The New York region is one of the most important in North America for new car sales. And the New York Auto show is one of the oldest motor shows in the world. Combine the two and you have a car event not to be missed. We didn’t, and can bring you the star cars from the 2019 New York Auto Show. Roll up your sleeves, auto enthusiasts…
Jaguar I-Pace wins World Car of the Year
There were headlines even before the New York Auto Show had officially opened, when the Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV was named 2019 World Car of the Year. It was an unprecedented hat-trick for the British brand too, with the I-Pace also scooping World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year. Other winners included the Audi A7, Suzuki Jimny and McLaren 720S.
Never before has one car scooped three World Car Awards prizes, including the overall trophy…
Mercedes-Benz GLS
All-new and ready to dominate the luxury SUV sector, Mercedes-Benz is suitably proud of the second-generation GLS. Channeling the four-door S-Class saloon into a upright body has produced a premium product, read to take on the BMW X7 and full-fat Range Rover. Seating seven in leather-clad luxury, the attention to detail in the new GLS can be seen in the fact that each headlight contains 112 individual LEDs. A range of powerful gasoline and diesel engines will be offered, including an intriguing GLS 580 4Matic hybrid version. All will come with four-wheel drive and a nine-speed automatic gearbox as standard.
Ford Mustang EcoBoost High Performance pack
The Ford Mustang is 55 years old this week, and the annual National Mustang Day 2019 coincides with the opening of the New York Auto Show. Ford has something special to mark both – an upgraded 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-pot model, using the engine from the old Ford Focus RS. Called the EcoBoost High Performance pack, it takes power up to 330 horsepower, and is marked out by a front splitter, rear gurney, black wheels and bigger brakes, a unique grille and special ‘whisker’ stripes on the hood. Time to start taking note of the non-V8 Mustang?
Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary
The 370Z 50th Anniversary Edition does exactly what it says on the tin. It commemorates the golden jubilee of Nissan’s back-to-basics six-pot coupe, in its sixth generation since the 370 was introduced in 2009. The car’s livery commemorates an early 240Z racing car, specifically the #46 BRE (Brock Racing Enterprises) that won multiple SCCA championships in period. A nice detail is the pinstripe that runs down the side of the car and culminates in a small triangle that was inspired by the C pillar of the 240Z.
Nissan performance icons
As Nissan celebrates 50 years of the GT-R with the 50th Anniversary Edition R35, connoisseurs of GT-R heritage need only look above the new bayside blue special, to see what is arguably the most important GT-R ever. The Calsonic R32 GT-R quickly earned the Godzilla nickname, which looms over the GT-R to this day. The Group A-spec GT-R demolished Japanese Touring Cars, the Spa 24 Hours and the Bathurst 1000. Never mind the most famous GT-R, it’s one of the most famous racing cars of all time, full stop.
Porsche 911 Speedster
Previously seen at Porsche’s 70th anniversary celebrations, and then later at the Paris Motor Show, the 911 Speedster is making a North American production debut in New York. Based upon the 911 GT3 chassis, the Speedster is powered by the same 4.0-liter flat-six engine as used by the GT3 and GT3 RS models. That means an impressive 502 horsepower, and the ability to rev all the way to 9,000rpm. Most important is the special low-cut front windscreen, paired with the distinctive humps on the rear decklid for those classic Speedster looks.
Kia Stinger GTS drift edition
This bright orange Kia Stinger GTS enjoys a retina-searing paint job and has a few more carbon fibre trim pieces than earlier models. So why is it special? Because it’s also a limited-to-800 edition with a built-in drift mode! Called D-AWD, it adds a mechanical limited-slip rear differential, plus software that stops the automatic gearbox upshifting. The result is something sideways-tastic. Ford Focus RS and Mercedes-AMG super-saloons are known for their drifting antics these days. We never thought a Kia would be, too. And we love the fact one now is.
Kia Habaniro
The Kia Niro range of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric cars is not quite due for replacement, but the company is starting to turn attention to it. North America leads the Niro project for Kia, so this is its first conceptual look at how the future-generation model could look. Like it? Love it? Loath it? Be sure to tell a Kia person with a touchpad, as the company is fielding feedback right now…
Hyundai Venue
The Hyundai Venue is a small SUV that competes with the Ford Ecosport and Volkswagen T-Cross. Jointly revealed in New York and India, it’s a sophisticated-looking machine, managing to bring some of the richness of larger Hyundais to the small SUV sector. For an entry-level crossover SUV, sitting below (and not replacing) the Kona, it looks promising: here’s hoping it’s as good to drive as it looks.
