LA Auto Show -- Live Blog (Wednesday 11/17/10)

4:28 PM PST

Time flies when you're doing one interview after another.  There's so much going on here at the LA Auto Show that it's hard for one person to follow...but here are a few highlights.

Fiat showing us its 500.  It will debut in the winter, with several other varients to follow, including a cabrio. 

It is a product blitz for Chrysler. 

Dodge showing off a panel of redone vehicles.  It's the Chrysler brand's turn tomorow.   And yes, they will have a convertible version of the Chrysler 200, to replace the convertible version of the outgoing Dodge Sebring.

There will be competition in that mid size convertable area. 

Nissan showing off the Murano Cross Cabrio.  It's not really a convertible crossover.  But it is a larger convertible, in a market full of small convertibles.

EV's taking a big chunk of attention.  Toyota's EV RAV 4 comes out in 2012.  They are doing a lot of work, in partnership with Tesla.  Much of that work done at Toyota's technical center in Ann Arbor.  

Honda, meanwhile, showing off a concept electric version of the Fit.

Which brings us to ugly cars. 

Honda showed off an old EV, from the nineties, that just didn't look good.   And you won't believe the "classic" Fiat 500 they have on display here.  I'm not sure I could get my extra large body inside.

Finally, a lot of anticipation about GM's IPO.  Many people here feelling it's giving the auto industry some suspect again...something that Wall Street hadn't really been giving the industry for a while. 

9:42 AM PST

It doesn't seem like an auto show, if you don't run into Bob Lutz, and even though he's no longer with GM, I ran into him here.

Unlike current GM executives, he's free to state his opinion on the IPO, and did.  He's buying GM stock, and a Chevy Volt.  The Chevy press conference featured the Volt and new Camaro Convertible.  Volt will be delivered to first customer between Thanksgiving and mid-December, GM says.  Some of those customers are here.

GM Marketing VP Joel Ewanick says they will also try to something more than just building vehicles.  He said announcement will come, probably, before the end of the year.

I also stopped by the Jaguar stand to see their new concept car.  It's an extended range electric, and is just beautiful.  Design Chief Ian Callum says that Jaguar is back to its status as a premium brand.

No specifics on future products. Jaguar is now owned by India's Tata Motors.

7 AM PST

Press preview days have arrived, and we're at the LA Convention Center just as the sun is rising over Los Angeles.  You need to get here early, if you want a work space.

It's going to be  busy day.  We'll have tons of new vehicle reveals, and I've already scheduled 8 exective interviews.

Big highlights of today are the Fiat 500, as well as other new vehicles from the Chrysler Group.  GM showing off the Camaro Convertible.  Ford is pushing the Focus hard, and talking more about their "Focus Rally America."

Check this post, as we'll be updating it with photos and entries as we can.

WWJ LA Auto Show coverage sponsored by Faurecia.

Follow Jeff Gilbert on Twitter @jefferygilbert.