The Wheelspin Journal: A look back

by Jonathan Mellberg

It’s been quite a year. I’ve referenced the myriad changes and upswings in my personal life, so we’ll just gloss over that area this time. It’s been a big year for the world of automobiles as well; almost too big a year.

For the first time ever we saw the emergence of an aluminum-bodied pickup truck. And not just any truck –the best-selling Ford F-150. With it we saw the addition of a new all-star powertrain, the mighty little 2.7L EcoBoost V6. From what I’ve read, it’s quite impressive. Chevy offered a refresh on its Silverado just a couple years into its current cycle while also hopping back into the fray of midsize pickups with the all new Colorado (and cousin GMC Canyon). Dodge spiced things up by offering -for the first time- a diesel in its non-HD Ram pickup. Normally I’d scoff at having to cover the obligatory yet bland segment on pickup trucks, but this was quite the year for them!

the new aluminum-bodied Ford F-150

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2015_Ford_F-150_Pickup_Truck.jpg

Mazda swung for the fences and connected with the all-new 6, a midsize sedan that rivals anything in its segment as the most handsome; heck, it’s gorgeous, and not just for a four-door family hauler. Mazda may have gambled by refusing a V6 option for the 6, but the bet appears to be paying off. Meanwhile, back on American soil, Chevy finally gave its tired old Impala a much needed shot in the arm with a fresh design and some much needed panache, though still not as good as the Mazda 6. But that wasn’t Chevy’s only four-door wonder. Have you seen the all-new SS Sedan? My my my… what an understated animal the new SS is. Sure, it’s a boring name and the car itself -though Chevy’s best-looking sedan- is deceptively unassuming; but have you driven it? I had the pleasure of taking a back seat ride in one brand new SS over the summer, with my half-demented friend Dustin behind the wheel. Triple digit speeds within a few blocks and one thing was abundantly clear, this thing moves. And with a price tag just ticks under $46K, it’s a bargain (did I mentioned its rear-wheel driven with the Vette’s 6.2L V8 providing the muscle?).

the new Chevy Impala

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2014_Chevy_Impala_Europe.jpg

the new Chevy SS Sedan

(photo by the author)

Not much happening in the world of the minivan. Toyota, Honda and Nissan’s offerings are all long in the tooth (the all-new Odyssey has been spotted in camouflage during its testing phase), so Kia was able to hog the stage all to itself. The all-new Sedona is not just the best looking minivan ever (yes, ever) but it may be Kia’s best looking model period! I can’t wait to drive one. Maybe someday Kia can fully shed its cheap Korean stigma enough so I’ll buy one. As it stands they’re making great strides toward that goal.

Tesla’s been gaining much EV competition, but that doesn’t stop them from upping their own game with the Model S’s newest trim level, the P85D. The “D” stands for dual motors, and brother you feel it. It’s recently claimed the trophy for fastest 0-60mph sedan ever (3.2 seconds from 0-60mph), And YouTube videos showing the P85D destroying all manner of sports cars from the stop light are sprouting up like weeds. Good for you, Tesla; as if petro-heads weren’t sensitive enough already.

Tesla Model S P85+ (not the new "D" model)

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2013_Tesla_Model_S_P85%2B,_rear_right.jpg

So there’s my 2014 report; at least, where mortals are concerned (I suppose the Tesla Model S P85D transcends such a list). The list of gods and demigods is much more exciting and much lengthier too.

