The Los Angeles Auto Show 2014 – Part One

Acura ILX (photo credit – John Grafman).

ACURA

Acura took the wraps off its restyled, reengineered and reborn 2016 ILX sports sedan today, launching at Acura dealerships nationwide in early 2015. The 2016 Acura ILX delivers more strongly than ever before on its mission as the gateway to the Acura lineup with a major injection of Acura performance DNA, courtesy of its new 201-horsepower, directed-injected i-VTEC engine and 8-speed dual-clutch transmission for all models, the same advanced engine and transmission combination that powers the just-launched TLX.

The 2016 ILX gets numerous styling upgrades including restyled front and rear fasciae, front grille and rear LED combination lights, plus a restyled 17-inch, 10-spoke aluminum alloy wheel. The new ILX A-SPEC package features a sporty side sill garnish, trunk spoiler, front fog lights and new 18-inch, 10-spoke machined alloy wheels with gloss black insets. All ILX models come equipped with Acura’s signature Jewel EyeTM LED headlights as standard equipment, a feature unmatched in the competitive set.

The 2016 ILX also benefits from numerous interior upgrades, including contrasting Euro-style stitching on the steering wheel, parking brake handle and shift knob, as well as new high-intensity silver trim for the passenger-side instrument panel. The ILX A-SPEC package enhances the exceptional cabin appeal and appointments with an exclusive Premium Black interior color scheme including black headliner, perforated black Lux Suede® seat inserts, red instrument illumination, exclusive gray interior stitching and aluminum brake and throttle pedals.

Audi Prologue Concept with Head of Design Marc Lichte (photo credit – John Grafman)

AUDI

“When he moved to Audi, Marc Lichte launched a design offensive,” says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member for Development, who brought him to Ingolstadt in 2014. “His clear philosophy and precise understanding of Audi DNA let him develop a design strategy that is opening up entirely new perspectives for us. It is progressive and highly emotional; it expresses the technological competence and quality claim of the brand perfectly. The Audi prologue is its first proponent – it is a ‘signature car’ for Audi.”

Audi Prologue Concept (photo credit – John Grafman)

Marc Lichte himself describes the character of the show car in this way: “Audi stands for sportiness, lightweight design and the quattro permanent all-wheel drive. In the Audi prologue, we are expressing this know-how in a new form – we have put the sportiest car in the luxury segment on wheels. Our team took new approaches in both exterior and interior design.”

Fiat 500 X (photo credit – John Grafman)

FIAT

The all-new 2016 Fiat 500X provides owners plenty of opportunity to customize the compact crossover, but an assist from Mopar is taking personalization possibilities to the “X-treme.” FCA’s service, parts and customer-care brand will offer more than 100 accessories to help make the latest addition to the FIAT line-up in North America uniquely yours.

The iconic Italian style, functionality, performance and all-wheel drive confidence of the 2016 Fiat 500X on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show is augmented with a healthy selection of prototype and production Mopar accessories.

“Already available in five trim models and 12 exterior colors, the additional option of more than 100 Mopar accessories from which to choose provides unlimited potential for  giving the all-new 2016 Fiat 500X a distinct, unique personality,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO — Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care. “The Fiat 500X with added Mopar accessories showcased at the Los Angeles Auto Show is just the latest example of how Mopar is dedicated to offering quality-tested products for new vehicles.”

Honda HR-V 2016 (photo credit – John Grafman)

HONDA

The HR-V’s dynamic appearance and sporty, solid stance is aided by its coupe-like cabin shape and bold and powerful face, complemented by distinctive side contours, including a sharply upswept character line, deeply sculpted lower body form and the strong horizontal taper of both the front and rear fascia. Concealed rear door handles further enhance its coupe-like appearance.

The HR-V’s sporty and sophisticated interior features an expansive, airy cockpit with an abundance of soft-touch materials and premium detailing punctuated by precise bezels, sophisticated stitch lines and upmarket brushed chrome and piano black highlights – all fitting its mission as a youthful yet refined personal crossover vehicle. The three-meter driver’s instrument cluster features “floating” illumination rings and Honda’s ECO Assist feature, wherein the speedometer illumination changes from white to green depending on the fuel efficiency of the driver’s vehicle operation.

Infiniti Concept (photo credit – John Grafman)

INFINITI

Alfonso Albaisa, executive design director, Infiniti Motor Company, Ltd., is attending the Los Angeles Auto Show to support the North American debut of the Q80 Inspiration Concept. Albaisa is discussing the importance of this vehicle as a beacon of design for vehicles that are destined to appear in their dealer showrooms.

