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Mercedes, known for unappetizing on-board nav grpahics, has finally upped the ante. At the LA Auto Show, they unveiled to the media their new myCOMAND system, with a completely internet-based (high-speed WiFi) computer system. Soon, MB drives can surf the web and view current Google maps, through an extremely sophisticated, graphically pleasing interface. The downside: it’s still in development.

Mercedes Benz myCOMAND interface

This one makes my buzz boil over. Gotta say I’m amazed. appalled. aghast. awed. OUTRAGED!

Here’s an excerpt from tomorrow’s Washington Post:

There are 24 daily nonstop flights from Detroit to the Washington area. Richard Wagoner, Alan Mulally and Robert Nardelli probably should have taken one of them.

Instead, the chief executives of the Big Three automakers opted to fly their company jets to the capital for their hearings this week before the Senate and House — an ill-timed display of corporate excess for a trio of executives begging for an additional $25 billion from the public trough this week.

“There’s a delicious irony in seeing private luxury jets flying into Washington, D.C., and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hands,” Rep. Gary L. Ackerman (D-N.Y.) advised the pampered executives at a hearing yesterday. “It’s almost like seeing a guy show up at the soup kitchen in high-hat and tuxedo. . . . I mean, couldn’t you all have downgraded to first class or jet-pooled or something to get here?”

The Big Three said nothing, which prompted Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) to rub it in. “I’m going to ask the three executives here to raise their hand if they flew here commercial,” he said. All still at the witness table. “Second,” he continued, “I’m going ask you to raise your hand if you’re planning to sell your jet . . . and fly back commercial.” More stillness. “Let the record show no hands went up,” Sherman grandstanded… more

Whoa. Waitaminute. Is this for real. I mean, how could this kind of thing happen? Case in point for why GM, Chrysler & Ford needs to change it’s overall approach… because there’s no party after everyone’s left the building.

No way I’m in favor of tax dollars supporting this. Here’s to whatever comes next.

Read more: LA Times

While the country seems intolerant of same-sex marriage and adoption, GM proudly recognizes diversity, offering a single day dedicated to the gay community at this year’s International LA Auto Show. GM will be pimp’ing out its major brands: Chevy, Saturn, Cadillac and Saab.

And of course, in LA gay style, they’ll start off with brunch, onto a tour of the show, and straight to happy hour … no jokes. Mimosas and Maseratis, bellinis and Bentleys? They don’t let the straights do that.

When: Sunday, November 23, 11am-6pm

Where: Convention Center (Downtown)

How: AutoShowGayDay.com

Lamborghini Orange County, the world’s largest Lamborghini dealer, has closed.

Denying rumors that the financial/credit freeze contributed to major problems for the dealer and citing other economic woes such as the housing market’s impact on the sale of ultra-exotic vehicles, Lamborghini OC says they’ve locked the doors due to their own business decisions. The dealership alone sold 10% of all 2,400 Lambos in the world each year. The dealership (in Santa Ana) now has padlocks on its gates and their lots usually filled with Versace, $600,000, 12-cylinder supercars, are empty. 

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(Source: Orange County Register)

It seems last year’s show was just around the corner … but here we are again. And it’s not just with a new President-elect of course, the Los Angeles International Auto Show will serve as the platform for major auto manufacturers to unveil some of their latest goods … including Ford’s all-new 2010 Mustang. Now that the Dodge Challenger has hit the streets and the Chevy Camaro soon to follow, Ford has had to up its game (because the fact its flailing like a fish out-of-water wasn’t enough).

What I’m hoping to see there this year: Ferrari California, Bentley GTC Speed, Cadillac CTS-V, BMW all-new 7-Series, Maserati new Quattroporte + Granturismo S, Audi S4, and so many more.

LA Auto Show: November 21-30 (including Thanksgiving Weekend) @ Convention Center Downtown LA

While home foreclosures are higher than any time before us in history, MAJOR trouble on Wall St. and unemployment at 6.1%, our league of supercar manufacturers just won’t let up, and neither will their buyers.

Ferrari has developed one gorgeous baby, the California: a hard-top convertible, powered by an all-new 460 hp 4.3-liter V8 engine in the mid-front position of the car.

It debuted dually last night in Maranello and in Los Angeles (Santa Monica airport). More than 1,000 attendees came in from all over the world. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger (a car buff - no pun intended - himself) showed up. The car was finally auctioned off here in LA for approximately $520,000 with proceeds going to After-School-All-Stars. www.ferraricalifornia.com

BMW North America will use the upcoming late November Los Angeles International Auto Show to unveil its all-new Z4 roadster. In addition to sporting BMW latest design cues, this little bad boy will be unique as the first hard-top convertible in this model’s history.

