There was so much to see at this year’s AutomobilityLA that even though all press conferences were held on Wednesday, it was necessary to return in order to see what couldn’t be taken in during that very busy first day. There was also the opportunity to talk with people and discover more about recently introduced vehicles.
Porsche rolled out its new Formula E racer, even as Andre Lotterer was in the midst of taking the car to its first 2nd-place podium in its first race, held at Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. BMW also brought out its Formula E electric race car and promptly won the second contest of the season with Alexander Sims at the wheel. So yes, there were plenty of racing cars to see, including Alfa-Romeo’s Formula One car, replete with front wings that reminded many of Honda’s initial INDYCAR aero kit configuration.
In addition to showing off show cars of its NASCAR Cup and Xfinity championship cars, Toyota brought out the [Gazoo Racing] GR Supra GT4 concept, indicating the direction of its sports car competition. Hyundai placed a Veloster N on its stand and indicated its pleasure with earning a championship in its second year of TCR competition with Bryan Herta Autosport. Hyundai also showed off its Vision concept car, which alludes to upcoming styling cues for road-going vehicles from the South Korean manufacturer.
Porsche’s long-awaited Taycan 4S had its introduction at this show and is expected to offer more than 500 horsepower from its electric motors and battery propulsion. It’s also intended to offer as much as 400 miles in range between battery recharges and is kitted out in superb Porsche fashion, including a static, heat-resistant full moonroof.
Nissan celebrated the 50th anniversary of its GT-R coupe, which has only been in the US market for a few years, while introducing a new Sentra sedan that looks a million times better than the old one. MINI acknowledged past and present pocket rockets, showing a vintage MINI and the brand new John Cooper Works GP which will not be offered with a manual transmission (boo).
Dodge paid homage to the 50th anniversary of its Challenger coupe by having many of its collection on-hand Wednesday morning, including some cars from local owners. With a monsoon effect of heavy rain, one wonders the logistics of getting these cars back to their homes in one piece. Inside the convention center were other Challenger displays and FCA heralded the sales of 15 million minivans by showcasing the Chrysler Pacific Red S edition to celebrate the milestone, available in both gas and hybrid versions.
In the Chevrolet booth there was plenty to see, including eye candy of the 2020 Corvette. The Bowling Green team brought out the new-to-market power retractable hardtop for the midship-engined Corvette and allowed media members to look but not touch. Chevy also introduced a new Trailblazer and a new 6.6L Duramax diesel engine that will pull 30,000 pounds! To show just how big this engine is, we also photographed Chevy’s Duramax 2.8 turbodiesel.
Mazda’s handsome new CX-30 slots between the CX-3 and CX-5 (CX-4 name was already taken). Starting at $21,900, the CX-30 offers 33mpg over the road and an impressive 186 horsepower and similar torque readings. There are four trim levels, with the most expensive still under $30 large. Mazda also showed off its TCR racer and brought all three winner’s trophies earned by its IMSA DPi prototype.
Kia, after saluting Los Angeles-based broadcaster and all-around good guy Art Gould who recently passed, introduced its new Seltos crossover, an entry-level machine blending ruggedness and refinement. This machine slots in between the Soul and Sportage, and has a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an available all-wheel-drive system. There are five trim levels and Seltos is also offered in an even more rugged X-Line version.
The world premiere of Lexus’ LC convertible required a spittoon for this gorgeous droptop. The LC convertible gives upscale Lexus buyers a good excuse to drop the top. Its interior is every bit as luxurious as the outside of the car; it’s perfect for lunch in Beverly Hills or in Malibu, especially with the ocean breezes.
By Anne Proffit
