2011 Los Angeles Auto Show Preview

Auto-show season has begun.

Well, almost. It hasn’t started yet. But it’s close. The Los Angeles Auto Show begins later this month, with press days taking place this week, and that means it’s time for the season of new-car reveals to officially get underway. As usual, L.A. promises to have an interesting mix of reveals.

Honda CR-V Concept

Perhaps tops on the list for enthusiasts is the sporty Subaru BRZ. This rear-wheel sportster, which has been developed in conjunction with Toyota (that company’s version will be the Scion FR-S), will make around 200 horsepower, and it will certainly be one of the centers of attention during the show.

Another eye-catcher will be the convertible version of the Camaro ZL1. Other than dropping the top, the biggest change from the coupe is the addition of some chassis reinforcement. This means all the ZL1 power (550 ponies or thereabouts) with no restrictive roof (at least on days when the weather is good).

Green cars will get their due, too, with Honda presenting an EV version of its popular Fit subcompact, and Mazda showing off its SkyActiv-powered Mazda 3.

Don’t forget about sporty compacts and subcompacts—Ford appears to be ready to reveal a Fiesta ST, along with the Focus ST, while Fiat will likely reveal the 500 Abarth and it won’t be surprising to see a Chevrolet Spark unveiling, either.

Ford Fiesta ST Concept

Mainstream car buyers will be intrigued by the next Honda CR-V and Ford Flex SUVs, along with Cadillac’s new flagship XTS sedan.

There will be other surprises along the way, of course, since automakers are doing their best to keep things under wraps in advance of this week’s press days, but those appear to be the highlights so far. There’s also a few other tidbits that most journalists know but can’t quite talk about, due to embargoes.

The Los Angeles show is gaining in strength, although Detroit still rules the roost. Whether it’s Southern California car culture or the fact that Midwest and East Coast journalists just want to spend a few November days in the sun, the L.A. show has become more important over the years, and this year’s roster proves that the trend appears to show no signs of stopping.

[Source: Road and Track]