Car News

Mazda says its design language is focused on originality and the art of human creation, eschewing the current trend for a more digital design process, which it says leads to most modern cars looking similar. Speaking with CarAdvice at the Los Angeles motor show, Mazda design boss, Ikuo Maeda, said continuous focus on becoming a more premium offering in the mainstream market has forced the brand's design team to raise its game.

The much talked about, on again, off again, Mazda rotary sports car appears to still be in the very early stages of development, putting doubt on previous assertions that the vehicle would be ready for a 2020 release. Speaking with media at the Los Angeles motor show today, the Japanese company’s boss of Powertrain developments, Ichiro Hirose, admitted that while a new RX-8 (or RX-9) is his personal dream, it remains just that for the time-being.

The new Honda Passport has been unveiled at the 2018 Los Angeles motor show, set to slot between the CR-V and Pilot. If it looks a little familiar, you don't need to get your eyes checked. The Passport is essentially a shortened version of the three-row Pilot sold in the States with more black plastic and less chrome. It rides on the same 2819mm wheelbase as the larger crossover, but overall length has been reduced by 102mm to 4839mm, all of it coming from the rear overhang.

Porsche has unveiled the new '992' 911 sports car for the Los Angeles motor show this week, to be priced from $265,000 before on-road costs when it arrives Down Under in the second quarter of 2019. While it doesn't look too different from the model it replaces (no surprises there), the 2019 Porsche 911 features comprehensive upgrades to its available technology catalogue, a revised engine for Carrera S models, and an all-aluminium body construction.

Lexus Australia has confirmed a bright new LC Limited Edition, which is now on sale in Australia from $205,000 plus on-road costs. The new special model is essentially the same as the one announced for the UK in August, sporting a unique exterior finish, model-specific interior colourway and the $15,000 Enhancement Package.