At the 2012 New York International Auto Show, a healthier industry moved beyond the trauma of the last several years, rolling out an assortment of new production vehicles, concept cars, and even one flying car. Here are some highlights.
Acura NSX Concept
Acura actually unveiled its gorgeous NSX hybrid supercar concept three months ago in Detroit, but they had it on hand in New York, too, and we can’t resist showing it again.
Acura RLX
The RLX concept, which had its premiere yesterday in New York, wil be the basis of the production RLX sedan, which arrives next year.
2013 BMW X1
BMW calls its miniature crossover SUV an SAV — a sport activity vehicle. Already on sale elsewhere in the world, the X1 comes to the U.S. this fall.
2014 Chevy Impala
When it reaches the market next year, the completely redesigned Chevy Impala, which GM revealed yesterday, will be available with four- and six-cylinder engines, as well as the eAssist mild-hybrid system that GM launched with the Buick Lacrosse.
Dodge SRT Viper
Don’t call it a Dodge. The new Viper, the star of this year’s New York show, is losing the Dodge name, to be called SRT Viper instead. Like its predecessors, it will still be an obnoxiously powerful rear-wheel-drive sports car, with an 8.4-liter V10 that makes 640 horsepower. But word is that this Viper has finally moved beyond the cheap plasticy interior, switching to Ferrari seats and adding other high-end touches.
Dodge SRT Viper
Don’t call it a Dodge. The new Viper, the star of this year’s New York show, is losing the Dodge name, to be called SRT Viper instead. Like its predecessors, it will still be an obnoxiously powerful rear-wheel-drive sports car, with an 8.4-liter V10 that makes 640 horsepower. But word is that this Viper has finally moved beyond the cheap plasticy interior, switching to Ferrari seats and adding other high-end touches.
Fisker Karma
Fisker Automotive parked a few of its Karma plug-in hybrids on the show floor. They did not, however, bring the company’s next car — the Atlantic (nee Nina), a mid-size sedan revealed the night before at a party across town.
Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai’s five-passenger Santa Fe Sport arrives this summer, with a larger seven-passenger version to come next January.
Lincoln MKZ
The 2013 Lincoln MKZ — particularly the finally-perfected split-wing grille and the enormous retractable glass roof — attracted plenty of admiring gazes.
Mazda Takeri
Mazda announced yesterday that the attractive Takeri concept car will form the basis for the new 6 sedan, scheduled to arrive next year.
Mercedes GL
Mercedes unveiled the redesigned GL class, the automaker’s entry in the highly profitable gargantuan-SUV market.
Mercedes SL 65
Mercedes also revealed the long and vaguely evil-looking SL65 AMG. A few key stats pretty much say it all: Two seats, 12 cylinders, 738 pound-feet of torque.
Nissan Altima
Nissan unveiled a full redesign of its best-selling Altima. “I can’t think of two words that excite me less than ‘New Altima,'” a fellow show attendee said yesterday. Nonetheless, Nissan will probably sell hundreds of thousands of them, starting this summer.
Porsche Cayenne Diesel
The diesel version of Porsche’s money-printing Cayenne SUV, which arrives later this year, should get 28 mpg on the highway.
Terrafugia Transition
It’s now so obvious what every previous auto show has been missing: flying cars. At least one of them. Or, at least, a “street-legal airplane,” as Terrafugia Inc. calls the $279,000 Transition, which is scheduled to begin shipping within a year.