LA Auto Show Highlights
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The Los Angeles Autoshow opens to the public tomorrow morning but if you can't make the journey to America, AOL Cars has brought you what we consider to be the top five cars on show.
We start with a fairly sedate-looking Hyundai Veloster C3 Roll Top. The concept keeps the production car's unique asymmetric three-door layout, but gets a roof made from the fabric normally used for side curtains of HGV trailers and a boot formed from recycled skateboards!
Aimed at the popular customised car culture, which continues to grow both here and in the US, the Roll Top also features a mixture of different coloured wheels and wing mirror covers as well as the essential fixed-gear bike accessory.
Hyundai used one here to theme the car and as a way of highlighting the additional practicality of having a roof that folds forwards instead of backwards.
Next is Mercedes Benz with their bold Ener-G-Force concept. The imposing seven-seater hints at Mercedes' imminent entry into the large, luxury off-road market. This will be in the form of three luxury off-roaders, designed to compete with the current Range Rover line-up. The iconic G-Class will also finally be replaced after 33 years of the design remaining largely unchanged.
Jaguar has finally taken the wraps off their new range-topping Jaguar XFR-S, designed to sit above the current XFR as the ultimate performance-focused saloon for the brand. Senior company insiders admitted to Autocar they felt the XFR was "a bit outgunned" against rivals like the BMW M5 and Mercedes E63 AMG earlier this year.
LA Auto Show 2012
- Jaguar XFR-S<p> Jaguar admitted the XFR was 'a bit outgunned' when compared to the M5 earlier this year</p>
- Hyundai Veloster C3 Roll Top<p> Hyundai Veloster C3 Roll Top concept</p>
- Hyundai Veloster C3 Roll Top<p> Hyundai Veloster C3 Roll Top uses a fixed-gear bike for inspiration</p>
- Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Black Series<p> Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Black Series is the fifth model Black Series model</p>
- Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Black Series<p> Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Black Series has 662bhp from it's 6.2-litre V8</p>
- Mercedes Benz Ener-G-Force Concept<p> Mercedes Benz Ener-G-Force concept previews up to three new luxury off-road models from Mercedes Benz</p>
- Jaguar XFR-S<p> Jaguar XFR-S breaks cover</p>
- Ford Fiesta<p> Ford previewed the new Fiesta ST, which will only be available as a 5-door in the US, but will be coming to the UK in 2013. The facelifted version of the Fiesta (pictured above) was only recently released.</p>
Ford's baby hot hatch, the Fiesta ST, is set to make a comeback in the UK in 2013 and is making an appearance at the LA Autoshow this week.
Unlike European STs though, the US version will only be available as a five-door, much like the current Focus ST here in the UK. Powering the hot Fiesta is a 1.6-litre Ecoboost engine with 178bhp. It'll face fierce competition from the competitively-priced KIA pro-cee'd GT, also due next year with similar performance stats.
A motorshow wouldn't be complete with a supercar and taking the limelight this time is the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series. It's the fifth model to emerge wearing the 'Black Series' branding, featuring a number of modifications from the GT3 racer. The highlight for many will be the 662bhp delivered from a 6.2-litre V8.
