The auto industry is going through a moment of change. We’re seeing more and more compelling reasons to walk away from the internal combustion engine, along with increasing evidence we won’t be doing the driving for much longer. Meanwhile, car interiors are getting better and better at making us feel like we’re at home, or at least connected through our devices, which in 2014 is pretty much the same thing.
But we’re not quite there yet on any of these, and there’s plenty of work left to do on each. So as the year comes to an end and the auto industry gets ready to unveil a new onslaught of vehicles at the Detroit Auto Show in early January, here’s a look back at the supercars, city cars, and people-haulers that did the most to advance the way we drive in 2014.
1. Jaguar F-Type Coupe
To follow up on the F-Type Convertible, its first true sports car since the iconic E-Type, Jaguar rolled out the F-Type Coupe this year. The only problem is that the car is so well-balanced, it's not much fun until you're going way too fast.
2. McLaren 650S
The McLaren 650S (Coupe and Spider) has more power, more down-force and more style than the car it replaces, the MP4-12C. Still, the two cars are more similar than different, and the 650S is more of an update than a true replacement. Think of it as 12C v2.0.
3. Volvo XC90
Volvo is relaunching its brand, and it's kicking things off with the XC90, which will hit the market in the spring. The premium SUV comes with a new four-cylinder - the Swedish brand is done with V6 and V8 engines - and is packed with active safety features that make it "semi-autonomous."
4. BMW i3
We first saw the BMW i3 way back in 2012, but it wasn't until 2014 that the car hit the US market. The electric car is efficient, comfortable, and comes with a gas-powered range extender for those nervous about running out of juice.
5. Tesla Model P85D
Elon Musk strengthened his company's grip on the title of world's best electric car by unveiling the Tesla Model P85D. For US$120,170, the new model provides two motors and stomach-churningly fast acceleration. Oh, and it's got autopilot features.
6. 2016 Cadillac CTS-V
The all-new 2016 Cadillac CTS-V luxury performance sedan has a top speed of 201 mph from its supercharged 6.2L V-8 640 hp engine and 630 lb-ft of torque (855 Nm). Equipped with Cadillac’s paddle-shift eight-speed automatic transmission featuring launch control and Performance Algorithm Shifting, the CTS-V will accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds.
7. Google self-driving car
Most automakers are working on self-driving technology, but Google has already shown off a prototype that's so over the idea of human drivers, it doesn't even have a steering wheel or pedals.
8. BMW i8
BMW's latest supercar, the plug-in electric hybrid i8, is thrilling, yet somehow practical. Even when the juice runs out, the 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder engine borrowed from Mini is enough to make an afternoon drive up Highway 1 a blast.
9. Ford F-150
Pickups may not seem like a hotbed of innovation, but Ford went for a big upgrade to its perennial best-seller: The F-150 is made of aluminium, not steel. That'll make it lighter, pumping up MPG numbers.
10. Toyota Mirai FCV
We're not sold on the idea of hydrogen power as a replacement for gasoline, but Toyota seems to be. And it's backing up that belief with the Mirai FCV, which will offer a 300-mile range and produce only water vapour as a by-product.
11. Audi A3
Marketed at the bottom rung of the luxury ladder, the slightly stocky Audi A3 starts for just US$29,900. Most impressive is the stripped down interior design that is at the same time advanced and simple, a welcome break from the piles of buttons and touch screens that now fill most cars.
12. Challenger Hellcat
In an age where engines are getting smaller and MPG figures are going up, Dodge pushed back with the Challenger Hellcat. The muscle car is an exercise in batshit crazy engineering, all to keep this burnout-mobile running, even with 707 ponies under the hood.
13. Lamborghini Asterion LPI 910-4
Lamborghini may be synonymous with excess, but its latest concept, the Asterion LPI 910-4, shows the Italians do care at least a smudge about fuel efficiency: This charging bull is a plug-in hybrid electric that delivers a remarkable 75 mpg.
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