What's in store: New models and major changes for 2011 (Part 3: Mini to Volvo)

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As the 2011 vehicles begin to roll out, we take a look at the model year's offerings. Part 1 covered Acura through Ford, and Part 2 covered GMC to Mercedes-Benz. This final installment covers Mini to Volvo.

MINI
Mini Cooper: The cars that made small cars fashionable will all get new bumper fascias, headlamps and larger fog lamps to update the appearance. All interior items that were painted silver now will be matte black. Horsepower of the Mini Cooper's 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine rises by three to 121 because of reduced internal friction.
Mini S: Same updates, engine gets a nine horsepower increase to 181 due to electronic valve controls. Anti-torque steer was built into the power steering system to stop the cars from veering under fast acceleration.

MITSUBISHI
Outlander Sport: New for 2011, the small crossover is shorter than the regular Outlander, without the third row of seats. It has a 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Pricing hasn't been announced.
Lancer: Small sedan gets some new options, including a new Evolution GSR with Sun and Leather package that upgrades the interior with the manual transmission. It also sounds meaner with a sportier exhaust tone.
Eclipse: Starting price drops by $1,700 to $18,999. All Eclipses get a black painted roof, and the ride height drops 15 millimeters for a sportier appearance and better aerodynamics.

Nissan LEAF

NISSAN
LEAF: Nissan's first electric car, a compact hatchback, is scheduled to hit the market at the end of this year. Nissan says it can go up to 100 miles on a single charge. Unlike the Chevrolet Volt, its primary competitor, the LEAF is all-electric with no backup engine. It starts at $32,780, which doesn't include a $7,500 federal tax credit.
JUKE: Nissan's new compact crossover has an aggressive, head-turning style and is built for bold driving. It has a standard, 1.6-liter, direct-injected, turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower, the first North American application of this engine. It also has a three-mode driver selector -- normal, sport or eco, for maximum fuel efficiency. It starts at $18,960.
NV2500: Nissan's first commercial van in North America, to launch in mid-2011 as a 2012 model. It will come in standard and high-roof versions with either a 4.0-liter V6 or a V8 engine.
Quest: After a yearlong absence from Nissan's lineup, the Quest returns this winter, redesigned for 2011. Nissan has released only a few photos of the updated minivan, which show a boxier, more sophisticated style.
Pathfinder: Nissan is releasing the Silver Edition in honor of Pathfinder's 25th anniversary. It has some special standard features, including a leather-appointed interior, heated outside mirrors and 17-inch, machine-finished, aluminum-alloy wheels.

Porsche Boxster Spyder

PORSCHE
Boxster Spyder: The newest model of the Boxster convertible. Engineers reduced the weight by 175 pounds using a lighter, manual soft top, aluminum parts and other measures. That makes driving more spirited, along with the 320-horsepower, 3.4-liter flat-six engine.
911 GT2 RS: Porsche calls this its fastest and most powerful roadworthy sports car ever. It has a 620-horsepower, 3.6-liter flat-six engine and a six-speed manual as the only transmission choice. Carbon fiber components have lowered the weight by around 100 pounds, improving speed and fuel economy. Production is limited to 500 vehicles worldwide. It starts at $245,000.
Cayenne: Porsche will offer a gas-electric hybrid for the first time with the 2011 Cayenne S Hybrid SUV. It combines a V6 engine with an electric motor, which gives the crossover the performance of a V8 -- 380 horsepower -- with the fuel economy of the V6. The Cayenne S Hybrid's fuel economy hasn't been announced. The hybrid also can drive solely on electric power at highway speeds as long as the driver isn't using the accelerator. The base Cayenne has a 3.6-liter V6 with 300 horsepower. All four Cayenne models have been restyled to give them a sportier, more Porsche-like appearance, a nod to Porsche purists who thought the 2003 Cayenne was heresy. The Cayenne starts at $46,700, while the Cayenne S Hybrid starts at $67,700.

Rolls-Royce
Ghost: The Ghost sedan combines Rolls-Royce's elegant British styling -- the purposeful stance, the suicide doors -- with the German performance of BMW AG, Rolls' owner. It's built on BMW's 7-Series platform. It has a 563-horsepower, 6.6-liter V12 engine and can go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. High-end features include an umbrella mounted in the rear door, a night-vision camera that displays objects in front of the car on a screen in the dash, and a display that beams information such as directions or speed directly onto the windshield in front of the driver. It starts at $245,000.

SAAB
9-5: The Swedish automaker, recently sold by General Motors to Dutch automaker Spyker, carries the 9-5 model into the new year with three new trim levels. The sleek 9-5 midsize luxury sedan, introduced earlier this year, will have a base Turbo4 model with a 2-liter, 220 horsepower inline four-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual transmission. The Turbo4 premium keeps the same engine but adds a moonroof with sun shade, a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode and other features.

