Racing fans in the Boston area have a cool new place for dinner, drinks, and entertainment. F1 Arcade is open for business, and if you haven’t figured it out just yet, the entertainment portion comes from several banks of full-motion racing simulators.

Specifically, there are 69 simulators scattered around the two-story, 16,000-square-foot facility. They are linked together for head-to-head or team racing action in a Formula 1 setting that recreates iconic real-life tracks. Details on the tracks or the cars aren’t mentioned, but F1 Arcade does offer regular visitors the ability to create personal driver profiles. Called the Arcade Hub, attendees can earn Arcadians—presumably a points system— that can be exchanged for things like merchandise.

While arcade is part of the name, photos show a venue that looks far more upscale than the arcades of yesteryear. Amid the racing seats is a snazzy atmosphere that, among other things, has a 37-foot bar for picking up drinks with motorsport-themed names. There’s a food menu with plenty of dishes, some of which we can’t pronounce. And $16 for Braised Chicken Tinga sounds perfectly reasonable, especially when compared to the $275 plate of nachos seen at last year’s Formula 1 race in Miami.

F1 Arcade launched in 2022 with its first restaurant in London. The newest location in Boston is the first of several planned for the United States, with Washington DC being next on the list. If things go well, there could be 30 locations in the next few years.

“We’re thrilled to debut the first US F1 Arcade location in the bustling Boston Seaport neighborhood, following the incredible success in the UK,” said F1 Arcade Founder and CEO Adam Breeden. “Guests can enjoy an exceptional adrenaline-packed venue and the thrill of racing in one space. The launch of F1 Arcade Boston Seaport paves the way for our ambitious US expansion, as we look ahead to opening our second venue this Fall in Washington DC.”

Italdesign’s latest creation blends a sleek GT car with a pickup truck to create a vehicle tailer-made for looking up at the stars. It’s up for debate as to whether the Quintessenza succeeds at being either body style, as it’s just a concept, but the EV’s sleek design hides some wild styling features that should excite the stargazer in all of us.

The Quintessenza is big. It’s longer than the shortest Ford F-150, with a lengthier 127.6-inch wheelbase. All that space helps accommodate four seats with a central console running down the middle that houses the infotainment controls and other switches. It also contains an organizer and a refrigerated mini-bar large enough to fit a bottle of wine and two glasses.

You’ll want a drink when you flip around the rear seats and remove the rear hardtop, opening the cabin to the outside world. The center console can slide back, bringing the mini bar right to you as you recline the rear seats and enjoy the sights.

At the front of the cabin, a floating central dashboard at the base of the windshield blends into the doors and wraps to the rear of the car. Italdesign made the dashboard out of a marble-based fabric that hides the controls underneath until needed, using a projection-based system to display them. It sounds fancy and fussy.

The primary vehicle interface is located behind the steering wheel, which is nothing more than a dock for your smartphone, which connects with the car through a unique app. Users can control various vehicle settings through the phone, which can also display vital information when it’s docked, such as battery level, speed, turn signals, and more.

The minimalist interior is serene compared to the rugged exterior. The Quintessenza has chunky fender flares over 24-inch wheels, sharp vertical and horizontal lighting elements front and rear, and a fastback roof that hides the truck bed. It can adjust its ground clearance from 7.9 to 11.0 inches. There are even full-length scissor doors and an electronically powered tailgate.

Powering the EV is a 150-kilowatt-hour battery feeding three electric motors—one front-axle drive unit and two in-wheel rear-axle motors. The total output is 777 horsepower, and it can reach 62 miles per hour in less than three seconds, but Italdesign doesn’t mention anything about towing or payload capacities.

Either way, this thing is cool. While it probably won’t ever see production, we’re glad it exists.

Rain-X is a household name. Since the 1970s it’s been the go-to windshield water repellent for drivers everywhere, promoting outward visibility even in the thickest rainstorms. But these days, Rain-X faces some serious competition.

In a series of comparison tests between 10 different windshield water repellents, the Project Farm YouTube channel finds that Rain-X is no longer the best hydrophobic product in the game. But it’s still competitive, something that can’t be said for more than half of the other products tested.

In Project Farm’s tests, just four brands—Gtechniq, Aquapel, Gyeon, and Rain-X—kept their hydrophobic properties after being subject to car wash soap and windshield washer fluid—two things you might normally expect to come in contact with your windshield. The six other brands—Adams, Cerakote, Invisible Glass, Chemical Guys, 3D, and Debaishi—virtually stopped working after a quick wash using car wash soap. 

