Remember when we said that the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II (worst name ever) shown in Tokyo was basically the next Mitsubishi Outlander? We weren't lying. The 2013 Outlander will debut next month at the Geneva Motor Show, and Mitsubishi has released the first photo of the new crossover. What's more, the fancy PX-MiEV II concept apparently wasn't a vaporware showcase; Mitsubishi says that a plug-in hybrid version of the Outlander will join the roster later in 2012.

The Euro-spec Outlander launches this summer with 2.0-litre gas and 2.2-litre turbodiesel power, three seating rows, and an eco-driving coach feature designed to help drivers eke out the best possible fuel economy. Furthermore, the diesel version will offer an automatic start-stop feature to help maximize efficiency and minimize emissions.

Available driver aids include Forward Collision Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning, and Adaptive Cruise Control systems. There's not much else to tell right now, other than that Russia gets the new Outlander first, followed by a global rollout that includes North America. Follow the jump to read the press release.

This is the new Chevy Cruze station wagon, which will debut at next month's Geneva Motor Show and then arrive in European showrooms this summer. At 467 centimetres, it's longer than both the Cruze sedan and hatchback (by 7.6 and 17.7 centimetres, respectively).

Inside, there's 498 cubic litres of cargo space with the seats up, and up to 1472 cubic litres with the seats folded. Drivers will get to choose from a range of gasoline (1.6, 1.8, and 1.4T) and diesel (1.7 and 2.0) powertrains, and the long-roof Cruze arrives with Chevy MyLink available.

Australians will get a Holden-badged version, but as for us? Sorry, guys. Don't expect anything in the near future. Chevrolet spokesman Michael Albano says, "No plans on bringing the wagon to North America at this point. But we'll continue to evaluate market as needed."

The official press announcement is pasted after the jump, and you can click on the image above to see a larger version.

All summer, I make it a point to hit the local cruise nights, and while there are plenty of regulars on hand week to week, a few cars make just one appearance and vanish. Way back in May, the car you see above, a surf-themed 1964 Ford Falcon Squire dubbed "Tiki Taxi", showed up. Immediately smitten, I snapped a bunch of photos, all of which are now gallerized here. Good thing, because the car never materialized again.

Fast-forward to today. Turns out, the "Tiki Taxi" is for sale. The coolest '64 Falcon station wagon in the known universe has a 289, three on the floor, and a JVC cassette deck to play your Martin Denny tapes during the ride to Trader Vic's. Current high bid (as of post time) is $6,600, and you still have two days to get in on the action. Check out the photo gallery to see just how beautifully turned out this wagon really is. You can also download full-resolution shots here.

News Source: eBay Motors via Station Wagon Finder

Image Credit: Alex Nunez

The new Ford Fusion. The 2012 BMW 3 Series. The Lexus LF-LC. The Craftsman CTX-series... lawn tractor? Indeed, as odd as it sounds, you can count the latter among the many debuts scheduled for the 2012 Detroit Auto Show when the doors open to the public.

Craftsman's new premium tractors go on sale in February and will range in price from US$3,000 to US$6,500, with two yard tractor and two garden tractor models available. (The garden tractors are the most flexible, able to accommodate the full spectrum of towed, front-mounted, and ground-engaging attachments, which are sold separately.)

Power comes from Briggs & Stratton, whose available 30-horsepower engine allows for a top forward speed of 13 kilometres per hour (5 km/h in reverse). It's mated to a hydrostatic automatic transmission. Key features include electronic fuel management, automatic traction control (power is independently split between the rear drive wheels), a quick-release mowing deck, electronic cutting height adjustment, digital instrumentation, cruise control, tilt steering, and the obligatory cupholder. The evolution of creature comforts for these rigs will continue as well. In an interview with The New York Times' Jim Motavalli, a Craftsman spokesperson says that an iPod jack is planned as a future enhancement for its tractors.

The Craftsman CTX will be displayed in the concourse/lobby area of the COBO Center, so Dodge needn't be concerned about it stealing the Dart's thunder on the main show floor. Regardless, that placement ensures plenty of eyeballs for the new tractor as the public files in and out of the exhibition. And if you think the CTX seems like an absurd product to showcase in Detroit, consider this: it's at least more viable and relevant to American consumers than the Chinese-car vaporware that has occupied premium floor space at the venue in the past.

You can read the full press blast from Craftsman after the jump.

The updated 2013 Ford Mustang has already been spied driving around in its seizure-inducing camo patterns. The ponycar's formal introduction is imminent, and Ford wants to make its Facebook fans part of the process.

Right now, if you "Like" the official Ford Mustang Facebook page, you can then clutter your friends' news feeds with share a Mustang badge. Ford's tallying each share, and for every 5,000 of them, it'll unveil one of four 2013 Mustang photos that are so zoomed and cropped that you can't really see anything teasers.

