The Big Reveal
This year’s L.A. Auto Show boasts more than 20 world and 30 North American debuts — from super-efficient green concept cars to over-the-top luxury rides. We took a look at a few of the most exciting of these dashing debutantes.
BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GTC (North American debut)
No auto show is complete without Bentley, the esteemed British ultraluxury automaker that has been a fixture in the driveways of the rich and famous for 90 years. The second-generation Bentley Continental GTC finds almost every aspect of this sensuous W12-engined convertible improved. Seamless aluminum front wings lend the exterior a more modern, muscular aura, while deep-pile carpets and wood veneers live up to the Bentley nameplate — and help justify the GTC’s $212,800 starting MSRP.
BMW i3 CONCEPT (North American debut)
BMW i is the German manufacturer’s new sub-brand devoted to sustainable low-emission vehicles. Due as a production model in late 2013, the truly futuristic i3 Concept is an all-electric compact four-door. Extensive use of aluminum and carbon fiber keeps the i3’s weight down (thereby boosting its range), while going a long way toward BMW’s stated aim of making it 100% recyclable — right down to the batteries.
CADILLAC XTS (world debut)
Cadillac’s XTS sedan takes luxury driving into the here and now with a V-6 plug-in hybrid powerplant and the company’s intuitive CUE infotainment system. Based on the XTS Platinum concept unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last year, it is set to begin production in Canada early next year as a 2013 model. The XTS marries aggressive performance (the concept offered an estimated 350 horsepower) with cutting-edge technology.
CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 CONVERTIBLE (world debut)
Sunny SoCal makes a perfect setting for Chevrolet’s unveiling of its most powerful convertible to date: the 580-horsepower Camaro ZL1. Chevy engineers apparently went to great lengths, including incorporating an array of braces and reinforcements, to ensure that the soft-top ZL1 will harness its 556 pound-feet of torque just as ably as its sister coupe.
CHEVROLET SPARK (world debut)
Another Chevrolet global debut at this year’s L.A. show is its 2013 subcompact Spark. GM claims to have sold more than 270,000 of these tiny (143 inches long) yet ingeniously roomy four-door hatchbacks overseas since it was introduced last year. Developed in South Korea, the Spark will be the smallest GM car offered in America and should be super-affordable to own.
FORD ESCAPE (world debut)
The all-new 2013 Ford Escape crossover reflects a trend among automakers of squeezing maximum performance and efficiency (plus lower emissions) from four-cylinder gasoline engines. There will be no hybrid in the new Escape lineup, yet the 2013’s turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine is expected to improve upon the outgoing hybrid’s 31 mpg highway. The six-cylinder Escape will be dropped too, but the new model’s two-liter EcoBoost option promises to outperform it with just four.
MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG ROADSTER (North American debut)
While this new convertible lacks the signature gull-wing doors of its sister SLS Coupe, it will still fly. With the same 563-horsepower V-8 under the hood and great attention to keeping its bodyshell weight down (it weighs only five pounds more than the coupe) and structure stiff, the SLS AMG Roadster should slingshot from a standstill to 60 mph in under four seconds and nudge 200 mph flat-out.
VOLVO CONCEPT YOU (North American debut)
Though now Chinese-owned, Swedish automaker Volvo drew upon classically Scandinavian design cues — simple elegance among them — for its head-turning Concept You. This large luxury sedan manages a coupe-like silhouette that echoes Volvo’s PV544 and Amazon models of 50 years ago, while speaking clearly of the future. The “You” name implies a philosophy of building a car around its occupants, as illustrated by the replacement of knobs and switches with touchscreen controls.
— Paul Rogers, Custom Publishing Writer
