Filed under: Ford General Motors may be raking in the awards with its Chevrolet Volt right now, but Ford isn’t exactly going unnoticed for its efforts on the green front. The Green Blue Oval has won Nielsen’s first Automotive Green Marketer of the Year award.

LA 2010: Chevy Volt wins 2011 Green Car of the Year title Another sign the electric car era is here. LA 2010: Elon Musk says Tesla-powered Toyota RAV4 EV is good for Model S Partnership with big OEMs will pay off in Tesla’s important second model. LA 2010: all-electric Mitsubishi i takes the stage It’s not an i-MiEV

Filed under: LA Auto Show , Convertible , Coupe , Performance , Lotus , Specialty 2011 Lotus Exige SC RGB Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery The people behind Lotus never cease to amaze. Case in point: Roger Becker

Filed under: LA Auto Show , Wagon , Crossover , Scion , Toyota LA 2010: 2011 Scion xB Release Series 8.0 – Click above for high-res image gallery Just as the sun always sets in the west, we can always count on a limited-edition Scion xB to pop up at a North American auto show. This year, that honor falls on the 2010 LA Auto Show and the Scion in question is the 2011 xB Release Series 8.0. Surprise! Standing out on the show floor thanks to its brilliant VooDoo Blue paint job, the 2011 Scion xB Release Series 8.0 is the latest in a line of low-run examples of the boxy, compact wagon.

Filed under: LA Auto Show , Wagon , Crossover , Scion , Toyota LA 2010: 2011 Scion xB Release Series 8.0 – Click above for high-res image gallery Just as the sun always sets in the west, we can always count on a limited-edition Scion xB to pop up at a North American auto show.

Chevy Volts ready to ship Just waiting on the EPA’s MPG stickers.

Filed under: LA Auto Show , Hybrid , Sedan , Kia 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid – Click here for high-res image gallery Kia is just now beginning to roll out its sexy new 2011 Optima , with the 2.4-liter GDI version priced from only $18,995 .

Filed under: LA Auto Show , SUV , Toyota , Electric Toyota RAV4 EV – Click above for high-res image gallery Proudly “Powered by Tesla ,” the brand-new Toyota RAV4 EV made its debut at the LA Auto Show today, and it’s pretty much what you’d expect: a current-generation RAV4 with the heart of a Tesla Roadster. Or maybe a Model S

Filed under: LA Auto Show , Minivan/Van , Nissan 2011 Nissan Quest – Click above for high-res image gallery Keeping up with the Joneses is a tough game to play, and Nissan’s third-generation Quest was getting jealous of the new Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey . Los Angeles can change you, and that’s why we are staring at the all-new fourth generation 2011 Nissan Quest. Arriving in dealerships in the beginning of next year, the 2011 Nissan Quest will be offered in four trims: S, SV, SL and LE.

Filed under: Hybrid , Sedan , Government/Legal , Chevrolet , GM , Electric 2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery The first batch of production Chevy Volts are ready to ship, they’re just waiting on the EPA to issue an official mileage label . General Motors global product chief Tom Stephens told Automotive News that the required sticker certifying the Volt’s miles per gallon rating is expected “any day,” and that’s a requirement before the vehicles can head out the door