The Show:

This month marks my second year in East Tennessee. While Knoxville is a far cry from the streets and lifestyle of Southern California, one thing in common for both cities is the need for transportation. Not to say that mass transit doesn't exist, but let's face it, neither cities have the public transit infrastructure of say a city like San Francisco or London. And while one will not see the ever popular exotics or high-end vehicles on a daily basis here, autos are still the most ideal way to get from A to B.

A sea of new model cars, with Danny Hamlin's #11 car in the foreground

Enter the Knoxville News Sentinel and their annual Auto Show, this marks the 24th year for this long-running event. The venue is downtown in the convention center just next to the famed Sun Sphere and the World's fair park. It has been East Tennessee's answer to the larger annual shows held in such places as Detroit, L.A., and New York. While this venue is a smaller scale, the energy is very much the same level.

The 2012 CTS-V is the most car you will find with a $64,000 price tag

This was my second year attending the event and it's very much needed with the absence of attending one of the larger shows in my life. Many of the 2012 models provided for the show come from local dealers. The remaining vehicles, like the new Lexus LFA for example, comes in from the manufacturer from the larger show circuit.

The Star:

The definite show stealer was the Lexus LFA. This vehicle has spent many of the past years as a prototype car. It began life in 2000 as a supercar project simply code named "P280". The first completed prototype came to life in June 2003. Less than two years later the now-called LFA was premiered at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show. I first caught a real-life glimpse of this car while shooting a 4-part series at the 2009 L.A. Auto Show.

Lexus' supercar simply called; the LFA

In August 2009 Toyota's CEO Akio Toyoda officially announced the vehicle would enter production. The final determination (accompanied with many sale/lease stipulations) was that production will be capped at 500 cars (150 U.S.-bound). Production was set to run December 2010-December 2012 with an average output of 20 cars per month.

While the LFA is beautiful, a true gearhead still thinks about what else one could buy with a $375,000 budget. personally I would add a Corvette Z06 and a Ferrari 458 Italia to my collection, but that's just me! Some will pay the price for originality, or exclusivity.

Conclusion:

This show had it's highlights, from the LFA to the the new Beetle, the latest Mini line-up, and the pony cars from the big three. At the end of the day no matter what size the venue, seeing the latest innovations in the automotive world is a real treat.

It's hard not to notice the latest campaign in the automotive advertising world. From the "big 3" to those from overseas, it is evident that 40mpg is the new benchmark for gas mileage goals. These ad campaigns are here to stay, and I will explain a bit further why.

Traditionally the dominant vehicle that had a 40mpg+ best was the sub-compact class, also known as the "B-segment" category in auto geek-speak. There are a few factors that have pushed such fuel-sipping capabilities beyond the world of mini-cars.

A Honda Civic CVCC Ad From 1978

The bubble up affect of change comes from you, the consumer. After the extreme hike in fuel prices a few years back, manufacturers heard the buyer's demand for better fuel economy. The second factor is change coming down on manufacturers from the NHTSA by way of an increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. CAFE's origin began in 1975, a response to the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973.

According to the CAFE regulations to be changed in 2016, all manufacturer's fleets are to get a cumulative average of 34.1 or better. I won't bore you with formulas, basically they take the manufacturers entire fleet and figure out the overall average. This is why you may notice hifgher mpg vehicles coming from companies you least expected today.

Now you have a better understanding to the "cause and effect" in change that put 40mpg on the top of the promotion list amongst car companies. This new standard in efficiency has also changed the way vehicles are being powered. Technologies we have known and used in racing applications are now finding their way under your hood.

Changes include; the utilization of direct injection, turbo boost, and supercharging of smaller displaced engines. Even those in love with the all American V8 have to appreciate a modern day V6 putting out just as much if not more power than it's bigger brethren.

These changes bring on a trifecta of sorts; Smaller engine means less weight, less maintenance (fewer plugs, etc.), and better gas mileage. No matter how much a gearhead, such attributes cannot be discounted as minute.

The Chevrolet Cruze as seen at the 2011 SEMA Show in the Razzi Booth

If better mpg is a goal for you, here are some choices for 2012:

Audi A3 TDI- Luxury meets practicality, and gets 42mpg hwy starting at $30,250
Chevrolet Cruze Eco- This hot ride gets 42mpg hwy as well and starts at $16,800
Ford Fiesta- This euro-spec car gets 40mpg hwy, the base sticker starts at $16,290
Hyundai Elantra- This company's on fire! The Elantra starts at $14,830 w/ a 40+ hwy
Honda Civic- This compact class-leading top-seller gets 41mpg and starts at $15,805
VW has the TDI Golf, Jetta and Passat. They get 42mpg, or better starting at $22,775

There are several more to choose from and you also have an increased lineup for 2012 in the hybrid class. Gone are the days of limited high-fuel economy cars. In today's market you can have sportiness, style, and your 40mpg!

Motor-on, Lance