Because the Tri-State market is so demographically broad, automakers load up their car haulers for the New York International Show and bring every conceivable type of new vehicle—from inexpensive fresh production models to concept cars that would demand seven-figure prices if they were available—in an effort to leave no segment of the local market unturned and to impress the hordes of journalists who've assembled in the world media capital.

Given that the U.S. auto-sales recovery continues to gain some steam, it's no surprise that this year's show at the Javits Center has attracted one of the most impressive hauls of automotive hardware to the New York show that's been seen in several years.

Here's a brand-by-brand account of some of what news media have been seeing as the show prepares to open to the public:

Honda got tongues wagging this week with, of all things, a vacuum cleaner. HondaVAC debutes in the Touring Elite version of the 2014 Honda Odyssey as the brand ups the ante in the rolling-living-room segment. The device was developed with Shop-Vac and is comprised of a powerful vacuum, replaceable filter and canister bag with nozzle accessories neatly integrated into a dedicated space on the driver's side bulkhead of the rear cargo area, Honda explained.Continue reading...

BlackBerry reports surprise profit after cutting expenses.

Twitter ad revenue projected to approach $1 billion next year as report says it agreed to allow censorship in Russia.

Chevron cuts executive compensation after string of accidents.

Belgium looks to EU for copyright protection of Belgian chocolate brand.

Best Western opens luxury hotel in Haiti, the first U.S. brand to break ground there. 

CBS could make TV Guide Network an "ESPN of celebrity gossip."

Comcast scores court victory in Philadelphia.

New Dentyne Ice campaign gets its message across with icy alphabet.

EADS gets backing of makeover plan by shareholders.Continue reading...

Because nothing can be easy in New York, Nissan is still battling political headwinds as it plans to demonstrate the latest version of its upcoming taxi for Gotham at the city’s New York International Auto Show, whose press previews this week precede the public show at the Javits Center.

Complaints from advocates of the disabled already prompted Nissan to strike a partnership with wheelchair-van maker Braun Corp. to customize a wheelchair-accessible version of the new taxi, which will be based on Nissan’s new NV200 van. Nissan beat out Ford and a Turkish vehicle maker to win the $1 billion, 10-year contract.

But now the deal is the subject of a lawsuit by a taxi-management company and an association of New York cab companies alleging that the NV200-based taxi is untested in city cab duty and is too expensive, at $29,000—and Mayor Michael Bloomberg overstepped his authority in giving Nissan a monopoly.Continue reading...

Only two years ago, it would have been impossible to believe. So we'll just say it: The vanguard of a new design revolution at Toyota Motor Co. may well be the new Toyota Avalon on display this week at the New York International Auto Show.

It's true: With its striking design departure from the current generation of Avalon, the 2013 version due in Toyota dealerships later this year actually heralds a potentially important new era for Toyota. On Monday, the company announced in Toyota City it is drastically overhauling its development system, to give its engineers more freedom to experiment with bolder, more daring designs.

"We want to take more risks," Akio Toyoda, the automaker's CEO and scion of Toyota's founding family, told reporters at the company's headquarters. So Toyota will give more decision-making power to designer and engineers, and remove the number of executives reviewing design decisions. The idea is to streamline the process and raise the chances that buzz-making designs will actually find their way to market. Continue reading...

As a marker for the U.S. auto industry, the New York International Auto Show traditionally has battled for second place with those in Chicago and Los Angeles. The annual Detroit show in January is the most important platform.

But at this point in the recovery of the American auto market, it's hard to believe that any platform anywhere could be more important than the New York show that, after press previews last week, is now in its full splendor for the TriState automotive public. The exhibition is providing consumers with the first glimpses of some new models that could occupy increasingly important positions in the market over the next several months as automakers seek a return to sales levels of 14 million or more for 2012, which would make up roughly half the distance between their Great Recession trough and the halcyon days of 17 million sales per year a decade ago.

Beyond the splashes made by a new version of Chrysler's Viper, and the greeting for Nissan's competition-winning Taxi of Tomorrow for New York City, here are some other brand highlights of the show:

Acura: Honda's luxury brand is trying to become relevant again in the most tried-and-true way: launching a flurry of new products. The RLX sport-sedan concept on display at NYIAS will soon go into a production version that will be on sale early next year and replace Acura's slow-selling RL. Continue reading...

Flush from the success of a years-long partnership that produced the Sync infotainment system in Ford vehicles, the automaker and Microsoft announced an alliance around a new technology platform at the New York International Auto Show.

Microsoft Hohm will help owners of future electric vehicles from Ford recharge more effectively and affordably, Ford CEO Alan Mulally said in announcing the deal.

The idea is that, in some not-too-distant scenario, Hohm will help these electric-vehicle owners decide when is the best time to recharge their battery-powered all-electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid from home outlets that are attached, of course, to the power grid.Continue reading...