Without question, the automobile industry is currently in an unprecedented state of flux. Four years ago, the coronavirus pandemic shut factories for an extended period of time and affected parts and chip manufacture in an adverse fashion, contributing to a dearth of new cars available for purchase.

Simultaneously, covid ignited inflation and sent interest rates skyrocketing worldwide, making it less affordable for consumers to finance or lease the vehicles that were available for purchase.

What’s more, the plans of many manufacturers to transform their entire combustion engine fleets into EVs has been met with lackluster interest from consumers and opposition from incoming political administrations, forcing the companies to rethink their strategies and reinvest into hybrid and alternative fuel designs instead.

All of this tumult has combined, amongst other things, to make auto shows rather lackluster events, as many manufacturers have stopped bringing their wares, often because their product lines are in the midst of transitioning, or so as to cut travel and display costs in the face of decreased revenue.

(Image courtesy of the Los Angeles International Auto Show.)

This phenomenon was quite apparent at the Los Angeles International Auto Show for the past few years, as major manufactures such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Stellantis failed to attend, and the offerings from those companies that did participate were limited.

Flash forward to 2024, and I found myself eager to return to the show, held this past week at the Los Angeles Convention Center, in the hopes that the fortunes of the automakers had changed to the extent that many would return and that their offerings would be flush.

The Los Angles Convention Center, home of the Los Angeles International Auto Show. (Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Convention Center.)

As it turns out, I was only half satisfied, as once again, many companies failed to show, although the main players in the American muscle car market were all in attendance, bringing with them some very significant cars.

What follows is what I found noteworthy.

LA Auto Show – General Motors

General Motors brought with it a massive display of vehicles from all their divisions that occupied nearly a third of the capacious South Hall at the convention center.

The Chevrolet section was clearly the crowd favorite for GM fans, and for good reason: the Bowtie brand had one of each type of Corvette on hand, including the brand new, and indescribably raucous, 2025 Corvette ZR1 coupe. And, man, was it a show-stopper.

The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

Draped in eye-popping Competition Yellow Tintcoat over a black interior, the ZR1 looked like it was breaking 200 mph while standing still.

Amid all the sharp angles and cuts of the aggressive design, every piece of exterior trim was made of exposed carbon fiber, including a deep front splitter, mirror housings, side skirts, side intakes, removeable roof panel, outrageously enormous rear wing, and a set of very expensive looking multi-spoke wheels which were wrapped in ultra-low profile Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R rubber.

Some very expensive carbon fiber wheels and Michelin rubber. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

On a nearby display pedestal was the ZR1’s monster LT7 twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter double overhead cam V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft that churns out an astonishing 1,064 horsepower and 828 lb-ft of torque.

Other ZR1 mechanicals include an 8-speed paddle-shifted, dual-clutch transmission, high-performance suspension with Magnetic Selective Ride Control, carbon ceramic brakes with 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers.

The ZR1’s 5.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V8. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

The show car was equipped with the ZTK Performance package and the ZR1 Carbon Fiber Aero Package, which in addition to the carbon rear wing, also affords a ZR1 buyer underbody strakes and carbon fiber dive planes.

All of these niceties result in a car that can do zero-to-sixty in 2.5 seconds, fly through the quarter mile in under 10 seconds, and reach a terminal velocity of 233 mph.

A cutaway of the ZR1 revealed its interior materials and components. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

Nearby was a full-sized cutaway version of the car which showed off the ZR1’s super-lightweight all-aluminum tub and ancillary mechanicals. What a car…

Also on hand was the Corvette Z06. Just one step down on the Corvette trim ladder, the Z06 is itself no slouch, with its LT6 flat-plane crank, 5.5-liter, double overhead cam V8 that revs to 8,600 rpms, making 670 horses and 470 lb-ft of twist. It is currently the most powerful normally aspirated V8 ever dropped into a production vehicle.

The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

All that muscle is routed through a TREMEC-designed eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and an electronic limited-slip differential. Magnetic Ride Control and a Driver Mode Selector are both standard equipment.

Together, this powertrain propels the Z06 to 2.6 second 0-60 launches, 10.5 second quarters, and a 200 mph top speed.

A cutaway of the Corvette Z06’s motor. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

The show car, painted in Sebring Orange Tintcoat over a black and orange leather interior looked simply fantastic.

GM also brought Cadillacs of all kinds to the show, but the one that clearly stood out for most in attendance was their version of a muscle car, the 2025 CT5-V Blackwing.

The 2025 Cadillac CT5-V Blacking sedan. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

A sedan possessing a stunning exterior and interior design, the Blackwing also brings a significant amount of grunt, thanks to the hand-built 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that lurks under its hood. Good for 668 horsepower and 659 lb-ft, and mated to a buyer’s choice of an optional 10-speed automatic or, bless you GM, a standard 6-speed manual transmission, the Blackwing is capable of 3.4 second 0-60 sprints, 11.4 second quarter mile runs at 128 mph, and an astonishing 205 mph top speed.

Inside lives an ultra-lavish cockpit with aggressively-bolstered seats, all-digital displays, and every bell and whistle you can imagine.

LA Auto Show – Ford

Ford brought its big guns to the LA Auto show in the form of the Mustang lineup.

The 2025 Ford Mustang GTD is the a race derived pony car that resides at the top of the Mustang line. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

At the top of the pony car pyramid is the 2025 Mustang GTD. A $300,000 competition-derived, street legal juggernaut, the GTD makes use of the discontinued Shelby GT500’s supercharged 5.2-liter V8 tweaked to output 800 horsepower, mated to a TREMEC eight-speed, dual clutch transaxle.