The all-new Ford Mustang was released and to great acclaim (for the most part). It offers three different engines for the first time in I-don’t-know-how-long; and get this, the four-banger isn’t the least powerful engine. Head blown? Well, just wait. Chevy really dialed things up when it offered to the public a $75K (that’s seventy-five thousand American dollars) Camaro in resurrected Z/28 trim. At home only on a track, the new Z/28 is a drool-worthy machine that’ll have the boys at Shelby rethinking a thing or two about the next GT350, I’m sure.

the new Ford Mustang

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2015_Ford_Mustang.jpg

Speaking of amazing Chevy’s, the bowtie bunch continued their string of successes in the re-birthed Corvette. The C7 is stunning from any angle, is available in coupe, targa, or convertible tops, and was quickly overshadowed when its steroid-using brother, the new Corvette Z06, was released. Toppling the old C6 ZR1’s horsepower and torque ratings, the new Z06 is finally, truly giving supercars costing 3X, 4X, 5X, etc. a run for their money. God bless America.

the new Chevy Corvette Z06

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2015_Chevy_Stingray_Corvette_Z06_Debut_at_Detriot_Auto_Show_2.jpg

And if you’re in the market for a mad dog like the Corvette Z06 or the Camaro Z/28, there’s a good chance you’ll be cross-shopping your local Dodge dealer, where they unabashedly offer two cars that make more American horsepower than any stock sports car, period. The Challenger Hellcat flexes an astounding 707hp; and its fraternal twin, the Charger Hellcat, does the same. Oh yeah, the Charger Hellcat can crest 200mph (not that you’ll ever seen one proving it). And all for around $60K; damn that’s great.

the new Dodge Charger Hellcat

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2015-Dodge-Charger-SRT-Hellcat-450x337.jpg

BMW has been a busy boy lately. Frankly, all the German luxury marques have been. The most hyped Bimmers have been the new 3 and 4 series, or more specifically, the new M3 and M4. And while my practical self would probably buy a four-door M3 because of its extra doors, the new M4 is a sight to behold. It’s almost as breathtaking as BMW’s wildest car in many many years, the new hybrid i8. Call it an EV, call it a supercar -call it both. Don’t let its modest power figures fool you, it’s a fast car and drives like a million bucks, all for $135K. Too steep? The i8 has a little brother called the i3; another EV that utilizes the same bleeding edge technology like a full carbon fiber body shell (called the life module). I drove one last fall and was deeply impressed.

the new BMW i8

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BMW-i8.JPG

the new BMW i3

new BMW ihttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BMW_i3_at_Legendy_2014.JPG

Lamborghini finally showed a glimmer of maturity in its brilliantly conceived Huracan (“Ooh-rah-kahn”), a car that replaced Lambo’s best-selling car ever, the Gallardo. Another Italian to be excited about (particularly where your wallet is concerned) is from a brand that has finally reemerged into the US market: Alfa Romeo and its unapologetic 4C sports coupe. Yeah, the name is a little…underwhelming. The car, however, is anything but. The little pop tart is powered by a hard-working, pint-sized 1.7L that somehow manages to manifest 237hp and 258lb-ft of torque. Gear swapping is handled solely by a six-speed dual-clutch auto. It’s a go-kart incarnate with a body that’ll make super models jealous. And after the introductory special edition models are accounted for at $68K each, the new 4C will retail for just under $54K. Not bad.

the new Lamborghini Huracan

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2014-03-04_Geneva_Motor_Show_1375.JPG

Of course, I’ve been avoiding the cars that have undoubtedly stolen move auto-mag pages than any previously mentioned gems. It used to be that if you wanted to travel at insane speeds and proclaim yourself the true king of the road, you needed sixteen cylinders, four turbos, 1001 horsepower, and a namesake after a storied man called Pierre Veyron. Bugatti launched its seemingly omnipotent hypercar, the Veyron 16.4, in 2005. Every single Veyron statistic is staggeringly impressive. At least they were…

Bugatti Veyron

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bugatti_Veyron.JPG

Knocking King Veyron off his mighty throne is no easy task, yet three different manufacturers have done just that, and all in the same year. The three couldn’t be more different from each other (save for their one common thread). The most expensive is Ferrari’s newest halo car, the LaFerrari. Stupid name, amazing car. Utterly amazing. With a price tag well north of $1.3 million and a combined output of 950hp (789 of those horses are generated by its 6.3L V12), you’d think there wouldn’t be anything more shocking than that; except that it’s a hybrid. Yup.

the new Ferrari LaFerrari

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2013-03-05_Geneva_Motor_Show_8275.JPG

