Honda doesn’t have any big reveal planned for the New York Auto Show this year, but it does have a vehicle on display that should make one section of the population sit up and take notice. Front and center in the Honda display here is an Element that’s outfitted with Dog Friendly components, many of which should be available as accessories for the vehicle this fall. Fido will find himself very comfortable in the back of this Element where a cushioned pet bed is placed on an elevated platform. There are also pet restraint systems fitted to the second row and rear cargo area. An extendable ramp can be used to aid your pooch’s ingress, while a 12V DC fan in the rear keeps him cool. A spill resistant water bowl, rubber floor mats covered in a toy bone pattern and second row seat covers with a dog-themed pattern round out Honda’s cadre of canine friendly accessories.

Back in February, General Motors circulated a few studio shots of a new Chevrolet Corvette GT1 Championship Edition package, but the New York Auto Show is the first time we’re coming face-to-face with just such an animal.

Built up from a standard 4LT coupe or convertible, the GT1 CE is essentially a trim-and-tape tribute package designed to celebrate the C6.R’s racing successes. As such, it features a graphics package influenced by the racecar’s livery, including the skull “Jake” logo, driver flags, a windshield banner, and so on. There’s also a ZR1 “style” rear spoiler and chrome wheels to complete the package, although unfortunately no drivetrain bits from the King Corvette will make the scene.

Inside, as you can see in our photographs below, the ebony interior has been done up in yellow stitching, and there’s special GT1 embroidery adorning the instrument panel, center console armrest, and seats.

As Chevrolet has plans to build just 600 of these limited-edition models, this could well be the closest any of us ever get to driving one.

Here at the New York Auto Show today, BMW is publicly showing the new X6 M for the first time, resplendent in red. For all the questions that were raised about the X6’s own reason for being a year ago when it debuted, the same questions are even more boosted with the X6 M. The standard 400-hp 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 has been boosted to a massive 555 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. Does it make any more sense? Certainly no more so than any other 500-hp vehicle, but that’s not what the X6 M is about. As BMW points out, M is about an expression of joy. Aside from the acceleration, we didn’t find the standard X6 all that joyful. We’ll have to wait until we get the X6 M on a track in July to see if nearly 40 percent more power can address that. We’re just hoping the next M5 gets this engine.

Mitsubishi’s Outlander GT Prototype vehicle isn’t slated for a reveal until tomorrow morning, but we caught the raced-up crossover lurking uncovered in the darkness as the Japanese automaker was preparing for a run-through of tomorrow’s presentation.

As you can plainly see, the concept vehicle is essentially a lowered Outlander that’s been given a bit of Evoplasty up front. The new mouth breather look is significantly more aggressive than the current happy-faced model, but changes beyond that are minimal, including OZ split-spoke wheels and a few badges.

While Mitsubishi has yet to announce that this new face will make it to production, the handwriting and spy photos are on the wall for the aggressive new look to become a brand hallmark, what with the recent introduction of the production Lancer Ralliart Sportback sporting a similar front graphic. The fact that this is called a “prototype” and not a concept is a further clue in Mitsu’s production intent.

No word yet on what (if any) modifications have been performed under the skin, but a quick peek inside before the press conference rehearsal began seemed to indicate a stock leather-lined interior.

We’re not sure whether or not they had to go to Vermont to carry this out, but CarDomain has just purchased StreetFire. That brings the No. 1 and No. 2 social networks for auto enthusiasts under the same umbrella.

Each company will retain about a dozen workers at their separate HQs in Seattle and Los Angeles, respectively. Although CarDomain is technically acquiring StreetFire, it will be the latter’s CEO Glenn Rogers who will be running the new hybrid. CarDomain founder and Chairman Alex Algard will retain his title in the new entity, and StreetFire backer, Lightspeed Venture Partners, gets a board seat for partner Jeremy Liew.

Although both companies have seen some recent layoffs, no more are planned, and the company reportedly expects to be in the black by this summer. The combined viewership for the two companies is four to five million uniques a month with another four million coming through the WidgetFire widget. We wish them the best.

You can read statements from Rob Einaudi and Nads after the jump.

[Source: TechCrunch]

Any hope of a Nissan GT-R-powered flagship from Infiniti have been officially dashed. According to Brian Carolin, Nissan’s Senior Veep of Sales and Marketing, “It’s fair to say that there’s nothing in the product plan for a flagship right now. It’s just not a priority in today’s climate.”

