We obsessively cover the auto industry…

Ten years wouldn't seem like much of an anniversary for an automaker, or even a sub-brand. But we're not talking about a make here, we're talking about one model. That's right: The current Range Rover has been on the market for a decade, which is a rather long life-cycle for any automobile, but Jaguar Land Rover isn't the least bit embarrassed. In fact, it's celebrating the anniversary with a series of special edition models.

Picking up where the Vogue model leaves off, the Westminster Edition features a cabin decked out in leather trim, thick carpeting and piano lacquer veneers, with illuminated treadplates, polished pedals, a 19-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system with Dual View display and heated and cooled front seats. JLR's 4.4-liter turbodiesel V8 pulls all four 20-inch, 10-spoke wheels through an eight-speed automatic.

Meanwhile the Autobiography edition is available with the same engine, or with the supercharged 5.0-liter V8 with six-speed automatic. The Range Rover Design Pack distinguishes the exterior, while the Range Rover Seat Style Pack makes the cabin an even more opulent place to be with the reclining rear seats and moveable front passenger seat you'd expect to find in a limousine.

Full details can be found in the press release after the jump, including pricing in Land Rover's native market since these won't be available in the U.S.

The growth of NASCAR over the past decade has been one of the stories of American sports – and not only was the series getting huge viewership, it was attracting stars from other series and its drivers were breaking left-turn-only taboos at Le Mans and the Race of Champions.

Still, the dream couldn't continue unabated, and lately NASCAR has been battling dwindling audiences at some of its big races and disappearing big-money sponsorships. To get around it, teams are doing three things: getting more sponsors, finding those sponsors further away from the traditional corporate playground, and engaging in "non-traditional sponsorships."

Even big teams like Richard Childress Racing are playing the volume game, expecting to have more than 40 sponsors helping it pay for this season. If a marquee player needs to go to such lengths it's to be expected that little teams have to work even harder, and there are only so many blue-chip firms to go around. That's how you get Quicken Loans, American Ethanol and Freescale Semiconductor showing up on fenders and at corporate events.

And non-traditional sponsorships are how you get the AARP involved. When the non-profit wanted to publicize its drive to end hunger among the elderly, it sponsored Jeff Gordon's car for 66 races over three years, from 2011 to 2013 – but won't sponsor the other remaining 42 races in those seasons. That kind of creativity is what NASCAR hopes will allow it not only to enjoy its popular moment, but popular longevity.

The all-electric Tesla Model X crossover was unveiled at a red-carpet, velvet-rope style event at the Tesla Design Studios in Hawthorne, CA tonight, with company co-founder Elon Musk confirming that the Model X will start production late next year and that full production is expected in 2013.

With luminaries such as California Gov. Jerry Brown in attendance and a post-announcement concert by Foster the People, Musk presented a CUV that, as rumored, has so-called "falcon-wing" doors that are similar to those of the old gull-wing vehicles but bend in the middle, allowing them to be opened in tight spaces while offering better access to the rear and third row of seats. Musk said the Model X, which is expected to be priced similar to the $57,500 Model S sedan set to debut this summer, can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds, or 0.2 seconds quicker than a Porsche 911. The vehicle, which Musk says can seat "seven real adults," actually has front and rear electric motors that instantaneously shift power from one to the other to maximize traction, Musk said. He added that the CUV's turning radius was comparable to that of a Mini Cooper.

Musk, speaking to an enthusiastic crowd of about 1,000 people, touted the Model X as having, "more room than a minivan, more style than an SUV and more performance than a sports car." Indeed, with no internal combustion engine, the vehicle has substantial rear cargo space behind the third row of seats as well as a "frunk" in front of the car (which provided the evening's only glitch with a sticky latch. See video of that after the jump). Musk said that the "frunk" has the same storage space as the rear cargo area of an Audi Q7. Musk should know, since he owns one.

Musk also said Telsa will start deliveries of the Model S sedan – upon which the X is based – "no later than July" and will start taking online reservations for the Model X at noon Pacific time Friday. Tesla is expected to produce between 10,000 and 15,000 Model X units a year starting in 2014.

Here it is, the Tesla Model X, the CUV prototype version of the Model S.

We'll have more details live from California soon, but here's what we know at the moment. The Model X can hit 0-60 in 4.4 seconds, will cost around the same as the Model S, and it has those cool "falcon" gullwing-like doors.

With the batteries housed in the same low skateboard as the S, the X has a lot of space. Since the CUV doesn't need a combustion engine, there are actually two trunks: one in front and one in the back. This means, Elon Musk said at the unveiling today, that the Model X can fit seven people and their luggage. The X will also feature all-wheel drive and come with a range of battery options, but we knew this already. The X is heavier than the S and will therefore offer around 10 percent less range from the same 40-, 60- and 85-kWh battery packs that the S uses. It's price will begin around $50k after tax credits, but will rise close to $90k with the largest battery pack and all the trimmings ordered. *UPDATE: There is no 40-kWh pack option.

