Nation's largest auto show opens in NYC

What has long been the nation's best attended auto show opens this week at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan with dozens of new model introductions -- an annual event sponsored by local dealers, who are still coping with the lingering effects of recession and, now, $4-a-gallon gasoline.

The show opens to the media Wednesday and to the public Friday evening for a 10-day run, but a few of the new models will be unveiled at off-site events before Wednesday.

Important new models, based on potential sales volume, include an updated Chevrolet Malibu, the GM brand's best-selling car, to be unveiled this evening at 8:30 Eastern time, at the Shanghai auto show and to go on sale early next year as a 2013 model; and a redesign for the 2012 Honda Civic.

Other new economical cars at what is formally known as the New York International Auto Show will include the 2012 Rio sedan and hatchback.

VW plans to display what it calls "the 21st Century Beetle," with styling that "reinterprets the silhouette" of the original iconic car. It goes on sale in the fall. VW also is showing a concept vehicle, the Bulli, an electric-powered hint at a future Microbus.

The show's organizers, the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, say about 1,000 2011, 2012 and 2013 vehicles and concept cars will be on display in about 840,000 square feet on four levels. About a million people annually visit the show.

Showing new convertibles this spring are BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Fiat, Mercedes, Nissan, and Volkswagen. The Chrysler will be a version of the new 200, replacing the Sebring.

Being shown for the time anywhere will be the AMG version of Mercedes' C-Class Coupe, which is to go on sale in September as a 2012 model, and the 465 hp. 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8, which goes on sale in the third quarter of this year.

Likely to attract attention is the unusual Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, which its manufacturer calls the world's first all-wheel drive crossover convertible. It's to go on sale this month with a V-6, a cloth convertible top and dual pop-up roll bars. Also in that price range will be the Range Rover Evoque, the smallest vehicle ever to wear that brand, going on sale in the fall as a coupe or five-door with four-cylinder engines.

Also being shown for the first time anywhere will be the 2012 Subaru Impreza, due to reach dealerships in the fall, and three of Jaguar's four 2012 models.

A dozen experimental or "concept" cars are scheduled for Javits this year, including Mercedes' front-drive A-Class "concept" -- previewing the next generation of the smallest Benz. Saab hints at the next generation 9-3 with the PhoeniX, which has a gas-electric powertrain.

Media-only events in the city Monday and Tuesday include the intros of the new Beetle and PhoeniX, BMW's "ActiveE" electric car; Maserati's GranTurismo MC; two Suzuki concept vehicles; and a Lexus hybrid concept sedan.

Streaming car show events
Internet users can watch the Chevrolet Malibu introduction at the Shanghai Auto Show at 8:30 p.m. Monday Eastern time on Chevrolet’s Facebook page under the Malibu tab — http://on.fb.me/hCKXyJ; for iPad users it’s www.gmwebcast.com/ipad and for iPhone users at www.gmwebcast.com/iphone.

Honda says its Wednesday news conference at Javits will be streamed live beginning at 9:10 a.m. at http://live.honda.com.

Subaru plans to webcast its news conference at 1 p.m. Wednesday on Subaru.com.

Toyota/Scion plans to webcast the unveiling of a Scion concept vehicle on Wednesday at 1:40 p.m. at www.ScionDimension.com.

Chrysler Group says it will stream three news conferences: Jeep at 10:10 a.m. Wednesday at www.host4video.com/nyias2011/jeep.

Chrysler at 3:55 p.m. Wednesday at www.host4video.com/nyias2011/chrysler

Fiat Thursday at 12:20 p.m. at www.host4video.com/nyias2011/fiat/.

Other info about the show is available any time at www.autoshowNY.com, www.facebook.com/nyautoshow and at www.twitter.com/nyautoshow.