Of the four top brands, Aquapel and Gyeon were the quickest to have water removed from the glass when subjected to a a blow dryer, at just 1 second. In this test, Project Farm was attempting to emulate the wind forces acting on a car at roughly 40 mph. Rain-X and Gtechniq tied for last, at 3 seconds. 

Where Rain-X lost out most was in Project Farm’s warm temperature exposure test, where each piece of glass is kept in a dishwasher and exposed to hot water spray for 2.5 hours. This is an attempt to emulate rain on a hot summer day. While the other three brands held their performance after the test, Rain-X’s effectiveness decreased.

That’s not to say Rain-X isn’t still worth it. Considering it was by far the cheapest product of the bunch, was among the easiest to apply, and held onto its effectiveness throughout most of the tests, we wouldn’t fault anyone for using it on their car. But if you want the absolute best product around, it’s Gtechniq’s G5 water repellent coating is it, at least according to Project Farm.

Few race car liveries are as iconic as the black and gold John Player Special Formula 1 cars campaigned by Lotus. Rec Watches has a new limited-edition timepiece that captures that same look with a cool twist. It’s made using components from a JPS F1 car, but not just any random chassis. It has materials from Lotus 98T chassis number 4, driven by Aryton Senna in the 1986 season.

As such, the watch is called the 98T/4. It’s made in collaboration with Classic Team Lotus, and as pictures show, it uses the same iconic black and gold color scheme. The watch is primarily stainless steel but, the Chapter Ring—the circular portion surrounding the dial—is made of reforged aluminum taken from the car’s original plenum tubes. The top glass is made from sapphire crystal, the strap is leather, and it’s water-resistant to 100 meters. Somehow, we suspect a watch like this will never see water unless something really bad happens behind the wheel.

Those in the know will remember 1986 was the last year for the black and gold JPS livery, and Rec Watches states the donor race car was used for the final eight races of that season. So the aluminum comes from the last JPS car to race in F1, driven by arguably the greatest F1 driver of all time.

Rec Watches will only make 989 examples, and each costs $3,995. Folks who jump in on the pre-order will get a discounted price of $3,195, but there is a catch. Watches won’t be available until March 2025, so pre-order buyers will have to wait nearly a year for their piece of F1 history.

It would seem buyers are more than willing to wait, as a vast majority of the 989 watches are already spoken for, according to Rec. As of April 26, 173 pre-orders are still available. Better get your credit card ready quickly. 

As Yas Marina Circuit readies itself for A2RL’s inaugural event, a world-first four-car fully autonomous race, special attention needs to be given to two vital aspects of the competition: the car and the teams behind them.

Each competitor in the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League starts with the same vehicle: a Dallara Super Formula car. The car, in its original form, is used in the Japanese Super Formula, but here it’s been given a raft of modifications and custom-built to make it suitable for fully autonomous driving and is known as EAV24. Outside of Formula One, the Dallara is the fastest open-wheel racing car on the planet.

Its body includes sustainable composites. Mixing carbon and flax–a natural material that shares lightweight and rigid properties with traditional carbon fiber sourced from Swiss company Bcomp. It’s been shaped to help the car cut through the air cleanly, generate downforce to aid fast cornering, and, of course, to look good.

At the front and rear are cutting-edge pushrod suspension and adaptive dampers to ensure it can get around corners as flat and as quickly as possible. Its suspension setup has been, much like its body, designed to be as space-efficient and as light as regulations allow.

In the middle of the car is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder internal combustion engine–A2RL isn’t an electric series–that produces a hefty 550 horsepower. That power is sent to the rear wheels, via a six-speed gearbox.

It’s a race car through and through, as Dr. Tom McCarthy, Executive Director of the ASPIRE Group, the organization running A2RL, explains: “We want to create drama and excitement, and with EVA24 we’ve got it. It’s based on one of the best race cars in the world, it sounds incredible, and it’s very fast. With that as our basis, we’ve got the perfect canvas for our goal: fully autonomous extreme race. Come for the car, stay for the technological spectacle.”

