What To Look Out For At The 2019 LA Auto Show

BMW is set to make a particularly strong showing at the 2019 LA Auto Show. On the performance side, and at different ends of the spectrum, we're particularly looking forward to seeing the M8 Gran Coupe and M2 CS. The 2 Series Gran Coupe coming to America has been big news recently, and BMW's Mercedes CLA-fighting 2 Series will be there in the metal. On top of that, the 3 Series PHEV and X3 PHEV will be representing BMW's latest plug-in hybrid offerings.

Ford will be grabbing lots of headlines when it unveils the Mustang-inspired electric SUV. We've seen plenty of camouflaged prototypes, and even video of it drifting around in the snow, but the proof will be in the pudding. Ford promises it will be fun to drive, but we also want to make sure it looks good when it comes out from under its wrapping.

Earlier this year, we were impressed by the Genesis G90 as a luxury sedan with a realistic price. The upcoming refresh likely won't boost sales numbers drastically, but we will tell anyone that listens it's worth checking out. We've already had a sneak peek at the heavy refresh, and can confirm that it looks like the car already in the wild in other markets. Whether both the 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 and the silky-smooth 5.0-liter V8 will return is something we're waiting to find out.

Hyundai has been drumming up the suspense this year with the promise of a big surprise, but guaranteed to be on show is the Ioniq's refresh and a CUV concept that Hyundai says will be a "groundbreaking" plug-in hybrid. We're quietly confident that the big surprise features the letter N.

Lexus is rife with speculation this year. Toyota and Lexus were among the first companies to heavily adopt hybrid-electric drivetrains, and we suspect it's about time they joined the luxury all-electric vehicle segment. That would mean a battery-powered premium-grade SUV.

The opulent SUV market has seen high returns for Rolls Royce and Bentley, but Mercedes is strangely late to the game. We saw the all-new 2020 GLS in New York earlier in the year, but the Mercedes-Maybach GLS has been in development for the needs of the wealthy executives around the globe that don't want a BMW X7. Expect all the opulence of a Mercedes-Maybach sedan, but bigger.

We're incredibly excited about the John Cooper Works GP Mini. There's very little being kept secret about it now, but knowing it's running around 300 horsepower, an aggressive aero package, reduced weight, and a retuned suspension is more than enough to get us foaming at the mouth.

Also showing itself will be the new SE model, the new all-electric Mini. We're looking forward to driving this one as well, as an electric Mini sounds fun even before considering it can be piloted without using the brake pedal for spirited driving.

Nissan is still convinced the sedan market is worth being in, and we will be holding up a glass to celebrate that at the new Sentra's unveiling. Expect it to look like its overseas twin, the Sylphy, by being lower and wider with a standard 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine making just under 150 horsepower. We know it will have a CVT, but the big question is whether or not it'll still have a standard manual transmission or a more substantial engine option like the outgoing model?

Porsche is remaining enigmatic about the LA show, but we don't expect the German automaker to be quiet. This could be a good time for Porsche to show the world its lower trimmed versions of the Taycan in Tesla's back yard. A long shot would be betting on Porsche lifting the lid on the hardcore version of the Panamera Turbo called the "Lion," or the crazy-hot version of the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupe recently sighted at the Nurburgring.

We're not expecting Toyota to drop any bombshells this year following the Supra's launch. However, we do expect Toyota to follow through on the RAV4 plug-in hybrid. Toyota says this will be the most powerful RAV4 yet, which isn't a huge hill to climb, but it does mean it'll have more than 219 horsepower on tap, which is more than enough pep for a commuter or adventure crossover.

Volkswagen is betting the farm on all-electric vehicles for its future and is bringing a brand new ID. Concept car to California. The reveal will happen on November 19 at the Petersen Automotive Museum as part of a new interactive exhibit called "Building an Electric Future." The pictures below are of the ID. Vizzion concept because we simply have no idea what form the new concept will look like. Hopefully, it will be something closer to reality and destined for the American market.