Howdy Webriders! Dr. VW here. Long time no see! Anyways, I’m back for an Auto Adventure. Everyone knows what time of year it is. The big Auto Shows are set to begin, Paris, LA, Frankfurt; and that means new car unveilings! A few always get leaked or purposely released ahead of time like the Lamborghini Estoque and the new Mazda 3, but most refrain from showing off their new models until the show opens. Hit the jump to find out Dr. VW’s picks for most likely to have a badass new ride!

First off– this is all speculation. Gut feeling. Lets see what happens….

First pick: Hyundai.

Hyundai is going to dominate this year with the Genesis, that’s a foregone conclusion, but the real question is what direction is Hyundai going to take beyond the Genesis, which we’ve already seen? My guess is going to be a smaller sedan or hatchback that will be marketed as a sportier car– along the lines of the Civic Si and the Scion Tc. In terms of quality, my guess is expect something more european, like a VW GTI or a BMW M3. The Genesis already begins that upscale move with its luxury interior, so why not spread it across the line? My guess is a concept hatch with a luxury interior and compact, sporty exterior would go over very well with Hyundai fans. Maybe a Tiburon replacement? We shall see.

Second pick: Pontiac.

Most of the Detroit automakers have their retro muscle cars- Ford and the Mustang, Chevy and the Camaro, Dodge with the Challenger. So why not bring back the Firebird? What I wouldn’t give to see a Firebird revival. While news of that magnitude would surely have made the internet rumor mills and blogs by now, but I’m not counting out a mysterious last second concept drawing or art work that hints at the posibility of a reborn Phoenix in Detroit. Cross your fingers kids!

Third Pick: Suzuki

Most everyone has gotten to see the Kizashi concept by now, and in all honesty the new offerings from Suzuki in the US are not bad, not bad at all. I’m banking on either a more realistic looking Kizashi or perhaps a true sports car with a beastly engine. I’m thinking a turbo V6 shoehorned into a two seat beauty along the lines of the (now axed) Saturn Sky or Pontiac Solstice. Why would Suzuki do this? Flagship model baby. Top of the line. Direct competition with the 370Z, Solstice, Miata/ Rx-8, etc. Oh… what a beautiful creature it would be. Have you seen their latest rides? Even the tiny rinky dink little compacts look badass.

Alright Webriders. Thats all for now but once the shows go into full swing, we’ll know if I was anywhere near close to my predictions. In the meantime, stay tuned to Webridestv.com and the forums to get the latest news and pictures from the various shows! Dr. VW-out.