The Fast and the Curious: The New York Auto Show

March 20, 2008 — -- Visitors to this year's New York International Auto Show will find speed machines, green machines and, in one case, a wrecked machine.

More on the wrecked machine later. First, on the speed front: Sparks flew, literally, when Hyundai unveiled its new 2010 Genesis Coupe in a flashy media event Wednesday that was part rock concert, part NASCAR.

Live music blared and pyrotechnics filled the Javits center with smoke, as two Genesis sports cars -- one red and one silver -- took turns spinning around a partitioned-off section inside the convention center.

Driven by professional stunt drivers, the cars only reached speeds of 30 to 35 mph. But in an enclosed space surrounded by rapt onlookers, it looked plenty fast.

The purpose of the demonstration, said John Krafcik, Hyundai's vice president of product development and strategic planning, was to show off the power of the coupe's rear-wheel drive engine.

The sleek two-door, with an available 306 horsepower V-6, is a departure for Hyundai. Krafcik hopes it will draw true auto enthusiasts -- the kind who read at least two different car magazines a month and who have eluded Hyundai in the past.

Also eluding Hyundai, Wednesday: ventilation. The fog from the demonstration didn't dissipate until well into the automaker's presentation.

Hyundai isn't discussing pricing on the Genesis coupe, but a spokesman said that the car would be priced below the sedan version, which reportedly will be priced at $29,900 to $36,000.

Tack a zero onto the latter figure and you won't be far off from the price of the new 2009 Bentley Brooklands. At an eye-popping 530 horsepower, the uber-upscale automaker says it is the most powerful V-8 engine it's ever produced. The luxury coupe's base price is listed at $340,990.

In its presentation, Bentley stressed environmental and energy concerns over opulence and power. The company handed out a 17-page treatise on its Earth-friendly efforts, including an announcement that all Bentley vehicles would be compatible with renewable fuels by 2012.

Bentley board member Stuart McCullough said that the automaker would seek to satisfy customer expectations "in as sustainable a fashion as possible."

Appropriately, guests at Bentley's media event were treated to glasses of champagne.

Not to be outdone, German automaker Porsche, which showed off its 2008 Boxter R60, among other models, included elegant desserts and a miniature Porsche ice sculpture at its preview.

A number of other automakers also touted their green machines. Mercedes-Benz took a page from the current presidential race by promoting a "Vote for BlueTec" campaign, complete with confetti and red, white and blue balloons.

BlueTec is a completely redesigned diesel engine platform featuring a fuel additive, carried in a separate tank under the car, that cuts nitrogen oxide emissions by 90 percent.

It helps three of the automakers' new diesel-powered cars -- the 2009MY R320 BlueTEC, the ML320 BlueTec and the GL320 BlueTec -- meet diesel emissions limits in all 50 states. Mercedes maintains that its diesel technology is significantly more efficient than gasoline engines.

Several automakers displayed hybrid vehicles, including Toyota, which bills its 2008 Prius Touring as getting 48 city miles and 45 highway miles per gallon.

But Toyota took its green gusto a step further: A large backlit sign informed passersby that the turntables holding Toyota's cars were made of recycled wood and that the fabric on nearby benches was made without the use of ozone-depleting chemicals.

Ford had its own unusual display in the form of a battered 2008 Ford Taurus. The sedan survived a 35-mph crash test with heavy front-end damage but also with its cabin fully intact. The 2008 model's safety features include laser-welded side pillars that redirect the force of a crash beneath the cars seats, according to the automaker.

No good auto show, of course, would be complete with a celebrity appearance. On Wednesday, rapper 50 Cent, aka Curtis Jackson, stopped by to help Pontiac unveil three new cars: the 400-horsepower G8 GXP, the hard-top Solstice Coupe and a G8 sport truck.

Pontiac is holding a contest to name the sport truck. 50 Cent's suggestion? The Curtis.

The New York International Auto Show is open to the public from March 21 to March 30.