Los Angeles becomes stage for high-speed luxury cars

DETROIT  — Few people need an SUV with 567 horsepower that can scream around a racetrack and go from 0 to 60 in four seconds.

A small but growing number want one.

These drivers aren’t satisfied any longer with an ordinary luxury car. They crave speed and handling, and they’re willing to pay for it. That’s why BMW, Mercedes, Cadillac and Porsche are introducing six new high-performance versions of existing vehicles at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which opens to the public on Friday.

Although these super-fast models make up only around 3 per cent of luxury automakers’ sales, the cars and SUVs bring big profits and give brands an aura of race-car performance that boosts their image with many buyers.

Buyers of these cars still want all the accoutrements that luxury brands have to offer, but a cushy ride is a secondary concern. Dealers and industry analysts say two kinds of people desire ultra-high-performance cars. One seeks the speed and handling. The second simply wants to be different from others who can afford luxury brands.

“It’s the ‘when they don’t make very many of them, everybody wants one’ concept,” says Steve Late, president of BMW of Austin, Texas, who can’t keep the German automaker’s limited-production, high-performance “M’’ models in stock.

BMW will introduce two updated high-performance SUVs at the Los Angeles show, the X5 M and the X6 M, both with a twin-turbo V8 that puts out the 567 horsepower — 267 more than a standard X5. Suspensions also are beefed up on the M SUVs, with technology borrowed from the racetrack. But the speed and handling come with a price. The X5 M starts at nearly $100,000, over $46,000 above the current base X5. Both new 2015 M SUVs hit showrooms in the spring.

The higher prices mean big gains for automakers, even with the relatively small sales numbers, says Stephanie Brinley, senior analyst for the Americas for IHS Automotive. “Porsche and Mercedes and Cadillac can add those in with comparatively low investment to all new cars and get a good, healthy profit out of it,” she said.

In Austin, where a Formula One racetrack is often rented for a day by car clubs, demand for M versions is high, Late says.

The automakers picked Los Angeles for the introductions because residents have money to buy such cars, and because the metro area often sets automotive trends, Brinley says.

Other high-performance luxury cars slated for introduction this week include:

— Two Mercedes AMG high-performance cars, the C63 sedan and GT sports car. There are two versions of each, regular and the higher-performing S. All have a hand-built 4-litre V8 engine that makes 469 horsepower for the AMG and 503 for the S version. All go from 0 to 60 in 4 seconds or less. Mercedes has 19 AMG models, and the AMG line has seen 58 per cent growth so far this year, the company said.

— Sedan and coupe “V’’ high-performance versions of the Cadillac ATS compact car. Both have a twin-turbo 3.6-litre V6 that puts out 455 horsepower. The cars will go from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds with a top speed of 189 mph.

— Porsche’s 2016 Cayenne GTS with a 440-horsepower turbocharged 3.6-litre V6 that can go from 0 to 60 in around 4.8 seconds. And it’s not even the fastest version. The GTS Turbo is.

Here are some of the other most talked-about vehicle introductions:

Audi

The German luxury brand hints at its new design direction with a concept sedan, the Audi Prologue. It’s the first vehicle from Marc Lichte, a Volkswagen veteran who was appointed head of Audi design in February. The car is shorter and sportier than the current A8, and has a lower, wider and more angular grille. Under the hood is a 605-horsepower V8 engine. The two-door coupe could become Audi’s new flagship A9. But in the meantime, look for the new design to trickle into the brand’s future products.

Chrysler 300

Chrysler hopes to breathe some life into the lagging full-size sedan segment with the first full update of the 300 since 2005. The car still has its imperious, 1950s-inspired looks, but there’s a new, more prominent grille and LED lights. Inside, there’s more premium content, including a new 7-inch driver information display. Chrysler promises best-in-class fuel economy of 31 mpg on the highway with its eight-speed transmission — now standard — and new safety features, including forward collision warning. The new 300 goes on sale early next year with a starting price of $32,390 including shipping.

Ford Explorer

The SUV that kicked off America’s love affair 20 years ago is getting a refresh for 2016. New features include front and rear cameras equipped with washers — an industry first — and a hands-free liftgate that can sense the driver’s foot. Ford says the new 2.3-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder engine with 270 horsepower should deliver fuel economy similar to the 2-litre EcoBoost it replaces. The Explorer goes on sale next summer. Pricing wasn’t released.

Honda HR-V

Honda enters the subcompact SUV market — one of the fastest growing in the industry — with its Fit-based HR-V. The tiny five-seater is cleverly designed to maximise space; with the second-row seats folded, there’s 59 cubic feet of cargo volume. That’s 23 more cubic feet than one of its chief rivals, the Nissan Juke. Like the Juke, its back door handles are hidden, giving it a sporty, coupe-like look. The HR-V has a 138-horsepower 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine and the choice of a continuously variable automatic transmission or a six-speed manual. All-wheel drive is optional. The HR-V goes on sale in the US this winter. Pricing and fuel economy weren’t released.

Lexus LF-C2

Toyota’s luxury brand celebrates its 25th birthday with the LF-C2 concept convertible. The show car will definitely draw some stares, if only for its striking goldenrod paint job. Lexus says the LF-C2, with its exaggerated take on Lexus’ signature spindle grille and sharply angled front bumper, gives clues to Lexus’ future designs.

Mazda CX-3

Mazda joins the subcompact SUV market with the CX-3. The tiny utility — at 168 inches, it’s about the same length as the Buick Encore — will be sold in North America with Mazda’s 2-litre Skyactiv-G engine, which gets up to 40 mpg on the highway in the Mazda3 compact car. It will also have a six-speed automatic transmission and optional all-wheel drive. The CX-3 goes on sale in the spring in Japan and globally soon after. Pricing wasn’t announced.

Scion iM

Twelve years after its launch, Toyota’s youth-oriented Scion brand is having an identity crisis. US sales are down 15 per cent so far this year as buyers wonder what to make of its mishmash of cars, from the tiny iQ to the boxy xB. Enter the iM hatchback. Scion makes sporty new statement with the low-riding iM, which has 19-inch tyres and an edgier grille than siblings like the tC. The iM goes on sale next year and will likely be priced under $20,000. It’s the first of three new models intended to overhaul the brand in the next three years.

Volkswagen Golf R Variant

The wagon version of the sporty Golf R is a parent’s dream: It seats five and has the cargo space of a small SUV but also has a “race” mode for track driving and accelerates from 0 to 50 mph in just 3.8 seconds. It shares the Golf R’s 296-horsepower, 2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The Golf R Variant goes on sale in Europe this spring before coming to North America. Pricing wasn’t announced, but the Golf R on which it’s based will start at $37,415.

Volvo V60 Cross Country

The cross country sits up higher and has bigger wheels that the regular V60 wagon. It will launch with Volvo’s five-cylinder, 250-horsepower engine and all-wheel drive. Later, a four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive version will be available. The cross country goes on sale in the US early next year at a starting price of $41,000. Volvo, suffering from a decade-long slide in sales, also announced a plan to regain US share by redoing all of its vehicles over the next five years.