World and North American Debuts Headline LA Auto Show

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1 -- More than 30 World or North American premieres will help give the final January LA Auto Show a big send-off on media days, Jan. 4, 2006 and 5, 2006, before the show moves to its new dates in November 2006.

With the LA Auto Show only 30 days away, automakers are finalizing their introduction plans. Media days begins with Ford's newly-appointed President of The Americas Mark Fields, who will assuredly provide valuable industry-wide insight culled from his multiple global experiences, as the Motor Press Guild keynote speaker. Fields is responsible for all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and South America.

Volkswagen has one of the first news conferences and will reveal a vehicle that's ideal for the Southern California climate -- the 2007 Volkswagen Eos, an entirely new two-door, five passenger hardtop convertible that makes its North American debut. Volkswagen will also introduce its sporty 2006 GTI.

Toyota will conduct the World premiere of its stylishly new 2007 Yaris subcompact car, while Mazda will showcase "design, technology, style and versatility" with the Worldwide introduction of its all-new Mazda CX-7 crossover.

General Motors is once again using the LA Auto Show to unveil a significant number of production vehicles. Seven vehicles, six of which are World debuts, will be introduced following its media breakfast.

Additionally, Audi reveals its first-ever SUV, the Q7; Porsche sports it powerful Cayman S; Lamborghini pops the top with the Gallardo Spyder; and Mercedes-Benz introduces its all-new S-class. Yet, the most expensive and fastest car to receive its North American introduction is the $1.2 million, 987-horsepower Bugatti Veyron.

BMW Group AG Chief of Design Chris Bangle will follow General Motors' news conference on Jan. 5 to open the Design Los Angeles automobile designers' conference. Affable and always entertaining, Bangle will provide an engaging and thought-provoking look into the world of design. The designers' conference, which is open to automobile designers only, runs concurrently with the manufacturer news conferences.

Mark Fields' and Chris Bangle's presentations are open to all media days' attendees -- including journalists and auto industry personnel.

                      2006 News Conference Schedule

  Wednesday, January 4

  8:00   Breakfast (open to all registered attendees)
  9:00   Motor Press Guild Keynote Address -- Mark Fields, Ford Motor
         Company
  10:00  Ford
  10:45  Volkswagen
  11:25  Toyota
  12:00  BMW
  12:30  Lunch Break
  1:30   Mercedes-Benz / Maybach
  2:10   Lamborghini
  2:45   Fisker Coachbuild
  3:20   Lotus
  3:55   Porsche

  Thursday, January 5

  7:30   Media Breakfast -- General Motors
  8:30   General Motors
  9:15   Featured Design Speaker -- Chris Bangle, BMW Group AG
  10:15  Design Challenge Award
  10:40  Bugatti
  11:15  Ferrari
  11:50  Spyker
  12:25  Maserati
  12:55  Lunch Break
  1:30   Saleen
  2:05   Yokohama
  2:30   Green Car Journal
  2:55   Solutia Automotive
  3:30   Design Los Angeles -- Maserati Birdcage 75th -- Ken Okuyama,
         Pininfarina

Media days is open to journalists, automobile designers and industry professionals who register in advance. For registration information, visit LAautoshow.com. The show opens to the public Jan. 6 - 15, 2006.