A dry-sump oil system keeps the powerplant lubricated during hard cornering, and Multimatic adaptive spool-valve dampers, along with an unequal-length control-arm suspension in front and a pushrod-style multilink setup in the rear, makes handling razor sharp on the street or the track.

Forged aluminum wheels come standard, but featherweight magnesium ones are an option and were fitted to the show car. Massive carbon-ceramic brake rotors hide behind whichever set of rims you choose, and ducts on the fenders help cool the front rotors.

The GTD’s bodywork is mostly carbon fiber for the maximum in weight savings. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

The exterior of the GTD features highly aggressive carbon fiber bodywork (the door skins are the only panels made of aluminum). Pressure-reducing vents in the front fenders and hood help reduce lift, and a carbon-fiber underbody that comes with hydraulically actuated, active front flaps will be available.

Perhaps the boldest exterior statement though is the massive rear wing, which will feature a hydraulically controlled, Formula 1 style, active drag-reduction system (DRS) to decrease downforce when needed on straights.

A Ford Mustang GT painted in Vapor Blue Metallic and equipped with bronze wheels. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

Also present was an example of the Mustang GT and GT convertible. Noticeably absent though was the Dark Horse, the 500 horsepower high-end model in the regular Mustang range. A strange omission.

LA Auto Show – Stellantis

Having sat out last year’s Los Angeles International Auto Show, I was very pleased to discover the company’s return this time with all of the brands it sells in America represented, and one very important car in tow.

Since discontinuing their bread and butter internal combustion LX- and LC-body Chargers and Challengers, and announcing that henceforth, the company would be largely pursuing an EV strategy, many have predicted Dodge’s downfall. Dodge’s “e-Muscle” PR campaign preceding the release of their first EV has been met with a lack of interest and even outright hostility from brand loyalists who love their Hemi V8s.

The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack electric muscle car. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

A production version of the very first Dodge EV, the car that might very well make or break the company for the foreseeable future, was front and center at the Dodge display. Of course, I’m talking about the Dodge Charger Daytona.

Right off the bat, I have to tell all the angry Mopar fans that this car looks absolutely sensational in person. From its sheet metal to its dimensions and stance, the designers at Dodge have somehow combined futuristic and muscular styling, while incorporating subtle nods to several generations of Chargers from the past.

The Charger Daytona’s muscular yet future forward profile. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

The show car was finished in Redeye Red, a hue that showed off the car’s lines, including such unique cues such as the “R-Wing” aerodynamic pass-through at the car’s front, the side cut lines, and the surprisingly intricate styling around the hatchback.

Inside was a plush, all-black interior with premium materials throughout, representing a massive step forward in quality over the previous generation Charger and Challenger. I spotted leather, Alcantara, real carbon fiber, real aluminum, and soft touch plastics amongst the materials used. An all-digital cluster, large center touchscreen, and color-adjustable accent lighting completed the contemporary look of the cabin.

The Charger Daytona’s upscale interior. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

The car on display was the current top-of-the-line model – the Scat Pack – which affords the car a 400V, 100.5 kWh powerplant. It was also outfitted with a Stage 2 Performance kit, which for the first model year will be gratis, but will cost a considerable sum moving forward. This bumps horsepower up to a muscular 670 ponies, that combined with the car’s standard four-wheel drive system, should yield Hellcat level acceleration.

Also bundled on the show car was the Plus Package, which yields a plethora of upgraded interior trim and functionality, and the Carbon and Suede Package, that adds further interior refinements plus special dark aluminum wheels and dark exterior badging. The Track package was also present, bringing adaptive suspension and a high performance Brembo braking system to the mix.

Special, dark finished wheels come with the Carbon and Suede Package. Also note the “Stage 2” nomenclature under the Scat Pack badge. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

For those Moparians who aren’t impressed so long as the Charger has an electric powertrain, good news was announced at the show: ICE models, featuring the new twin turbocharged, inline-6 “Hurricane” engine that were previously not going to debut until late 2025, have been given an accelerated production schedule. They will now be hitting the market in the late spring or early summer of next year. They’ll be offered in standard output trim level with 420 horsepower, or a high-output “SixPack” trim with a healthy 550 ponies. Both two-door and four-door models will be produced.

I personally think that all the furor regarding the new car will be greatly lessened once people see the new Charger on the road. It really is a great looking car, inside and out.

The 2025 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Brass Monkey edition. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

For Durango fans, Dodge brought their latest “Last Call” model celebrating the last edition of its fabled Hellcat powered SUV. Called the 2025 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Brass Monkey, the vehicle is largely unique for its aesthetic package that includes special Red Oxide paint, a satin black hood, brass colored 20-inch wheels, a sepia brown leather interior with an Alcantara steering wheel, forged carbon fiber trim, and silver and sepia stitching throughout the interior.

LA Auto Show – Everything Else

Other attractions at the show included a massive display of modded cars and aftermarket parts vendors in “The Garage” downstairs.

Everything from custom-wrapped hypercars to tricked-out Jeeps, Broncos, and slammed muscle cars were on display.

In particular, a seriously menacing 1987 Buick GNX caught my eye there.

This ’87 Buick GNX was a mean machine. (Photo by Rob Finkelman.)

Despite the absence of some of my favorite European sports cars, the 2024 Los Angeles International Auto Show was a success from my standpoint by having several noteworthy muscle car displays.

If I were running the show though, my first order of business towards setting up the 2025 version would be to use any and all leverage to get all the important automakers to come back. If they don’t, I could foresee trouble for the show moving forward. Los Angeles is the largest market in America for luxury and high-end automotive brands, and it behooves the manufacturers to display their cars so that the buying public can see and touch them.

I know I’ll be back next year to bring you all the show’s highlights, but will large numbers of people continue to attend as well if the cars they’re interested in are not in attendance?