So, if you want to start unveiling the 2013 Mustang, surf over to Facebook and start sharing. Just remember to go "Like" the Autoblog.ca page while you're there, too.

News Source: Ford Mustang on Facebook

Contract negotiations between General Motors and the United Auto Workers have led to a tentative agreement on a new labour deal, pending ratification by membership.

Specifics of the four-year contract, agreed upon last night at around 11:00 PM, have not been released, but in an official announcement on its website, the UAW says that the deal includes improvements in both health-care coverage and profit sharing for its 48,500 GM workers. UAW boss Bob King also said that the proposed contract will lead to the rehiring of laid-off workers, the creation of new jobs, and the repatriation of some jobs that had been moved offshore.

In its coverage of the GM/UAW labour agreement, Bloomberg says that it's not yet clear whether higher-than-usual signing bonuses will be used to help ensure the contract's acceptance by the union rank and file.

With General Motors out of the way, Bloomberg reports that the union will likely shift focus to Chrysler. It appears that Ford, which has not received a no-strike pledge from the UAW, will need to wait until the Chrysler contract is settled to work on its new deal with the union.

News Source: Bloomberg, UAW

Next summer, when The Avengers opens to packed multiplexes, playboy billionaire Tony Stark will be rolling in a trick new ride. After driving an Audi R8 in the two Iron Man features, Stark apparently switches to a never-before-seen Acura sports car (in keeping with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s use of all Acura vehicles, as seen in this summer's Thor and Captain America films).

The new ride appears in a series of on-set photos published at SuperHeroHype.com (borrowed from WENN.com) showing Robert Downey, Jr. standing next to it as Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Tom Hiddleston (Loki) look on. Another shot, posted at WorstPreviews.com (we've posted a cropped version here), shows the mystery Acura convertible by itself, parked on the set in New York's Central Park.

Note to the spoiler-averse: the WorstPreviews.com report explicitly details the scenes that were filmed, and they're reportedly for the the conclusion of the movie. So, you've been warned.

We also have a note in to Acura to see if they'll give up any other information. We'll update the post accordingly if and when we know more.

UPDATE: Acura spokesman Gary Robinson has gotten back to us. Here's what he had to say:

As you may know, Acura has been in the Marvel Comics Universe films as the official car of their fictional law enforcement agency called S.H.I.E.L.D. That relationship continues for The Avengers.

The open-top sports car that was photographed yesterday is a one-off, fictional car that was made just for the movie and will not be produced.

That said, as you may also know, our CEO has said publicly that we are studying the development of a new sportscar, but we can't say any more about it at this time.

Mr. Robinson also said that he's unable to tell us any specifics about the use of the car in the film beyond what's suggested in the photos, and that Acura itself won't know the full extent of the car's appearance in The Avengers until the film's release next spring.

News Source: SuperHeroHype, WorstPreviews.com, W.E.N.N.

Tip: Quang and Richard

Today, Ferrari is unveiling the 458 Spider, and official video of the new sports car's roof operation has already hit YouTube. It's as simple as it is slick. The rear-hinged tonneau flips up, after which the Superamerica-style roof panel rotates back into the space behind behind the seats. After extending two small trim elements, the tonneau comes back down. It's elegant and fast, and the car, predictably, looks beautiful. Keep an eye out for additional info on Ferrari's newest addition later today. In the meantime, hit the jump to see the roof in action.

A Minivan-Shaped SUV Minus The Ground Clearance



The last-gen Nissan Quest minivan was an oddball. It had good power, handled quite well, and was unconventional-looking. The thing is, unconventional isn't necessarily the best thing for a vehicle as mainstream as a minivan. Nissan pulled the plug on the funky-looking Quest after the 2009 model year, promising to return after skipping 2010.

So here we are with the new 2011 Nissan Quest, which is essentially a less dramatic-looking Nissan Elgrand (as it's known in Japan). It arrives in a minivan segment that's as competitive as ever and stacked with new products. The excellent 2011 Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna lead the class. Chrysler punted the gimmicky in-car card tables, banished the trashy interiors, and released the greatly improved Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country. We grabbed the keys to a new Quest to see whether it really hangs with the A-listers.

Toyota was busy introducing all flavors of the 2012 Toyota Camry to the media earlier this week, but since all that stuff's embargoed, there's not much to tell. Yet. But what isn't under embargo is this collection of spy photos showing the 2012 Camry Hybrid in its birthday suit while shooting a television commercial.

The new Camry's familiar roofline communicates practicality overall, but the updated sheetmetal has more crisp lines, with new fascias fore and aft. The hybrid's grille treatment apes that of the facelifted Highlander Hybrid, and yes, those headlights are indeed the ones Akio Toyoda teased a few weeks ago.

In a nutshell, it's still a conservative look, but decidedly less frumpy than before. Now, let's see what changes Toyota's made below the surface to bring the Camry in line with the current midsize family-sedan competition.



