sexy coupe from Hyundai's California design studio.
What makes it hot? Hyundai officials swear this is a coupe for performance lovers. The engine is an aluminum block V-6 (306 horsepower) with the power of a V-8. A turbocharged four-cylinder is also planned.
Company types say horsepower is just a small part of the story. The design itself is intended to save weight and make the Genesis agile.ƒo
On sale and how much? Spring 2009 as a 2010 model, in the high-$20,000s to low-$30,000s. A Genesis sedan is also planned.ƒo
Honda Fit
What is it? The smallest Honda and the most fuel efficient non-hybrid one, too.
Why should you care? This grocery-getter is small on the outside, but big inside — and seats that flip and fold in amazing ways make it as versatile as a much larger station wagon.
What makes it hot? Fuel economy. With regular gas now well over $1 a litre in Canada (and screaming towards $4 a gallon in the U.S.), the Fit makes perfect sense as a city car. In fact, it already meets fleet-wide fuel economy standards for 2020.
On sale and how much? This fall; the price hasn't been set, but you won't be able to claim a federal ecoAuto rebate for the '09 model.ƒo
Pontiac Solstice coupe
What is it? A Solstice convertible with a removable roof panel.
Why should you care? Pontiac promised something like this in the form of a concept car in 2002. The lightweight magnesium roof panel is easy to manipulate and gives the Solstice some measure of 12-month practicality.
What makes it hot? The design, of course, and a standard 2.4-litre, four-cylinder engine with 173 horsepower. A high-performance GXP version has a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with 260 horsepower.
On sale and how much? Early next year, likely in the mid-to-high-$30,000s.
Saab 9-X BioHybrid
What is it? A concept car that clearly shows where parent GM wants to take Saab, its premium Swedish brand. This is a compact, two-door, four-seat coupe with low CO2 emissions.
Why should you care? Saab just might build it. The design, which in some ways plays off Saab origins as a jet manufacturer, extends themes from Saab's Aero X and an earlier 9-X concepts.
What makes it hot? It's packed with electronics. There is an in-car connectivity system and an electric slide-out floor in the rear cargo area. Most important of all, though, the 200-horsepower, 1.4-litre BioPower turbo engine is particularly low on CO2 emissions if filled up with E85 fuel (85-per-cent ethanol, 15-per-cent gasoline).
On sale and how much? Who knows exactly, but if Saab makes it, look for a premium price tag.
Mitsubishi iMiEV
What is it? An all-electric, four-door city car that is a counterpart to the gas-powered i mini-car.
Why should you care? Mitsubishi will consider bringing the car to the U.S. or Europe after 2010 if there is enough demand for a small electric car.
What makes it hot? The iMiEV is smaller than a subcompact, about the size of a four-door Smart car. But it seats four.
On sale and how much? Fleet customers in Japan will be able to buy it in mid-2009, with the general public getting access in 2010. The cost will be $25,000-$30,000 in Japan.
BMW M3 convertible
What is it? The fourth generation of the M3 convertible will have BMW's first retractable hardtop.
Why should you care? This M3 offers a V-8 engine and a retractable hardtop. It is a showpiece for high-powered engineering.
What makes it hot? The M3 convertible has a 4.0-litre V-8 that develops 414 horsepower. It goes from zero to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds. The convertible top stows in a compartment in the rear.
On sale and how much? In showrooms this summer likely in the mid-$60,000s.
Pontiac G8 GXP
What is it? The high-performance version of Pontiac's new G8 rear-drive sedan. Built in Australia, the G8 is sold down under as the Commodore.
Why should you care? The G8 just may be the end of the line for traditional rear-drive family cars that are also affordable. Spiking gas prices may spell the end for cars like this.
What makes it hot? A new 6.2-litre small-block V-8 engine that's rated at 402 horsepower with a six-speed manual transmission. Pontiac says 0-100 km/h times will be sub-six seconds.
On sale and how much? This fall as a 2009, but no pricing yet.
Pontiac G8 Sport Truck
What is it? A car with a pickup bed in back.
Why should you care? If you want the ride of a sedan and an open-air cargo bed in back, this is for you. Such car/pickups were popular in the 1970s and 1980s, including the old Ford Ranchero and Chevrolet's own El Camino.
What makes it hot? The 2010 G8 sport truck has the same 361-horsepower, 6.0-litre V-8 used in the G8 GT sedan.
On sale and how much? Late next year for an as-yet undetermined price.
Nissan Denki
What is it? An electric version of the Nissan Cube that the company toyed with bringing overseas from Japan.
Why should you care? Nissan has a joint venture with Japan's NEC Corp. to build lithium-ion batteries for vehicles, and has been field testing battery designs for years. It's green and it's practical.
What makes it hot? The design is cool in a boxy way, but it also speaks to Nissan's "green" plans in the near future.
On sale and how much? Nissan North America senior vice-president Dominique Thormann said Nissan would design an all-new electric vehicle that would be tested with U.S. fleet customers in 2010 and sold to retail customers by 2012. Something like the Denki just might be it.
