I put in a good 20 minutes ogling the 2009 Nissan Cube this afternoon. I wasn't alone. The Super Silver GT-R on the other side of the stage wasn't getting nearly as much attention.

Finally, some employees of Scion walked up and when I saw their badges, I couldn't resist asking them what they thought.

"I don't like it," said one. "We build cars that are more uniform looking, more, um..."

"Symmetrical?" I offered. (We were looking at the Cube's rump.)

"Yeah."

So what do you think? Can we allow the 2009 Nissan Cube to defy symmetry?

-- Erin Riches, Senior Editor

Sure, we're all at the L.A. auto show to see all the brand-spanking-new cars, but a few manufacturers chose to display some greats from their past. Here are some of the gems. My favorite is the Jag. -- James Riswick, Automotive Editor

The lights are out at Chrysler. No seriously, while every other manufacturer utilizes special additional lighting, the entire Chrysler stand just gets by with the high-up L.A. Convention Center lighting. I guess it can't afford the power bill. Compare this to Chrysler's next-door neighbors, Audi, whose stand you could probably perform surgery on. Next door to it is Volkswagen, who has an equal amount of lighting power and a white floor to boot -- it's like standing in Aspen on a sunny day.

The below video should give you an idea about the difference. My camera isn't sophisticated enough to change light levels mid-shot, so I could either have Chrysler all dark or Audi looking like the surface of the sun. I chose the former. -- James Riswick, Automotive Editor

The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro was packed in a corner away from all the prominently placed fuel-efficient Chevy models (I missed it when I did my earlier GM blog). I hopped the little glass fence guarding the two Camaros on display to check out what the interiors look like. After another journalist was scolded by the on-hand Chevy girl when he tried to sit in the Camaro, I thought it best to just peer in and tap on stuff. To my surprise, the materials were rather disappointing. Although it scores high on style points (especially compared to the Challenger), everything I touched was hard and a little coarse in texture. Contrast that to the Challenger and the 2010 Mustang, both of which have squishy dashes and more pleasant materials. The Hyundai Genesis Coupe was also very disappointing. On the upside, the Camaro's bespoke switchgear (i.e., not parts bin) looked pretty special, as did the two-tone plastic dash trim. -- James Riswick, Automotive Editor

Everything substantive you'd like to know about the 2010 Kia Soul is in our first drive.

At today's official unveiling at the LA Auto Show, Kia indulged in a little self-effacing wackiness. At least a dozen Souls were in attendance, easily surpassing Ford's collection of Mustangs, lending a packed-in feel to the press conference.

As Tom Loveless, vice president of Kia Motors America, spoke, his apparently college-age twins appeared on web cam, LOL-ing and OMG-ing via IM as he told us the story of the Kia Soul. We don't need to tell you much about target demographics, then.

We were also touched by the metallic "SOUL" sculpture that inflated like Jiffy Pop (in the images below), as Loveless and Tom Kearns, chief of Kia's U.S. design team, closed out the conference. There's no functional need for this bit of installation art, but it reminded us of the giant Fiat 500 at this year's Geneva show. It's just fun and weird. That's all.

Now for the informative stuff: The U.S.-spec 2010 Kia Soul goes into production in January 2009 and will be at dealers by early spring.

Kia doesn't want to talk about pricing, yet -- other than to let you know that it will be "aggressively priced," Loveless said. We take that to mean that you'll be able to get into a decent one for about $15,000.

Annual sales numbers, too, are anybody's guess, but, says Loveless, "There are two ways to look at 2009. One way is doom and gloom, oh my gosh, it's a 13-million-unit market.

"But we don't think we're held by the industry. The Soul is going to change the way people think about us. And we're coming right behind that with the redesigned Spectra."

Erin Riches, Senior Editor

Do you really need to have a press conference to introduce a car that's already sold out for the next two years? Not really, but Ferrari had one anyway for its new California convertible. I mean, how could it not have a reveal for the California in...well, yeah.

-- Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor

GM didn't do a press conference this year, which is a shame because I heard they were going to feature Hawaiian fire dancers, three miniature blimps, foie gras hor d'oeuvres and Carmen Electra to introduce the Chevy Volt. Oh well. But there's still the usual massive GM showing at the show with a few cars of note. They've been showed elsewhere, but they're still worth checking out if you make it to the show this year. The Volt is here, too, I just didn't think to take a photo. The Cadillac CTS Wagon is stunning -- the best-looking wagon since the Alfa 156. -- James Riswick, Automotive Editor

Celebrating the one-year anniversary of its U.S. launch today at the L.A. auto show, Smart USA proudly reported that it's already delivered over 20,000 of the itty-bitty microcars in the States during the past 10 months.

Smart USA Chairman Roger Penske says that the U.S. is now the third-best selling country for Smart, garnering 18 percent of Smart's worldwide sales volume.

Continuing its economical assult on America's urban areas, Smart announced its new Brabus Fortwo model, due to arrive here early next year.

Available in both coupe and cabriolet models, the Brabus Smart Fortwo will use the same three-cylinder engine as the standard Fortwo, but will distinguish itself with an exterior body kit that includes a front spoiler, side skirts, 15-inch front wheels and 17-inchers in the back. A sport-tuned exhaust also includes dual chrome-plated exhaust tips that peek through a Brabus rear skirt.

Priced at $17,990 for the coupe and $20,990 for the cabriolet, Smart will begin allowing current Smart Fortwo reservation-holders to convert their order from a standard Fortwo to a Brabus Fortwo.

Already have a Fortwo? Smart USA will soon offer an array of Brabus accessories through its dealer network. -- Kelly Toepke, News Editor

One of the trends at this year's L.A. show was active fuel economy coaching. Honda showed its FC Sport fuel-cell prototype with its videogamelike eco assist system. The display shows your eco score with blossoming flowers. A similar system will be on the new Insight hybrid. Ford has its own coaching system on the 2010 Fusion/Mercury Milan hybrids with EcoGuide (shown below). So if you have to drive a boring fuel sipper, at least you can entertain yourself by making a game out of your hypermiling.

Albert Austria, Senior Vehicle Evaluation Engineer

There are quite a few modified and aftermarket special editions strewn about on the floor here at the 2008 L.A. Auto Show, but this Ford Flex was particularly impressive. All those graffiti body graphics seem to have been painted on with incredible detail. It carries over into the interior with graphics on the doors as well as inside the wheels, which are highly sculpted DUB spinners. Inside the trunk there's a full DJ turntable setup and a humongous subwoofer thing that looks like it's removed from a nuclear reactor. Sadly, the third-row seat disappears, making it impossible to carry all your kids and spin some jams from the back of your Flex at the same time. Bummer, dude. -- James Riswick, Automotive Editor

Buried in the back of GM's display was this 2010 Pontiac G8 ST pickup, which is a made-over Holden Utility. If you want your modern-day El Camino, here you go. Considering the current economic climate, who knows if this will ever see the light of day. So if you like it, you might want to let GM know about your interest.

Albert Austria, Sr Vehicle Evaluation Engineer

Not only are Detroit automakers having problems; so are the import brands. In fact, ports of entry are now becoming large parking lots, as dealers are desperately trying to unload what they have on their lots. As a result, import vehicles are not being shipped to dealers once they've been unloaded from the ship that brought them here.

Kurt Golledge, was one of just two truckers loading his vehicle hauler with cars last week. Golledge said eight of his buddies were laid off this month because Toyota dealers did not want more deliveries.

"I was dropping cars in Henderson, Nev., about a month ago and the dealer told me: 'Take 'em somewhere else and dump 'em,' " said Golledge, who works for a company called Allied Systems. "All the dealers are telling us the same thing."

Full story here.

