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Buick LaCrosse GL concept debuts ahead of L.A. auto show

Summoning the colors of coffee, saddles and wine, Buick has crafted an upscale concept car to illustrate its potential for interior design. The LaCrosse GL debuted on Wednesday afternoon at a Detroit concert house, ahead of a showing next week at the Los Angeles auto show. The Buick LaCrosse GL features brown and caramel-colored cocochino leather inside, ice-blue stitching and an expensive-feeling suede headliner as Buick tries to lure new customers by promoting top-shelf interiors.

Volkswagen updates Scirocco

Volkswagen has revealed an upgraded Scirocco, which will make its world premiere at the Geneva motor show in early March. Among the changes to Wolfsburg’s 6-year-old coupe are some subtle exterior changes, higher quality interior, and new four-cylinder engines, including a 276-hp version of Volkswagen’s EA888 turbocharged 2.0-liter in the new top-of-the-range Scirocco R. Other engines include a 1.4-liter, 123-hp four and a 2.0-liter producing 177 hp, 217 hp or 276 hp.

Ford speeds up effort to cut vehicle platforms

Ford Motor Co. is accelerating its One Ford global product development plan by reducing its target for vehicle platforms worldwide to nine from 11 previously, and by moving the target date up to 2013 from 2014, global marketing chief Jim Farley said Wednesday. "It won't be 11 platforms" as earlier planned, Farley said at the Automotive News World Congress.