Mercedes X166 Gl450 Module, Camera, Front, 0009057402 on 2040-parts.com

Top 12 consumer car debuts at 2012 U.S. auto shows

The 2012 calendar year brought a lot of excitement in the automotive industry. Sales numbers show a gradual recovery, and pending federal fuel-efficiency requirements have fueled a slew of mainstream green technologies that don't dampen driving dynamics. Among the glitz of auto shows, some of our most memorable reveals from the year include such high-profile machines as the 2013 SRT Viper and Acura NSX concept.

The new Honda Insight hybrid is shown at the Detroit auto show

The new Honda Insight was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show To hear Honda tell it, the new 2010 Insight coming to market this April is all about making hybrid technology available to Gen-Y. That's because it's smaller and less expensive than the class-leading Toyota Prius or Honda's own Civic Hybrid. We drove the Insight in Arizona recently and found it also more fun to drive than most hybrids, another attribute that ranks high among young buyers.

Mopar salutes Don Garlits and muscle-car past as it eyes global future

Mopar made its name in performance and parts, but Chrysler's aftermarket division is staking its future on practicality. The brand celebrated its 75th anniversary on Tuesday at the Mopar engineering lab in Center Line, Mich., just north of Detroit. While it rolled out four custom cars with various stages of show-and-go upgrades and drag-racing legend Don Garlits, Mopar officials were decidedly forward-looking.