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Auto aficionados no doubt kept up with all the big reveals at this year’s NAIAS. Many of you are likely just aware of one of the largest surprise reveals there this time: GMC’s Granite concept. The design is meant to produce a smaller sort of truck and crossover, creating a hatchback with a compact build. The target audience? Urban hipsters, baby, along with brave early adopters.

The concept was conceived in California, the brainchild of the Advanced Design Team belonging to Frank Saucedo. However, the hatchback was built in Detroit at the GM Design Center.

The aesthetic behind the Granite puts together the basic, simple proportions found in the Nissan Cube as well as the Scion xB, with a rather industrial feeling that gets its inspiration from, of all things, two major fashion lines: Diesel and G-Star.

When you think about it — it does not seem all that long ago that we were reporting on the Porsche Panamera and how it is available for pre-order.  Now … it has been on sale for about three months and already, the company is booming and the Porsche Panamera’s are flying off of the lot!  So far, Porsche has cranked out about ten thousand of the Porsche Panamera’s. 

That — to me is one car that is by far the best on the market.  Not only does it look absolutely breathtakingly beautiful but I can tell you for a fact that the way that the Porsche Panamera drives is the reason that so many people are attracted to it and really want it.

I mean, to be perfectly frank, not only is it a hot, hot car but the brand name Porsche is something of a status and I think that, that is exactly what people are after right now!

I have to tell you, I think the Honda City is pretty hot. This is the third generation of the City, and it is already being sold in Thailand. The mechanics of the Honda City are based around those of the Fit hatchback. Previous versions of this vehicle were a bit tall, and the proportions were rather awkward at back. As you can see, with the third generation, the proportions are much, much better.

You may see hints of the Airwave and the Civic in the treatment of the front.

Inside, the dashboard is different from the City’s inspirations, the center console is more squared shaped, and the car is powered by a 118 horsepower, 1.5 liter i-VTEC engine.

Vroom, vroom, space cadets. You are clapping eyes on the Lexus LFA, which was presented at this year’s 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. I can only imagine that it made at least a few waves, because come on. That is one hot, hot Lexus. Besides that, it is worth four years worth of effort, not to mention two other show cars.

No surprise, it is classified as a supercar with a brand new, front mid engine. Its skin? Carbon fiber reinforced plastic, otherwise known as CFRP. That makes the car strong and incredibly lightweight, and also allowed the designers and engineers behind it to have a lot of freedom when it came to creating curves, edges, and other shapes.

Inside the car, there are three zones separating the interior, which is focused on the driver and hand built. There is a human zone, a driving zone, and a mechanical zone.

BMW is a brand that has been around forever – seriously, I think it really has been around forever and it is a brand that I truly hope does not go anywhere … ever.  It is a fun brand that produces some of the best cars of its class and I love that about the brand.  BMW is consistent and you truly know what you are getting with this particular brand and that is exactly what makes me keep coming back.

Right now – BMW is actually going to be celebrating its ten years of X5 sales and that is why they are going to release the BMW X5 10-Year Edition.  This is a limited edition BMW.  The BMW X5 10-Year Edition is going to include unique wheels, aluminum trim, and a panoramic glass sunroof, along with Nappa leather, comfort seats, and BMW Individual Piano Black trim inside.

Now – the real kicker?  Its going to be $88+ and it only about 2,000 of these beauties are going to be made.  Remember that.

Okay, I have to be honest with you guys right now. I think the last time I even ran across the mention of a Citroen, I was reading a Stephen King novel — ‘Salem’s Lot, as a matter of fact. I don’t know that I have ever actually seen one (and registered the fact that it was a Citroen, I mean), so maybe that is why the Citroen C3, which the manufacturer classifies as a supermini. It will be officially unveiled later this month, at the 63rd annual Frankfurt motor show.

The idea is for the C3 to appeal to fresh buyers, especially those who have either decided to downsize their vehicle or who expect certain amenities and a certain level of quality.

It certainly has plenty of amenities, such as the option of a Zenith windscreen.