Gallery: The 10 Best New Cars from the 2011 L.A. Auto Show

Infiniti seems like a quiet luxury brand, getting lost in the mix with more prominent competitors from Germany and Japan. This new JX is actually striking for what it is, a large crossover (a cross between a wagon and an SUV) designed to seat seven passengers comfortably. It has interesting design elements, like the bold front grille and the prominent kink in the rear roof pillar. It manages to look sporty for such a big vehicle. Infiniti says that its second and third rows are roomier than you’ll find in a Cadillac Escalade, and it put a lot of effort into providing easy access to the third row. Basically, the JX brings the utility of Infiniti’s humongous QX SUV into a more manageable package that doesn’t guzzle as much gas. It has a 265 hp V6 and will offer front- or all-wheel-drive. It goes on sale in spring 2012.

The new MKS illustrates how Lincoln is getting the most out of its current lineup, while preparing better, all-new vehicles for the future. The most visible change is to the front-end styling, which gets a new grille and headlight treatment. But of more interest are the technological changes beneath the surface, such as a “sport” setting on the transmission that changes shift patterns, stiffens the suspension, and makes the steering sharper and the throttle response more immediate. Finally, Lincoln is offering technology that truly competes with German luxury sedans. Output for the base V6 engine is increased from 273 hp to 300 hp, and yet it’s more efficient, getting 3 mpg more on the highway. The optional turbocharged V6 still puts out 355 hp. The interior is quieter and gets a new MyLincoln Touch interface, which we hope will work better than similar systems on current Ford products. The MKS is slated to go on sale in spring 2012.

This beast of an SUV is 33 percent more fuel-efficient than the model it replaces. But it still gets only 16 mpg overall. That’s because the ML63 AMG is powered by a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 that puts out 518 hp. It’s way more power than anyone needs to haul the kids to school, which is what most buyers will do with this midsize SUV. But it keeps with the long tradition of insane performance-enhanced vehicles from Mercedes’ in-house tuner, AMG. Like all of them we’ve driven so far, we’re sure this one will be a gas. The world would be too boring without a little hooliganism once and a while. And this is the car to do it in—if you’ve got a family.

The Honda Fit EV is an electric vehicle that you plug in to recharge. It’s designed for urban commuters, and it has an estimated driving range of 123 miles in the city or 76 miles in combined city/highway driving. It will initially be offered only for lease and only in California and Oregon starting next summer. But it will become available in six East Coast markets in early 2013. It uses lithium-ion batteries and a 92 kilowatt coaxial electric motor. A three-mode drive system adapted from the Honda CR-Z hybrid has three modes: econ, normal, and sport. Econ can extend the range up to 17 percent compared to normal mode. Sport offers better acceleration but drains the battery faster. The price is steep: $36,625, with an estimated lease rate of $399 a month.

Look out Toyota Avalon--Hyundai’s coming for you with its new Azera. This large, plush sedan is brimming with features to draw buyers away from the competition. From the front, it looks like a Hyundai Sonata, only larger. The rear end is more unique, with dramatic curves and creases on the trunk lid. It has a 293-hp V6 that gets 23 mpg in combined city/highway driving. Hyundai says that’s “class leading.” There are the requisite bells and whistles: leather interior, navigation system with backup camera, high-intensity headlights, Bluetooth, heated seats front and rear, etc. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but it will be a good value, as all Hyundais are. This Korean automaker has been kicking butt with some great new cars, and this one looks to continue that trend.

Porsches with “GTS” in their names are special. This one in particular is a higher-performance version of the Panamera 4S. Its 4.8-liter V8 has 30 hp more, for a total of 430. The über sedan sits 10 millimeters lower and has upgraded brakes and chassis tuning. It also has an adaptive suspension—usually an expensive option—that automatically adjusts to become stiffer or more compliant depending on road conditions and driving style. Only subtle changes were made to the exterior. One curious feature is what Porsche calls the “Sound Symposer.” It’s an acoustic channel that picks up intake vibrations between the throttle valve and air filter and transmits them as engine sound via a membrane in the front roof pillar. The Porsche Panamera GTS goes on sale in spring, with a starting price of $109,900.

The Cadillac XTS has been a long time coming, and initial impressions indicate it was worth the wait. This is the new sedan, which is bigger than the existing CTS and packed with technology designed to help it better compete with European luxury cars. It will have a trick suspension that uses magnetic fields and fluid filled with metal shavings. This allows the suspension to vary soft or tight, depending on your driving style and the response the car has to the road. High-tech Brembo brakes are standard. The XTS comes with a 300-hp V6 that gets 17 mpg city/28 mpg highway with front-wheel drive, and one mpg less on the highway with optional all-wheel drive.

It will be the first Cadillac to get the company’s new CUE interface, which uses a large screen that can be manipulated with iPad-like gestures and swipes. It’s about as big as the midsize BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class on the outside, but has a roomier back seat and trunk. The XTS look great on paper. The question now is: How will it perform on the road?

The baddest Camaro of them all just got its top chopped. The Camaro ZL1 Convertible is based on the ZL1 Coupe, which has a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine that cranks out 580 hp. That’s 70 hp less than the new Ford Shelby GT500, but it’s still a whole heck of a lot of horsepower. The coupe will do 0-60 in 3.9 seconds, with a top speed of 184 mph. It goes on sale around spring of next year, followed by the convertible toward the end of 2012.

The XKR-S is the most powerful car Jaguar has ever made. The supercharged V8 engine puts out 550 hp—that’s 40 hp more than the already potent XKR. It goes from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds, and it has a top speed of 138 mph. The coupe version of the XKR-S has already sold out. And considering that only 25 of these new $138,000 convertibles will make it to the U.S., this one will be even harder to get. Like the coupe version, the XKR-S Convertible has a stiffer suspension for sportier handling and styling embellishments that set it apart from lesser Jaguars.

It seems a little soon for Ford to be tweaking the Mustang after thoroughly updating the car for 2010. But if it means getting a new 5.8-liter 650-hp supercharged V8 in the Shelby GT500, we won’t complain one bit. This is the most powerful production Mustang ever—it even out-muscles the awesome Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Ford claims the engine is the most powerful production V8 in the world. A larger, more efficient supercharger helped achieve the awesome engine power. Ford also focused on improving the suspension, braking, and transmission to make the most of all the horsepower. The other Mustangs have also been revamped with slightly different styling, fancier headlights, and a more powerful V8 engine in the GT model, among other changes.