The show floor at NYIAS was packed with head-turning designs both inside and out
The New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) is one of the largest auto shows in North America. Amid dozens of global and North American debuts, there are nearly 1,000 vehicles displayed on the show floor.
Canadian auto dealer was in the Big Apple for media days on March 23 and 24, 2016.
What’s the buzz?
The NYIAS is growing in importance with each passing year. This year, there were passion and excitement surrounding a gamut of vehicle debuts, which spanned everything from EVs and high-performance sports cars to trucks and ground-breaking concepts.
Kicking off the show was Carlos Ghosn, Chair and CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, one of the world’s largest automotive groups. In his morning keynote address, Ghosn covered all the buzzwords and hot topics including self-driving cars, autonomous technology, and electric vehicles.
What’s the theme at this year’s auto show?
The 2016 show focused on big, bold, and beautiful designs with serious power under the hood.
Nissan’s halo sports car, the 2017 GT-R, wowed crowds with its biggest facelift since debuting back in 2007. It’s a showstopper with gorgeous sleek lines, a more upscale interior, and extra power. The 3.8-litre V6 twin-turbocharged engine now delivers 565 horsepower and 467 lb-ft. of torque — that’s up 20 hp and 4 lb-ft. from its predecessor.
Actor Matthew McConaughey was on hand for one of the hottest unveilings at the NYIAS. Lincoln introduced its biggest, baddest, and boldest Navigator concept yet.
Like nothing before, this massive concept SUV gained a lot of attention thanks to its funky gullwing doors, three deployable steps to enter the cabin and seats as comfy as a La-Z Boy chair.
It also has a custom wardrobe system in the cargo area that lets you store everything from watches, suits, and sunglasses to shoes, binoculars, and wallets. A production version of the luxury 6-seater SUV will arrive in 2017.
What are the big trends?
Executive lounges with massive space and luxurious appointments for rear-seat passengers are a hot trend on the show floor. With the rise of autonomous cars and car-sharing services, there’s more focus on the passenger than the driver, especially those riding in the rear seats.
Volvo showed its new XC90 Excellence model, which takes executive lounging to a whole new level.
Instead of the usual seven seats, there are only four seats in this trim and that translates into extra legroom for passengers. The two sculpted rear seats recline and have a massage function for added comfort.
Extra amenities include a mini fridge, folding tray tables, heated and cooled cup holders, and Swedish crystal glasses.
For growing families, you can also opt for a rear-facing child seat instead of the front-passenger seat, which adds more space and an excellent view of your child. The Volvo XC90 Excellence model hits dealerships this summer.
What are the showstoppers?
Just in time for summer, several convertible debuts dominated the show. One of the hottest roadsters came from Mazda.
The Japanese automaker had its world debut of the 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF, which is short for Retractable Fastback. The two-seater looks stunning top-up or top-down. The retractable hard top roof opens and closes with the push of a button — it drops in about 12 seconds, even while driving at low speeds.
Audi’s high-performance 2017 R8 Spyder impressed onlookers not only with its bold bright yellow exterior colour, but also with its power plant — a 540 hp 5.2-litre V10 engine that launches this exotic beauty from 0-100 km/h in only 3.6 seconds.
Another world debut was the powerful 2017 Mercedes-AMG C63 and C63 S cabriolet — a four-seater convertible with serious power, too. Both the C63 and C63 S have a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine. The standard C63 delivers 469 hp and 479 lb-ft. of torque, while the S variant gets a hefty 503 hp and 516 lb-ft. of torque.
But it wasn’t all about convertibles — even trucks were in the spotlight at the show, even though they’re rarely seen on the streets of NYC.
Nissan unveiled its newest member of the Titan truck family: the Titan Crew Cab. The half-ton pickup is powered by a 5.6-litre V8 gas engine. The Crew Cab model goes on sale this summer followed by Single and King Cab variants later in the model year.
Concept cars always make a splash.
Genesis, Hyundai’s new luxury brand, unveiled a gorgeous sports sedan appropriately dubbed the New York Concept. It hints at the future of the brand’s design direction. The concept is a hybrid powered by a 2.0-litre gas engine with electric motors that’s coupled to an eight speed automatic transmission.