The last two years have been quite busy. We were able to design seven or eight, nine, cars all at one time. So this is what has been happening for the last two years. The significance of Q80 is in a word, inspiration, really – in that it shows parts of cars that are coming. So in Detroit we are showing Q60, the concept. So you are going to recognize the body artistry from Q80 in Q60. Because this really is about, it’s not a throw away car, or a throw away exercise. It shows the aspects. The new grill – very thick grille – much more performance; you’re going to see it. The body structure, the romance – you’re going to see it. The very simple rear-end, the crescent cut – you’re going to see all of these aspects. So it’s really a celebration of the key aspects of all the cars coming.

Jaguar show stand (photo credit – John Grafman)

JAGUAR

The Jaguar F-TYPE will receive new powertrain and driveline options for the 2016 model year. New options include a manual transmission option, All-Wheel Drive, and a new 550hp “R” Convertible.  The fundamentals continue to remain true to core DNA of Jaguar vehicles: lightweight construction, refined power, perfect proportions and outstanding design.

The six-speed manual transmission in the F-TYPE has been designed to for enthusiasts and purists. The combination of the free-revving supercharged V6 and a precise, perfectly-weighted shift delivers motoring brilliance. Jaguar has integrated a highly efficient six-speed ZF® transmission into the lightweight aluminum body structure of the F-TYPE. This manual transmission is matched exclusively to the rear-wheel drive 340hp and 380hp V6 powertrains.

The 2016 Jaguar F-TYPE will also have the addition of Instinctive All Wheel Drive^® (AWD) as standard equipment on R models and an option on S models.

Land Rover Discovery Sport reveal (photo credit – John Grafman)

LAND ROVER

Land Rover is debuting its 2015 model year line up at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. Also, making its U.S. debut is the new Discovery Sport, a versatile premium compact SUV that is the first member of the new Discovery vehicle family.

The 2015 Discovery Sport will deliver a highly refined combination of performance, safety and efficiency thanks to a body shell of high-strength steel and lightweight aluminum, a 240hp turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, nine-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. A dynamic design with a compact footprint provides optional seven-passenger seating in a “5+2” configuration.

Design Director and Chief Creative Officer of Jaguar/Land Rover Gerry McGovern (photo credit – John Grafman)

This U.S. debut marks another significant milestone in the product offensive for Jaguar Land Rover which will see the company deliver 50 significant product actions over the next five years. New Land Rover innovations debut in the Discovery Sport, including available Autonomous Emergency Braking³ and a new touchscreen infotainment system. Pricing will begin at $37,995_.

Lincoln Concept (photo credit – John Grafman)

LINCOLN

The Lincoln Motor Company today unveiled the MKX Concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show, its first appearance in North America since its reveal at Auto China 2014 in Beijing this April. The Lincoln MKX Concept hints at a global SUV that will become the third of four all-new Lincoln vehicles due by 2016. It is designed to capture the attention of consumers worldwide.

Drawing design inspiration from airplanes and motorbikes, the Lincoln MKX Concept evokes feelings of power and agility, offering a glimpse of the American luxury brand’s future as it enters the rapidly growing Chinese market.

“Concept vehicles are defined by every design detail,” said David Woodhouse, Lincoln design director, “and this MKX Concept shows how Lincoln’s thoughtful design philosophy continues to evolve. The Lincoln brand was built on vehicles with stunning design, and the MKX Concept is the latest example.”

“Great emphasis was put on the proportions of this concept vehicle,” said Andrea Di Buduo, exterior design manager of the Lincoln MKX Concept. “It’s a very emotional, athletic design. Its horizontal lines and defined undercuts are gracefully integrated and very sophisticated, yet convey a powerful and dynamic presence.”

Maserati Alfieri Concept (photo credit – John Grafman)

MASERATI

One of the most iconic cars of all time inspired the Maserati Alfieri designers: the 1954 Maserati A6 GCS by Pininfarina, a thoroughbred racing machine and masterpiece of automotive design. But Alfieri is not a nostalgic and retrospective study. It is one of the most beautiful sculptures on wheels. Alfieri Maserati adored speed. He raced cars both as mechanic and from the driver’s seat with great success. He was a visionary, an extrovert character but a realist at the same time.

Mazda CX-5 (photo credit – John Grafman)

MAZDA

Also making a global debut is the revised version of the 2016  CX-5 crossover SUV.  The 2016 model features updated interior and exterior styling, the sort of updates you would expect in vehicles either growing long in the tooth or not selling well.  Neither of those accurately describe this vehicle however, as it is exceeding previous years’ sales numbers by more than 25 percent, as well as winning awards and accolades on a regular basis.

