The 2009 Bentley Continental GTC Speed might be the least surprising debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. After rolling out high-performance "Speed" versions of the GT coupe and Flying Spur sedan, the GTC was the only worthwhile model left.

Like the Continental coupe and sedan, the GTC Speed gets a 600-horsepower W12 engine along with a few minor suspension tweaks. Bigger wheels and high-performance summer tires are also part of the performance upgrades. The interior gets cool stuff like diamond-quilted seat trim and drilled alloy pedals. And the price? Let's just say it's more than a Corolla and less than a Maybach.

Full Story: Bentley Continental GTC Speed

Did you see the 2010 Cadillac SRX that broke cover over the weekend? Well, if not, you can get all the details in our full story on the new compact SUV. If that's not enough to get you all excited about Cadillac's first turbocharged vehicle in the U.S., there's now some running footage of the vehicle after the jump, on paved roads and everything.

Doesn't leave much to look forward to at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show next week, but don't forget that there have been rumors swirling about a doable plug-in hybrid Cadillac and this SRX would be a logical choice for such a system. We'll see next Sunday.

The official reveal of the 2010 Cadillac SRX is set for the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January, but an primeval teaser video has already been posted by Cadillac. It doesn't give up anything good like specs or features, but it does give a pretty clear look at the styling of this new, smaller SRX. See for yourself below.

This is it, the 2010 Lincoln MKT on the streets of Dearborn. It's scheduled for an official debut at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, but like the 2010 Ford Taurus seen yesterday, this image is nearly uncovered.

No big surprises here as the finished product looks much like the concept shown at last year's Detroit show. You've got your big waterfall grille up front, an interesting up kick in the beltline toward the back and a full width lamp treatment crossways the tailgate.

This particular image also wore an "Ecoboost" badge, so Ford's new twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 is most certainly under the hood. No word yet on what the final horsepower numbers will be, but something in the 350 horsepower range is expected. And judging by the size of this sucker, it's going to need it.

The interior is fully finished and it looks pretty good. A thick-rimmed steering wheel, minimal button clutter and some high calibre wood trim make it look like a proper luxury vehicle. Figure on three rows of seats and all the latest gadgets like Sync, a THX sound system and optional DVD screens in back.

So was that blurry cell phone shot of the 2010 Ford Taurus that surfaced early this year the real thing? Well, after catching this 2010 Ford Taurus image on the streets of Dearborn it would appear as though it was indeed quite genuine.

The redesigned sedan will get a sleeker shape and a slightly less chrome-laden grille. A slightly rising beltline gives it a more aggressive stance while the rear end is finished with a pair of nicely integrated taillights. This is the first time we've seen the interior and it looks like a solid step up from the current model. Nothing ground breaking, but plenty of wood trim and some decent looking leather. We'll have pictures of the finished product after it debuts at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January.

Here you go Subie fans: an image of the Legacy concept has surfaced over at DrivingSports.com (and on other sites as well). This is very close to what the actual 2010 Legacy will look like. Under the hood resides a 3.6 H6. Since the image shows no hood scoop there's no turbo; a turbo is expected to be part of the model mix, but most likely in 4-cylinder format. The car will debut at the NAIAS next month.

Full story here. Press release here.

Here's Inside Line's take: 2009 Detroit Auto Show: Subaru Legacy Concept

BMW will use the 2009 NAIAS to debut their all-new Z4 sports car. The new Z-car (sorry Nissan) has grown a bit, softened the styling a tad, and has added a folding hardtop. Power will come from the existing 3.0 6-cylinder engines. The naturally-aspirated sDrive30i puts out 255 hp, and the twin-turbo sDrive35i offers 300 hp. The base model (I hate those silly names) will come with either a 6-speed manual of 6-speed dual-clutch transmission. The twin-turbo will be offered with the 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch tranny.

I've never been a fan of the Z3 or Z4 in terms of styling. This one, now with numerous 7-Series styling cues, is better than the past models, but it's still not my cup of tea. Hopefully  my mind will be changed once I see it in the flesh.

Full story here, including a bunch of images.

Here's Inside Line's take: 2009 Detroit Auto Show: 2009 BMW Z4

After weeks of annoyingly frequent teaser shots, we finally got a chance to see the 2010 Ford Mustang first hand. It was introduced at an event here in Santa Monica that included a little drifting, a who's who of Ford racing legends and of course, ol' Shel himself.

It was a good show, but when all the fanfare was over and we got a closer look at the 2010 Mustang, it wasn't all that impressive. Ford says that nearly all the exterior sheetmetal is new, but you would be hard pressed to spot the differences. Most of the interior has been revamped too, but again, it only looks better if you're intimately familiar with the current cabin.

Who knows, maybe it will look that much better on the road. We'll know primeval next year as it's scheduled to go on understanding just in time to do effort with the Chevrolet Camaro.

Oh, and one more thing, Ford executive Mark Fields said to keep an eye out for more Mustang news at the Detroit Auto Show in January. So yeah, it's not even on understanding yet and Ford is already rolling out the derivatives.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, Rendered Speculation

We’re far from convinced that the image above is the 2010 Toyota Prius, but judging by the front detail pic and the interior shot, it could be the most accurate portrayal we’ll see before it’s unveiling in Detroit this January.

The pic, published over at PriusChat by bossdowner, shows a restyled front end that takes a few cues from recent ToMoCo offerings, including the bulbous badge housing, deeper air barrier and recessed fog lamps. The headlights are a nice touch, but we still haven’t warmed up to the L-shaped design originally shown on the new Maxima and forthcoming 370Z.

As for the interior, it’s a sea of bland in a dark gray plastic that would make the Germans proud. However, we dig the raised center console with an integrated pass-through to access the 12-volt outlet.

Check the room for more and let us know your thoughts in the comments. Thanks for the tip Rafih.

[Source: PriusChat]

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