The New York International Auto Show is open to the public beginning today, and, like in years past, it includes exhibits from dozens of automakers, including Lucid, Lexus, Genesis, Infiniti, Acura, Rimac, Lamborghini, Lotus, Polestar, Porsche, and Rolls-Royce. The auto show isn’t quite what it used to be — only Jeep showed up from Stellantis, the fourth-largest automaker group in the world — but auto shows as a whole have suffered in recent years as manufacturers rethink their approach to marketing, especially by hosting their own events outside of auto shows.
Still, there is a lot to see at the Javits Center in New York City’s west side, and the event is open to the public through April 7. That includes new models and concepts, like the Genesis Neolun or the Kia K4, but also, on the first level, a floor of what many might consider the most interesting stuff — scores of restorations, restomods, and classics from shops across the Northeast. There is also, this year, a Toyota Supra anniversary exhibit that features several pristine examples of the model, made famous in movies like The Fast and the Furious.
Below are our ten favorite cars we saw at the show this year, which range from the Lamborghini LM002 (“Rambo Lambo”) to a 1966 Buick Riviera to the Genesis X Gran Berlinetta.
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Genesis X Gran Berlinetta
Image Credit: Sebastien Laforest No one took more advantage of the stage presented by the NYIAS than Genesis. The luxury marque previewed its future SUVs with the beautiful (and surprisingly large) Neolun concept, but the prototype that really caught our eye was the X Gran Berlinetta. The low-slung sports car was there for the launch of the company’s new performance lineup, Magma, and everyone we saw pass it had to stop for a better look. This is one Genesis concept we’d be surprised to make it to production—though we’d love to be proven wrong—but that didn’t make it any less impressive.
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Polestar 4
Image Credit: Sebastien Laforest Polestar may finally have an attractive vehicle on its hands. The Volvo-sibling’s third EV, the 4, is by far its best-looking model yet. It’s a crossover, like the 3—although it’s definitely more of a coupé-style sedan than an SUV—but it has actual style. There’s nothing generic about this four-door, which has a sporty shape to go with its distinctive light package. The lack of a rear window is a little odd—there’s a camera so you can see what’s behind you—but it looks sharp.
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Lotus Emira
Image Credit: Sebastien Laforest It’s finally here. After three long years of delays due to emission standards the Emira made its stateside last month. Lotus’s latest in a long line of little sports cars is a looker, especially in the sparkling and yellow combo we saw at NYIAS. Just as important as its design, though, is the fact that it is also the British marque’s final model to feature an internal combustion engine.
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Rimac Nevera
Image Credit: Sebastien Laforest A car like the Rimac Nevera seems made up. It’s an EV but also a hypercar with a powertrain that produces a truly absurd 1,888 horses. It’s also real, and we even saw one at NYIAS. There aren’t may vehicles out there, even from its rarified class, that look so aggressive and flat-out fast. This is especially true of the $2.4 million example we saw, which was finished in Gunpowder Grey with copious amounts of exposed carbon fiber.
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Lamborghini LM002
Image Credit: Sebastien Laforest The Urus wasn’t the first Lamborghini SUV. That title belongs to the LM002, or, as it’s known to enthusiasts, the “Rambo Lambo.” The military-inspired off-roader predated the company current SUV by more than 30 years. It was also much rarer than the Urus, with only 300 rolling off the line between 1986 and 1993, one of which was on display on the convention floor. The red 4×4 wasn’t the rarest vehicle at the NYIAS, but it’s easily one of the coolest.
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Ford Mustang GTD
Image Credit: Sebastien Laforest Go to any car convention and you’re bound to come across your fair share of ridiculous builds. The one that struck us as the most over-the-top at this year’s show, was the Ford Mustang GTD. Just look at its sculpted carbon-fiber body kit that included what had to be the biggest wing on the show floor. Equally as outrageous is the street-legal speed machine’s supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 which pumps more than 800 horses.
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Nissan GT-R
Image Credit: Sebastien Laforest Nissan hasn’t officially pulled the plug on the R35-generation GT-R, but it’s clear its flagship sports car is nearing the end of the road. Seeing it on the floor was a reminder of why it will be so missed (even if the nameplate will likely live on as an EV). The boxy coupé is a car that just looks cool and powerful. What more could you want from a sports car?
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1985 Toyota Supra
Image Credit: Bryan Hood One of the highlights of this year’s NYIAS is the collection of Toyota Supras in the southeast corner of the first floor. Every iteration of Toyota’s ultimate sports car was on display, but the one that really wowed us was this black 1985 model. The second-generation example has high-gloss finish that accentuates the vehicle’s clean lines and provides a proper showcase for the period-correct decal across the trunk lid. It may not be as famous as the A80 from the Fast and the Furious movies, but it also might be the ultimate version of the car.
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1966 Buick Riviera
Image Credit: Bryan Hood At the opposite end of the first floor from the Supra display was a collection of Robert Downey Jr.’s “Dream Cars.” The grouping included beautifully restored vehicles that were showcased on the actor’s Max series of the same name. Each of the matte-finished vehicles has its virtues, but we were most taken by the 1966 Buick Riviera. It’s a boat from a bygone era, but thanks to a future-proofed hybrid powertrain and dusty Apricot paint it feels fully revitalized. The car, along with the rest of the vehicles on display, is also up for grabs through a sweepstakes on the show’s website.
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1973 Porsche 911 RS 2.7
Image Credit: Bryan Hood No car would be complete without a jaw-dropping. There are plenty on display at this year’s NYIAS, including the new Macan EV, but our favorite was this 1973 911 RS 2.7 near the show entrance. The RS (Racing Sports) variants are among the most coveted classic 911s and its easy to see why. The vehicle’s competition-grade hardware is noteworthy by itself, but it’s the vehicle’s ducktail spoiler and red Carrera decal that really put it over the top.