Mazda CX-5 rear view (photo credit – John Grafman)

The CX-5 see extensive updates to the interior, highlighted by the addition of Mazda’s proprietary in-car infotainment system, Mazda Connect.  The system has been well received since launching in the 2015 Mazda3, and will be standard equipment across trim levels. Mechanically, both models see the addition of an electric parking brake and newly designed alloy wheels.  Additionally, both vehicles receive revised front and rear lights, as well as the addition of LED lighting on certain trim levels.

Mitsubishi XR PHEV Concept (photo credit – John Grafman)

MITSUBISHI

Featuring bold styling and a performance-oriented yet highly efficient plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) drivetrain, the Mitsubishi Concept XR-PHEV crossover hints at the future design direction for Mitsubishi Motors production vehicles in North America and further reaffirms the automaker’s commitment to the U.S. market.

Mitsubishi XR PHEV Concept front view (photo credit – John Grafman)

“We brought the Concept XR-PHEV to LA so that we could talk about our new design direction and how future products will be taking clues from its dynamic lines,” said MMNA Executive Vice President, Don Swearingen. “We also brought it to LA to reinforce the message that Mitsubishi is here to stay in the United States.  As we regrow the brand we will introduce new models while updating existing ones, creating a new look and a new value proposition for the brand.”

Nissan Juke 2015 (photo credit – John Grafman).

NISSAN

Sharing the stage with Murano is the new Nissan JUKE. It is redesigned and offers a long list of standard tech features, more connectivity and, importantly, a way to stand out in the crowd. With Nissan’s Color Studio, JUKE owners can find nearly unlimited color personalization for their new ride.

“While many cars are for basic transportation, the JUKE at its very heart is ‘fun,’ and that is what we want to bring out,” said Bob Munson, Product Planning, Nissan North America, Inc. “We want to bring the fun back into transportation so it fits the theme of the vehicle very well.”

The JUKE “Color Studio” gives JUKE buyers and owners the ability to personalize both the exterior and interior with a range of “color packs” to change the look and feel of the vehicle. For example, new accessory 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels are available with color inserts to match or contrast the body color. Special color accents can also be applied to the outside rearview mirror caps, side sills, rear roof spoiler and door handles. Interior color packs will be offered for the door trim and other elements. Eight colors are available – including red, white, black, yellow, electric blue and purple – and a total of 12 accessories.

Nissan Murano 2015 (photo credit – John Grafman).

“Third generation Murano is a beautiful vehicle. When you look at the concept car that we showed the world a few years ago – and now the actual production model and look at how amazingly close the two look to one another – I think we have really, really, done it. The designers have outdone themselves,” said  Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan Sales & Marketing and Operations U.S., Nissan North America, Inc.

“While Murano has always stood out from ordinary crossovers with its refined yet daring and futuristic design, this new  design kicks it up tremendously with concept car-like styling, a premium interior and advanced, purposeful technology,” said Fred Diaz. “Less than two years ago this vehicle was turning heads at auto shows as the Resonance Concept. In just a few weeks from now, buyers will be able to drive this stunning all-new Murano home.”

Porsche press conference with Bernhard Maier, Porsche AG Board Member for Sales and Marketing, and Patrick Dempsey (photo credit – John Grafman)

PORSCHE

“We look forward to an exciting 2015 season with Patrick Dempsey and to the continuation of our successful partnership,” said Bernhard Maier, Porsche AG Board Member for Sales and Marketing, at the Los Angeles Motor Show. “Before he drove his first race with Porsche the world knew him primarily as an actor. Over the last two years we’ve come to know him as a passionate race driver who embodies the professionalism and amiability that makes the Porsche motorsport family what it is. Now we are full of anticipation for more successes together.”

“I’m already looking forward to 2015, and I’m proud to be able to contest the entire WEC as well as Le Mans with a Porsche,” said Patrick Dempsey at the launch of the program on Wednesday at the Los Angeles Motor Show. “Porsche’s experience in long distance racing is invaluable. Porsche was winning sports car races before I was even born. As a childhood fan of Porsche, I grew up with their successes at Le Mans, Daytona, and the Targa Florio. There are moments when I simply cannot believe that I am now a member of this great team.”

Volvo executive team including Sr. VP of Design Thomas Ingenlath (on right) (photo credit – John Grafman)

VOLVO

The XC90 is a visually striking, premium quality seven seat SUV with world leading safety features, new powertrain technologies, an unrivalled combination of power and fuel efficiency and a superlative interior finish.

The new XC90 marks the beginning of a new chapter in Volvo’s history, capturing its future design direction, incorporating its own range of new technologies and utilising its new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) technology.