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.

When the Chinese new car market registered a sales drop during 2018 (for the first time in two decades), some suggested that the boom times were over. However, the sheer number of new upmarket cars debuting at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show makes that hard to believe.

From premium electric vehicles to supercars and stretched saloons, this is our rundown of the high-end cars on show in Shanghai.

Mercedes-Benz GLB Concept

One of the biggest announcements in Shanghai was the latest compact SUV concept from Mercedes-Benz. Based upon the latest A-Class platform, but with the ability to seat seven and go off-road, it has proved to be a hit.

Although badged as a concept, the GLB looks almost production ready, so don’t expect a long wait before it hits the road. Or muddy forest track…

Mercedes-Benz EQC Concept

Along with luxury cars, electric vehicles were another key trend in Shanghai. Mercedes-Benz combined both of these with a local debut for the EQC battery-powered four-wheel-drive crossover.

Set to be the first model in the Mercedes EQ electric family, this sizeable SUV promises the ability to travel up to 275 miles when fully charged. Sales are due to begin this summer, and Mercedes is confident it will prove popular in the Chinese market.

Mercedes-AMG A35 L 4Matic

It might look like the recently revealed A35 AMG performance saloon, but this one is to be made in China specifically for the local market. Not only is this the first 35-series Mercedes to be offered in the country, it also marks the first AMG model to be produced there.

An extra 60mm of space has been added between the axles, turning this into a long-wheelbase compact sedan. The same 306hp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine remains, powering all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

Audi AI:ME

Strictly a concept at present, Audi’s AI:ME is intended to demonstrate the potential for mobility in a megacity like Shanghai. With ‘level 4’ autonomous driving technology integrated into the AI:ME, Audi promises that occupants would have the ‘freedom to do what they like’ whilst onboard.

Luxury and relaxation are core to the AI:ME concept, with the driver even able to rest their feet on an ottoman when the car takes control. VR goggles also allow occupants to watch a movie, or take selfies to share on social media whilst stuck in traffic.

Audi Q2 L E-tron

Unlike the concept-only AI:ME, Audi is also showing off the latest local-market version of the compact Q2 crossover. In common with many of the cars featured here, this SUV has gained some extra metal in the middle.

An extra 33mm of space has been created inside, whilst the E-tron battery technology allows for a range of up to 165 miles. Audi cites China as being its largest and most important market worldwide, and is also displaying the locally-built second-generation Q3 in Shanghai for the first time.

Maserati Quattroporte GranLusso One of One

China is also a key market for Maserati, and the brand hopes to garner new sales with this ultra-luxurious special edition version of the Quattroporte. Built especially for Mr Xuan Fen, Chief Editor of T-Magazine China, the four-door has been completely customised to his taste.

Maserati’s Centro Stile even created a new exterior colour, meant to evoke blue denim, for the ‘One of One’ Quattroporte. Inside, the seats feature vertical stitching inspired by men’s suits, with the dashboard wearing 100% natural burr wood trim.

Mr Feng even gets two sets of special floor mats, depending on whether he wants to coordinate with the interior or exterior colour scheme.

Maserati Ghibli S Q4 GranLusso

Maserati is also displaying a range of latest models, each with interiors designed in collaboration with long-term partner Ermenegildo Zegna.

The famous fashion house has even created a brand-new material for Maserati to use inside its cars, branded as ‘Pelletessuta’. Featuring woven strips of leather, and available in a range of colours, the material can feature on the dashboard and interior door trim.

McLaren 720S Spider

British supercar manufacturer McLaren is celebrating five years of success in the Chinese market, with the Woking-based company having sold 1,000 cars in the country during that time.

With 12 dealerships across China, the company has revealed the latest 720S Spider and 600LT Spider models to the country for the first time. McLaren will be keen to maintain the 122.5% growth in sales it saw in China during 2018.

BMW X7

The gigantic kidney grille may have proven too much for some European commentators, but the Chinese market is predicted to go crazy for the biggest BMW SUV to date.

Capable of carrying up to seven, with adult-sized seats in the rear third row, the X7 promises to be as practical as it is controversial. In fact, passengers are important to the X7, with the rear doors longer than the front to make access easier.

BMW 3 Series Long Wheelbase

Another BMW with a eye on rear passengers is this Chinese market-only stretched version of the new 3 Series saloon. Built by BMW Brilliance Automotive in Shenyang, this is actually the second time the 3 Series has bulked up for China.

