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The eyes of the automobile world will be on Los Angeles this week as the LA Auto Show hosts a motoring extravaganza to officially kick off the 2019 season.
From Sunday until December 9, there will be more than 15 premieres, many of them world debuts, as well as a fascinating showcase of the latest technology both inside and outside the car.
In total, there will be more than 1,000 cars on display in four exhibit halls; test drives of 100 of the latest models; and the newest in customised, tuner and aftermarket cars and trucks in The Garage.
It’s the new models that have punters most excited, though.
The 992 version of the Porsche 911, a model that has been around since 1964, will finally be seen after plenty of prototype photos circulated around of the world, showing the car in disguised, and, later, almost completely undisguised, form. The many photos were, perhaps, to prevent shocking the world, because when the wraps come off, it will look almost the same as the outgoing 911, with minor tweaks to the front and rear fascias.
The first models to go on sale in summer of 2019 will be the C2S and 4S coupe, equipped with optional eight-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmissions. A seven-speed manual will still be available.
Shots of the upcoming Mazda 3 surfaced recently, which appear to show that the new car will closely resemble the Kai concept car seen at last year’s Tokyo show. Adopting Mazda’s Kodo design language, the forthcoming Mazda 3 hatchback and sedan are set to receive Mazda’s new Skyactiv-X engine that uses both the gas engine’s traditional spark ignition and diesel-like compression ignition cycles to deliver superior fuel economy, lower emissions and better power.
However, it’s at Jeep where the most eager eyes will be focussed. The long-awaited Jeep Gladiator pickup finally gets its moment in the sun, looking like a four-door Jeep Wrangler with a five-foot bed on the back. Coupled with Jeep’s legendary off-road ability, the Gladiator is the first Jeep pickup since the Comanche went out of production in 1992.
The engine will mirror those of the Wrangler, meaning the familiar 3.6-litre Pentastar V6, upgraded to 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque; or a new, turbocharged 2.0-litre direct-injection inline four that gets 270 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque.
Finally, on the more economical side of things, having pretty much started the hybrid segment with its Prius, Toyota is prepping for the debut of its 2019 iteration in the sunshine state with teaser shots showing lots of snow—suggesting an AWD Prius is ready for the delivery room.
Expect a front and rear facelift to go along with an updated interior featuring a bigger centre screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and new standard safety gear.
On the on-board technology side of things, BMW is expected to show a new version of its Vision iNext concept vehicle. The iNext, according to BMW, “marks the dawn of a new era in driving pleasure,” and is said to be the first time that innovations in automated driving, connectivity, electrification, and services have been fully-integrated in a single vehicle.
This latest iNext concept will be one step closer to a ‘technological flagship’ production vehicle, due to be produced in Germany starting in 2021.
Finally, Volvo has announced its unusual plan to attend an auto show without an automobile to show.
A car will not be centre stage at the Volvo stand; instead, where an impressively new car would typically stand, visitors will be introduced to the company with an art piece that states: “This Is Not A Car.”
Volvo is using this opportunity to share the company’s interpretation of the future of automobility, where they will talk about the concept of a car, rather than bringing a concept car.
Therefore, they will be bringing a collection of interactive demonstrations illustrating automobile connectivity services like in-car delivery, car sharing, and autonomous driving. Vehicles are no longer just a means of transportation, but also a source of services; Volvo has specifically partnered with tech giants such as Amazon, Google, and Nvidia as well as with tech startups like Luminar and Zenuity to expand its connectivity profile.
