The Geneva Motor Show definitely stole the spotlight earlier this year with huge reveals from Aston Martin with the DB11, Bugatti and the Chiron, and Maserati’s newest Italian SUV in the Levante. But now the 2016 edition of the New York International Auto Show has come through with some punches of its own, showcasing luxury in brands you may not expect.
Audi R8 Spyder
Quite possibly the most engrossing convertible ever, the Audi R8 Spyder is bigger, lighter and faster than ever before. With a staggering weight reduction of 458 pounds, the 540 horsepower, V10 motor can propel the car to 60 mph in only 3.6 seconds. Add that to the fact that you can lower and raise the top in 20 seconds at speeds of up to 31 mph (with wind and road noise drastically reduced from the outgoing model) and you have a top down masterpiece ready for the road.
Jaguar XKSS
Though it’s not quite new in the sense of modern, Jaguar announced they are restoring their infamous 1957 XKSS race-to-road cars. Lost to a factory fire, all of the original XKSS cars that were burned will be completely rebuilt from the ground up based on recovered blueprints. The nine remaining cars will be built to 1957 specs at around $1.6 million per car. The good news is that you can still buy one, but you better act quickly!
Nissan GT-R
Offering performance with hints of luxury, the Nissan GT-R has now matured to the point of exclusivity with a beautiful interior covered in hand-selected Nappa leather. The entire theme of the older GT-R was rethought to reach a broader audience, resulting in more comfort and refinement. And the most interesting part? Every engine will be hand-built by one of five specialists at Nissan’s Japanese factory, making this one of the most bespoke luxury sports cars in the world.
Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe
Luxury SUVs are quite the rage these days and offerings from Mercedes are making strong waves by fusing design elements from both smaller cars and larger, more utilitarian models. Based off of the GLC, the GLC Coupe will be offered in GLC300 and GLC43 variants. The GLC300 uses a 241 horsepower, 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine while the GLC43 is their AMG-influenced version with a 362 horsepower, 3.0-liter V6. Those looking for flair, styling, utility and performance have quite the choice.
Lincoln Navigator Concept
Taking a cue from the yachting world, the Lincoln Navigator Concept is one of the nicest cabins ever to emerge from the Detroit luxury brand. It features teak wood, personal wardrobe management and six, 30-way adjustable captain’s chairs for passengers. Once the power gullwing doors open, occupants are treated to massive flat screens with connectivity and more personal space than we are used to in a car.