Rumors of a new sedan packing the GT-R’s twin-turbocharged V6 and all-wheel drive system have been circulating for over a year, and when the Infiniti Essence concept debuted at the Geneva Motor Show this year, speculation began anew. The initial thought was Infiniti would bring a flagship coupe to market in favor of a sedan, but now, both plans have been shelved due to the current economic crisis and the subsequent downward spiral of luxury vehicle sales.

Carolin told Inside Line that dealers would have fallen all over each other for a new flagship last year, but “now it’s way down on their wish list.”

[Source: InsideLine | Image: Holiday Auto]

The world’s largest automakers are intertwined in a myriad of ways and they need to watch their competitors in both good times and bad. When talk of a GM bankruptcy was first floated, the discussion of the effects naturally led to GM’s suppliers. That discussion then led to what the effects would be on other car companies if a swath of suppliers was suddenly pulled under, and both Ford and Toyota indicated they would be adversely affected by a GM’s fall.

Now the president of Toyota Motor Sales USA, Jim Lentz, has said that the automaker can handle a GM bankruptcy. Although GM and Toyota share roughly 330 suppliers, Lentz says “only a small number… are critically short on cash,” without giving any indication of how many shared suppliers are included in that assessment. Even for those that might be in trouble, the $5 billion Supplier Support Program should further minimize the number of losses among them.

[Source: Detroit News | Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]

As reported a few weeks ago, Germany has said “yes” to extending its scrapping program. The program pledged €1.5 billion to be given out in €2,500 increments to those scrapping their old cars in order to buy new ones. The program extension adds another €3.5 billion and will be available to buyers until the end of 2009. So far 1.3 million people have applied for the incentive, the extra funds will allow a total of 2 million to take advantage. Thanks for the tip, Gregg!

[Source: The Local]

Things are finally starting to turn around for Dutch boutique supercar manufacturer Spyker. Sales nearly doubled last year (from a paltry 26 to just 43, but still) and new models like the LM85 and C8 Aileron are getting a lot of attention. It seems things are so good that the company is finally starting to work on the production version of its Peking-to-Paris SSUV, if this spy shot courtesy of Autogespot is any indication. Although the mule is little more than a stretched Land Rover with a Lotus suspension, the production D12 or D8 will look more like the Michiel van den Brink-penned superguppy we’ve seen at auto shows over the past couple of years. It might seem like bad timing to launch a high-powered luxury SUV in this global economy, but it didn’t stop Aston Martin from showing off the new Lagonda either. Nulla tenaci invia est via, indeed.

This $300k super-sport-utility-vehicle could be powered by either a 500-hp W12 engine in D12 guise, or an American V8 as the D8. The heavy use of aluminum means it will be lighter than it looks, and suspension tuning from Lotus should keep it well-planted, even in the twisties. Not that anyone aside from Spyker historians remember, or even care, but the Peking-to-Paris model is meant to commemorate Spyker’s participation in the 1907 cross-country race of the same name. If it ever does reach showrooms, expect the vast majority to be sold in the Middle East, Russia and China, although a couple might make it Stateside. We think it would be a fun stablemate for someone’s Lamborghini LM002.

As other automakers begin to move towards smaller, more efficient engines, BMW hasn’t given up on the V12. Not only has the company added a V12 to the latest 7 series, it’s an all new engine with 6.0-liters of displacement, carrying the same technology as the new 4.4-liter V8 in the 750i. Twin turbocharging and direct injection yield 544 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque at 1,500 rpm. Unlike the V8, the 12 retains the standard intake in the valley, exhaust on the outside flow configuration. An eight-speed automatic transmission will deliver all that juice to the rear wheels.

The V12 will be available in both the standard and extended wheelbase variants of the 760 and will push it 60 mph in a claimed 4.6 seconds. The 760 reportedly also gets a combined 18.2 mpg (US) on the EU test cycle.

A 6.6-liter version will power the production version of the new Rolls-Royce 200EX and should probably top the 600 hp mark. Since BMW slipped out this press release in Europe while making no mention of the 760 here in New York, it seems unlikely that the V12 will be coming Stateside, although we’re checking with BMW to confirm.

UPDATE: We have confirmed with BMW that the V12-powered 760i will be sold in the U.S., more details to come.