By Steve & Tamami Laser
Welcome to part three of our 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show review, where we take a look at new models and concepts from Hyundai, Land Rover, Subaru, and Fisker, plus a quick visit to Galpin’s Hall of Customs.
Hyundai
SEVEN Concept
Hyundai says the new SEVEN Concept revealed in L.A. offers a preview of the design direction for a future electric SUV planned for its IONIQ EV brand, along with a look at the future of mobility.
Riding on the automaker’s Electric-Global Modular Platform (e-GMP), SEVEN has a flat floor, an expansive and premium lounge-like interior with an innovative living space, accessed by coach-style side doors.
SEVEN sports swiveling chairs, a curved bench seat, and an ultra-slim cockpit design with integrated screens. The EV concept features a Universal Island console, a multi-functional Smart Hub graphic user interface, and a built-in mini-fridge for enjoying refreshments on-the-go.
2022 IONIQ 5
Already on sale as a 2022 model, the new IONIQ 5 is an all-electric crossover with a sleek and sophisticated design. It offers the potential for longer-distance journeys, with a maximum EPA estimated driving range of 303 miles for the single-motor, two-wheel-drive model.
Hyundai says that with a 350-kW charger, IONIQ 5 can charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes. And with an available Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function, it can charge electric devices like bikes, scooters, or camping gear.
IONIQ 5 has a 12-inch digital gauge cluster for the driver, plus a separate 12-inch center infotainment screen. The e-GMP platform delivers a nearly flat floor, with lots of room to stretch out. The center console can slide back and forth 5.5 inches, while the power driver’s seat offers a footrest underneath. IONIQ 5 is available in three trim levels with a choice of rear- and all-wheel drive.
Land Rover
2022 Range Rover
Land Rover debuted the fifth-generation Range Rover in L.A. It’s powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, or mild-hybrid 3.0-liter turbo-6, for 2022. The new line is expected to expand with a plug-in hybrid for 2023, and a pure electric model the following year. Short and long wheelbase models are available, with two or optional three row seating.
Range Rover offers SE, Autobiography, and First Edition models, with all-wheel steering, fully independent air suspension, intelligent All-Wheel Drive, Terrain Response® 2 system, and Active Locking Rear Differential. The top-line SV is fitted with exclusive features, available SV Serenity and SV Intrepid themes, plus a four-seat SV Signature Suite.
Elegant interiors feature high-tech infotainment, including Pivi Pro with a 13.1-inch curved, floating center screen, and semi-floating 13.7-inch Interactive Driver Display. The available rear seat entertainment system delivers 11.4-inch HD screens, while an 8.0-inch rear seat touchscreen controller is mounted in the center armrest with Executive Class Rear Seats.
Subaru
2023 Solterra EV
The Solterra EV, Subaru’s first all-electric vehicle, rides on a new e-Subaru Global Platform developed with Toyota. “Solterra” combines the Latin words “Sol,” which mean “Sun,” and “Terra,” which stands for the Earth.
Expected to go on sale in mid-2022 as a 2023 model, Solterra EV delivers Subaru SUV’s traditional go-anywhere capabilities in an all-electric vehicle. Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with StarDrive® Technology is standard, including X-MODE® and 8.3-inches of ground clearance.
While making our quick video of the new Solterra EV at the L.A. Auto Show, we noticed design similarities to its cousin, the new Toyota bZ4X. Subaru applies its own styling touches, including a unique front fascia, “grille,” headlights, bumper, trim, and finishes.
The interior features comfortable seating for five, a new multimedia system with an available 12.3-inch touchscreen, 360-degree Surround-View Camera system, and up to 30 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. Subaru’s manufacturer-estimated range for Solterra EV with standard AWD is more than 220 miles-per-charge.
2022 BRZ®
Last year, Subaru in Japan said that the second-generation BRZ was born in a joint development project with Toyota in the pursuit of “making ever-better cars.” The result is the new BRZ (and its Toyota GR86 cousin), on sale now.