In an A2RL car, you’ll have noticed the autonomous stack instead of a driver. It uses sensors, actuators, computers, 360-degree cameras, and LiDAR technology to “see” the track, and anything else on it. The combination of technologies works in harmony not only to go as quickly as is safely possible but to get ahead of its competitors.

The hardware is only half of the story. The cars are built to a standard specification, the hardware is the same for every competitor. The teams are responsible for creating software that uses advanced technology as efficiently as possible. Their input allows the car’s Controller, LiDAR, and Planner, to move, see, and decide better–hopefully better than the rest of the field. The winner in A2RL may have perhaps already been decided, but until the cars are on track we won’t know who it is. We’ll find out on April 27 which has what it takes to win.

The balance of hardware and software can only be forged by people. The human element of A2RL may not be in the cockpit, but it’s certainly in the pits. The teams, hailing from the UAE, China, Singapore, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and the USA, are a mix of motorsport engineers, programmers, and scientists–perhaps not a traditional motorsport mix, but one essential for learning, developing, and mastering autonomous racing. No matter who you are, or where you come from, if you’ve got skill, and the drive to win, A2RL will welcome you with open arms.

Lawrence Walter, Team Principal of American team Code19, knows the value of a talented crew: “In the race to innovate, Code19 is powered by our talented and diverse race engineers. They were scrupulously hand-picked from across industry and academia, to come to Abu Dhabi and take the $2.25M prize to the bank.”

The goal of the competition, as well as creating a good show, is to use the lessons learned on track and apply them to the wider world in myriad fields–automotive safety, logistics, aviation… you name it. There’s a years-long commitment going into A2RL and its desire to push technology forward–it’s even drawn the eye of significant partners like ADNOC.

A2RL’s story is just beginning, and it’s sure to be an exciting one thanks to fast cars and the smart people behind them. For the first time, autonomous cars will compete on the global stage. They’ll undergo a series of very real, and very public challenges not only to win an incredible $2.25M prize purse but to help develop the technology that will, one day, be a part of all of our lives.

The race will be broadcast live here, and if you want to learn more about A2RL click here.

There’s a new breed of motorsport coming, and the only human involvement is far away from the cars. The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) is exactly what it sounds like: autonomous racing in front of a 10,000-strong crowd at the Yas Marina Circuit, and streamed live online.

After years of development, A2RL is finally ready to hold its first race at Abu Dhabi’s legendary Yas Marina circuit. On April 27th, A2RL hopes to change the way we look not only at motorsport, but at autonomous driving for good.

A2RL has brought teams of engineers, scientists, and even former Formula One racer Daniil Kvyat together to turn a cutting-edge race car into something with a mind of its own. The teams, hailing from UAE, China, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United States, each have the same car to start: A Dallara-built chassis, powered by a 550-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged Honda-based engine linked to a six-speed gearbox. A modified take on the 185 mph cars found in Japan’s Super Formula—now called EVA24—serve as a basis for the eight teams to build upon.

Where you’d normally find a driver coated in fireproof gear and a sturdy helmet, AR2L cars have vast swathes of tech: GPS, cameras, sensors, computers, you name it. That tech, and how well it’s been programmed, is the difference between victory and defeat. All those cameras will allow spectators to get an up-close view of what’s going on in the race, too, as they offer 360-degree views from the cockpit.

The first-ever A2RL race comprises two events. Daniil Kvyat will be facing off against an entirely AI car to see whether man or machine is the fastest. Later, the main event will start: eight teams, after years of testing, simulations, shattered carbon fiber, and who knows how many gallons of coffee, will compete head-to-head to see who’s made the biggest leap in autonomous driving technology.

From there, the competition really begins: on Saturday, April 27th there’ll be a series of races and challenges pitting driver-free cars against each other. The final race will see four cars racing together—a world first—competing for a $2.25 million prize pot.

A race event wouldn’t be the same without a fan zone. On-site from 5:00 PM, the Fanzone will open to all. In there, visitors will be able to enjoy karting, Gran Turismo race sims, radio-controlled cars, food trucks, an immersive AI museum, and more. There will also be the final of A2RL’s STEM competition—an event for younger race fans who’ll be using their coding know-how to show what they can do with 1:8 scale A2RL racers.

The reason for A2RL? Safety, collaboration, and the advancement of technology. Time and time again motorsport has driven the development of tech, and when it comes to autonomy it’s time for race cars to step up to the plate again.