The LWB 3 Series has rear doors that are 110mm longer, and sees rear passengers gaining an extra 43mm in legroom. BMW seems to know what it is doing, with the previous generation long-wheelbase car accounting for 80% of 3 Series sales in China.

BMW X3M and X4M

Also on display in Shanghai are the latest performance SUV offerings from BMW, making their first official public debuts.

Both the X3M and X4M feature the most powerful production six-cylinder engine created by BMW, pumping out 510hp and 442lb ft of torque in Competition trim. Add in an optional M Driver’s package, and the potential for a 177mph top speed is on offer.

Rolls-Royce Bespoke Ghost Extended Wheelbase

Rolls-Royce is in a buoyant mood in Shanghai, with the company achieving record sales during 2018. China accounted for a substantial proportion of those, which explains the four models on display.

The Ghost is the best-selling Rolls-Royce in China, and this extended wheelbase version demonstrates the potential of the Bespoke service. A Burnout Grey exterior is matched with a coordinating interior, hoping to lure in more ‘entrepreneurs and tastemakers’ to the brand.

Volkswagen ID Roomzz

Volkswagen launched a ‘product offensive’ at the Shanghai show, with the all-electric ID Roomzz SUV leading the charge. Whilst it may look like a concept, VW promises that a production version will be launched in 2021 for the Chinese market.

Level Four autonomous driving technology features, whilst the steering wheel even has its own digital display. Two electric motors drive can send up to 306hp to all four wheels, whilst a range of up to 295 miles is possible when the batteries are fully charged.

Volkswagen Teramont X

Volkswagen Group China is set to launch eight new SUV models across the country this year alone, so there is no surprise the company’s stand was packed with them in Shanghai.

The Teramont X follows on from Atlas Cross Coupe concept shown at last year’s New York Auto Show, providing seating for five in a swoopier SUV body. Currently billed only for sale in China, don’t be surprised if this also appears in the United States very soon.

Gyon Matchless Concept

Although badged as a prototype for now, the Gyon Matchless is intended to demonstrate what the Chinese company could hope to offer for sale in the near future.

The biggest talking points are the distinctive C-shaped rear lights, and front grille which features and LED display board. In case you are wondering, the Gyon name stands for ‘Grow Your Own Niche’ which the company seems to be living up to.

Karma SC1 Vision Concept

Based in California, but owned by the Chinese Wanxiang Group, Karma has used the Shanghai show to set out how the firm plans to move forward.

Hopefully it involves turning the stunning SC1 Vision into a production reality. With dramatic vertical-opening doors, LED screens throughout the interior and 5G connectivity, this is very much technology of the near-future.

Karma Pininfarina GT

Karma also has this Pininfarina GT on display in Shanghai. As the name suggests, it has been designed by the famous Italian styling house Pininfarina, and is said to mark the beginning of a partnership between the two firms.

Beneath the impressive body is a powertrain taken from the existing Karma Revero GT. This means a BMW-sourced 1.5-litre petrol engine, combined with electric motors, for a total power output of some 535hp.

Aston Martin Rapide E

Tellingly, Aston Martin picked Shanghai as the location to launch the very first production electric car in its history. The Rapide E will be strictly limited to just 155 units, and has been built in collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering.

Twin rear-mounted electric motors generate up to 610hp, whilst the 800kW battery fills the space usually occupied by a V12 petrol engine. Range when fully charged is set to be over 200 miles, and the Rapide E has a top speed of 155mph.

Polestar 2

Polestar may be a luxury spin-off from Volvo but, like the Swedish brand, it is owned by the Chinese Zhejiang Geely Holding company.

Polestar has confirmed that the forthcoming all-electric 2 will be built at the Luqiao production facility in China, alongside a range of other cars for the local market. The company will also open the first Polestar Space retail showroom in China later in 2019.

Lynk and Co. 01

Also owned by Geely, the Lynk & Co. brand is aimed at young, urban professionals. The company sold more than 120,000 cars during 2018, and has launched a new updated version of the popular 01 model in Shanghai.

Based upon feedback from more than 110,000 customers, the revised 01 sees a number of minor tweaks. This includes a new design for the front grille, along with interior tweaks. Expect to see more from the brand, as it prepares to enter Europe with gusto in 2020.

Karma Automotive, the phoenix rising from the ashes of Fisker car company, has revealed two concept cars at the Shanghai motor show. There’s an extreme sports coupe called the SC1 Vision, but that’s been completely overshadowed by the gorgeous Pininfarina GT. We genuinely think it’s the most beautiful eco car to date.

