The New York International Auto Show is home to some of the biggest US-market unveilings, as well as a chance to see some recently revealed European models in the flesh for the first time.  Held in one of the world’s most vibrant cities, the event always features some interesting new launches, and some outlandish concepts. We were on the ground to see everything first-hand: New York 2019: Full show report If chatter at this year’s New York motor show is anything to go by, the US vehicle market is holding strong, seemingly less affected by global headwinds than European brands. US vehicle sales are predicted to fall this year – they were down 2.5% in the first quarter, but still won’t fall much below the 17 million mark. America’s all-time record sales year was 2016 when 17.55m vehicles were sold. By most accounts, the US market is in rude health. Where saloons (or ‘sedans’ if you’re American) used to reign supreme, the US has fallen victim to SUVs as much as the rest of the world. Around 70% of auto sales are now SUVs or trucks. No surprise then that the show’s truck hall was full to the brim with monstrous trucks, while there were far more SUVs than saloons on manufacturer stands. Stand-out cars? The Kia HabaNiro concept, hinting at the next Niro due in 2021, got plenty of attention thanks to its butterfly wing doors and funky looks. Alongside it was a bright orange Stinger GTS. It’s a special edition, limited to 800 units, for the US only. It wouldn’t be that interesting if it weren’t for its new drift mode, a feature which we expect to see on an updated Stinger for Europe in a couple of years… Those might have been the new reveals for Kia, but it’s still pushing its Telluride large SUV hard as it endeavours to establish itself as a credible SUV brand. The Korean maker is best known for its sedans in the US such as the Forte and Optima. US COO Michael says: “We have a stronger reputation as sedan brand but we’re repositioning ourselves as an SUV brand. Telluride is where we see a real opportunity. We need to build a capable SUV reputation and we’ve made a great start with Telluride which is exceeding expectations.” Another popular car, based on stand footfall, was the Genesis Mint Concept. Refreshingly not an SUV, the premium city car could make production in the next three to four years, reckons brand boss Manfred Fitzgerald. He said: “I believe that there is a white spot on the map (for a car like this) that nobody is really catering to and it’s something we should really take a stab at.” Genesis, which only established itself as a standalone brand from Hyundai in 2015, sees New York as a “second home”, having just opened a dealership and brand centre in the city. There’s also word the brand is planning to launch in Europe next year. There’s potential there, but it’ll need to nail a tricky market far better than rival Infiniti, which recently pulled out of the region… Back to better-known brands. Mercedes chose this week’s Shanghai motor show to reveal its GLB, which should quickly become a big seller. But there was still plenty of new metal saved for New York including the updated GLC63 plus the all-new CLA 35. The big reveal was the new GLS. It only accounts for one per cent of Mercedes sales in the UK, but in the US it’s a different story. It’s the segment leader here. Merc RD boss Andreas Zygan said the car’s focus was even more comfort and luxury for rear passengers than its predecessor, and said a Maybach version could be on the cards. Another reveal fitting for New York was the 911 Speedster. The original 356 Speedster, which remains the inspiration for all Speedsters since, was created at the request of New York dealer Max Hoffman – the sole importer for Porsche in the US at the time – who wanted a ‘stripped-down’ version of the 356 to sell on the West Coast. The new machines uses the same 4.0-litre flat six as the current 911 GT3 but is heavily modified with revised exhaust, fuel and injection systems. GT division boss Andreas Preuninger told us we’d see the engine elsewhere: “We’ve invested in the future with this engine. “Our philosophy in GT cars is to stay naturally aspirated. We want to keep that engine for the future and that’s why we’ve made such a tremendous effort to get the engine right without taking emotion and performance away from the customer.” Hyundai’s premium brand is showcasing the Genesis Mint, a quirky electric car with a range of around 200 miles. It’s designed to show how luxury transport might work in cities in the future, and hint at the future design direction of Genesis – a brand that is set to be introduced into the UK. Hyundai Sonata The 2020 Sonata, Hyundai’s answer to the Toyota Camry, is making its public debut in New York.  The mid-sized saloon is due in US dealerships later this year, with a raft of new interior technology and bold new styling. The Sonata is the first model to sit atop Hyundai’s new N3
Origin: 2019 New York motor show: full report and all the new cars