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Detroit may be in the doldrums, but Shanghai is swinging: the Chinese motor industry is growing rapidly, investing in design expertise and preparing to have a significant global impact in coming years. And besides the domestic manufacturers, who are producing ever-more interesting concepts, the established European and Western car-makers are finding that they can't afford to ignore China, where new-car sales are rising exponentially. Here's the low-down on the most important cars of this year's Shanghai Auto Show. Bertone Mantide Based on the 620bhp Corvette ZR1, the insectile Mantide (Italian for 'praying mantis') is a one-off, road-legal creation from the Stile Bertone studio for a private client. Designer Jason Castriota - the man behind the one-off Pininfarina P4/5 - says it's inspired by jet-fighter aircraft, and its fuselage-type body, butterfly-opening doors and canopy certainly make it look ready to fly away. Though the underpinnings are Corvette, the ex...

Today's diesels, like the BMW 335d, are powerful, clean and fuel efficient, and have overcome previous drawbacks. Dr. Ronald Golden, my periodontist, had one question beyond the usual inquiry into how I am going so very wrong with his brushing technique. "Where do you get the diesel fuel?" Told that BMW's new 335d is my current test car, Dr. Golden, a long-time BMW driver and auto enthusiast, is curious and wide open to the concept of a high-torque engine powering the superb 3-Series chassis. Chasing all over the city for diesel fuel, though, he doesn't fancy. My usual Petro-Canada self-serve station doesn't offer diesel, it's true, but the Loblaw's just a few blocks further does. The former is 1.7 km from home, the latter 2.8 km, so for me it's no big deal. But how far Dr. Golden's nearest diesel outlet is out of his way requires some research. And on the topic of FAQs, another is how long your hands stink after filling up. Before the sulphur ...

GMC EXPANDS ITS ENGINEERING EXPERTISE WITH THE EFFICIENT AND CAPABLE 2010 TERRAIN. * All-new, five-passenger crossover SUV delivers expected segment-best highway fuel economy of 30 mpg * Comprehensive package of premium features, with an emphasis on vehicle safety and passenger comfort * GMC's engineering excellence and innovation advances with direct injection technology, programmable power liftgate and standard rear vision camera GMC's all-new 2010 Terrain makes its world debut at the 2009 New York International Auto Show. The Terrain is a five-passenger crossover SUV that blends bold styling with fuel efficiency and premium features. "The new Terrain brings GMC's history of innovation and engineering excellence into a smaller, fuel-efficient package for today's buyer," said Susan Docherty, Buick-Pontiac-GMC vice president. "The capability attributes that make a vehicle a GMC are ingrained in Terrain, making it an appealing choice for existing tradition...

We last drove the Ralliart Sportback as a pre-production car and even then it was shaping up to be a good compromise for someone who can't stretch to an Evo. The prototypes had their flaws, though. The Ralliart's auto 'box blunted the 237bhp 2.0-litre turbo's performance, while others complained that Mitsubishi had gone too far in softening the Ralliart to make it palatable for the Golf GTI buyers and the like. Mitsubishi listened and got to work. The finished Ralliart still sprints to 62mph in 7.1 seconds, but now boasts better gear ratios. Even more significantly, engineers have found the 'box is strong enough to take the full 253lb-ft of torque without the need for the pre-production car's torque limiter on first gear, promising for harder acceleration. If that's not enough, the brakes have been boosted, suspension tweaked and it's competitively priced from £21,649 - that's £7,000 cheaper than the cheapest Lancer Evo and about £1,300 cheaper than ...

Two turbochargers, two more gears: The BMW 760i leads the V-12 game now, which is making world debut at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show. Each country makes its specific contribution to automotive greatness: Germany, for example, has the autobahn, where unlimited speed still rules. But with gasoline prices approaching the equivalent of $7.50 a gallon and more, it's no wonder that fuel-sipping technologies such as BMW's "efficient dynamics" are all the rage. This is where other markets, such as the U.S. or Asia, come in. They don't have much to offer in terms of high-speed, long-distance cruising, but thanks to status-conscious customers, ultra-powerful V-12 engines are in sufficient demand to warrant constant updates. Huffing and Puffing "We need a V-12 mainly for Asian and American customers," confirms a BMW engineer. And so, the Shanghai auto show will see BMW launch a new V-12 version of the new-for-2009 7-series. The 2010 760i and the long-wheelbase 760Li...

Working on the theory that saving fuel is most important in the vehicles that consume the most, General Motors has introduced the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado hybrid pickup trucks. Already out in Yukon and Tahoe SUVs, the two-mode hybrid was developed in a joint venture with Chrysler and BMW. The idea came about as a scaled-down version of GM’s hybrid bus drive train and is especially well-suited to vehicles that need some towing and hauling capability. The system is distinct from most other hybrid systems because it can automatically run on straight mechanical power as well as pure electric or a combination of the two. Based on the reengineered Sierra and Silverado pickups that debuted in 2007, the hybrids look the same as the crew cab versions of the base trucks with the exception of some hybrid badges, optional hybrid graphics and a standard tonneau cover that helps out aerodynamics. The battery pack is underneath the rear seat, and the hybrid drive unit is about the same size...