We say ‘eco’ because the GT isn’t all-electric. It likely borrows the 1.5-litre BMW three-cylinder engine from the Revero GT production car (the updated Fisker Karma), which is mated to two electric motors for a combined 520hp.

It’s not unlike the Polestar 1, in fact, which itself is a lovely looking car.

Designed by Pininfarina 

Beauty is subjective, of course, but anything with Pininfarina’s evocative ‘f’ on its haunches and embossed onto its headrests gets off to a flying start.

Pininfarina is perhaps the world’s most revered automotive design house – and has penned some of Ferrari’s greatest cars, among many others .

Henrik Fisker, meanwhile, is an automotive designer with both the 2005 Aston Martin V8 Vantage and the BMW Z8 to his name. Both are considered among the most beautiful cars of the modern era.

And while the Fisker Karma ultimately failed, some elements of its design live on here.

Will they build it?

Karma and Pininfarina are very pleased with this project. Pininfarina reserves the ‘GT’ badge only for its most prized creations, so our infatuation isn’t without some justification.

That also means there’s a good chance Karma will build the GT – assuming there is enough interest from people who can actually afford one.

In a world of homogenous SUVs, the Karma Pininfarina GT is a respite we sorely need, and proof that new cars can still be beautiful.

You might think that Instagram users love to post photos of sports cars and supercars, and for the most part, you’d be right. But according to a study conducted by insurance company Veygo, Instagrammers also enjoy snapping more mainstream models. Veygo looked at the two most popular hashtags for each model and combined them to reach the total number of hashtag mentions. Only cars still in production were considered for the list. The results are presented in reverse order.

25. Volkswagen Golf – 1,266,535 mentions

We suspect the Volkswagen Golf would have appeared further up the list, but Veygo excluded the hashtag #golf as it’s just as likely to be used for the sport. Instead, #vwgolf and #volkswagengolf were used to find the total number of mentions.

24. Audi S3 – 1,311,889 mentions

The Audi S3 has been mentioned 1,311,899 times. Combine this with the 1,263,839 mentions for the Audi A3 and the A3/S3 would have finished in a higher position.

23. BMW M2 – 1,389,175 mentions

Using the hashtags #bmwm2 and #m2, the BMW M2 finishes 23rd. We suspect the result has been skewed by Instagram’s appreciation of the Kent motorway.

22. Mazda MX-5 – 1,411,558 mentions

The Mazda MX-5 has been mentioned 1,411,558 times on Instagram, with Veygo using the hashtags #mazdamx5 and #mx5.

21. Vauxhall Corsa – 1,423,252 mentions

Far be it for us to fire a torpedo through Veygo’s methodology, but the use of the #opelcorsa hashtag might not be the best move when studying the Vauxhall Corsa. On the plus side, the #corsa hashtag is bang on brief.

20. Toyota Corolla – 1,492,653 mentions

Toyota Corolla is flying the flag for mainstream motors, although given the popularity of the car across the globe, perhaps its presence shouldn’t come as a big surprise.

19. Audi A4 – 1,591,794 mentions

Instagram users love the Audi A4, although the world’s appreciation of the road connecting London with Avonmouth might have added a few extra mentions.

18. Honda Civic Type R – 1,834,422 mentions

There can be no doubt about the #civictyper hashtag, but by using #typer, Veygo is failing to acknowledge the existence of the Type R versions of the Integra, Accord and NSX.

17. Porsche 911 – 1,940,424 mentions

Just the one hashtag was used for the Porsche 911, presumably because the #911 hashtag has been used for a number of different reasons.

16. Porsche Carrera – 2,077,459 mentions

We’re not sure why Veygo decided to split the Porsche Carrera from the 911, but it did, so here it is.

15. Mini Cooper – 2,131,312 mentions

Two hashtags have been used here, but while #minicooper is fair game, the #minione is a distinct model line and not related to the Mini Cooper.

14. Lamborghini Huracan – 2,203,050 mentions

The Lamborghini Huracan rocks in with a huge 2,203,050 mentions, with the total calculated using #lamborghinihuracan and #huracan.

13. Chevrolet Silverado – 2,254,244 mentions

This is an interesting one because while the all-conquering Ford F-150 is absent from the list, the Chevrolet Silverado romps home with 2,254,244 mentions.