The BRZ receives new styling, a more powerful 2.4-liter Boxer® engine, TORSEN® limited-slip differential, improved handling, and a new interior. The driver-focused cabin features a horizontal-style instrument panel with a new 7-inch digital instrument cluster. An available 8-inch touchscreen includes Subaru Starlink™ multimedia, Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, plus SiriusXM®.
2022 Outback Wilderness™
Subaru calls the new Wilderness model the “most rugged and capable Outback ever.” It stands out with a new front grille, bumpers, fender flares, front skid plate, matte-black hood stripe, black window trim, Wilderness badges, copper-finish trim, fixed ladder-type roof rack, and exclusive Geyser Blue exterior.
Outback Wilderness gains increased ground clearance of 9.5-inches, Yokohama GEOLANDAR® all-terrain tires, and matte black wheels. Subaru’s 2.4-liter turbocharged Boxer® engine is standard, and so is Symmetrical all-wheel drive with X-MODE®. The seats are trimmed with StarTex® water-repellant trim, and receive Wilderness logos on the headrests.
Subaru says Outback Wilderness offers “superior ability to climb grades up to 40 percent on a gravel surface.” An exclusive new X-MODE feature allows the SUV to “automatically switch from low-speed managed driving to speeds over 25 mph without interruption of power or performance.”
Fisker
Ocean
With its U.S. headquarters in nearby Manhattan Beach, Fisker brought the Ocean to the L.A. Convention Center, previewing its upcoming all-electric SUV. Fisker says the Ocean is planned to start production late next year at Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria. Magna builds vehicles like the BMW Z4, Toyota GR Supra, Jaguar I-Pace, and Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
Ocean offers Sport, Ultra and Extreme models, with the first 5,000 to be called the Ocean One launch edition. Available features include a Fisker SolarSky roof, Earth, Fun and Hyper driving modes, 16-speaker HyperSound system, and a 17.1-inch Revolve™ center screen that rotates from portrait Control Mode, to landscape Hollywood Mode, when parked. Fisker targets driving ranges for production models from 250 miles for the single-motor Sport, up to 350 miles for the dual-motor Extreme.
Galpin’s Hall of Customs
Bronco
We always enjoy visiting Galpin’s Hall of Customs at the L.A. Auto Show. This year, Galpin Auto Sports brought a wide array of exotic cars, customized vehicles, hot rods, classics, trucks and SUVs to the show.
Our video highlights the Bronco display at Galpin’s Hall of Customs. The blue 1966 Bronco Heritage show truck features a Ford 377 stroker engine, custom headers and exhaust, long travel suspension, Dana 60 rear and 44 front axles, coil-over shocks, fully integrated roll cage, Cobra Sport seats, and heritage colors.
Bathtub Car
The Bathtub Car, aka Bathtub Buggy, is one of the famous, custom-built hot rods that takes us back to the 1960s, when we assembled plastic scale model kits of cars like this, and the Beatnik Bandit, Munster Koach, and Monkeemobile.
According to legend, this Bathtub project was built by Bob Reisner in 1968, and purchased by George Barris for his collection of kustom show rods. We first encountered the Bathtub Buggy as a Monogram model kit in 1970. It was amazing to see it at the L.A. Auto Show 50 years later!
Galpin Auto Sports bought the Bathtub Buggy from the Barris collection and went on to restore it. Enhancements include a functional 1957 Hemi 392, along with some 1,000 pieces of trim plated with 24k gold. On a Discovery Channel “Car Kings” episode, the Bathtub Buggy went to Japan for the Yokohama Hot Rod Show.
Visit the following links for our additional 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show stories:
2021 Los Angeles Auto Show Review – 2023 Toyota bZ4X, Lexus LX F SPORT, Nissan Z, Ariya EV
2021 Los Angeles Auto Show Part 2 – Corvette Z06, Ford Lightning, Grand Wagoneer, Kia EV9
CarNichiWa.com thanks the Los Angeles Auto Show for providing us with a press pass to the media preview days
Note: Features, specifications, and launch timing for U.S. market production models in this story are subject to change without notice
Story, photos and videos © 2021 CarNichiWa.com