The Most Beautiful Details Hidden Throughout the New York Auto Show

The New York International Auto Show can be overwhelming.

Published April 19, 2019

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Updated June 1, 2021

Walking through the 2019 New York International Auto Show can be overwhelming. With all the shiny sheet metal on display—some of it for the first time—it’s easy to lose yourself in all of the big news and announcements. But, if you take some time and keep your eyes peeled, you’ll see there are a lot of beautiful design details peppered throughout the show’s attractions that you might have missed otherwise. Yes, concept cars will have bucket loads of futuristic moldings and supercars are packed with aerodynamic facets, but even something as mundane as a family sedan can hide an interesting quirk or two.

So, in case you missed them, these are the most beautiful details hidden throughout the cars at NYIAS 2019.

Acura TLX Taillights

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Acura deserves a huge amount of credit for the bold design choices it’s made over the past few years. Acura’s design language is polarizing, to say the least, but if you look closely, you’ll spot intricacies that deserve appreciation. The taillights on the TLX are one of them: They mirror the car’s headlights, making what could’ve been a run-of-the-mill tail lamp into a delightfully complex display.

Audi E-Tron Dashboard

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Open-pore wood isn’t anything new as far as car interiors go, but the Audi E-Tron pulls it off brilliantly. The all-electric SUV is a vision of the future for Audi, and the designers could have gone the usual clinical design route for such things, but it’s nice to see organic material in there instead; it nicely complements the future-forward E-Tron.

Genesis Mint Concept Seats

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There are a lot of details to fawn over on the Genesis Mint concept car, but if one stands out above the rest, it’s the seats. If they look askew in the photo, that’s because when you open the door, they automatically slide back and rotate for easier ingress and egress. And it might only be a concept car for now, but Genesis brand boss Manfred Fitzgerald says he wants to see something like the Mint on the road in the near future.

The Whole Kia HabaNiro

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When autonomous driving takes operational responsibility away from the passengers, the experience of driving as a whole will shift; there will more time to appreciate and interact with the interior, for one thing. Designers are starting to cater to that in concept cars like this funky Kia, by pouring more energy into details like seats and dashboard design. The Kia HabaNiro might look like the crossover of tomorrow on the outside, but the not-so-subtle crimson flair on the inside would be a welcome addition to the Korean automaker’s lineup.

Koenigsegg Jesko Rear Wing

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The Koenigsegg Jesko’s rear wing isn’t exactly a “hidden detail,” seeing as how it’s one of the largest objects on the show floor. It helps the Jesko achieve 2,200 pounds of downforce when deployed, but can level out to reduce drag and let the Swedish supercar hit its supposed 300-mph top speed.

Lincoln Corsair Taillights

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Lincoln is quickly becoming a powerhouse in the American luxury car market. It’s very rare an automaker adopts a design language which works on all of its cars, no matter the body style. The Corsair can easily be described as a mini-Navigator, but it also has its own unique details worth a mention. The taillights, for instance, look like the full-width setup Lincoln has applied elsewhere; move in closer and the design begins to resemble a stylized eagle’s wing.

Nissan GT-R50 Taillights

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You’ve probably seen the Nissan GT-R50 by now, and drooled over as much as everybody else has. (Just ignore the $1.1 million price tag.) The car was a chance for Italdesign to flex its creative muscles, so it’s packed with design touches. Walk around the back, and you’ll see the semi-floating tail lights that look like jet engines; they compliment the moveable rear wing with its aircraft-like actuators.

Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Center Console

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Range Rover has been moving towards minimalism for a while, but the new Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic highlights how far the company’s interiors have come—and how well they’re executed.

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