Coming from the ASPIRE group, the technology transition pillar of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council, A2RL is challenging teams to create a car that can run, and win entirely without human intervention. On track, once the cars have started they’ll be entirely on their own to finish the race. The only way a human can change their course is to halt it remotely—there’s no hidden driver in a pod behind the scenes. It’s all down to technology.

The aim is twofold. Firstly, to put on a good show for fans. More motorsport is always a good thing after all. The second is to develop technology that can be used in the passenger cars of the future. The lessons learned here will be transferable, and feed into advanced safety systems that keep drivers safe on the road. Eventually, this could lead to cars that can drive themselves.

From this initial event, A2RL will build up to a global race calendar and hopes to bring in excited audiences both physically, and virtually.

Watch the live race stream here or go to a2rl.io for more information.

The Genesis performance sub-brand Magma is back with a new car. But unlike previous concepts, this one isn’t orange. The G80 EV Magma Concept sports a color called Acme Blue. Chosen not because of its electric powertrain, but because blue is the hottest part of a flame, according to Genesis.

Does this mean the G80 EV Magma Concept is the fastest car from the brand yet? There’s no way to tell right now. Debuting at Auto China in Beijing, Genesis talks about suspension upgrades, bigger brakes, and aesthetic changes to give the concept a meaner stance. But the company’s remained mum on powertrain specs so far.

The production-spec Electrified G80 gets a dual-motor arrangement generating a modest 365 horsepower. While it’s unclear whether the Magma Concept uses a version of this powertrain or something totally different, we’re confident there’s more power on tap.

Instead of harping on output, Genesis focuses on the concept’s wider fenders, new rear fascia with an integrated diffuser, and a small ducktail spoiler on the trunk lid. There’s also a new fascia at the front with larger air intakes, and blacked-out trim. The G80 EV Magma Concept rides on an “advanced suspension system” that lowers the car, but specific changes aren’t outlined. Larger brakes are mounted behind custom 21-inch wheels that look identical to those on the GV60 Magma Concept, albeit with blue highlights. Interior upgrades include Alcantara and quilted leather with carbon fiber trim.

This isn’t the first performance-focused G80 we’ve seen. Earlier this year, Genesis announced a limited-run model for the Middle East market called the Magma Special. That one isn’t electric, with rumors suggesting it could have a 500-horsepower version of the sedan’s 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6. It’s also not the first electric Magma we’ve seen—that honor goes to the aforementioned GV60 that debuted at the end of March at the New York Auto Show.

The latest debut expands the Magma family, though at this time it’s unknown if this concept will see production.

Back in February, we asked for your help to find more race tracks lost to time. And boy did you answer—our email inboxes flooded with tips in the days that followed. Now, we have 10 more tracks to share, each with an interesting story.

Our latest finds cover sprawling road courses, small-town Saturday night circle tracks, and even a gigantic superspeedway that Google satellites caught before and during its destruction. It’s one of the coolest (and perhaps saddest) Google Earth race track images so far.

We know more tracks are waiting to be rediscovered, so keep emailing and commenting with your tips! From the United States and Canada, to tracks all over the world, we want to hear from you. That said, let’s get our third Google racetracks virtual road trip underway.

Track: Greenwood Roadway
Location: Indianola, Iowa
Coordinates: 41°15’08″N 93°29’33″W

Motor1 reader Dennis sent us this tip, and at a glance, one might think it could still be an active track. Nestled in south-central Iowa, was a 3.0-mile, 16-turn road course in the middle of nowhere. According to Racingcircuts.info, it was active from 1963 through 1967 and the remote location was part of the reason for its downfall. Poor spectator attendance and maintenance issues also contributed to its demise and today, the site is used for heavy equipment training. But, Greenwood Roadway still exists in the gaming world with titles like rFactor and Assetto Corsa.

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Track: Motordrome 70 Speedway
Location: Smithton, Pennsylvania
Coordinates: 40°10’30″N 79°43’30″W

This half-mile oval started life as a dirt track in 1972, then became a sanctioned NASCAR track in 1989. Speedway and Road Race History reports it was paved at that point, and according to Motor1 reader Tom who sent us the tip, spectator attendance dropped from that point forward. Google’s imagery shows the track in decent condition, and jumping into street view, the entrance is still clearly marked. However, Tom tells us the track has been closed for several years and is currently used by a sound barrier company.

