(August 3, 2011) LOS ANGELES (PRNewswire) — The first major auto show of the season in North America has showed steady growth in recent years and this year appears to be no different.

The Los Angeles Auto Show announced today that it anticipates more than 50 vehicles will debut at the 2011 Press Days, held Nov. 16 and 17. 

With still four months until show time, 17 significant world debuts and a similar number of North American debuts are already confirmed and more will be announced shortly. 

Coming off the momentum of the 2010 show and historic evolutions in the industry, the LA Auto Show continues to expand its role as a leading showcase for fuel-efficient vehicles including electric vehicles and other ground-breaking, alternative fuel technologies. The show also continues to highlight innovations in design, luxury, performance as well as forward-looking technology.

Underscoring the appeal of the show, all brands represented at last year's event are returning, with a significant number of manufacturers upgrading exhibit spaces and adding enhanced features with more interactive content and experiences.

"The message this year is very clear," said Andy Fuzesi, general manager.  "The automotive industry is gaining momentum and the LA Show is an important venue for manufacturers to launch the innovations that are leading the way."

Debuts are coming from automakers around the globe as dramatic shifts within the industry begin to stabilize and the North American marketplace recovers. The result is a significant number of new products that continue to shape the future of mobility.  Ford alone will feature three world debuts, General Motors will unveil two and Fiat, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Volkswagen will also show important world premieres. 

Hyundai has already publicly announced two world premieres including the Elantra Coupe, which expands its product lineup into the competitive compact coupe segment and the Azera which rounds out its near-luxury segment. 

Numerous world premieres by luxury marques are also highly anticipated this year, including the Infiniti JX Crossover (2013) which is an all-new, seven-seat, mid-sized crossover that is more fuel-efficient than its current seven-seat option. Other global debuts are confirmed by Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Lincoln.

Slated North American debuts are also stoking speculation and promise some surprises, including several North American vehicle debuts from Audi. Also, BMW will make the first stateside showing of its new BMW i  concept vehicles. 

These two all-new vehicles — the BMW i3 and i8 — will feature electric and range-extender IC/electric propulsion and will be the first two vehicles from the company’s innovative new brand of sustainable vehicles.  Mazda will show its CX-5 compact crossover, which is an all-new SUV featuring the company’s SKYACTIV powertrain and chassis technologies, while Volvo will debut a ground-breaking concept vehicle.

The LA Auto Show is already recognized as a show that delivers the latest in environmentally conscious vehicles.  Green news has become an expected feature with the annual Green Car of the Year award, the Green Car Ride and Drive and the Nielsen Automotive Green Marketer of the Year award. 

However, at this year's show it is also expected that there will be an increase in compelling stories regarding new developments in advanced technology including remote vehicle control, in-vehicle data services, networked entertainment systems, autonomous driving controls and more.