12. Subaru Impreza – 2,670,309 mentions

We haven’t got a ‘Scooby Doo’ why the Mitsubishi Evo hasn’t made the top 25, but the Subaru Impreza is here with 2,670,309 mentions.

11. BMW M5 – 2,741,911 mentions

We promise to make no mention of the motorway linking the West Midlands with the West Country, but the BMW M5 is one of three BMW Motorsport products to appear in the top half of the table.

10. Audi R8 – 2,900,314 mentions

The Audi R8 is the final car not to break through the three million mark, but it’s clear that Instagram users rate the #R8.

9. Lamborghini Aventador – 3,085,336 mentions

The Aventador is the second and final Lamborghini to make the list, but there’s not a single Ferrari in the top 25. The LaFerrari was the highest ranked Fezza with 975,684 mentions.

8. BMW M4 – 3,432,052 mentions

Instagrammers love the BMW M4, with the #bmwm4 and #m4 hashtags combining to deliver 3,432,052 mentions.

7. Chevrolet Corvette – 3,963,740 mentions

The Corvette has as near-as-makes-no-difference four million mentions on Instagram, with Veygo using the #corvette and #vette hashtags.

6. Chevrolet Camaro – 4,686,969 mentions

But the Corvette is beaten by the Chevrolet Camaro, with the #chevycamaro and #camaro hashtags combining to deliver 4,686,969 mentions.

5. Jeep Wrangler – 5,137,019 mentions

One of two automotive icons in the top five, the Jeep Wrangler goes further than the Land Rover Defender by appearing on this list. Good effort.

4. BMW M3 – 5,817,457 mentions

The M3 is the highest ranked BMW, with 5,817,457 mentions.

3. Nissan GT-R – 7,019,123 mentions

This is a seriously impressive number, with the Nissan GT-R mentioned more than seven million times. But it’s beaten by a more humble Japanese car.

2. Honda Civic – 7,402,365 mentions

It’s the Honda Civic! Blimey.

1. Ford Mustang – 11,947,872 mentions

An automotive icon so famous it is known by its ‘surname’, the Mustang romps home to victory with a massive 12 million mentions.

The Genesis Mint is the premium Hyundai division’s idea of how the all-electric sedan will fit into city life in the 2020s. It is being shown at the 2019 New York Auto Show as a taste of what the first compact Genesis could look like.

Said to ‘respect city life’, Genesis’ Mint concept is a “lightweight runabout [that] reimagines the iconic shape of the city car”. Luc Donckerwolke, chief designer at Hyundai, said it “disconnects the physical dimensions of the vehicle from its positioning as a premium product” and brings the traditional city car bang up to date.

Two doors, two seats, three boxes

The Mint is a two-door, two-seat city car. Despite being a concept, it still wears a sedan-style three-box design, stretching its bodywork right to the corners with super-short overhangs front and rear. It “marries classic proportions with forward-looking, minimalist design,” said Donckerwolke.

Finished in Hunter Green matte paint, the car has front and rear lamps elongated far into the corners, giving it more presence and a better stance. Tricks such as the wraparound light bands also give a bigger-car appearance.

Because it is an electric car, the Mint concept doesn’t need lots of cooling slots at the front. So it is fully sealed off, save for a small opening in the middle to help cool the battery pack.

Genesis calls the detailing along the lower half a ‘G-Matrix’ pattern. This doesn’t only look good, it also helps cool the battery and maintain airflow around the battery floor. The wheels’ design is also an aero shape that draws from the G-Matrix style.

Embrace the empty space

Inside, it will, for two people, feel enormous. The electric drivetrain has allowed Genesis to hollow out the cabin for an expansive feel, helped by glass that contains no unsightly divisions. Like Korean furniture, the lightweight textiles and cognac leather “embrace the empty space”. It is reductive, decluttered and organic.

There’s more G-Matrix patterning inside, with a gunmetal balustrade running across the passenger compartment, and repeating itself in the floor and cargo space. Don’t like the center console? Fold it away and turn the front bench into a couch.

Because it is a modern concept car, it has an oblong steering wheel rather than a boring round one. In the middle is a simple OLED display screen, and surrounding that are six copper ‘Graphic User Interface’ mini-screens. Everything is finished to a very rich and premium standard.

The little two-door Mint doesn’t have a normal trunk at the rear. It’s a concept car, after all, so has dual scissor-style side openings instead. These offer a low load height perfect for kerbside use. Oh, and the trunk isn’t a conventional load bay, but a beautifully tailored parcel shelf.