Scion iQ

SCION
tC: Toyota has redesigned the best-seller in its youthful Scion lineup, the tC coupe. An all-new, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine has more horsepower and better fuel economy. It's mated to a new six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The suspension has been tuned for sportier driving. The tC has some new standard safety features, including knee air bags for the front passenger and stability control. It starts at $18,275.
iQ: The tiny city car will arrive from Japan early next year. It looks a lot like the Smart car, but has four seats, carefully arranged so that one adult and one child or pet can sit in the back seats. It has a 1.3-liter, four-cylinder engine that gets around 90 horsepower. Pricing hasn't been announced.

SMART
fortwo: The dinky two-seater, made by Mercedes-Benz, gets a redesigned interior for the new year including a redesigned instrument panel, and ambient lighting in door pockets, foot well, instrument panel and overhead console. There's also one-hand operation of the tailgate.

SUBARU
Legacy: Midsize sedan gets standard power moonroof and fog lights, which previously were options, and the interior gets some small upgrades. The 2.5-liter GT Premium model is canceled.
Forester: Small sport utility vehicle gets a new engine for the 2.5X model with a longer stroke and slightly larger piston displacement. The new engine has a timing chain rather than a belt to turn the overhead camshaft.
Impreza WRX: The diminutive screamers share a new wide-body design with the WRX STI, the line's top performer, including a new 4-door wide body. The front and rear tracks are 1.5 inches wider, and the cars get stiffer rear subframe bushings. The STI gets a retuned suspension with stiffer springs and thicker stabilizer bars. The Impreza 2.5 GT model was discontinued.

SUZUKI
Kizashi Sport: The midsize Kizashi, introduced in 2010, gets a sport package in 2011 with a lower grille, trunk-mounted spoiler and 18-inch wheels. The Kizashi starts at $18,999.

Toyota Avalon

TOYOTA
Avalon: Toyota has redesigned its flagship Avalon sedan. Outside, it has a wider grille that connects the new, slimmer headlights, more chrome trim on the sides and a redesigned rear. Inside, it has new technology, including a Bluetooth handsfree system that controls your phone and music player. It also has reclining rear seats, unique in its segment. The 3.5-liter V6 engine is carried over from the previous model. The Avalon starts at $32,445.
Sienna: The 2011 Sienna minivan has bolder, more aerodynamic styling. For the first time, Toyota is offering a four-cylinder engine on the Sienna, which gets 26 mpg on the highway. A slightly less fuel-efficient V6 is also available. The Sienna remains the only minivan with an all-wheel-drive version. Several of the models have been upgraded, and the top-of-the-line Limited model now offers second-row "lounge seating" with pop-up leg supports and an industry-first smart key that operates the sliding doors on both sides. The Sienna starts at $24,460.

Volkswagen Jetta

VOLKSWAGEN
Jetta: The midsize car, by far VW's top-selling car, gets a complete makeover for 2011 and a big reduction in the base price, to around $16,000. It goes on sale in October. The German automaker said it preserved the car's traditional crisp handling, and it claims best-in-class rear-seat legroom. The new car is longer and wider than its predecessor, and has a more stable, athletic look. The interior space benefits from the greater size, and VW says the controls are more intuitive, including a new gear shift grip. It has up to six air bags for safety. Four engines are available: a 140-horsepower, four-cylinder 2.0-liter turbodiesel; a 2.0-liter, 115 horsepower gasoline four; a 2.5-liter, five-cylinder, 170 horsepower gasoline engine; and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder TSI engine with 200 horsepower. All Jettas come with a manual transmission standard, but six-speed automatics are available.
Touareg: The VW sport utility vehicle also is new for 2011, and a gas-electric hybrid version is VW's first. The vehicle has three engines: 3.0-liter gasoline and diesel V6s and a 3.0-liter V6 TSI gas engine for the hybrid. The supercharged 3.0-liter V6 is mated to a special electric motor in the hybrid, which has an eight-speed automatic transmission and gets up to 25 mpg on the highway and 21 mpg in the city. A clutch disengages the transmission when the SUV is stopped, and the electric motor recovers energy from braking. The Touareg's interior is completely new, with a more muscular appearance, and the outside has a narrow grille opening. The SUV also has LED running lights.
New Beetle, Passat: The new model year means the end for two longtime Volkswagen models. Production of the New Beetle, once a sensation, was to ended August, while Passat production ended in May.
Routan: The Chrysler-made minivan is due for an update at the end of this year.

Volvo S60

VOLVO
S60: Sweden's Volvo, recently sold by Ford to Chinese automaker Geely Holding Group, introduces the all-new S60 midsize sedan. It has a sportier, more coupe-like design. North American drivers can choose the standard "comfort" chassis for a smoother ride or a more dynamic "sport" chassis. It has some new safety features, including an exclusive pedestrian detection system that brakes if the driver doesn't respond to a warning signal, and a cornering control system for smoother turns. It's powered by the XC60's 3.0-liter inline 6, which gets 300 horsepower and 26 mpg on the highway. The S60, on sale in September, starts at $37,700.