New York Auto Show 2019 news: Mercedes-Benz GLS, Porsche 911 Speedster and more

The New York International Auto Show opens its doors to the public tomorrow, but carmakers are already starting to take the covers off their latest models.

Commonly referred to as the New York Motor Show in the UK, the event focuses on new models and concepts from manufacturers based in North America but also attracts companies from Europe and Japan.

Here are the are the biggest announcements so far at the US show, which runs until 28 April:

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Chevrolet Corvette C8

Carmakers are starting a new trend of posting official “spy shots” of their latest models in a bid to get a leg-up on the motoring world’s paparazzi. Now Chevrolet has jumped on the bandwagon, as the US carmaker has shared the first batch of spy shots of its new Corvette C8.

The images confirm earlier rumours that the company’s iconic sports car has morphed from a front-engined grand tourer to a supercar-esque mid-engined design.

Chevrolet hopes the mid-engined layout will help it set even faster times around a racing track, as the design aids “weight distribution and aerodynamics”, says Autocar.

While the carmaker has yet to confirm the performance specs of its new supercar. However, US-based motoring magazine Road & Track claims that the Corvette C8 will be powered by a 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 and should produce around 493bhp.

All will be revealed when the covers come off in New York in the coming days.

Genesis Mint concept

Korean motoring giant Hyundai has gone big at the New York show. The firm has announced its US-only Sonata saloon and Venue crossover at the event, but it is the Mint concept that’s arguably the most intriguing.

Launched under the company’s luxury arm Genesis, the Mint concept is an electric two-door city car promising 200 miles of range and a futuristic interior featuring seven small displays, Autocar reports.

It’s not yet known whether the car will make it to production. If it does, it would be an “unusual” move for Genesis given that its product portfolio consists entirely of luxury saloons and SUVs, the motoring magazine says.

However, Genesis boss Manfred Fitzgerald told the magazine last year that the brand is looking to expands its product lineup to appeal to markets outside Asia and the US.

Mercedes-AMG A35 Saloon

Following the launch of the Mercedes-AMG A35 hatchback at the end of 2018, the German marque has announced that a saloon version of its entry-level performance car will be on show in New York.

Like the hatchback, the AMG A35 Saloon is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 302bhp, says CarBuyer. Power is sent to all-four wheels through a seven-speed automatic gearbox, launching the saloon from 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds - only 0.1 seconds shy of the hatchback’s time.

Orders are set to open in the summer, with prices starting at £36,500.

Mercedes-Benz GLS

Mercedes-Benz has taken the covers off its all-new GLS SUV – the carmaker’s answer to the BMW X7 and Audi Q7.

The GLS is 77mm longer and 22mm wider than the outgoing model, says Top Gear of a car that “already dwarfed some railway carriages.” The wheel base is 66mm longer than the old car, too, meaning all seven occupants will “remain comfortable as you tour around for hours searching for a parking space big enough to swallow your mega-Merc.”

Despite its luxury appearance, Mercedes claims that the GLS is a true off-roader. For instance, the car features a complex active suspension system that keeps the car level on bumpy surfaces and can “jiggle” the vehicle free if it gets beached, the website says.

Mercedes has yet to announce pricing for the GLS. But judging by the old model’s price tag, the new car could cost in excess of £75,000.

Nissan GT-R and 370Z 50th anniversary editions

Nissan has announced a pair of special-edition sports cars at the New York show, as the company celebrates two 50-year anniversaries.

The first is a special 370Z that “pays homage” to the original 240Z that appeared in New York five decades ago, says Motor1. The car features the iconic red and white colour scheme that adorned Nissan’s racing cars during the middle of the 20th century.

Next is a limited-run GT-R, which sports a “bright shade of blue” that mimics the GT-R touring cars of the 1990s, the motoring site adds. It also gains upgraded turbochargers, improving engine efficiency by around 5%.

There’s no word on pricing for the anniversary-edition cars, but expect them to carry a small premium over existing 370Z and GT-R models.

Porsche Cayenne Coupe

Porsche’s new Cayenne Coupe SUV is making its public debut at the US show a month after being unveiled to the press during a private event.

Although the car shares its underpinnings and powertrains with the standard Cayenne, the coupe is completely new from the A-pillar, the section of bodywork either side of the windscreen, to the back of the car, says Evo.

The roof is 20mm lower than the base car and the rear is 18mm wider, while a small spoiler extends from the roofline, and an electronically-controlled wing sits below the rear window.

Prices kick off at £62,129, while range-topping Turbo models come in at £104,729.

Porsche 911 Speedster

Porsche has given fans a quick look at its new, limited-edition 911 Speedster ahead of the car’s grand unveiling in New York later this week.

The drop-top sports car is based on the 991-generation 911 GT3, instead of the new 992 version, and features a design that calls to mind the iconic 356 Speedster from the late 1950s.

The new Speedster features a “lower” and “shallower” windscreen than the GT3 it’s based on, while the wider rear-wheel arches are derived from the company’s Carrera 4 Cabriolet, says Auto Express. It also comes with the Speedster’s signature “double-bubble” deck, which sits over the area that would normally feature the rear seats.

You’ll need to be quick to get your hands on one, though. Only 1,948 examples are due to reach production, a number chosen to mark the company’s 70-year anniversary in 2018.

Toyota Yaris

After unveiling the car’s new design in the run-up to the motor show, Toyota’s new Yaris appeared in the metal for the first time in New York.

The hatchback is “little more than a re-badged and re-bumpered version of the Mazda 2 supermini”, says Auto Express. Only the badge and more angular front-end are what distinguish the new Yaris from the Mazda it’s based on.

Even the interior is similar, as the Toyota’s cabin is identical to the Mazda’s aside from the steering wheel design, the motoring magazine says. The Yaris, therefore, will probably adopt the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that powers the Mazda 2.

However, the new Yaris will not be making its way to Europe and will instead be a US-only model.