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Getting Ready For The LA Auto Show

LOS ANGELES (WWJ) - A rebounding auto industry is going to be on display as the first major auto show of the season gets underway in Los Angeles the week after Thanksgiving.

"We're probably going to have at least fifty new vehicle debuts," says LA Auto Show spokesman Brandon Flynn.  "That's in addition to the thousands of cars that come to the show."


VIDEO: WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert previews the LA Auto Show

WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert will be in Los Angeles for press preview days on November 28th and 29th.  Car Companies aren't yet talking about all of the vehicles that will be unveiled.

Car Chronicles Blog: LA Auto Show Grows In Importance

But, Flynn says any auto show that's just a few miles from Beverly Hills will have a lot of upscale cars and trucks.

"We have some really exciting luxury and performance debuts."

That includes new vehicles from Porsche, Land Rover and Jaguar, among others.

"Mercedes has four debuts," says Flynn.  "BMW, they have three debuts including the I-8 Spyder plug-in hybrid. Audi's gonna have four different vehicles they are making announcements on.  So the list of luxury and performance vehicles is an exciting one."

The three Detroit based carmakers always have a big presence at the LA Show.  Chrysler has confirmed that it will show an electric version of its Fiat 500.  GM and Ford are expected to have an environmentally friendly presence as well.

Green has always been a theme of the LA Auto Show, which features the annual "Green Car of the Year Award."

This year's finalists are: Dodge Dart Aero, Maxda CX-5 SkyActive, Toyota Prius c, and Ford's C-MAX and Fusion.

The show comes as car and truck sales are on the rise.  Flynn says they've also seen growth in attendance.

"In the past two years, we've seen a twenty-two percent increase in attendance." Auto companies are banking on those trends continuing.

"The manufacturers, not only are they brining more debuts," he said.  "But, the exhibits are more elaborate.  The theatrics around the unveilings of these vehicles are more elaborate.  They are clearly trying to push some metal to North American car buyers."

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