Image: Jamie Rector for The New York Times

There's been a lot of "Fire the Bastards!" talk from a number of pundits and the media over the last few days, this in regard to the current domestic auto leadership. Rick Wagoner GM's CEO, said if this were to be part of the preconditions for GM getting financial aid, that he would consider it.

"I'll always do what's right for the company," Wagoner said Wednesday in a TV interview. "But even more critical during a difficult time period is having the best possible management team. We have a good team at GM. That's not what I would recommend."

Full story here.

Want to see the future of the automobile industry worldwide? Check out the multitude of news from the LA Auto Show on the West Coast, comprehensively reported here on Straightline.

Want to see the future of the Detroit Big Three? You gotta go to Washington, D.C. where the politicians, lobbyists and other snake oil salesmen are desperately trying to figure out a way to "bailout" Detroit's Big Three.

I posted a big Special Edition yesterday. There were so many updates to that post yesterday, however, that it seems wise to post a second Special Edition to cover the updates likely to flood in today.

So, let's start with the Auto Prophet who surveys the political landscape that provides the context for the bailout debate. You might want to skip this one if ... you ....are a Republican. Related posts from AP here, here, here, here and here. Whew, this guy is good!

Over at The Weekly Standard Blog, you will find a dclaration that it's over for Detroit. In fact, it was over the minute Wagoner, Mulally and Nardelli stepped onboard their corporate jets to fly to DC.

The CarGurus Blog is thinking band-aid.

Meanwhile, brevity remains the soul of wit for Cars! Cars! Cars! when it comes to the bailout, but check out the reader comments.

And GM Fastlane is happy with some reporting yesterday by the hometown newspaper.

Some very revealing data here.

More,much more probably, to come today as the debate progresses here in your nation's capital.

UPDATE: Legal Blog Suggests 50% Paycut

Jim Lindgren at the Volokh Conspiracy offers a critique of bailout proposals, including this observation: "If a business is failing, union auto wages should be priced well BELOW what nonunion auto workers make, not well ABOVE what nonunion workers make. So until the unions have given back everything above the market value of their labor, they haven't given back nearly enough. I don't know enough about what goes into the $72 compensation rate, but perhaps the parties should consider having all current employees, both management and union workers, take a 50% pay cut."

UPDATE II: Mrs. Pelosi Gives An Essay Test

Rick Wagoner, Alan Mulally and Bob Nardelli have until Dec. 2 to turn in their paper explaining what they would do with $25 billion if Congress agrees to give it to them. Edward Neidermeyer at The Truth About Cars explains.

Not sure why I missed this one but Rick Moran at The American Thinker posted a fine analysis over the weekend. A H/T to Joe Sherlock at The View Through the Windshield for putting me onto it.

Not directly linked to the bailout but definitely related news: Rep. Henry Waxman, D-CA, is replacing Rep. John Dingell, D-MI, at chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee that writes most legislation of interest to the auto industry. Todd Lassa at Motor City Blogman calls it "piling on the automakers."

Okay, this event is planned for next summer. If, however, you have a microcar, and are planning to drive it there you may want to start packing, as it may take you that long to get there.

From the web site:

Local microcar collectors and owner/curators of the Small Wonders Micro Car Museum, Ken & Sylvia Weger, along with three other couples, will be hosting the MICRO/MINI CAR WORLD MEET in downtown Crystal Lake at the University Center, located at 100 S. Main Street, on August 21-22, 2010. This is the same group that successfully organized the National Micro/Mini Car meet in 2006, drawing 300 cars and thousands of spectators, making it the biggest National Mini/Micro car event to date.

This will be the first ever WORLD MEET of its kind. Microcar and Minicar owners and their cars, will gather from all over the world to share their enthusiasm for these small wonders. The Weger's are expecting over 500 Micro and Mini cars. Those cars under 500cc are considered to be "Microcars", and those between 500-1500cc are considered "Minicars". Many marques are expected to fill the lush lawns surrounding the University Center. Vendors will provide food and beverages. Alongside the car show, workshops and classes/seminars are being planned.

More info can be found here.