The megacitycar

Why a city car? Because of the rise of megacities, that’s why. Ever-more people are choosing to live in large cities, and ‘megacities’ – those with populations of 10 million or more – are set to grow in the future.

Many residents will be well-off and seeking new premium cars – but megacities are likely to restrict car usage and insist they are all EVs. Add in the challenges of congestion and the case for an upmarket small electric car is clear. It’s this future that Genesis is preparing for with the Mint.

April 2019 is the 49th anniversary of Earth Month: a non-political movement founded on the principle of creating a better planet. At its heart is the need for a healthier natural, physical, social and cultural environment. With this in mind, we’ve assembled a list of 20 cars that have, in some way, made a difference to the world.

Polestar 2

The Polestar 2 is an all-electric five-door fastback with a targeted range of 500km (310 miles), which puts it at the forefront of the array of next-generation EVs arriving over the next couple of years. But what makes this EV stand out is a recent Compassionate Business Award from vegan charity PETA. It takes three cow hides and 130 chemicals to create the leather interior of an average car, but the Polestar 2 boasts a leather-free interior. “The leather industry is as toxic to the Earth as it is cruel to cows,” PETA director of corporate projects, Yvonne Taylor, told Plant Based News.

Audi E-tron SUV

The Audi E-tron five-door SUV offers a WLTP-certified range of 417km (259 miles) and is available to buy from £71,520 excluding the Government Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG) of £3,500. The fact that leather seats come as standard is sure to upset PETA, but the knowledge that it’s being built at a carbon-neutral factory in Brussels will please environmentalists. The Belgian plant boasts the largest photovoltaic system in Brussels and generates more than 3,000-megawatt hours of electricity per year.

Kia e-Niro

Why have we selected the Kia e-Niro over a host of other all-electric cars? Well, up to 282 miles of electric range is a good start. As is the seven-year warranty. But we also believe that – cliche alert – a new EV shouldn’t cost the earth, so a £32,995 price tag after the PiCG should put this new electric within reach of more people than the expensive Polestar 2 and Audi E-tron SUV.

BMW i3

PETA has created a list of cars with leather-free interiors, either as standard or as an option, and it’s worth a read if you don’t want to perch your bum on a dead animal. Be warned, though, because while some cars might not feature leather seats, the gear knob and steering wheel could be finished in cowhide. Thanks to the availability of ‘Deka’ cloth seats, the BMW i3 makes PETA’s ‘good’ list, but the leather-free M Performance steering wheel contains wool. However, BMW scores points for its use of recycled materials in making the interior.

Fisker eMotion

Fisker unveiled the eMotion at CES 2018, with the Tesla rival promising a range of more than 400 miles, a 160mph top speed and a vegan-friendly interior option. Indeed, the company claims that the Fisker Karma was the first electric vehicle to offer such an option. “When I started Fisker in 2007, my goal was to create the first truly environmental friendly exciting car company. We did many ‘first innovations’, such as the first full length curved solar roof, the first vegan interior option, the first reclaimed interior wood and many more,” said CEO and chairman Henrik Fisker.

Honda Insight

The Honda Insight was the first petrol-electric hybrid to be sold in the UK, beating the Toyota Prius to market by a few weeks. Power was sourced from a three-cylinder 1.0-litre VTEC engine combined with an Integrated Motor Assist (IMA), and as much as 83.1mpg could be achieved on a combined cycle. Its Tomorrow’s World looks were too much for many buyers while the absence of rear seats didn’t exactly help sales.

Toyota Prius

Toyota is credited with popularising the idea of a hybrid vehicle, with Prius becoming a brand generic for the green car. It soon became the darling of greenwashed Hollywood celebrities, while real-world owners appreciated the 57.6mpg and 114g/km CO2 emissions. By the time the Prius arrived in the UK in October 2000, more than 40,000 units had been sold globally.

Tesla

PETA is a Tesla shareholder, which gives it a right to ask questions at the company’s annual meetings. According to the vegan charity, turning animal skins into leather requires 130 different chemicals and exposes people who work in tanneries to these toxins. Leather production also uses up to 15,000 gallons of water per ton of hides. The company stopped offering leather seats in 2017, while vegan-friendly steering wheels are available as an option.

