2020 Ford Mustang Adam Jeffery | CNBC It may be entering its middle age, but there appears to be plenty of life left in Ford's 55-year-old Mustang "pony car." Marking the anniversary of the coupe's original debut at the 1964 New York World's Fair, the automaker is laying claim to being the world's best-selling sports car, besting competitors as diverse as the Chevrolet Camaro and BMW Z4, with global sales last year totaling 113,066. And Ford is hoping to retain its lead by continuing to not only update the Mustang but by adding an array of new variants. That includes the EcoBoost High-Performance Package that is making its debut Wednesday at the New York International Auto Show. "We broke the mold when Ford launched the Mustang 55 years ago," said Jim Farley, Ford's president of global markets. With the HPP model joining other recent upgrades, including the Mustang Shelby GT500, he added, it's "no wonder it's the most popular sports coupe in the world." 2020 Ford Mustang Adam Jeffery | CNBC Mustang has always been available in a range of different packages, but gone are the days when Ford offered an anemic base edition that was derisively known among enthusiasts as a "secretary's car." Today, even the "base" Mustang's turbocharged inline-four engine is capable of making 310 horsepower, a full 130 hp more than the vaunted Mustang GT delivered in the 1980s. The new "HPP," as the High-Performance Package is known inside the company, takes that up to 330 hp and 350 pound-feet of tire-spinning torque. That will launch it from 0 to 60 in a mere 4.5 seconds, about what a Porsche 911 could have managed not all that long ago. And because the new version is 200 pounds lighter, it can give a good run to the much more powerful Ford Mustang GT, especially on tight and twisty roads, said Carl Widmann, Mustang's chief engineer. It helps that the HPP borrows a number of features from the more expensive Mustang, including its bigger brakes and rear spoiler. Aerodynamics are critical to today's automotive design, reducing wind resistance and boosting performance, as well as increasing fuel economy. Significantly, the added power isn't expected to have any impact on fuel economy. Ford estimates that when final EPA numbers are in, the HPP will have the same 21 mpg in the city, 31 on the highway and 25 combined rating as the base Mustang. 2020 Ford Mustang Adam Jeffery | CNBC Widmann noted that his engineering team is always looking for ways to boost Mustang's performance — critical when going up against aggressive competitors like the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger. The HPP project almost came about by accident, however. The team decided to try out a European version of the 2.3-liter base Mustang engine, which used upgraded materials to enhance performance. By beefing up the EcoBoost engine's block and cylinder head, that allowed them to increase the amount of boost the turbocharger can make, the primary reason why it offers another 20 horsepower. The HPP engine is produced in special batches and only at Ford's powertrain plant in Valencia, Spain. The High-Performance Package comes to market later this year as the latest in an aggressive wave of Mustang variants. That includes not only the Shelby GT500, but also the latest Mustang Bullitt a tribute to the pony car Steve McQueen drove in the film "Bullitt," which featured one of the most iconic chase scenes in film history. The Bullitt, Ford said, has exceeded sales forecasts by 25% and helped Mustang capture a 15.4% share of the global market last year. That said, the sixth-generation Mustang, in all its variations, can't come close to matching its former glory days. Back in 1966, sales came to 607,500, almost all of those in the U.S. American new car buyers drove home in 75,842 of the pony cars last year, with nearly 40,000 more shipped abroad.<doc-sep>HUDSON YARDS, Manhattan (WABC) -- The all-new Ford Explorer virtual reality experience is a big hit at the 2019 New York International Auto Show.The VR experience allows consumers to be in the driver's seat on a 5-minute excursion while experiencing the thrills of the Ford ST and the off-road capabilities of the Ford Explorer hybrid.With the seats being able to move up and down -- depending on the type of terrain -- the ride feels like a roller coaster as it takes passengers on highways, around valleys, and through deserts.Don't miss this one-of-a-kind experience!----------<doc-sep>The 2019 New York International Auto Show has been a big one for SUVs and crossovers. We saw the debut of no fewer than 10 of them, including concepts and while they all follow the same general design brief, they are all distinct and exciting, spanning a huge size and price range. 