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Track: Illiana Motor Speedway
Location: Schererville, Indiana
Coordinates: 41°28’35″N 87°25’17″W

Just 35 miles from Chicago sits the half-mile remains of Illiana Motor Speedway, a track that was active for nearly 70 years as both a dirt and paved oval. Motor1 reader John shared his experiences at the track as a race car driver, competing there in the 1970s and 1980s. John’s son also raced at Illiana, but it closed in 2016. According to the Associated Press, the town of Schererville purchased the track with plans to demolish it and repurpose the land; as of 2021, buildings and bleachers were removed but the asphalt was still there. Discussions on using the land were ongoing in 2023, but the current state of the track is unknown.

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Track: Bridgehampton Race Circuit
Location: Sag Harbor, New York
Coordinates: 40°58’41″N 72°20’03″W

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now the location of a golf course, Bridgehampton Race Circuit was once a bustling 12-turn, 2.8-mile track. It officially opened in 1957 and hosted everything from Can-Am to the World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR. A website dedicated to the track talks about Mario Andretti taking Paul Newman out for hot laps in a Mustang. It closed in 1999, and while the golf course offers a general outline of the old track, we’ve highlighted the original layout with our image compare tool. Slide left or right to see how the track used to look. Shout out to Michael for showing us this special piece of racing history.

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Track: Bluegrass Motorsports Park
Location: Napoleon, Kentucky
Coordinates: 38°45’45″N 84°47’55″W

Can one say a track was abandoned if it was never officially completed? That’s the story with Bluegrass Motorsports Park, which broke ground in 2008. There’s still a Facebook page for the road course, which was designed by Derek Daly of Formula 1 fame. A video from GraySpeed Productions pegs the course at 2.5 miles, and though it looks pretty good from Google’s eye in the sky, the final paving was never finished. Built just as the big recession of 2009-2010 hit, the project allegedly lost funding. According to tipster Dave, the track is currently in private ownership and not accessible to the public.

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Track: Roseburg Speedway
Location: Green, Oregon
Coordinates: 43°09’34″N 123°21’41″W

Even a small quarter-mile oval track that was open only briefly deserves a moment in the light. That’s what we have with Roseburg Speedway, nestled in southwest Oregon amid the trees. We got this tip from Hans, who visited the track as a child to watch the races. He tells us it was a dangerous place; there wasn’t much protection for spectators and a car apparently went into the stands at one point. Hans mentions that happening in the late 1960s but a Facebook page claims the oval was only open from 1963-1964. However long it was there, its legacy lives on with the ghostly outline of trees where the track used to be.

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Track: Dayton Speedway
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Coordinates: 39°43’19″N 84°15’14″W

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a bit tricky finding information on this half-mile oval. A tip from Doug gave us an approximate location, and an article from the Dayton Daily News filled in the rest. Opened in 1934, it was actually a little over a half-mile (5/8) and was a very fast track. Famous drivers such as Richard Petty and A.J. Foyt turned laps there, but it closed periodically through the 1970s and shut down for good in 1982. Sadly it became a landfill, but sections where the old course used to be are still visible from the sky.

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Track: Lynndale Farms Raceway
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Coordinates: 43°06’29″N 88°18’08″W

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you lived in a subdivision that used to be a 2.5-mile, 13-turn road course, could you resist the urge to stab the gas amid all the homes? Lynndale Farms is a lovely subdivision with roads that follow a good portion of the old track. And if you look closely at the upper right side of the image, a portion of that old pavement is still there. According to Barcboys.com, it was only open from 1963 through 1967 and closed due to a combination of bad Wisconsin weather and noise complaints from neighbors. Shout out to John for the tip on this neat track.

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Track: Wilmot Hills Road Racing Course
Location: Wilmot, Wisconsin
Coordinates: 42°29’54″N 88°11’03″W

We might have to make a trip to Wisconsin just to visit all the old tracks that used to exist. In the shadow of Wilmot Mountain ski resort is a short 1-mile road course that lived brightly through the 1950s and 1960s. Barcboys says it was heavily used during that time for everything from driver schools to SCCA racing. It closed in 1967, but Motor1 reader Joe tells us that very little has changed since then. Even the buildings are still in place.

