Highlights from the 2016 New York Auto Show

When the New York International Auto Show opens to the public Friday, visitors will find nearly 1,000 cars and trucks on display, ranging from ultra-luxurious sports cars to family-friendly SUVs.

But behind the scenes of these flashy unveilings, one question is lingering on the minds of many in the industry: The Fed. While record-low interest rates have propelled both auto sales and leasing to record highs, some in the industry worry that an impending rise in rates could dampen automakers' profits — especially as a wave of 3-year old vehicles is set to come off lease.

For auto executives, the key will be to make sure they can convince customers that buying used cars in good shape is worth their while.

"Everyone has seen this trouble coming at us," Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota, told CNBC. "So if you're prepared for it, and you have great [resale] programs, I think you're going to be okay."

Click ahead to see some of the top models that will be featured at the show.

— By Akane Otani, special to CNBC.com, with contributions from Phil LeBeau
Posted 24 March 2016

Korean automaker Hyundai's luxury Genesis brand unveiled its aptly named New York Concept car at the show.

The four-door sports sedan, marked by Genesis' wing emblem, will be one of six models the brand releases by 2020.

"With its expressive volumes and refined design, the New York Concept truly embodies the athletic elegance, which characterizes Genesis products," said Manfred Fitzgerald, head of Genesis, in a press release.

The new Audi R8 Spyder is built like a cockpit. It features a push-button start, an exhaust that produces the distinctive Spyder "roar," and a multi-function steering wheel, designed to keep the driver's focus on the road.

"Everything, just like a fighter pilot, is here at your finger tips," Audi North America CEO Scott Keogh told CNBC.

Although Audi has not yet announced a retail price for the model, Keogh confirmed it will likely cost "well over $150,000."

The model goes on sale in the U.S. next year.

The Mercedes-Benz Concept GLC Coupe is the luxury automaker's latest foray into the crossover market.

With the 21-inch wheels of an SUV and the sleek, sloping style of a sports car, the GLC Coupe is meant to appeal to both Mercedes loyalists and newcomers to the luxury auto market.

"The crossover market is red hot, and with its bigger brother that's already out, the GLE Coupe, we saw tremendous response from the consumers," Dietmar Exler, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, told CNBC. "The car is doing extremely well."

The GLC Coupe will arrive in dealerships in early 2017.

Chevrolet's 2017 Camaro ZL1 is built with a 6.2-liter, V8 engine packing 640 horsepower.

The sixth-generation model is simultaneously 200 pounds lighter and offers 60 more horsepower than its predecessor.

"It will compare well to any sports coupe, at any price and in any setting," Mark Reuss, executive vice president of global product development, said in a press release.

The Camaro ZL1 will arrive in dealerships later this year.

The 2017 Porsche Macan GTS comes with a four-cylinder engine that produces 252 horsepower.

The new Macan — marketed as an entry-level SUV — has a retail price of $48,550. The luxury vehicle can go from zero to 60 miles per hour in 6.1 seconds, with a top speed of 142 miles per hour.

"It behaves and drives like a Porsche," Klaus Zellmer, CEO of Porsche North America, told CNBC. "It's a downsized engine, four cylinders, but you will not miss anything."

The Macan hits dealerships in July.

Toyota's latest Prius model is the "next generation of plug-in," Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota North America, told CNBC.

The Prius Prime, which is outfitted with an 8.8 kWh battery and 11.3-gallon tank, can travel up to 22 miles and hit a maximum speed of 84 miles per hour on all-electric mode. With the gas filled up, the Prime's driving range extends to 600 miles.

"A vehicle like this is really going to appeal to the 2 million existing Prius drivers today," Lentz said.

The Prius Prime will arrive in dealerships in the fall.

Swedish automaker Koenigsegg calls the Regera an "automotive revolution unto itself."

The luxury car, which made its North American debut at the New York Auto Show, comes with three electronic motors, plus an internal combustion engine.

All together, the model boasts more than 1,500 horsepower — plus the ability to accelerate from zero to 249 miles per hour in just 20 seconds.

The Regera is expected to go on sale later this year.

The 2017 Giulia is the first of eight new Alfa Romeos to be released by 2020.

The Italian automaker's latest model — which, like the Regera, made its North American debut at the New York Auto Show — has eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Its 276 horsepower engine can propel the car from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 5.5 seconds.

The model embodies Alfa Romeo's "La meccanica delle emozioni," or "mechanics of emotion," the automaker said.

The new Nissan GT-R comes with several updates to the sports car's exterior and interior design, including a new hood, enlarged V-motion grille, and leather-wrapped instrument panel.

The 2017 model offers 565 horsepower, up from its predecessor's 545, plus acoustic glass casing to help dampen the noise of the road.

"This new GT-R is the most advanced, most refined and most progressive sports car that Nissan has ever built. And that is saying a lot," Nissan said in a press release.

The model will go on sale this summer.

Jeep says its Grand Cherokee Trailhawk "was built to take on any trail."

Design-wise, the new SUV model is fitted with a seven-slot grille, tow hooks for the front and rear of the car, and a full-leather interior.

The Trailhawk also comes with improved 4x4 capability, Jeep says, and up to 10.8 inches of ground clearance.

The model will go on sale this summer.