2020 Ford Escape The 2020 Ford Escape's new face may not be for everyone, and its very existence is a cruel reminder that we're not getting the new crop of small Ford. That said, it does represent a huge leap forward for the model. The new Escape is softer and more car-like than ever, and that's because Ford is making room in the range for a new, more off-road-focused baby Bronco. This leaves Escape free to tone down all the chunky plastic bodywork pastiche of Escapes past and focus on being an enjoyable and versatile small SUV. The 2020 model will debut with a couple of interesting engine options including a turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline engine, a four-cylinder EcoBoost unit and you'll also be able to get it as both a plug-in and non-plug-in hybrid when it hits the market in the fall of 2019. 2020 Hyundai Venue The brand-new Hyundai Venue is the company's smallest and most affordable SUV to date. It's hard to depict just how little it is in photos, but it's several inches shorter than the also diminutive Kona, which Venue will slot in underneath. We dig Venue's unfussy design -- a trait that we wish other SUVs in this class shared -- but we're less into the available denim-like interior material that can be specced. Hyundai hasn't released official pricing, but we expect it to come in at around the $17,000 mark. The Venue has a killer selection of standard tech and safety features, and the interior looks and feels nicer than you'd think, something that is becoming increasingly typical for Hyundais these days. The Venue gets its motive power from a lone 1.6-liter gasoline engine that makes 121 horsepower but can be had with either a six-speed manual transmission or a CVT. Hyundai also says that Venue will be front-wheel drive only, so don't go thinking it's going to be an off-road wonder like the Suzuki Jimny that haunts our dreams. Kia HabaNiro The Kia HabaNiro concept is an SUV in the same way that it's an autonomous electric car, which is to say that it's not really either of those things, but we love it anyhow. The HabaNiro's defining characteristic is its wild butterfly-style doors that open up and away from the body in both the front and the rear, revealing the borderline-absurd neon red interior and its lack of traditional screens or buttons. Instead of normal controls, the windshield turns into a giant heads-up display and provides occupants with all kinds of information and options. It's even configurable, kind of like the home screen on your phone. HabaNiro is also notable for the way it gets its all-wheel drive. Rather than using a single motor at each axle, or some kind of transfer case arrangement, it packs individual motors at each wheel, kind of like the Warthog from Halo. 2020 Lincoln Corsair Lincoln's MKC crossover was a reasonable enough luxury take on Ford's Escape, but it's not a model that ever really came into its own or had a strong identity that resonated with buyers. Times are changing though and Lincoln is looking to ditch its case of small crossover blues by going all-in on the fancy stuff with its new 2020 Lincoln Corsair. The exterior design language that Lincoln started with the current-generation Navigator works well scaled down to crossover size. The Corsair's interior is among the nicest in its class, though unsurprisingly given its price point, it's not quite as lovely as we've come to expect from vehicles like the Continental and the Aviator. With the Corsair, Lincoln is targeting a surprisingly young demographic, so it's doubling down on the bold two-tone interior color options like "Beyond Blue." There are two engines on offer with Corsair. The base turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder produces 250 horsepower and 275 foot-pounds of torque. The higher-spec 2.3-liter four makes a healthy 280 hp and 310 ft-lbs of twist but buyers only get one transmission with either engine, thankfully it's a decent one. 2019 Mazda CX-5 Diesel Ah, the long-awaited and long-teased diesel engine from Mazda is here in the CX-5 and was it worth the wait? It'll take driving to know for sure, but based on the numbers... probably not. While the diesel engine offers plenty of torque as you'd expect, its fuel efficiency numbers aren't that spectacular. In fact, the CX-5 Diesel is rated at a combined 29 miles per gallon, but that's only an improvement of three mpg over the base 2.5-liter gasoline engine. Yes, there's more torque, but couple that with diesel's traditionally higher price-per-gallon and the fact that you can only get the diesel engine with the CX-5's top trim, and it's not so rosy a picture. That's especially true considering there's an optional gas engine with more horsepower and more torque for much less money. One thing we do love is that the CX-5 is still as handsome and fun to drive as ever, so other than money, you may not be giving up a ton of performance by swapping to the oil burner. Mazda says that the diesel CX-5 will be on sale in US dealers later this year. 