Honda My Earth Dream

In 2007, Honda launched its My Earth Dream campaign with the start of the ‘Earth Dreams’ engine programme. The F1 car wasn’t great – even Honda called the results “patchy – but it was a unique way of promoting environmental consciousness. The RA107 F1 was coated in a large image of the Earth, with sponsors sold a ‘dream’ of being associated with an environmentally friendly approach. Hmmm.

NanoFlowcell

NanoFlowcell has completed 350,000km (217,000 miles) of testing in the Quantino 48Volt flowcell car, saying that the powertrain ran with “absolutely no problems” throughout the duration of the test. Although it’s not designed to be a production vehicle, the Quantino 48Volt demonstrates what could be achieved using flowcell technology, which uses two tanks of external electrolytes pumped over stationary electrodes. The actual range is dependent on the size of the tanks, rather than the size of the device under the bonnet.

Solar Team Eindhoven

“We believe in a future in which life is powered by the sun,” says the team at Solar Team Eindhoven. Since 2012, students at the Eindhoven University of Technology have been working on a series of solar cars, including Stella: the world’s first solar-powered four-seater. Crucially, they have shown that it is possible to charge the battery while driving, creating “little power plants on wheels”.

Bio-Bug

In 2010, Geneco decided to explore the potential of powering a vehicle using poo. The company teamed up with Wessex Water to create the Bio-Bug: “the UK’s first VW Beetle powered by human waste”. After a successful – and no doubt smelly – trial, the team moved on to create the Bio-Bus: the first bus in the UK to be powered by gas derived from food, sewage and commercial liquid waste. The bus travelled 300km on a full tank of gas – an amount of fuel produced by the annual food and sewage waste of just five passengers.

BMW Hydrogen 7

The likes of Toyota, Honda and Hyundai are running with hydrogen technology, but BMW got there first. The Hydrogen 7 was based on the 760Li and just 100 cars were built, each one leased to the great and the good in exchange for publicity. Interestingly, rather than getting its energy from fuel cells, the BMW burned hydrogen to power the 6.0-litre V12 engine.

Honda FCX Clarity

The Honda FCX Clarity was the world’s first production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, but only 200 were built and they were available for lease in the U.S. The latest version (pictured) offers 385 miles of range and takes just three minutes to fill up. We just need the hydrogen network to catch up.

Duke Electric Vehicles Maxwell

The hydrogen-powered Maxwell was created by a team at Duke University for use in the Shell Eco-marathon. In 2018, it set a Guinness World Record for the most fuel-efficient prototype vehicle when it achieved 14,573mpg in Benson, North Carolina.

Volvo Amazon

Earth Month isn’t simply about saving the planet for future generations – it’s making the world a better and safer place for people in the here and now. Which is where Volvo comes in. Its Vision 2020 says that “by 2020 no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car”, and it recently announced that it is making its safety knowledge available to all. In 1959, Volvo became the first manufacturer to equip its cars with safety belts as standard.

BYD F3DM

In 2009, BYD (Build Your Dreams) launched the world’s first plug-in hybrid. The F3DM was available in the Chinese company’s home market and had an all-electric range of 37 miles and a total petrol-electric range of 300 miles. It wasn’t a big seller, but the Chinese government incentivised sales with subsidies of 50,000 Yuan, while the city of Shenzhen added a further 30,000 Yuan.

Volkswagen XL1

The Volkswagen XL1 was launched as a Super Efficient Vehicle (SEV). Unveiled at the 2011 Qatar Motor Show, the XL1 featured an 800cc two-cylinder diesel engine mated to an electric motor to produce a modest 75hp. But because the car weighed just 795kg, it was reasonably quick and very economical. Up to 313mpg was available on a combined cycle, along with an all-electric range of 50km (31 miles).

General Motors EV1

If you’ve watched the documentary called Who Killed the Electric Car? you’ll know that the GM EV1 was a pioneering electric vehicle and one giant missed opportunity. This was the world’s first mass-produced and purpose-built electric car, with GM leasing it to customers in California and Arizona. Sadly, for reasons that will become clear if you watch the documentary, GM pulled the plug on the project and destroyed most of the cars.

Chevrolet Volt/Vauxhall Ampera

Another product of General Motors that was both ahead of its time and pulled from sale too soon. The Chevrolet Volt – also sold as the Vauxhall/Opel Ampera – was neither a traditional hybrid or a fully electric vehicle. Instead, it used a 1.4-litre petrol engine to keep the batteries topped up, with drive handled by the electric motor.