As one of the last major shows of the season, the 2017 New York International Auto Show sent the year out with a bang. High-powered performance vehicles took center stage at the Javits Center, with only little talk of hybrids or electrics.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles led the performance charge with the highly anticipated launch of two vehicles powered by its Hellcat Hemi. The big dog is the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, an 840-horsepower drag strip-ready road car that FCA shamelessly pre-hyped through a series of teaser images and videos for what seemed like forever. Jeep unveiled the 707-horsepower 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, featuring the first application of the supercharged Hemi V8 outside the Dodge brand.
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Not to be outdone, the Mercedes-AMG sub-brand showcased its new AMG GLC63, GLC63 Coupe and GLC63 S Coupe models. The S model boasts a 503-horsepower twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, while the others eke by with a 469-horsepower version of the same engine. Rounding out its high-performance slate were the North American debuts of the AMG GT Concept sedan and the AMG E63 S Wagon.
Nissan showed a circuit-ready version of its halo car in the form of the 2018 Nissan GT-R Track Edition, which uses Nismo suspension bits to further sharpen its handling. The newly formed Audi Sport brought a pair of North American debuts in the high-performance 2018 RS3 and 2018 TT RS.
SUVs on tap
An all-new and long overdue Lincoln Navigator made its debut in New York, a couple months after the new 2018 Ford Expedition was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show. Moving down the food chain to crossovers, Buick showcased its redesigned Enclave sporting its new upscale Avenir trim, while Subaru unveiled the U.S. version of what we know as the Crosstrek. Infiniti took the wraps off a sleek new Monograph Concept version of its range-topping QX80 SUV.
Volvo and Land Rover chose New York for their respective North American debuts of the redesigned XC60 SUV and the first-ever Range Rover Velar, which is slotted between the entry-level Evoque and Range Rover Sport models. Toyota’s FT-4X Concept off-roader was among the more compelling concept cars at the show, while mid-cycle refreshes of the Sienna minivan and Yaris subcompact promise more immediate returns. Volkswagen showed off the facelifted Golf family.
Sedans set for spotlight
Though crossovers and SUVs are hot, several brands featured new sedans like the revamped Hyundai Sonata and facelifted Acura TLX. Buick is taking a slightly different tack with its retooled Regal line-up, which moves from a traditional 3-box design to a 4-door liftback and wagon. Lexus showed its new flagship LS sedan, this time in high-performance LS F guise. North American debuts in the traditional car category also included Infiniti’s Q50 sedan facelift and the all-new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabrio. Other North American debuts first unveiled last month in Geneva include the Honda Civic Type R, Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo, Panamera Turbo SE Hybrid and 911 GT3, as well as Jaguar’s freshened F-Type lineup.
Aside from its hot Civic Type R, Honda claimed one of the few EV and hybrid launches of the show when it took the wraps off its Clarity EV and Plug-in Hybrid models.
