The 2019 North American International Auto Show is nearly upon us, and already information on some of the production models and concepts on their way to Detroit's Cobo center, where the show is held each year, is starting to pile up.
This year will be the last held during the winter as organizers have confirmed that future shows will be held in the month of Juneto create more of a festival atmosphere—and hopefully lure more visitors just as the summer season kicks off.
It seems a number of automakers may be waiting for the new format as quite a few big names are sitting out this year's show. Nevertheless, there will still be plenty on offer as you'll see in our highlights list below.
The action all unfolds on January 14 and to stay on top of it all simply visit our dedicated hub and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Teaser for 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 due in 2019
2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500: The latest in the line of Shelby GT500 Mustangs is possibly going to be the showstopper in Detroit this year. The car is confirmed to generate over 700 horsepower from a 5.2-liter supercharged V-8, and rumor has it the newly developed engine will be mated exclusively to a dual-clutch transmission, which if true will likely result in supercar-like performance. Naturally, there will be aggressive looks to go with the powertrain, and Ford has hinted at some aerodynamic mods never seen before on a factory Mustang.
2020 Toyota Supra leak - Image via @ToyotaMex/Car Advice
2020 Toyota Supra: It's been years in the making but Toyota is finally ready to show us its reborn Supra. We've already had a sneak peek though thanks to a handful of leaks. The car represents the fifth generation of the nameplate, but this time around Toyota has leveraged the platform found in BMW's latest Z4. The car will also share powertrains and a production site in Austria with the Z4, but it won't get the BMW's convertible roof. The core powertrain will be BMW's 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6, which in the Supra should be rated around 335 hp, and we hear there will be inline-4 and eventually hybrid options too.
Lexus LC Convertible concept
Lexus LC Convertible concept: Lexus is providing the strongest hint yet that a convertible version of its stunning LC coupe is in the pipeline with the LC Convertible concept set to debut in Detroit. The car is a spiritual successor to the SC, which bowed out of production in 2010, and if built would give Lexus a suitable answer to the new BMW 8-Series Convertible as well as Mercedes-Benz's S-Class Cabriolet. But before any LC Convertible is introduced, we'll see a high-performance LC F that Lexus engineers are already out testing.
Infiniti QX Inspiration concept
Infiniti QX Inspiration concept: Infiniti is working on an electric SUV and in Detroit we'll get a preview in the form of a concept. The concept, called the QX Inspiration, is also the first vehicle to ride on a new modular platform that will eventually underpin the full Infiniti lineup bar the QX80 SUV. The platform is capable of offering parallel hybrid and pure electric powertrains. Electric cars based on the platform are expected to offer a maximum 400 hp and about 300 miles of range.
2020 Cadillac XT6 spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
2020 Cadillac XT6: Cadillac will use the Detroit auto show to unveil a crossover SUV boasting third-row seats The vehicle, which is rumored to go by the name XT6, is the second of five new or redesigned vehicles Cadillac will launch through the end of 2020. The first was the XT4 compact crossover, while also in the pipeline are CT4 and CT5 sedans and a redesigned Escalade. The XT6 is Cadillac's answer to the impressive new Lincoln Aviator unveiled late last year.
2020 Ford Explorer
2020 Ford Explorer: Ford has a redesigned Explorer on its hands, and it finally restores some credibility to the popular nameplate. The mid-size crossover SUV wears a new face and updated rear end, but the big story is the new platform, which the Explorer shares with the Lincoln Aviator luxury SUV. Referred to internally as CD6, the platform's native configuration is rear-wheel drive and this should translate into superior handling characteristics over the predecessor model.
Subaru WRX STI S209 teased ahead of 2019 Detroit auto show
2020 Subaru WRX STI S209: Subaru has been teasing a new variant of its WRX STI that we'll get to see for the first time in Detroit. Called an S209, the car is the latest in a line of special-edition models bearing an S20 designation that have never previously been offered in the United States. The S209 would be the natural progression after the previous S208, which boasted 324 horsepower. No details have been revealed but with any luck we'll see the new car arrive with the more potent 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-4 of the Japanese-spec WRX STI.
That’s it for now but at any time you’ll be able to access the latest information from the Detroit auto show via our dedicated hub.
