Financial Times Future of the Car Summit USA returns to Detroit for Round Two in 2019 — featuring the best minds in the industry discussing the changes and challenges to come as new technology comes into play, and how key players can stay ahead of the curve.

Knowledge and preparation will make the difference between success and failure as the industry evolves, and key issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles and other advances will be discussed by the key players in the industry at the Summit, scheduled for 8 a.m.-5.30 p.m. on October 29, 2019, at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, 400 Renaissance Drive in Detroit.  

The event will welcome representatives from OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, dealerships, insurance providers, law firms, transportation companies and more. Public sector attendees will include state leaders in finance and transportation, as well as investment leaders from America’s largest cities. 

Confirmed attendees for 2019 include executives from Kia, FCA, Jaguar/Land Rover, Kawasaki, Ford, General Motors, Audi and AM General. More than 150 of the most influential players in the industry are expected in total.

Attendees in 2018 included: AAM, AM General, Bridgestone, Daimler, FCA, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Isuzu, Karma Automotive, Kawasaki, Lyft, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, PSA, Toyota, Uber, Volkswagen and Volvo.

Those in attendance will have a chance to:

• Connect with automotive thought leaders from around the world
• Meet new players in the industry and explore strategic partnerships 
• Hear updates on demand patterns in the global automotive market
• Explore the latest breakthroughs in connectivity and automation

BROOKLYN, Mich. — No matter what you look for in a NASCAR race, Sunday’s battle at MIS should have been one you enjoyed.

For starters, there was plenty of drama and cautions to spice things up.

Nobody was able to run away out front, restarts were hectic and, unlike June, there was actual competitive passes up front for the lead throughout the race.

Often, the two cars battling for the lead would be side-by-side for an entire lap or more before either one got the advantage.

There was also great parity, with no clear favorite to win. At one point, all 4 Gibbs Toyotas ran 1-2-3-4 up front.

At another point, the 3 Penske Fords plus affiliated Paul Menard ran 1-2-3-4 up front

Chevys including Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson also ran strong all race and made things interesting.

BROOKLYN, Mich. — I’ll start with a proclamation: The Truck Series is the best and most competitive of the three top-tier series in NASCAR, so when Saturday’s race at MIS kicked off, I had high expectations.

In the end, as per usual, I was not disappointed.

With the exception of the opening 20-lap segment, which was dominated by Ross Chastain before he had some bad luck and incurred damage on pit road, the race was one of the best all season.

Ben Rhodes, in a smooth-looking Havoline throwback paint scheme, threatened to take the win and enter the playoffs. Brett Moffitt was in the hunt for yet another win. Young Tyler Ankrum was on the front row for several restarts, and even the KBM trucks made appearances up front as they battled in their final attempt to make the playoffs.

If you want to talk about categories that are exploding in the past few years, subcompact SUVs are probably at the top of the list. On the higher end of things, nearly every luxury automaker has one these days (BMW, Cadillac, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Infiniti, to name a few), so you need to do something to stand out.

Lexus’ entry in this segment is the UX, which stands out in a couple of ways.

First, new for 2019 is a hybrid version of the UX, which is unheard of in this segment.

Also, you can opt for an attractive F Sport package which spices up the exterior and the performance.

I recently spent some time in a 2019 Lexus UX 250h F Sport, which featured both the hybrid engine and the F Sport package, and I’m back with a full report.

When the name Hyundai is mentioned, traditionally your thoughts won’t go toward thinking about an upscale vehicle.

But in today’s competitive automotive landscape, even non-luxury brands are stepping up their game, and doing so on vehicles of all sizes, too.

I was pleasantly surprised when I first got my first look at the 2019 Hyundai Elantra, a compact sedan that offers more than you would expect for a vehicle in this size and price tag.

Read on for more details on where the Elantra comes up big and where it could be improved.

LOOKS 

With some refreshing changes made on the exterior design for 2019, the Elantra looks sharp both from the front and rear, including some exciting headlight and taillight designs.

Most compact sedans are not much to look at, but the Elantra breaks that mold and becomes a standout in the class.

The term “hot hatch”, aka a high-performance version of a mass-produced hatchback— has been part of the automotive lexicon for almost four decades. And while there may be a variety of competition today — including the Honda Civic Si and Subaru WRX — that was not always the case.

One brand that helped bring about the era of the hot hatch is Volkswagen, in particular with its GTI model. I recently spent some time in a 2019 VW Golf GTI Rabbit, and I’m back with a full report.

LOOKS

The GTI is a vehicle that's not trying to please all consumers, and knows its audience. It’s aimed at driving enthusiasts who like a little growl in their car, while also maintaining some sense of practicality that typical sports cars lack.

And despite being aimed at enthusiasts, that doesn’t mean it won’t have things that the non-enthusiast will like. For example, it’s well-designed, roomy and comfortably seats five passengers, so it can function very well as a daily driver and trips to soccer practice.

And it looks pretty awesome too, especially the Rabbit edition — which features 18-inch gloss black alloy wheels with all-season tires, a rear spoiler and black side mirror caps.

The exterior on my test vehicle had an attractive but simple Pure White paint scheme, and the overall look of the GTI is more classy and simple than some of its hot hatch competition — who can be a bit more outlandish in their designs.

Inside, the unique look continues with a sharp-looking red, black and white plaid seat design and other Rabbit Edition accents, including red stitched floor mats.

It’s no secret that the market for sedans is on the decline, as the public’s demand for SUVs and crossovers has soared, and some automakers are decreasing their sedan offerings.

But the sedans that are available are still duking it out for control of that remaining market share, and within that fight there are many tactics that can be taken. One of those tactics is to offer an upscale design and high-tech offerings to help draw customers.

One sedan offering that takes this path is the 2019 Kia Optima, a midsize sedan that puts in a strong effort and competes well in the segment. I recently spent some time in an Optima, and I’m back with a full report.