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe The Mercedes-Benz GLC is a perfectly nice SUV with good styling and plenty of room inside. Mercedes decided to throw most of that out the window by adding a GLC crossover coupe derivative, for which it can charge more money. Not that we can blame Benz for it, those things sell like crazy. Now though, Mercedes felt it was time for a bit of an update, and that's what it's rolled out in New York. One of the most notable changes is the move to the fancy new MBUX infotainment system that made its debut on the new A-Class. Other tweaks include mostly additional interior color and material options.<doc-sep>NEW YORK – Pickups have gotten so big, that it might be time for something small. With sales booming and prices rising for full-size and midsize trucks, automakers are now poised to revive the compact pickup in a test of how far they can go before buyers say no more. At the New York Auto Show on Wednesday, the Toyota Yaris Adventure zoomed onto the screen during a press conference, showcasing an unusual blend of body styles. "A subcompact car and a pickup truck coming together as one?" Toyota general manager Jack Hollis said. "Honestly, with the amazing reaction to it, maybe we should make it for real!" He was joking. But like many good wisecracks, there's a little bit of truth in there. In this case, the truth is that multiple automakers are bringing back the long-lost small pickup, which perished earlier this century as pickups grew bigger and full-size trucks tightened their grip on the hearts of American drivers: • Volkswagen brought a pickup concept called the Tarok to the New York Auto Show "to gauge market reaction for a truly versatile and compact entry-level pickup." • Hyundai is planning a mashup of a pickup and a small SUV after introducing a concept called the Santa Cruz at the 2015 Detroit auto show. The vehicle will come "a little later" than 2020, said Hyundai Chief Operating Officer Brian Smith, and doesn't yet have an official name. • Ford is planning a compact pickup in the U.S. to go along with its recently revived Ranger, which was once considered a compact but has turned into a midsize model. Taken together, these efforts amount to the next chapter in the pickup wars raging in the auto industry. First-quarter pickup sales have ballooned 30 percent from the same period in 2014, rising to 659,105 vehicles, according to car-buying advice site Edmunds. Volkswagen North America CEO Scott Keogh told USA TODAY there may be an opportunity for a compact pickup like the Tarok that provides the "versatility of a pickup truck" with "good value, good fuel efficiency" and sensible packaging. "We see a lot of these urbanists who want to get out, and this is a smart vehicle to do that in," he said. "An optimist could say there is no market, so let’s go invent it." One reason why it might work: Full-size and midsize pickups have become increasingly expensive in recent years as they've become more popular. Americans are paying an average of $49,713 for full-size pickups in 2019, up about 47 percent from $33,828 in 2009, according to Edmunds. And they're paying $34,322 for midsize trucks, up 45 percent over the same time period. "The smaller trucks have a good selling proposition" for buyers who don't want to break the bank, Edmunds analyst Jessica Caldwell said. But she noted that midsize pickups like the Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma can be had for much cheaper than the industry average. So a compact pickup would have to do much more than compete on price. "People still want the functions of a pickup truck, not some quirky concept," Caldwell said. The Hyundai Santa Cruz SUV-pickup blend aims to hit the sweet spot. "This is going to appeal to people who don’t necessarily see themselves as pickup truck drivers, but they want the utility of having an open bed," Hyundai's Smith said. Pickups provide Americans with a sense of freedom, flexibility and fun. They feel like they can haul anything and go anywhere. So anyone trying to make a compact pickup would need to pay homage to that frame of mind. "People want to feel like they can be outside," Stephanie Brinley, auto analyst at IHS Markit. "There’s a sense of freedom and escape that people want to have." To be sure, consumers are famously loyal to the traditional Detroit Three brands for full-size pickups – namely the Ford F-series, Ram, Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. About 7 in 10 full-size pickup buyers prefer domestic brands, according to Cox Automotive. But only 3 in 10 midsize buyers seek out domestic brands. "Full-size buyers are the most loyal in the industry," Autotrader analyst Michelle Krebs said in an email. "Smaller truck buyers are the least" loyal, which provides an entryway for newcomers. "Up until now, automakers haven't been willing to pull the trigger," said Brinley. "We may be in this space and time where it begins to make more sense." Not everyone's convinced there's an opportunity for a compact entrant. At Honda, the Ridgeline midsize pickup won the North American Truck of the Year award in 2017. But Honda's not harboring dreams of going any smaller. "I don’t think so," said Henio Arcangeli, Jr., general manager of Honda in the U.S. "I think this is America, and people like big things."<doc-sep>
