The definition of a class car is subjective. For the purposes of this article, it will be any car that had a major impact on the industry since cars first came onto the scene over a hundred years ago. The newest car on the list is 15 years old and the oldest is 104 years old. Here they are, some classic cars that changed the auto industry.
Toyota Prius (Launched: 1997)
Let’s start with the baby on the list. The Prius is the best-selling hybrid ever. It is the car that …

Iconic coupe ruined for the sake of green technologyOpen Letter to the Green Car Community
I saw this today and as an enthusiast, my heart sank. One of the least known classic coupes from the late ’60s, the Toyota 2000GT, has been bastardized in the name of the environment.
The 2000GT was a limited production model designed by Toyota, first shown at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1965. In collaboration with Yamaha, the car was built between 1967 and 1970.
At the time, the 2000GT was a bit of an anomaly. Toyota was …

Hybrid concept is the annual EyesOn Design Award winner in DetroitThe beautiful Lexus LF-LC Concept has won the annual EyesOn Design Award for the best concept car at the Detroit Motor Show.
What do you think? Is this a new design direction for Lexus? Or are we looking at the next LFA?
The “Eyes” have it: Lexus LF-LC named top design concept at Detroit Motor Show
The Lexus LF-LC Hybrid Sport Coupe Concept has proved a head-turning success at theDetroit motor show (NAIAS), being honoured with the annual EyesOn Design Award for …

Production version will debut in Detroit on January 9thEven though this car has changed in many ways over the course of its short life, the “Toybaru” continues to impress. Just think, we as enthusiasts finally get a light, rear-wheel drive coupe to play with! Every Frankenstein car builder is salivating at the thought of getting their hands on this car and tweaking it to perfection.
An all new 2.0-liter, 200 horsepower flat-4 was developed for the BRZ, which should prove enough at first with only 2,700 pounds of car to move. …

To be unveiled today in a live web castJaguar will unveil the all-new XKR-S Convertible today in a live web stream from the 2011 Los Angeles International Automobile Show. The show begins at 2PM EST. The link will probably not be active until shortly before it begins. This car is the kind of reason some people look into auto tech training via accredited online colleges.
UPDATE: Disappointing…the link didn’t work! Note to anyone promoting a brand, especially via a live steam…make sure it works!
Here’s a promo video of the convertible XKR-S. Sweet car…

Italian automaker postpones introduction to U.S. marketA collective sigh of disappointment reverberated throughout the enthusiast world today. Alfa Romeo has announced they will delay the introduction of their cars to the U.S. market.
Apparently the delay means at least a year before cars appear here in the states. In addition, a mid-size SUV has been scrapped. Bad news for Chrysler Group’s factory in Toledo, Ohio.
According to Alfa Romeo CEO Harald Wester, announced the automaker is scaling back its global expansion plans during a presentation to analysts in Frankfurt.
This is in addition …

New German Touring Car begins campaign next seasonLooking every bit as evil as BMW’s M3 DTM Concept, Audi has introduced their A5 DTM Concept at the Frankfurt International Motor Show.
Audi first showed concept drawings earlier this year at the same time BMW introduced the M3. Internally, Audi refers to the A5 DTM as the R17, continuing the ‘R’ nomenclature throughout their line of motorsports cars.
The A5 will be powered by a V8 with 454hp and a new six-speed transmission.
World premiere of the Audi A5 DTM at the IAA
Ingolstadt, September 11, …

You can’t help but think about cars in the seemingly distant past when you see Cadillac’s Ciel Concept.
The Ciel, pronounced “C-L”, is an expansive four-door convertible…yes, I said four-door. And those doors are full size, including two in suicide style. Did we say this car is a beast?
“Large, expressive luxury is innate to Cadillac and the Ciel recalls that heritage, while suggesting where the brand can go in the future,” said Clay Dean, global design director for Cadillac. “Authentic luxury is driven by experiences, not just products, and Ciel is …

Wicked new concept will debut in the 2012 DTM seasonSporting a flat black finish and black wheels, BMW unveiled the M3 DTM Concept Friday night at the Welt, BMW’s exhibition facility in Munich. Guide to Online Schools is a resource with info on auto tech classes.
The paint job is clearly not important…cars will, of course, sport a sponsor package once the green flag drops.
What is important is the 4-liter, 480 bhp V8 under the wicked black body work. It powers the M3 DTM to 100 km/h in about 3 seconds, finally topping out …

German marque will define the segment yet againClearly looking production ready, BMW introduced the Concept M5, some 25 years after first introducing the idea of a high performance sedan to enthusiasts.
No doubt this new M5 will again define the segment with performance befitting the brand and the class they arguably created.
The concept shown here is powered by a twin-turbo V8, with BMW claiming both performance and efficiency improvements, with fuel consumption and emission levels down by more than 25 percent. The motor is mated to BMW’s seven-speed M double-clutch transmission.
This …