Rivian turned out to be a surprise star of this past week's 2018 LA Auto Show. The American electric car startup showed up with two production-bound vehicles: a crew cab pickup truck and related SUV with third-row seats. What's impressive is the no-nonsense nature of the vehicles and the world-beating specs, coupled with a very reasonable price tag. Assuming Rivian can keep its promise, the R1T pickup truck will be priced from $69,000 and the R1S SUV from $72,500. Both prices are before incentives.
2020 Porsche 911, 2018 LA Auto Show
Another undisputed star was Porsche and its redesigned 2020 911. Only the Carrera S and Carrera 4S trims were revealed but you can count on Porsche eventually adding close to two dozen all up. We also learned that the man responsible for the car's recent success would soon step down.
2020 Lincoln Aviator, 2018 LA Auto Show
We also were treated to the reveal of Lincoln's revived Aviator. The mid-size crossover SUV has been developed alongside a redesigned Ford Explorer that's also coming soon, and one of the powertrains is a plug-in hybrid setup boasting 450 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque.
2020 Jeep Gladiator, 2018 LA Auto Show
It wasn't a surprise but that doesn't mean it wasn't impressive to finally see the vehicle in the metal. We're talking about Jeep's newest pickup truck: the 2020 Gladiator. The vehicle is essentially a Wrangler pickup, but there's much more to it than just the addition of a bed. Few trucks will likely be as capable off the road.
2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro, 2018 LA Auto Show
Mercedes-AMG unveiled an updated version of its GT sports car, though you'll hardly notice the changes unless you're a die-hard fan. That's because most of the changes have taken place inside, with the car now boasting a digital dash and a new center console. It's also spawned a new GT R Pro model that will sit atop the range until the arrival of the Black Series in 2020.
Audi e-tron GT Concept, 2018 LA Auto Show
Audi in March confirmed plans for a high-performance electric sedan which it referred to as the e-tron Gran Turismo, or e-tron GT for short, and in LA this week we were treated with the reveal of a thinly veiled concept version. Production of the e-tron GT will be handled at the specialist Böllinger Höfe plant near Audi's main plant in Neckarsulm, Germany, starting in 2020. The site is where Audi builds the R8 supercar.
2020 Bentley Continental GT Convertible, 2018 LA Auto Show
Bentley's new coupe proved beauty can be addition by subtraction, specifically its roof. The Continental GT Convertible showed in LA and wowed with its tweed and speed from the British automaker.
2020 Hyundai Palisade, 2018 LA Auto Show
Hyundai's on-again, off-again relationship with crossovers not named "Santa Fe" is complicated. The 2020 Hyundai Palisade that just made its debut in LA is the new replacement for the Sante Fe XL. It's about 3 inches longer overall and more importantly adds 4 inches between the wheels for more space for its three rows of seats. Only one powertrain has been announced so far, in this case a 291-horsepower 3.8-liter V-6.
2019 Mazda 3, 2018 LA Auto Show
Mazda has a new generation of the 3 compact on its hands. The car, which will once again be available in sedan and hatch body styles, has been announced with several engines including a diesel and the much-hyped SkyActiv-X which promises diesel-like fuel economy but with the cleaner emissions of a gas engine. Unfortunately, just a regular 2.0-liter inline-4 has been confirmed for the car's U.S. market launch in early 2019.
2020 Kia Soul, 2018 LA Auto Show
A new generation of the Kia Soul was revealed in LA, and thankfully the funky look we've grown accustomed to with past versions of the Kia compact crossover SUV have been retained. The big news is the new Soul EV's 64-kilowatt-hour battery. A range estimate wasn't provided but the same battery in Kia's bigger Niro EV delivers 239 miles.
There was much, much more in LA As always, you’ll find our complete coverage on the show over at our dedicated hub.
