Top cars from the 2013 LA Auto Show
Many observers would agree that the 2013 LA Auto Show was something of a damp squib, a feast of functionality epitomised by identikit modern muscle cars, drab saloons, dull SUVs and ever more boring trucks. The landscape of the bulk of the American auto market is relentlessly uniform, with the only glimmers of interest coming from the big car buying communities on each coast. It's here you'll find streets strewn with sports cars, advanced hybrids, the latest electric cars and hyper-luxury imports.
See the highlights from the LA Auto Show
California is also the place that the show's star, Jaguar, hopes to sell most of its latest car, the F-Type Coupé. It's also a perfect environment for sibling Land-Rover's newest model, the vast Range Rover LWB. The two British stars aside, there were other gems on offer, including a return outing for the concept version of Jaguar's new SUV, the C-X17, as well as notable offerings from Porsche and Mini.
As for the rest, there wasn't all that much to see. Most car designers spent the show cloistered within interview suites giving endless answers to familiar questions, courtesy of the world's media. If any of them managed to venture down to the show's basement displays, they would probably have been pitched into a profound depression, such was the prevalence of hideously modified cars in LA's notorious 'aftermarket' section. Here lurked the people who pimp rides, throwing out carefully crafted forms in favour of big rims, faux carbon trim and lashings of dubious taste.
The lacklustre showing might also be down to the absence of innovative Euro brands like Citroen, Alfa Romeo and Renault, none of whom have any presence in the US market. Perhaps it's the ongoing dominance of SUVs and trucks in the American market. But whatever the reason for the show's faintly lacklustre feeling, there were a few things that stood out from the crowd. View the image gallery above for our guide to the LA Auto Show 2013
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
What are polynucleotides? Trying the skin injectable made from salmon sperm
Polynucleotides are the latest in skin injectables, containing DNA derived from the gonads of salmon. Wallpaper* Beauty & Grooming Editor Hannah Tindle tries them to discover exactly how they work
By Hannah Tindle Published
-
Josèfa Ntjam on her surreal utopias in Venice
Artist Josèfa Ntjam and LAS Foundation bring other worlds to life with ‘swell of spæc(i)es’ at Palazzina Canonica during the Venice Biennale 2024
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Henry Wood House’s postmodernist bones are refreshed by Nice Projects in London
Nice Projects breathes new life into the Henry Wood House in London, offering ample flexible office spaces for modern workers
By Daven Wu Published
-
Under the skin: Mercedes-AMG ply sober elegance with the new GT
By Jonathan Bell Last updated
-
Jaguar F-Type Coupé: Wallpaper* gets behind the wheel
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Jaguar’s new F-Type Coupé makes a triumphant debut
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Jaguar’s new F-Type harks back to the brand’s racing heyday
By Jonathan Bell Published