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Track: Texas World Speedway
Location: College Station, Texas
Coordinates: 30°32’15″N 96°13’11″W

It’s impossible to miss the remains of Texas World Speedway from above. At two miles in length, it was a proper superspeedway that hosted NASCAR, IMSA, and several other large-scale racing series. The site also had a 2.9-mile road course, but according to RacingCircuits, weather often hampered activity at the track. It fell into disrepair; NASCAR dropped it from the schedule in the 1980s but teams would occasionally use the track for testing purposes. Tipster Michael reminded us that the track closed for good in 2017.

The land is being repurposed for housing, and as of 2024, Texas World Speedway doesn’t exist. However, a striking image from Google Earth captures the track from two different time periods, showing the bones of the old pavement mixed with piles of dirt from the renovation. It’s a sad end for one of the few superspeedways ever built.

The main star at Mazda’s stand in Beijing at the Auto China 2024 is unquestionably the rear-wheel-drive electric 6 sedan. However, it’s not the only premiere since the Arata is also making its first appearance. It’s a sleek-looking concept of an electric SUV destined to go into production by the end of next year in China.

Much like the EZ-6 sedan, the Arata has been developed by Changan Mazda, a 50:50 joint venture between Changan Automobile and Mazda founded in late 2012. It’s likely to adopt a different moniker for the production version, possibly an alphanumeric designation to echo the other SUVs. The “EZ-60” nameplate has already been trademarked in China and therefore might be used for this vehicle.

Meanwhile, the Arata (Japanese for “new” or “fresh”) previews an attractive electric SUV that could be related to an existing product. While the EZ-6 is expected to be a reskinned Changan Depal SL03, the EZ-60 is likely to be based on the Changan Deepal S7. However, these will be more than just cases of swapping badges and calling it a day since there are major design differences. We reckon the Mazda sedan and SUV duo looks significantly more upmarket to justify what will likely be a higher price tag.

The Arata is strictly an EV affair, at least for now, whereas the EZ-6 going on sale this year in China will also be sold with a plug-in hybrid setup. The SUV also adopts the familiar Kodo design language and has relatively small windows and sleek lights front and rear. Just like the sedan, it gets an illuminated grille. The large “Mazda” script on the sides also lights up.

Since it’s still a concept, it has cameras instead of conventional mirrors and also does away with door handles and a rear wiper. Mazda gave it a chunky spoiler bisected by a vertical third brake light that seems to extend to the roof panel. The design of the quarter panel gives the illusion of flying buttresses but we’re not sure there’s an actual hole. Nonetheless, it’s an unexpected design cue to see on an SUV.

Mazda isn’t saying anything about selling the sedan and SUV outside of China where the two will be manufactured. The Zoom-Zoom company has taken shy steps toward electrification but it knows EVs are inevitable. Although the MX-30 hasn’t been a commercial success, to say the least, the Japanese brand is aware it must pursue electrification to survive.

The Auto China 2024 show in Beijing is in full swing, and you’ll be glad to hear it’s not all about crossovers and SUVs. After Mazda unveiled a new electric 6 with rear-wheel drive, here comes Nissan with a pair of its very own sedans. The Epoch is fully electric while the Evo is a plug-in hybrid and definitely not a Mitsubishi rally-bred sedan.

Created in collaboration with local partner Dongfeng Motor, the sedans are deemed as concepts but will go into production. During the press conference, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida said they’re “very close to reality” as development has already commenced. The plan is to have the Epoch on sale within a year whereas the Evo will go on sale later.

The sedans appear to be similar in size, but we’d argue the Evo has a more daring design with a rakish roofline and a nicer derrière. Nissan is only showing the Evo’s interior, featuring a Tesla-esque minimalist approach by cramming all controls into a large tablet-like display. Unlike on the Model 3, there’s still a digital instrument cluster that appears to be a smidge larger than the industry norm.

Despite carrying the Evo name that recalls performance sedans, it’s a car “perfect for weekend getaways and creating special moments for the whole family,” per Nissan. The two models will fight in a crowded market considering automakers active in China are still offering plenty of sedans across multiple segments. The new Volkswagen Passat Pro is a relevant example since no other market gets the sedan.

Of course, Nissan couldn’t miss the opportunity to show a couple of SUVs as well at the Auto China show. The electric Epic and plug-in hybrid Era follow the same design language as the two sedans and are planned to hit the market within the next three years. The Epic has bidirectional charging while the Era gets air suspension, zero-gravity seats, and four-wheel drive.