The 2019 International Auto Show, better known as the Detroit Auto Show is underway! Although some heavy-hitters are missing this year (Audi, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Jaguar, Land Rover) there were still plenty of electric surprises and horsepower for motorheads to drool over.
However, one of the biggest surprises for the auto show is that the annual event will be trading it's brutally cold winter date for a summer schedule starting in 2020. No more test driving convertibles in freezing weather conditions! According to the Detroit Free Press, the show is leaving the Cobo Center and taking on a festival-like format “with vehicle debuts, concerts, splashy displays and food trucks stretching along Detroit's riverfront and into the city's downtown.”
Until then, the 2019 auto show still brought the heat this January with an impressive lineup of cars and SUVs from big name automobile manufactures. From futuristic electric cars to powerful revamps to popular older models like the 2020 GR Supra, here's our favorite fast & futuristic cars at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show.
Toyota GR Supra
Nostalgia sells, and Toyota knows it. The Japanese automobile manufacturer wowed fans at Detroit Auto Show this year with the announcement of the return of the popular Supra model. Releasing next year, after being shelved for more than two decades, the 2020 GR Supra is a sight for sore eyes.
The model will be available in 3.0 and 3.0 Premium grades, both powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine that cranks out 335 hp and 365 lb-ft of torque. The car also has an 8-speed automatic transmission with racing-style paddle shifters.
The 2020 GR Supra will start at $49,990 alongside a launch edition with an initial price of $55,250. Also, prior to the general release, Toyota is unleashing a limited run of 1,500 production Supras in the U.S. Will you be copping?
Nissan IMs
If you thought these self-parking slippers were dope, Nissan unveils its new luxury IMs electric car. While the Japanese automobile manufacturer already sells the relatively popular Leaf model, they aim to challenge Tesla with the more premium IMs concept.
The electric car features dual front and rear electric motors as well as a fast charging 115 kWh battery that generates 483 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. It will also be able to travel an estimated 380 miles on a single charge and include autonomous driving, according to Nissan.
2020 Ford Shelby GT500
While most of the bigger highlights at NAIAS are electric cars, Ford is taking a trip to the past to bring back their popular Shelby GT500. The famous ride from the film Gone in Sixty Seconds is getting a full revamp under the hood. The GT500 will be equipped with a supercharged version of the GT350's 5.2-liter V8 producing over 700 horsepower, making it the most powerful automobile Ford has ever created. American muscle at its finest.
On the outside, GT500 gets a few tweaks to the hood, rear fascia and grille. The 2020 Ford Shelby GT500 goes on sale this fall.
Infiniti QX Inspiration Concept
Infiniti looks to jump into the electric car game with the tease of its QX Inspiration concept.
“The QX Inspiration marks the beginning of a new generation of Infiniti cars and establishes a direct blueprint for the brand’s first electric vehicle,” says Christian Meunier, President, Infiniti.
Infiniti crafted the concept’s interior using patterns and surfaces gleaned from the company’s Japanese heritage. Its roofline, for example, is lined with Japanese Red Cedar slats reminiscent of the timber louvers used in Japanese architecture. Its exterior liquid white pearlescent paint was inspired by winter snows on the flanks of Japan’s Mount Fuji.
For now the Infiniti QX Inspiration stands as a concept to show off the brands next-generation forward thinking intentions. We hope to see more future innovative builds from Infiniti to hit production in the coming years.
Lexus LC convertible
It’s Lexus’ 30th anniversary at the Detroit auto show as well as the three-year anniversary of the launch of their LC coupe. To help celebrate the milestone, the luxury automobile company unveiled the new Lexus LC convertible. For now it's being labeled as a concept, but there will be no surprise if model goes into production sooner than later. Though no details have been confirmed, we assume the convertible will have the same powertrain offerings as the coupe: an LC 500 model with 5.0-liter V8 good for 471 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque.
Sitting on 22-inch rims, the model matches the elegant design of the standard Lexus LC coupe with its massive grille. On the interior, four seats are finished in white leather and is equipped with an asymmetrical dashboard design.
"This concept takes the unmistakable design of the LC coupe and reimagines it as a future convertible," said Tadao Mori, the concept's chief designer, in a statement. "It blends all the best aspects of the original coupe with the dynamic design of an open-air convertible."
2020 Subaru WRX STI S209
Subaru is launching one of its hardcore S models outside of Japan for the first time with the WRX STI S209. Though it has the same 2.5-liter engine as the stock model, the S209 is equipped with impressive power thanks to the new, high-spinning turbocharger and strengthen pistons and connecting rods. The new model will have an impressive 341 horsepower.
The car will also feature new front and rear limited-slip differentials, a driver-controlled center differential, Bilstein dampers, a carbon-fiber roof panels, a thick new rear stabilizer bar and several other enhancements.
Get your order in ASAP, because the S209 will only 200 models released in the U.S. this year.
In other news, BAPE wraps the Suzuki Jimny in its iconic camouflage.
