The extended Thanksgiving weekend is firmly upon us, and we could all indulge in a little automotive relaxation at the Los Angeles Auto Show – where every carmaker now has at least one EV model on display, among other cool things.
This week didn't abound in novelties across the US market – we have seen quirky stuff like the Fiat Topolino looking 'adorable' or cringe-worthy (depending on your POV) when dressed in Mickey Mouse liveries. The new Saleen 302 White Label Mustang GT comes with more power (510 hp) and better pricing than Ford's Dark Horse – and the company promises that hardcore Yellow Label and Black Label models will follow soon, packing 745 hp and 800 ponies, respectively.
Hyundai finally announced the impending availability of the 2024 Elantra N sporty sedan – which is slated to arrive across US dealerships in early 2024. However, the pricing is still unknown at the moment of press. Additionally, in Europe and Australia, there will be a refreshed Tucson looking almost identical to the current one from the outside but sporting a lot of changes inside. Oh, and China's latest electric super sedan, the awkwardly-named HiPhi A, developed in collaboration with Apollo Automobil, has 1,287 horsepower – enough to challenge both Tesla's Model S Plaid and the Lucid Air Sapphire.
Now, let's focus on the main novelties from the LA Auto Show because those might be attractive enough for an on-site visit. Opened to the public from November 17 and lasting through November 26, the classic California venue is closing the automotive fall season. The latter was quite busy with the inaugural edition of the Japan Mobility Show, Las Vegas' 2023 SEMA Show, the UAW strikes, and stuff like that. The quick rundown for the LA Auto Show includes Subaru's fully redesigned Forester compact crossover SUV – which is soon going Hybrid with electric bits from Toyota, the refreshed Kia Sorento that will co-exist with the current 2024 Kia Sorento Hybrid (!), the 2025 Lucid Gravity with up to 440 miles of EV range, as well as the 2025 Toyota Camry mid-size sedan and Crown Signia crossover SUV.
That was about it – and that might feel a little underwhelming for some. However, there are many other highlights from the participating automakers (Acura, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Genesis, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Lotus, Lucid, Nissan, Polestar, Porsche, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen). For example, many of them not only showcase their latest models but also organized driving and demo displays. For the first time in its history – and we are talking about the 116th edition here, every vehicle manufacturer had at least one EV present at the show.
Fans of exotics can also experiment with products from Galpin, Renovation Motorsports, the Kevin Hart Kollection, or The Aftermarket Garage. Plus, there's also an ultra-rare Pagani Huayra from Drive It Forward Foundation in the West Atrium. There were also notable concepts on display – the Kia EV3 and EV4, which are surely morphing into nearly identical production EVs; plus, there's also the surprise appearance of Honda's revived Prelude hybrid concept that already attracted huge crowds during the show's first days.
Speaking of the Kevin Hart Kollection, Downey's Dream Cars (a Max series) also came to the LA Auto Show, and Robert Downey Jr chose to publicly unveil for the first time the six collection cars he modified into environmentally-friendly vehicles. Ford debuted the Ford "Gamer Van" – a custom collaboration with Full Gaming Squad based on the Transit Trail and many other brands had interactive experiences alongside the Bronco Off-Roadeo Ride Experience: Subaru's National Parks Exhibit, Kia Connected Home, Toyota Sports Fair, Nissan Thrill Street, and Interactive Racing is also available for the Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, and VW brands.
The LA Auto Show takes place at its traditional location - the LA Convention Center, and the "automotive festival" also includes special hours for Thanksgiving Day. Now, what could be next for the ever-relentless automotive industry? Well, for sure, before the year runs its course, we should brace ourselves for a few more interesting reveals. Elon Musk and Co. will give the start as Tesla has a big event programmed for November 30 – the very first Cybertruck deliveries, and we have been waiting for this moment since 2019!
After that, we could easily see a few more arrivals from Toyota, for example. The Japanese automaker has offered a tidal wave of new model introductions this year – especially across the US market – in a bid to recapture the top sales spot from General Motors. If I were a betting man, which I'm not, maybe I would wager a Diet Coke on the potential arrival of the revived Toyota MR2 affordable sports car alongside the next-generation 4Runner off-road SUV. However, don't hold your hopes up too much – the carmaker hasn't kicked off any sort of teasing campaign on social media and is currently preoccupied with showing off evergreen best-sellers like the RAV4 or the upcoming N400 Tacoma mid-size pickup truck.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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