Automakers to show big, luxurious SUVs at New York auto show
Big, powerful and luxurious SUVs ranging from the Lincoln Navigator to the Land Rover Range Rover Velar are ready to stampede into the Big Apple this week as the New York International Auto Show kicks off.
But while the big guys are throwing around their weight, there also will be some mainstream sedans and some oddballs.
They will include an updated version of the Hyundai Sonata, new hybrid and electric members of Honda's Clarity lineup and, for the extremists, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon — a muscle car likely to have three times more horsepower than your average car.
The New York International Auto Show, which opens Wednesday, has always been known as the best place for luxury automakers to showcase because the Big Apple is the biggest market for luxury cars in the U.S.
That's why Ford's Lincoln brand and General Motors' Buick brand are expected to reveal their latest SUVs. Other luxury brands such as Acura, Jaguar Land Rover and Infiniti also will be vying for attention as they hold events at the show and at related events across the city.
Some of the hottest products that will debut include:
The first redesigned Lincoln Navigator in 10 years. It won't have those crazy gull-wing doors that were on last year's concept, but if the designers do their job it could be stunning.
A Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk with a Hellcat engine. This beast will have 707 horsepower.
The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. This one is for drag-racing enthusiasts. Dodge has pledged to unveil "the most powerful production car ever made."
An all-new Buick Enclave aimed at upper-middle-class families who want seating for seven.
The Ford Police Responder Hybrid, which is expected to be the first pursuit-rated hybrid police car.
Jaguar Land Rover Range Rover Velar, the brand's "most refined and capable" midsize SUV. Get out your wallets for this one. It will start at $49,000.
This is still the same auto industry that dialed back on excessive horsepower and big, bloated SUVs a decade ago. But today's auto industry has become bipolar in its quest to continue to serve Americans who have a seemingly endless appetite for big SUVs and is eager to make the highly profitable products to accommodate those tastes.
"The country has gone SUV crazy," said Ian Beavis, chief strategy officer for auto industry consulting firm AMCI. "You've gone from the sublime to the ridiculous."
Many of the models being shown this week in New York will fall at the high end of the price spectrum, exactly the kind of cars that buyers may shun if the economy takes a dive.
"Clearly the automakers feel like there is going to be a market for these over-the-top cars," said Karl Brauer, executive publisher at Cox Automotive. "There is more potential for downside than upside in the auto market right now."
Here is a closer look at what each automaker is planning to reveal:
Acura TLX sedan
Acura will buck the SUV trend when it unveils a "refreshed and significantly enhanced" TLX performance sedan.
Acura, which has been emphasizing performance and sporty looks in recent years, said the 2018 TLX will boast a more aggressive and alluring look inspired by the Acura Precision Concept that debuted at the North American International Auto Show in 2016. The TLX also will includes new premium features and technology.
Buick Enclave Avenir and the Regal
It's hard to overstate the importance of the Enclave to the Buick brand. Buick, known in the 1970s for big, luxury cars has morphed into an SUV brand and the Enclave, first introduced in 2008, is the SUV that started it all.
Buick will introduce its redesigned Enclave as an Avenir trim level. Avenir will at the top of the lineup and, for Buick, will be offered across the lineup like Denali is for the GMC brand.
New York also will be the public debut of the new Regal Sportback and Regal TourX, cars that Buick revealed in Detroit last Tuesday.
Ford Police Responder Hybrid Sedan
Adapted from a Ford Fusion, the Responder is the industry’s first pursuit-rated hybrid police car.
Ford, which has long dominated the police car market, said the Responder is expected to be the first hybrid sedan with full pursuit capabilities.
Honda Clarity hybrid and Clarity electric car
Honda has said it will unveil two Clarity family members in New York: A plug-in hybrid and a fully electric version. Those two will join the current fuel cell version already available in certain markets.
It's all part of Honda's plan to turn its Clarity nameplate into a sub-brand of alternative fuel cars — similar to the way Toyota has developed a family of Prius cars. The Honda Fuel Cell Clarity that went on sale in 2016 was the first member of the family.
Hyundai Sonata
Sales of midsize sedans are plummeting, but the Sonata remains a core pillar of Hyundai's lineup. Hyundai sold almost 200,000 Sonatas in 2016 even as sales fell 6%.
A version of the mid-cycle update of the 2018 Hyundai Sonata was unveiled last month in South Korea but will be tweaked for the U.S. Hyundai said the highlight of the new Sonata will be its "cascading grille" that will eventually be deployed be across all models.
Infiniti QX80 Monograph​
Infiniti said the QX80 Monograph is a new "design study exploring upscale luxury" and signals the brand's aim to further develop its standing in the full-size luxury SUV segment.
"QX80 Monograph shows our concept of luxury and style on the road, and is an exploration into how we could enhance our future Infiniti offering in the luxury SUV segment," Roland Krueger, president of Infiniti, said in a statement.
Jaguar Land Rover Range Rover Velar
Having had its global debut in Geneva, the Velar will now show up in New York. The name comes from the Latin word "velare," which means "to veil or cove," according to Land Rover. Land Rover's current models are the flagship Range Rover, Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Sport.
“We call the Velar the avant-garde Range Rover," Land Rover Chief Design Officer Gerry McGovern said in a statement. "It brings a new dimension of glamour, modernity and elegance to the brand. The Range Rover Velar changes everything.”
Jaguar F-Type update
Jaguar is expected to reveal a 4-cylinder engine with 296 horsepower for its F-Type sports car.
Lincoln Navigator
Lincoln has launched four new vehicles over the past four years. The folks at Ford won't say what they plan to show in New York even though there is widespread speculation that it will be the production version of the Lincoln Navigator.
Ford revealed a concept version of the Navigator last year in New York with "radial, directional turbine-themed," 24-inch wheels, mammoth gull-wing doors and an interior with nautical themes and horizontally ribbed seats. Don't bet on the gull-wing doors.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz will show an all-new Mercedes-AMG GT Concept sports car and high-powered performance versions of its midsize GLC SUV.
The GT Concept — a four-door sedan with a coupe-like design — is making its North American debut after being shown at the Geneva Motor Show.
Both the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 4MATIC+ and Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 4MATIC+ Coupé will be powered by a 4.0-liter, eight-cylinder engine, which Mercedes said will meet "the wishes of those customers who … are looking for a combination of superior power delivery along with a highly emotive, unmistakable engine sound."
The engine produces 510 horsepower in the 63 4MATIC+ and 476 horsepower in the coupe version.
Nissan GT-R Track Edition
Nissan won't be left behind in the horsepower game. The Japanese automaker will show the third model in the GT-R lineup, the Track Edition.
Designed to deliver a higher level of performance than the GT-R Premium, the Track Edition will get 565 horsepower and will have a starting price of $127,990. It will be available by late summer.
Subaru Crosstrek
Quirky Subaru said it will reveal an all-new 2018 Subaru Crosstrek SUV. Subaru said the 2018 Crosstrek will be more spacious and will feature a new interior and exterior design.
The Crosstrek also gets an updated version of Subaru's 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder Boxer engine that will generate 152 horsepower compared with 148 horsepower for the outgoing version.
Toyota FT-4X Concept it has already teased
Toyota said it will reveal the FT-4X concept in New York but provides scant hints about it.
A news release, titled "Four-wheeling, scene stealing," hints at what is likely to be an off-road-capable SUV.
Source:- http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2017/04/10/automakers-show-big-luxurious-suvs-new-york-auto-show/100141638/
