Nineteen official photos of the 2009 Honda Insight hybrid leaked onto the Web today, providing us with the best look yet at the new model. Pictured is the British version, which is right-hand-drive but otherwise the same as the U.S. edition. The photo leak follows the emergence of low-resolution scans from a Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) brochure last week. Honda has thus far released only one official photo of the ‘09 Insight, which will be on display at the Detroit auto show this month.

Chrysler may be struggling through one of the most serious financial situations of the company’s long and illustrious history, but that isn’t stopping the Michigan automaker from moving full speed ahead on its electric vehicle plans.

Reality is finally beginning to settle in for millions of new car buyers – or at least I hope it is. Reality meaning the fact that most people overbuy when considering a purchase, that is. Buying too much vehicle, too much engine, too big, too tall, just too, too, too…

With a new Mercedes-Benz E-Class on the way, it comes as no surprise BMW is readying a redesigned 5-Series. In addition to recent spy photos, we got a glimpse at the car’s front fascia just last week. Today, we’ve put all the pieces together with an exclusive photo illustration of how the finished car will likely look.

The auto industry has seen its fair share of ups and downs over the past three decades, but one thing has always remained constant – the Ford F-150’s dominance on the sales charts. Although $4 gas threatened the F-150’s top spot mid-year, Ford’s full-size pickup shook off the competition and once again ended 2008 on top of the automotive world.

India’s Tata Motors really hit its stride in 2008, first unveiling its $2,500 Nano city car, then acquiring Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford and finishing up with a major sponsorship role in Ferrari’s Formula One efforts. But despite that seeming success, the global economic downturn hasn’t left Tata alone, resulting in a sales collapse during the month of December.

The picture automakers have painted of their 2008 United States sales is at least as bleak as most analysts predicted with only Subaru and Mini posting gains so far. Not surpisingly, Chrysler’s annual sales have taken the biggest hit so far, though Volvo’s sales are down substantially as well. We’ll continue to update this space as more automakers release data.

Not wanting to let the X5 M steal all the performance SUV glory, BMW has officially confirmed that an X6 M is indeed in the works. Like BMW did with the announcement of its X5 M project, the German automaker has released a teaser video of the high-performance ‘ute taking some hot laps at a closed track.

Acura focused on it passenger car lineup in 2008 — with updates to the company’s TSX, TL and RL sedans — but it looks as though Honda’s luxury brand will be switching its focus to its crossover lineup in 2009. Our spies have once again spotted a 2010 RDX prototype while undergoing some final shakedown testing.

Don’t look for anything other than LED - light emitting diode - bulbs on the upcoming 2010 Audi R8 V10, which will become the first vehicle not equipped with halogen or incandescent bulbs of any sort to be sold to consumers. The R8 V10’s headlamps, tail lamps, cornering lamps and interior lamps are all made with the low-consumption LEDs, which provide not only homogeneous light distribution, but also use less energy.

The mid-size sedan market is one of the most popular in the U.S., but tough economic conditions could be causing Suzuki to have second thoughts about joining the lucrative segment. The Japanese automaker planned to join the ranks of the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord with is Kizashi sedan, but those plans have been put on hold indefinitely.

Proving how important developing markets can be to an automaker’s bottom line, Porsche has announced that its upcoming Panamera sedan will be making its world debut at the 2009 Shanghai Motor Show. The Shanghai show opens its doors to the public on April 20th, but the Panamera will make its debut at a press conference scheduled for April 19th.

Isuzu says that it is officially ending new light vehicle sales in North America on January 31 as it attempts to clear out the last of its GM-derived pickups and SUVs. Isuzu had been selling rebadged versions of the Chevrolet Colorado (called the Isuzu i-series) and the Chevrolet Trailblazer (Isuzu Ascender), but the automaker managed to move just 7,098 vehicles in 2007 - and 2008 sales will be even lower when they are announced.

Lexus’ ES range has been a staple of the automaker’s lineup since its inception in 1989, and it looks as though Lexus’ most popular model is slated for a mid-lifecycle refresh. As par for the course for the ES, its update won’t be a radical diversion from the current car, but will bring the four-door more in line with the rest of Lexus’ lineup.

Hyundai has released a somewhat cartoonish sketch of its upcoming long-wheelbase flagship Equus-replacing super-luxury sedan for its domestic market. The Equus, which clearly draws inspiration from the Genesis sedan sold in North America, is expected to go on sale in Korea by the end of February.

Volkswagen has delayed the official groundbreaking of its upcoming Chattanooga, Tennessee, assembly plant by two months to March in a move the company says is designed to fit with its board members’ schedules. The automaker says that the delay won’t affect development and construction of the factory, however.

Hyundai Motor America has launched a new program in the United States that will allow those who recently bought Hyundais but experienced an involuntary loss of income to return their recently-purchased cars and walk away from a financing obligation. Hyundai is the first automaker to offer such a program, which is designed to help recuperate the shortfalls that might arise from making car payments.

General Motors and the United Auto Workers union began their first labor negotiations since the United States government bailed out GM and Chrysler with a low-interest loans that carried the controversial stipulation that the union be held to certain wage concessions. GM and Chrysler must present long-term plans to the government by mid-February that, among other changes, must include concessions from the union.

(Video added) No, you’re not experiencing Déjà Vu. If this seems like the second or third time General Motors has unveiled its 2010 Cadillac SRX crossover, it’s because the world got a sneak peak at the “concept” version of this new model back in August, and a tease before that with the Provoq show car. Although the design mockups unveiled previously were pretty close to the finished car, today marks the official unveiling of the production model.

Nissan is looking to keep the buzz alive on its recently debuted 370Z sports coupe and has announced that NISMO performance versions are indeed headed to the United States. The NISMO S-Tune 370Z will hit U.S. showrooms this June.