New York — The Detroit auto show this year was a shadow of itself as foreign luxury automakers fled in droves. Except for BMW, the luxury crowd is well-represented at the New York auto show. Despite that, Detroit automakers steal Gotham's show. There’s the Jeep Gladiator pickup, and its off-road experience outside Javits Convention Center that will have the public lining up from Hell’s Kitchen to Brooklyn. And an electric pickup from Plymouth-based Rivian. And the ferocious Ford Mustang GT500. A variety of vehicles also make their debuts in New York. Here are my favorites. Koenigsegg Jesko – New York features high-end toys like no other North American show. This year the show attracted such curiosities as the BAC Mono (a single-seat rocketship) and the $2 million Karlmann King (Batmobile meets SUV), but my favorite came from Sweden’s hypercar maker. With a claimed top speed of 300 mph, the Jesko eclipses its 278-mph Agera predecessor as the fastest car in the world. The Jesko manages this feat with (cough) 1,579 horsepower, all-wheel drive and a carbon-fiber tub. Cadillac CT5 – Cadillac takes the mid-size CTS platform downmarket with a thoroughly remade, compact BMW 3-series fighter. Interior room may be best-in-class, but the CT5 still has plenty of hustle from your option of two turbocharged engines. Gone is the fussy, haptic CUE system replaced by your choice of infotainment controls: touchscreen, remote rotary-dial or voice control. Ford Escape – After a Henry Ford Museum coming-out party this spring, the compact ute makes its first appearance on a show floor. And boy, does thing look good. Located just down the hall from the Porsche Macan from which it takes design cues, it’s sleek and sporty. That magic continues inside with electronic tricks like one-button-activated self-park assist. The Lincoln Corsair — based on the same roomy platform — also debuted at this show, but I’m not sure it’s worth $15,000 over the sophisticated Escape. Hyundai Sonata – Welcome back, Sonata. After a detour to Vanilla Town with its last-generation sedan, the Sonata is back with a head-turner. The design features such innovations as LED running lights along the hood – and a seamless hood over a rimless grille, usually associated with Aston Martin. Inside, rear-seat passengers get more room than Delta first class. Ford Mustang Ecoboost High Performance – Despite its awkward name (they couldn’t have called it a Mustang ST? ), this pony car is an affordable track toy. Rescuing the throaty 330-horse, 2.3 liter turbo-4 from the Focus RS hot hatch, the Mustang saves 150 pounds up front compared to a V-8 ’Stang. That’ll make it a treat at weekend autocrosses and Waterford Hills track days. Mercedes GLS – Mercedes showed its first electric vehicle, the EQC, in New York. But it was overshadowed — literally — by the hulking GLS three-row SUV, which is where the money is made. The GLS has all the expected Mercedes touches: heated rear seats, voice-recognition controls. But my favorite feature is Carwash mode which closes the big ute tight as a turtle, then raises it up high for maximum fender-well cleaning. Porsche 911 Speedster – The special-edition Speedster says auf wiedersehen to the current-generation 911. It doesn’t come cheap at $275,750, but in return you own one of 1,948 copies (Porsche’s founding year) and unique deck “streamers” behind the front seats like the 1950s classics. In the boot is a loud, naturally aspirated flat-6 that also sounds like the good ol’ days. Subaru Outback – To introduce the latest version of its iconic crossover, Subaru built a spectacular floor display that transports visitors to an outdoor national park. A mainstay of the Subie lineup with station-wagon utility and all-wheel drive, the Outback sits on a new platform which brings new goodies like a big Tesla-like console screen and a torquey turbo-4 that replaces the reliable flat-6. VW Tarok – V-dub’s second small pickup concept in two years is handsome, innovative... and built on a unibody chassis. Unibodies have struggled in the U.S. market (see the Honda Ridgeline) against ladder-framed bullies from Chevy and Toyota, but VW sees daylight for an affordable micro-truck. The pickup bed can be expanded by dropping the back wall. VW might think of expanding engine options beyond the mousy, 1.4-liter 4, too. Qiantu K50 – Looks like a concept, but it's not a concept. The striking electric sports car from China is due to hit U.S. shores late next year.