Subaru Outback
This is the sixth generation Outback by Subaru. The styling is evolutionary, but underneath there’s the new Subaru Global Platform that’s made other cars such as the latest XV impressive drives. As tenacious off-road as ever, it’s safer on it, thanks to a suite of active safety tech. A 260-horsepower 2.4-liter boxer turbo engine is a welcome arrival too, as is latest-grade onboard information technology that brings the Outback up to date at last.
Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe
Making an official world debut at the New York show, this is the first opportunity for people to get up close with the revised GLC Coupe. The distinctive exterior has received only minor tweaks, with a redesigned front grille and new LED headlights the most obvious updates. Inside is where more progress has been made, with the GLC Coupe gaining the MBUX multimedia system controlled by touchpads or voice command. There is also a new 2.0-liter turbocharged gas engine, producing 255 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, on offer.
Toyota Yaris
No, your eyes are not deceiving you. This is a Mazda 2 that’s been rebranded as a Toyota. It’s part of the friendly joint venture between the two Japanese brands and has helped Toyota fill that gap at the bottom of its range with one of the best-driving mini cars you can buy.
Ford Escape
The new Ford Escape is less 4×4 and more crossover SUV. The angles and ruggedness of the current model has been softened and given a bit of a makeover. Its curves and creases now pay more than a passing nod to the svelte new Focus, while the interior is a night and day improvement. If it drives as well as it looks, Ford could have a hit on its hands.
Honda HR-V (crashed)
Nobody has ever brought a crashed car to a major auto show, reckons Honda. But so well does it perform in the U.S. IIHS crash safety tests, it had no qualms booking the latest star performer, the HR-V small SUV, for its New York Auto Show stand. It hopes the exhibit will show visitors just what makes modern cars so safe and secure.
Audi TT RS
The range-topping TT RS has undergone a subtle facelift, and the enhanced car is being displayed for the first time in America at the NYC event. Spotting the changes will be hard even for dedicated Quattro fans, but extra cooling vents in the front bumper are the easiest way to spot the new model. The sonorous 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbocharged engine remains, now producing almost 400 horsepower, and allowing the TT RS to accelerate from 0-60mph in just 3.6 seconds. Wireless smartphone charging is now standard for the interior, along with a 680-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system.
Volkswagen ID Buggy Concept
The ID Buggy proved to be one of the biggest hits at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, demonstrating the possibilities of Volkswagen’s modular MEB electric car platform with a huge dose of fun. Styled with the original beach buggies from the 1960s in mind, the minimalist ID Concept uses a 62 kWh battery to drive a 201 horsepower electric motor attached to the rear axle. A set of 18-inch wheels wearing BFGoodrich All-Terrain rubber provide genuine off-road ability, with a solid aluminium underbody keeping everything safe in the rough.
Mercedes-AMG CLA 35
Even just the bottom step on the Mercedes-AMG staircase is not necessarily a bad place to be, especially if it means driving the brand-new CLA 35. The second-generation four-door coupe borrows the mechanical bits from the A-Class hatchback, but covers them in a more stylish body. Performance from the 302 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged engine is certainly not entry-level, with the standard four-wheel drive system slinging the CLA 35 from 0-62mph in just 4.6 seconds.
Mercedes-AMG A35 Saloon
It might look very similar to the CLA 35, but Mercedes is keen to stress that this a four-door saloon compared to that four-door coupe. The more truncated rear gives the game away that this is the sedan variant, but the oily bits underneath are all the same. Here, the 302 horsepower engine achieves 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds – something worth considering should you be trying to pick between the two cars.
Bugatti Chiron 110 ans
How do you celebrate a 110th anniversary if you happen to be a French hypercar manufacturer? With a special edition version, of course. The Chiron 110 ans takes the already exclusive Sport version of the Chiron, and makes it even rarer. Just 20 examples of the 1,500 horsepower machine will be made, all wearing matte Steel Blue paint and sandblasted aluminium detailing. The real party piece is when the rear spoiler pops up, as it features a French Tricolour flag beheath.
Koenigsegg Jesko
The latest mental hypercar from Koenigsegg has the potential to hit a claimed 300mph, and is able to produce up to 1,600 horsepower from a 5.0-liter turbocharged engine. It also happens to meet all global emissions standards in place until 2026, and costs an incredible £2.2million. There is bad news though – all 125 cars set to be built are already spoken for. In fact, most them sold before the Jesko even made a public appearance at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Sorry!
Maserati Zegna Levante S Q4 GranSport
The Levante may have been seen before, but Maserati is keen to demonstrate the artisan Italian craftsmanship available through its bespoke One by One programme. This version of the Levante SUV features a brand-new Pelletessuta interior trim, created by Italian fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna, featuring strips of woven Nappa leather. The trim is exclusive to Maserati, and can be specified on a number of different models from the firm.