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New concepts to be revealed at Pebble Beach

The international auto show in Frankfurt is but a few weeks away, yet for important new cars in the American market there's further proof that traditional auto shows such as Detroit are being shunned as launch venues in favor of more exclusive and pretigious events. That's because Cadillac, Infiniti, Lexus, Lotus and possibly a few others are set to reveal new production and concept cars at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance later this week. Lexus is set to unveil its production GS350 (previewed by the Lf-Gh concept in New York earlier this year), the fourth generation of its luxury sports sedan, on August 18, while Cadillac's 2013 ATS will also be revealed.

Aston Martin Vantage upgraded for 2012

Aston Martin's Vantage receives upgrades for 2012, with the base Vantage V8 getting the most attention. The Vantage V8 retains the 4.7-liter, 420-hp V8 and six-speed manual as standard equipment, but it now will be offered with the optional seven-speed Sportshift II from the Vantage S. The automatic transmission has closer ratios, a lower final drive ratio and quicker shifts than the previous Sportshift unit.

Nissan Note (2013) first pictures

This is the new Nissan Note, due to arrive in the UK in 2013. Nissan chiefs are quick to point out that the car shown here is the Japanese market version, and that the car offered to European buyers next year will have design tweaks inside and out, and a different dynamic set-up. What do we know about the 2013 Nissan Note?