In addition to this debut, BMW will launch 3 new models in Paris (not the typical stage for big debuts): the 3-Series facelift, the all-new 7-Series and ActiveHybrid variant, and the X1 small SAV (Sports Activity Vehicle) like its new big brother the X6. Clearly, BMW AG is not letting hard times in the US keep it down, launching new models faster than I post them.

For those of you who like/love the new Cadillac CTS (2008 MotorTrend Car of the Year), hold on tight, because the production 2-door coupe will be unveiled in less than 3 months at the November LA Auto Show.  The CTS has been so successful in terms of both design and sales, that Cadillac gave the production green light months ago to the sporty coupe of its big 4-door brother.

Now I’m not an American autos kinda guy, but am overjoyed at the success that Cadillac has accomplished with this 4-door baby. Who doesn’t want to root for the underdog, especially when its your homeland?

See more photos at the jump.

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Toyota, watch out. Michigan is mad and they’re striking back with a vengeance. For at least a decade, US automakers have focused heavily (to say the least) on gas-guzzling SUVs and lost focus on their original bread ‘n butter: CARS. The return of the Michigan 3 started a few months ago with the Cadillac CTS, a dazzling sedan with an awesome presence and a wicked stance. It quickly nabbed MotorTrend’s 2008 Car of the Year award. And now, Chevrolet has officially unveiled its muscle car extraordinaire (aside from the Corvette): the Chevy Camaro. On sale next year as a 2010 model … Bumble Bee has finally come alive. What a beauty.

Just about every major automotive brand has a supercar. Mercedes has the SLR McLaren (soon to be no more), Audi has the R8, Lexus is soon to have the LF-A, Acura is about to bring back the NSX, and now Nissan joins the rest of ‘em with the GT-R. Nissan aside, the GT-R is one amazing machine. It currently holds the fastest time at the Nurburgring - Germany’s infamous testing ground - edging out the Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini supercars.

Finally, the first unit under U.S. production standards has reached the U.S. shore and parked itself at Universal City Nissan. Since January 1, 2008, 70% of the 1,700 U.S.-allocated GT-Rs have been reserved. An even greater statistic held true for the UK. Keep your eyes peeled for one on the road, they call her, Godzilla.

Iron Man was the top grossing movie in LA and internationally … it’s impressive opening positions itself as the 2nd highest opening of a non-sequel and grabs it the 10th place award for top 10 premiers of all time. As final figures are still calculated, the film brought in $104 million at home and $96 million abroad, totaling $200 million worldwide.

Co-starring in the film beside Robert Downey Jr. is the Audi R8. Audi North America paid huge $$$ to strategically position the R8 as Iron Man’s ‘bat mobile,’ the S5 as Gwyneth Paltrow’s ride, and the Q7 as an uber-safe SUV.

The producers staged a beautiful entourage of Audis at the premier in Hollywood last week … with stars arriving in R8s, Q7s and A8L W12s escorted by a posse of motorcycle cops.

 Tesla Motors has opened its first dealership in LA … on the corner of Sepulveda and Santa Monica Blvd in West LA. The $2 million, 10,000 square foot dealership will function more like a factory store … think Niketown, not just there to sell but to build brand awareness, loyalty and awe.

For those of you who don’t know, Tesla Motors was founded in 2003 in Silicon Valley. They manufacture electric sports cars with a Euro flare.  Their Tesla Roadster under limited production right now, is 100% electric, offers the equivalent of 135mpg, with a sports car statistic of 0-60 in only 3.9 seconds. Vroom. Ferrari watch out. Read more about them here.

The makers of Grand Theft Auto (soon to release version 4) has announced its upcoming Midnight Club: Los Angeles, the newest in the Midnight Club series, with a slew of new features. Coming to a PS3 and Xbox 360 near you on September 9th, Rockstar Games will be offering an enormous selection of customizable vehicles, including - for the first time - the Dodge Challenger and the Chevy Camaro, both of which will be hitting the real streets of LA around the same time.

Downtown Long Beach said goodbye yesterday to the Champ Car series … a historic 25-year-old event that set the pavement for the San Jose Champ Car series (1989) and even NASCAR.

Why did it end? The merging of the IRL/IndyCar Series and the Champ Car series, a 12 year long deal. Will Power (not kidding) won the final race of the Toyota 2008 Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Read more here: SJ Mercury News // Autoblog // Champ Car World Series // Grand Prix of LB

The buzz in LA is BMW’s new 135i coupe and its new commercial featured driving Downtown. Check it out, it’s a stud … just won AutoSpies‘ 2008 Car of the Year. The beginning features the picturesque skyscrapers of the Downtown skyline …

If you’re interested in seeing more on the all-new BMW 1-Series … watch The New York Times’ video review of the 128i.