Tesla will start taking reservations at noon PST February 10th (i.e., later today). Oh, and Tesla is going to offer a fourth model, to be revealed in around two years. More to come.

The Chicago Auto Show may be the smallest of the North American auto shows we cover (yet largest by square footage, ironically), but year after year, more and more automakers choose to show off some new metal under the lights of McCormick Place. This year saw a total of 18 major reveals (click here to see our full rundown), and while that pales in comparison to last month's Detroit show, there's still a lot of new metal to talk about here in Chicago.

So, of the 18 cars that took the stage in the Windy City, which ones were our favorite? More importantly, which one was the favorite? Follow the jump to see our top five picks for the best 2012 Chicago Auto Show debuts.

The Lightning GT all-electric supercar has been inching its way towards production for years now. The last time we talked about itwas November 2010, but it's back thanks to Translogic.

The video series from our colleagues at AOL Autos took a trip to Europe and managed to score the very first drive of the Lightning GT before anyone else. Not even Top Gear has sat in this thing and it's being developed in their backyard.

The specs for the car as they stand today are 400 horsepower from its electric motor powering the rear wheels for a 0-60 time of around 4.5 seconds and a maximum range of 150 miles. The folks behind the Lightning GT even claim that their lithium-titanate batteries (sourced from the U.S.) can be recharged in just 10 minutes when paired with a big daddy ultra powerful off-board charger.

Bold claims for sure, and we'd likely describe the Lightning GT as vaporware if Translogic didn't just drive it. Drive it they did, though, so follow the jump to watch Translogic host Bradley Hasemeyer be the first to put foot to floor in the Lightning GT.

Last we checked, there were fewer than 90 Lexus LFA models in the United States. So imagine our surprise to find not one, not two, but four of the automaker's carbon-fiber exotics parked under the lights in the Lexus booth at the Chicago Auto Show.

Normally, when four of the same models occupy the same stage it's hardly news. However, this quartet of Lexii represents nearly five percent of all LFA models on our shore. Five percent. To put that in perspective, if five percent of Toyota Camry models sold last year were parked in the Toyota booth there would be about 15,000 sedans crammed onto the carpet.

Unexpected appearances aside, the 40-cylinder assembly (with a retail value of more than $1.5 million) gave us the perfect opportunity to see the LFA in red, black and yellow - with an assortment of factory wheels and finishes. And before you make a crack about the LFA not selling, understand these are all customer cars. In fact, one even has an EZPass still in its window. Check out our extensive gallery and let us know which is your next... um, lottery car.

Just when we thought the classic vehicles owned by Saab were safe from the gavel, tragedy strikes. According to Hemmings, the vehicles held in the Saab Cars North America Heritage Collection will be auctioned in an 10-car lot on Friday, February 10. Vehicles like the gorgeous and painfully rare 1956 Type 94 Sonett Super Sport pictured above will join a host of other iconic Saab models for bid in Stearling Heights, Michigan. According to Hemmings, interested parties may submit their bids before noon on Friday to McTevia & Associates, the law firm Saab hired to handle the company's creditors here in the States. A 25 percent cash deposit is required.

The collection includes notable hardware such as a 1967 fastback with 25,353 miles on its triple-carb three-cylinder engine as well as the 1960 96 that won the Royal Automobile Club Rally with Erik Carlsson behind the wheel. There's plenty of history wrapped up in the 11 vehicles up for auction. Head over to Hemmings for more information.

BMW has slapped a sticker onto the latest addition to the 6 Series lineup, and the all-new 2013 640i Gran Coupe will carry at sticker of $76,895 (including the $895 destination charge) when it goes on sale this summer.

The 640i is the first variant of the segment-splitting "4+1" sedan, which gets power from the ubiquitous TwinPower turbocharged and direct-injected 3.0-liter inline-six putting out 315 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. A 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8-powered 650i Gran Coupe will be on offer later this year in both rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive guise, although BMW is holding off on pricing those two 445 hp models until closer to launch. Full details in the press blast after the break.

Bentley has named designer David Hilton as the company's head of exterior design. Hilton ran his own successful design firm for 12 years before accepting the position with the ultra-luxury automaker. He will now report to Dirk van Braeckel, director of design and styling. Hilton is stepping into the shoes of Raul Pires, who left the company at the end of last year to join forces with Italdesign, the Volkswagen-owned design studio.

