The 2019 L.A. Auto Show in pictures
The buzz at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show has mostly surrounded the electric vehicle debuts—notably the Mustang Mach E, Volkswagen’s ID Space Vizzion, and the upcoming Tesla “Cybrtrk.” While there weren’t many earth-shattering reveals, there were a couple of unannounced unveilings, mostly compact and midsize crossovers, none of which actually surprised anyone.
Here are some new and noteworthy vehicles, along with a few older ones that caught our eye.
L.A. marked the North American debut of the new Land Rover Defender. Back on the U.S. market after a 22-year hiatus, the Defender will be available in three-door and five-door models as the Defender 90 and Defender 110, respectively. Evoking the iconic design of the previous import, the Defender now has an entirely redesigned chassis with independent suspension all around—but it promises to be as capable as ever.
Karma’s SC2 concept is a strikingly beautiful electric coupe that packs 1100 horsepower and promises a 0–60 acceleration in 1.9 seconds. Wow.
Buick unveiled the Encore GX, which slots between the Encore and Envision. Despite the seemingly negligible increase in size, the rear passengers will likely appreciate the additional room.
Chevrolet pulled the covers back on two trim levels of its new 2021 Trailblazer: the familiar Rally Sport, as well as the Activ, a new off-road-oriented spec. The Trailblazer fits in between the Trax and the Equinox and looks to be similar in size to the Encore GX. Not as in-your-face as the Blazer, which it most closely resembles, the Trailblazer wears perhaps the best interpretation of Chevrolet’s crossover design in a well-proportioned package.
Nissan’s Desert Runner Frontier made its public debut at SEMA, and we still love the turbocharged V-8 prerunner. Every pickup looks better as a prerunner but it especially helps if the truck you start with already has some great lines.
The Challenger 50 celebrates the 50th anniversary of Dodge’s pony car with a limited run of 490 models, with 70 produced in each of the following colors: Go Mango, Torred, Hellraisin (the best current Mopar paint color pun), Gold Rush, Sinamon Stick, and our favorite, F8 Green.
No surprises here—Jeep’s booth was filled with Rubicon Wranglers and Gladiators. The display made us want to hit the trail and get the mud-terrains dirty, so mission accomplished.
The Mustang Mach E has generated plenty of controversy, almost exclusively concerning its name. Based on its sporty looks and impressive specs, odds are it will lure in more buyers than it will offend.
Galpin had a hall filled with customized vehicles. Galpin’s own Dave Shuten owns “Medusa,” a ’32 Ford sedan that he got back on the road with a supercharged Chevy 383 small-block while keeping the vintage custom paint job.
Also in the Galpin booth was one of the most beautiful race cars ever created—the Moonliner, built by Jocko Johnson for Dean Moon and formerly powered by a surplus Allison V-12 engine.
Whether you witnessed the show in person or via screen, let us know in the comments below what caught your eye at this year’s L.A. show.
