General Motors is reportedly preparing to show the Chevrolet Bolt in production form at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

The timing suggests the company is moving forward with the project, despite doubts surrounding its 2016 expected launch window. The plans were confirmed by GM development head Mark Reuss at the Los Angeles Auto Show, according to The Verge.

The company has promised to deliver an EV with at least 200 miles of electric range and a $30,000 price tag. The cost estimate is believed to reflect government incentives, suggesting the actual MSRP will be above $37,000.

GM had reportedly established a contract with Envia Systems to supply next-generation nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery cells for EVs, however the startup’s claims were later dismissed as “wildly exaggerated” and the automaker instead reached an agreement with an established player, LG Chem.

The development efforts face pressure from other automakers that are known or believed to be working on rival mass-market long-range EVs. Tesla Motors has set a 2017 launch window for its Model 3, a near-luxury sedan with a promised range of more than 250 miles and a price tag around $35,000 (before government incentives).

The production build will presumably be introduced by GM chief executive Mary Barra. She holds the honor of keynote speaker for the upcoming 2016 show.

Jeep has debuted the Grand Cherokee SRT Night this week at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

As if the Grand Cherokee SRT wasn’t sinister enough, Jeep is going the extra mile with the blacked-out Night edition. The Grand Cherokee SRT Night is set to feature Gloss black accents on its roof, side pillars, rear spoiler and grille bezels, with Satin Black adorning the SUV’s front appliqué and badging. Jeep has also applied a Satin Black finish to the SRT’s 20-inch wheels.

Buyers will be able to choose from three exterior paint colors — Velvet Red, Billet Silver and Granite Crystal.

The interior of the Grand Cherokee SRT Night is largely the same as the standard SUV, but the limited edition model does benefit from Black Laguna leather seats with silver accent stitching and Light Black Chrome bezels.

Powering the Grand Cherokee SRT Night is Jeep’s familiar 6.4L HEMI V8. Cranking out 475 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, the SRT Night can rip from 0-60 in just 4.8 seconds.

The company has not yet announced pricing details or a ship date for the Night edition.

Jeep has unveiled a decidedly 90s-looking Wrangler in LA under the Backcountry banner.

Based on the Jeep Wrangler Sahara, the Backcountry features unique decals on the front and the rear of the rig, powder coated bumpers, 17-inch gloss black wheels and rock rails borrowed from the Wrangler Rubicon. Buyers can also specify side steps at no extra cost. A black hardtop comes standard, but body color units will also be made available.

The Backcountry seen here is finished in a vivid Xtreme Purple, but several other paint colors will be on offer, including Hydro Blue, Black, Bright White and Granite Chrystal. Xtreme purple will be limited to the Wrangler’s Backcountry package.

Inside the Backcountry gets black accents, Diesel grey accent stitching, all-weather slush mats and a nine-speaker audio system as standard.

Jeep hasn’t released pricing for the special-edition package, but we expect to find out more following the unveiling.

Live images by Brian Williams.

Mercedes-Benz has officially lifted the veil off of the new 2017 GLS-Class at the Los Angeles Motor Show.

The first-ever GLS is to the outgoing GL what the GLE is to the ML; in other words, it’s a facelifted model that adopts Mercedes’ new naming structure. Billed as the S-Class of the SUV segment, the GLS benefits from a more modern look with bullet-shaped headlights, a sleeker hexagonal grille, and a revised bumper. The back end features new-look LED tail lamps and a redrawn bumper, while new paint colors and alloy wheel designs further differentiate the GLS from the model it’s designed to replace.

Select trims can be ordered with a Sport package that brings sport-focused add-ons such as deeper front bumper with three mesh air dams, side skirts, a bigger spoiler out back and 21-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, the GLS is adopts an all-new infotainment system built around a high-resolution eight inch screen that sticks out from the center console, a setup already found in many members of the Mercedes lineup. Passengers can navigate the infotainment system using a controller knob on the center console, buttons on the steering wheel or voice commands. The off-roader also benefits from a three-spoke steering wheel and an updated instrument cluster with a configurable TFT screen.

The upgrades continue under the hood, where the GL’s engines carry over with a host of modifications designed to make them more powerful and more efficient. The base GLS400 gets a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 tuned to make 329 horsepower and 354 lb-ft. of torque. Up next is the GLS350d, which uses a 3.0-liter turbodiesel rated at 255 hp and a healthy 457 lb-ft. of torque. Finally, the GLS500 is equipped with a twin-turbocharged 4.7-liter V8 that makes 449 hp and 516 lb-ft. of torque.

All engines come standard with a fuel-saving nine-speed automatic transmission and Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel drive system. A low-range gearbox and a center differential lock are offered at an extra cost.

The range-topping Mercedes-AMG GLS63 turns the dial up to 11 with a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 that sends 577 hp — 27 more than the outgoing GL63 AMG — and 561 lb-ft. of torque to all four wheels via a seven-speed automatic. Performance specifications haven’t been announced yet, but the behemoth is expected to reach 60 mph from a stop in about 4.6 seconds.

The 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class will go on sale next month, and the first deliveries are scheduled for early next year. Pricing information will be published in the weeks leading up to its on-sale date.

Live images by Brian Williams.

Volkswagen has unveiled a limited-edition version of the 2016 Beetle Convertible at the Los Angeles Motor Show.

Called Beetle Denim, the special edition model pays homage to the limited-edition Beetle Jeans that was introduced in select markets in late 1973 as a 1974 model. However, it’s a Jeans in spirit only because the original model was exclusively offered as a two-door sedan, and most examples were painted in vivid, eye-catching colors such as yellow and orange.

The most important upgrades are found inside, where the Denim boasts jeans-inspired pockets stitched into the seat backs and light blue cloth upholstery with white piping and dark blue leatherette accents. When viewed from the outside, the Beetle Denim is recognizable thanks to an edition-specific Dark Blue top designed to look like denim.

Volkswagen hasn’t made any mechanical modifications, meaning the Beetle Denim is powered by a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder TSI engine that generates 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft. of torque. It spins the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.

Just 2,000 examples of the Beetle Denim will be built. Half of the production run will be finished in pure white, and the other half will be painted in stonewashed blue (pictured). Pricing information and availability will be announced closer to the ragtop’s on-sale date.

Live images by Brian Williams.