Two things are certain about the month of April – Easter and the New York International Auto Show – NYIAS. The latter just landed at the Jacob Javits Center in NYC. From April 19th to April 28th thousands will walk the hall, snap selfies and abandon practicality for some wish fulfillment. Every year the NYIAS has some overriding themes. 2019 sees eco-friendly concept cars and electric whips take center stage. We’ve curated the floor; here are the top rides you need to see at the 2019 New York Auto Show.
The Luxurious Racers
Nissan GTR
The Nissan GTR is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. So, Nissan brought out some of the past classic iterations. Including a blue skyline, that’s gotten quite a bit of press, yet, it’s this grey beast with ginger accents which has folks on the floor going crazy. It’s an “every day, every time, super sports car,” Nissan GT-R chief product specialist Hiroshi Tamura told journalists. “This GT-R brings the excitement and energy of the race track to the road.”
Lexus LC 500
Lexus brought a few racers to the show, among others, there was the Lexus LC 500 Inspiration. The Lexus LC 500 blends design and high performance with a refined driving experience. Among the changes for 2019 – a revised shift program for the 10-speed Direct-Shift automatic transmission. Yeah 10 speeds!
Infiniti
Infinity showcases a designer’s dream at this year’s show. This Infiniti has the coolest of LED grills out there and interior with floating console and suicide back doors – worthy of the Jetsons. We will just let the photos speak for themselves.
The Concepts
Volkswagen ID Buggy
The I.D. Buggy is the latest electric vehicle from Volkswagen. It’s designed to show off the capabilities of the company’s new battery-powered platform. The buggy can go from zero to 62 mph in 7.2 seconds, but the maximum speed is electronically limited to 99 mph. It has a 155-mile range on one charge. We just thought it’s a nice homage to the past, while also being forward looking.
Rivian
Amazon has entered the car making business. A chat with Rivian rep. revealed Amazon is a major investor. Rivian appeared at the 2018 LA Auto Show and finally touched down in NYC.
Rivian, is an electric vehicle manufacturer looking to reinvent the truck for the modern age. It features a wading depth of 1 meter, has a retractable roof and claims to have the most lockable storage of any pick up in the world. We however were jonesing on the LED grill and trunk in the front vehicle.
Genesis Mint
Hyundai’s luxury brand Genesis unveiled the Mint at this year’s show. This mini all-electric car has potential to rival the Mini Cooper. Features include side doors that slice straight up to open and a two-person bench seat that moves back automatically.
The Muscle
Karlmann King
The Karlmann King already made the rounds at the LA Auto Show in 2018. But now it hit the Big Apple. Passersby continually asked if that was the Batmobile. Could you blame them. If Batman had a jeep, this would be it. Maybe it’s the matte black, it likely the armored body work and dimensions. The Karlmann King is 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) wide and weighs no fewer than 6 tons (13,227 lbs.). Yet, its equal parts opulence with retractable widescreen TV, refrigerator, Nespresso machine and electrically operated pop-out tables.
Bugatti Chiron
One enthusiast in attendance summed it up best – the Bugatti is Germany throwing everything it has at a car – sparing no expense, no worries on what other people think, just straight up flexing its car making muscle. He’s right. The special 110th-anniversary-edition of the Chiron makes an appearance at the show. A two-tone blue paint scheme and French tricolor flag details inside and out, this Chiron is an incredibly special version of an already-special car.
BAC Mono
A wonder to look at, but not street legal? This is probably what you’re thinking. Not so in the case of the BAC Mono. A single-seat, 305-hp, open-cockpit car that weighs less than 1,300 pounds BAC can even mold the grips of the steering wheel and seat to a driver’s exact specs. So yes, it’s possible, affordable, that is another question, for another day!
Qiantu K50
When one thinks muscle, electric cars do not come to mind. Mullen’s Qiantu K50 is looking to change that. With a 402 total horsepower the Qiantu K50 can go to 60 mph in just over 4 seconds and top speed of 125 mph. Range is 230 miles. This ain’t mommy’s electric car.