Official: Stunning 330bhp Nissan 370Z sportscar

But this isn’t the only thing firing away in LA – Vijay Pattni rounds up the 2008 Los Angeles Motor Show debuts…

Nissan 370Z

It’s shorter, lighter – and packs a bigger punch than ever before: the stunning new Nissan 370Z is the first full redesign of the Nissan 350Z sports coupe.

The new 370Z echoes styling cues from the classic 240Z of the 1970s – a car Nissan and many more hold in high regard – and promises an even better driving experience than its predecessor.

No details on performance times, but with that massive power and lightweight body, we’d expect BMW M car stats – 0-62mph in around 5 seconds and a limited top speed of 155mph.

Porsche Boxster

Building on over 60 years of sportscars, Porsche has unveiled the newest incarnation of, quite simply, the best sportscar in the world: the Porsche Boxster.

The second generation of this motoring icon – which goes up against the BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK and Honda S2000 – features upgraded engines now producing 255bhp, and 310bhp in the Boxster S.

This means the Boxster S – fitted with the PDK automatic gearbox and ‘Launch Control’ – can sprint from 0-62mph in just five seconds, while still returning 30.1mpg on the combined cycle.

Porsche Cayman

But if you don’t want a Porsche Boxster or Porsche 911, and just fancied a mid-engined sportscar with a metal roof…you can have this: the new generation Porsche Cayman.

The Cayman first launched in 2005 and is now in its second generation, featuring two uprated engines (like the Boxster), the PDK gearbox (like the Boxster), and 30.1mpg on the combined cycle (also…like the Boxster).

But unlike the Boxster, the Porsche Cayman S – the hot version – produces 320bhp, which rivals a previous generation BMW M3, and can accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds.

Mini E

Mini meets the Terminator – 500 examples of the new electric Mini will be distributed to ‘Governator’ Arnold Schwarzenegger’s California territory, along with New York and New Jersey.

The reason? BMW wants to test public reaction to the emission free supermini – and if it works, it could be the most important new car launch of the year.

The zero-emission Mini E uses battery power to produce 162lb/ft of pulling power – which translates as a 0-62mph sprint of 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 95mph, while its battery pack provides a 156-mile charge range.

Maserati Quattroporte S

Want something a little more stylish than a BMW M5 or Mercedes E63 AMG? You’ll want this fine Italian Stallion: the sexy Maserati Quattroporte S.

Designed by people who think cars should look like beautiful women, the Quattroporte packs the go to match its stunning show – a 4.7-litre V8 engine is slotted up front producing 430bhp.

And this Quattroporte is perfectly suited to the manicured Californian highways of Los Angeles and suits the laid-back nature of Governor Schwarzenegger’s home turf: 0-62mph takes 5.4 seconds (0.5 seconds off the pace of the M5), and tops out at 174mph, which is a full 30mph shy off the BMW.

But with looks this good and that glorious Maser V8 soundtrack…who really cares?

Honda FC Sport supercar concept

Honda gives us a glimpse of a fuel-cell future with this: the zero-emission FC concept.

This three-seat supercar is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell which Honda claims gives “supercar performance levels through a powerful electric motor” and is built for “people who love sports cars”…that’ll be us then.

And the most striking feature is the looks – Honda reckons the FC concept is also a nod to the design direction of supercars of the future…no Back To The Future-style DeLoreans in Honda’s modern world, but lightweight emission-free ‘race-car’ visions.

Mazda 3 Saloon

Mazda has produced a whopping two million Mazda 3s – so the launch of the 3 saloon at Los Angeles is a big deal.

Mazda wants to enter the compact family saloon segment and have turned the ultra-reliable hatch into a four-door family car, aiming for a “unified Mazda global ‘family face’”.

Engines include a 2-litre 150bhp petrol model and the range-topping 2.5-litre petrol unit – as found in the 2009 Mazda 6 – developing a healthy 167bhp.

No word on pricing yet – or if it will come to the UK – but it looks good and carries the outstanding Mazda reliability, so should prove a safe bet.

Infiniti G37 Convertible

This is Nissan’s assault on Lexus and BMW – luxury offshoot range Infiniti will launch in the UK in 2009, and the company has released the stunning new G37 Convertible in Los Angeles as a teaser.

The Infiniti G37 convertible is fitted with an award-winning 3.7-litre V6 engine developing 320bhp, and is offered with a seven-speed automatic or manual gearbox.

Inside the G37 drop-top features ‘Silk Obi’ aluminium trim said to be “inspired by fine Japanese silk”, and comes in two choices of wood trim.

European pricing and trim will be announced closer to its UK launch date – but expect a worthy rival to the German trinity of BMW, Audi and Mercedes.

What do you think about the 2008 Los Angeles Motor Show? Have your say on the Auto Trader Blog