Image Credit: KGP Photography

Yesterday's Bucyrus 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Road America finished ugly, with wrecked cars and angry drivers highlighting a conclusion that took a lot longer than it probably should have. The race was set for a green-white-checkered finish, and as it went back to green, Jacques Villeneuve, driving the #22 Dodge Challenger, tried to make a move to the outside to gain position on the leaders.

Villeneuve quickly ran out of road, however, and as he dove in to stay off the grass, he bumped Brian Scott's #11 Toyota, sending it into the gravel, and then cut off Max Papis, driving the #33 Chevrolet. Papis went hard into Villeneuve's Dodge, then slid off the track into the wall. Thanks to the ubiquitous in-car radio feeds in NASCAR coverage, we got to hear Papis react with a disgusted, "Thank you, Jacques. Good job," followed by, "I knew the 22 was going to do something stupid."

As everyone pitted, Villeneuve caught plenty of flack. Scott was first in line, riding up behind Villeneuve and bumping his Dodge as it entered the pits. Then, a ticked-off Papis pulled alongside and parked to give Villeneuve a piece of his mind.

As for the race itself, two more green-white-checkered attempts were needed to being it to an end. Reed Sorenson was awarded the win as the race ended under yellow, taking first after race officials ruled that Ron Fellows, who appeared to be the victor, had gained position on Sorenson after the yellow flag had come out. As for Jacques Villeneuve? He podiumed, finishing third. Hit the jump to watch the Villeneuve mishap.

[Source: YouTube]

Electronic driver aids in cars? Commonplace. We take them for granted, whether they're enhancing performance, convenience, or safety. But what about motorcycles? Those of us who don't ride may be surprised to see how technology is now making bikes better, too. Case in point: Aprilia, which features a suite of aids dubbed Performance Ride Control in the 2011 RSV4 Factory APRC SE.

Aprilia USA went to our friends at Hell For Leather and Tangent Vector to produce a video that demonstrates and explains the significance of Performance Ride Control. Hit the jump to watch the video, where you'll see launch control, wheelie control, traction control and quickshift come together to help riders push the performance envelope. This stuff's not just for cars anymore, and the benefits are equally remarkable.

The 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans is over, and despite losing two of its three cars in horrifying crashes, it is Audi, once again, that climbs to the top of the podium as the race's overall winner. Andre Lotterer piloted the #2 Audi R18 TDI to victory, 13 seconds ahead of the Simon Pageneaud in the #9 Peugeot 908. The rest of the top five finishers were all Peugeot 908s, the #8 and #7 factory team cars, followed by the #10 Team Oreca Matmut entry. The top gasoline-powered LMP1 finisher was the Toyota-powered #12 Rebellion Racing Lola.

It's also a big day for Corvette Racing, which, after losing the leading #74 Corvette C6.R to an accident, still drove on to victory in GTE Pro with the #73 car of Olivier Beretta, Tommy MIlner, and Antonio Garcia. The 73 was a lap down at the 18 hour mark, but made it all back up to take the checkered flag with Garcia at the wheel, following a very strong stint by Milner. Second place in GTE Pro goes to the #41 AF Corse Ferrari, and BMW Motorsport visits the podium at Le Mans with a third-place finish for the #56 BMW M3 GT.

In the LMP2 Class, the leader at the midway point, the #41 Greaves Motorsport entry, drove to victory, followed by the #26 Signatech Nissan and #33 Level 5 Motorsports Lola HPD coupe.

Finally, in GTE Am, another Corvette claims victory: the #50 car fielded by Labre Competition. It shares the podium with its teammate, the second-place #70 Ferrari 458. Rounding out the GTE Am podium is the #68 Robertson Racing Ford GT, one of the best-looking race cars on the circuit.

The 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans was both thrilling and chilling, and ultimately, all that drama translated into an exciting finish, with a jubilant and depleted Audi squad fending off everythign Peugeot could throw at it. On the tenth anniversary of its first Le Mans win, Corvette Racing shook off last year's crushing disappointment at Le Mans with its victory, which also coincides with Chevrolet's centennial.

As the victors enjoy some well-earned celebration, the best auto race on Earth is history. We're already looking forward to next year.

As you're likely aware, the #3 Audi R18 TDI driven by Allan McNish was destroyed in a spectacular accident earlier this morning at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. McNish walked away from the scene, was checked out at the hospital, given a clean bill of health, and has since returned to the Audi garage.

QuattroWorld.com is onsite at Le Mans and was only 100 yards away from being in the very wrong spot at the wrong time as the Audi crash took place. Those guys were able to capture some unique photos that they're now graciously sharing with Autoblog.

Please follow QuattroWorld on Facebook to keep up to date on the action at Le Mans (just don't expect too many Peugeot pictures). Thanks again to QuattroWorld, Josh Decker and Mike Juergens for the photos, which you can check out in the gallery below.




[Source: QuattroWorld.com | Images: Copyright 2011 Josh Decker and Mike Juergens / QuattroWorld.com]