Hilton has over two decades of automotive design experience under his belt, having worked with companies from Ford to Volkswagen. The last-generation Ford Focus RS is among his notable accomplishments.

He'll have his work cut out for him moving forward. Bentley is slated to unleash a rash of new products in the coming months, including an all-new SUV and a replacement for the company's aging Continental line. Click past the jump for the full press release.

Okay, this is an easy one. If we told you to pick a performance winner between the Nissan GT-R and the BMW M5, we're guessing the vast majority of you would pick Godzilla to come out on top. Both vehicles feature over 500 horsepower, but the BMW weighs over 400 pounds more, and the GT-R counters with one of the world's most impressive all-wheel-drive systems.

That didn't stop the Autocar team from pitting the M5 against the GT-R in a test of acceleration, cornering, braking, G-force and general feel. Given the GT-R's 0-60 time of 2.8 seconds and its reputation for otherworldly handling, you know how this one is going to play out. But will the Nissan super coupe take all five tests? To be honest, a few of the tests were a bit closer than we would have thought. Hit the jump to check it out.

Nissan is headed back to the Australian V8 Supercar Series. The Japanese Automaker was famously ousted in 1993 when the sanctioning body behind the series adjusted the rules to require all entries be V8-based. Nissan had dominated the series for three years with the company's GT-R, laying waste to the front-engine, rear-wheel-drive dinosaurs from Holden and Ford with a high-tech combination of all-wheel drive and turbocharged six-cylinder fury. In 1991, the company set a top-speed record at the Bathurst 1000 that wouldn't be touched for nine years. The following season, the company was forced to carry 100 kg of weight and run reduced boost pressure. It didn't matter. The GT-R still cleaned up.

Nissan is entering the series under the fairly new Car of the Future program, which was designed to make the series more attractive to competitors and sponsors. Interestingly enough, the Car of the Future Program was started by none other than Mark Skaife, the man who piloted the GT-R to many a win in the early '90s. Nissan's racer will be forced to use a generic V8 drivetrain to conform to the rule book, so don't expect to see any more turbo sixes dotting eyes on the track. Likewise, the all-wheel drive of the GT-R will be off the table.

Still, any amount of diversity in a series that's been Holden versus Ford for so long is a step in the right direction. As far as we know, four cars will carry the Nissan badge in the 2013 season and be campaigned by Kelly Racing. Hit the jump for the full press release.

The true jewels of most auto shows are often hidden, requiring a bit more legwork to find. During our third pass of the Chicago Auto Show, we stumbled upon a display from the Classic Car Club of America. Tucked away in a corner behind low aluminum railing, we found a stunning full-size two-door hardtop: the 1954 Mercury XM 800 Concept.

When it was first introduced at the 1954 Detroit Auto Show, the XM 800 made quite an impact. Mechanically speaking, it was fitted with a 312 cubic inch engine rated at 270 horsepower. A Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission, sending power to the rear wheels, was standard. Its design was noted for an expansive greenhouse offering passengers an almost 360-degree outside view. Benson Ford, running the Lincoln-Mercury Division at the time, pushed for the XM-800's basic design to be added to the Mercury lineup. The plan to move forward was only extinguished because the automaker switched gears to work on Edsel.

The fiberglass XM 800 traveled extensively in 1954 and 1955, making appearances at most major car shows and special exhibitions (including the Chicago Auto Show). It even had a featured role in Hollywood, appearing in the 20th Century Fox production Woman's World. In the late 1950s, the concept car was gifted to the University of Michigan's Automotive Engineering Lab to be used for training and design inspiration. Ten years later, the Mercury ended up in storage outside a barn on a farm in central Michigan. Thankfully, the deteriorating concept car caught the eye of an enthusiast who purchased it and began a 20-year frame off, nut-and-bolt restoration.

Today, the 1954 Mercury XM 800 is considered to be one of the most significant concept cars ever produced. It recently sold at the RM Auction for $429,000. Check out the press release for its interesting history and our gallery for some beautiful design.

Nissan is set to debut an all-new Pathfinder later this year, and the Japanese automaker has given us a better picture of what to expect from the vehicle's cabin. Leather heated and cooled front seats are part of the package, while occupants in the second row will enjoy heated thrones of their own. Nissan focused heavily on making the third row easier to access. The company incorporated larger rear door openings to make ingress and egress a simpler affair, and the second-row seats feature a child-seat mode that still allows rear access even with a booster seat in place.

Speaking of the way-back seats, the next-generation Pathfinder will feature a reclining 50/50 folding bench in the third row. Both the second and third row fold flat for more cargo area.

There should be plenty of technology on board, too, including a 13-speaker Bose stereo and the handy Nissan around-view monitor. Click past the jump for the full press release.