And so is the next contestant. The world has been waiting for a worthy heir to the over-achieving McLaren F1, which was launched in 1992 and set a top speed record of 231mph a few years later. Well, McLaren is breaking records again with the all new P1. Its powertrain is a marriage of gasoline and electrons not unlike the LaFerrari’s. Its combined output is slightly less than Ferrari’s hybrid, but the P1 will leap from 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds.

the new McLaren P1

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Azure_Blue_McLaren_P1_on_the_run_(14146998023).jpg

As the last hypercar on the list, the Porsche 918 is the cheapest with the least muscular powertrain of the three. By least expensive I mean only $847K, and by least powerful I mean only 887 combined horsepower. But it’s also the fastest (0-60mph in 2.3 seconds), and in my humble opinion, the best looking. Its exhaust ports point upwards over the rear-placed engine and make for a dazzling display of high-horsepower fireworks.

the new Porsche 918

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Porsche_918_(7501982992).jpg

And so, it’s been somewhat of a banner year. And yet all of these things -these wonderful autos from the aluminum-skinned F-150 to the spankin’ new M4 to the Zeus-like Ferrari LaFerrari- they somehow find themselves floating into the distance as my mind focus on one brand in particular. The real sin is that it’s a brand you wouldn’t normally associate among the things that excite you.

Mercedes-Benz has always played second fiddle to BMW in terms of performance and driver engagement. But perhaps I’m being unfair. M-B is a fabulous luxury marque that needs not explain itself any more than introduce itself. The three-pointed star has always demanded respect among those who seek out the finer things in life, like splendidly appointed automobiles exuding opulence. Sure, BMW can call its haloed 3-Series the king of sport sedans, but M-B can counter with its own crowned monarch, the full-size S-Class sedan, which has set the standard in large luxury for years and years. For 2014 the S-Class is all new; its base biturbo V8 makes a chest-pounding 455hp, and its base price is a wallet-thinning $94K. The fresh S-Class has even sprouted its own two-door sibling (not unlike what the BMW 3-Series has done with the all-new 4-Series coupe), the S-Class coupe, which is a marvel to behold.

In the financially shallow end of Mercedes-Benz's pool is the all-new CLA-Class four-door coupe (think of it as the mini-me CLS-Class). It retails from just about $31K and is exceptionally good-looking. Adding a CUV to M-B's lineup is the new GLA-Class, a funky little car that shares its platform, base powertrain and AMG specs with the CLA. Both make decent power from their 2.0L inline-fours (208hp). But enthusiasts won't care about that; they'll want to know more about the CLA 45 AMG and the GLA 45 AMG, both of which make 355hp from two small litres of displacement.

the new M-B S-Class Coupe

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mercedes-Benz_Concept_S-Class_Coup%C3%A9_-_Tokyo_Motor_Show_2013.jpg

the Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mercedes-Benz,_SLS_AMG_GT_FINAL_EDITION,_Front_perspective_view,_at_TMS2013.jpg

the new Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mercedes-Benz_GLA_220_CDI_4MATIC_AMG_Line_(X_156)_%E2%80%93_Heckansicht,_26._April_2014,_D%C3%BCsseldorf.jpg

the new Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG 4-Matic

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mercedes-Benz_CLA_45_AMG_4MATIC_-_Tokyo_Motor_Show_2013.jpg

Of course, as interesting as any of these autos are, they pale in ghostly fashion when compared to Mercedes-Benz’s newest predator, the Mercedes-AMG GT S. A mouthful, to be sure; but it’s drop dead gorgeous. It has all the presence of the AMG SLS (you know, the resurrected Gullwing hotrod) and none of its awkward proportions. Lurking under the hood is an all-new AMG-built 4.0L biturbo V8 strutting 503hp (the standard AMG GT produces 456hp) and motivating the rear tires to sprint to 60mph in 3.7 seconds with the help of a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. While most M-B AMG models are entrenched in guerilla warfare with BMW M models and Audi RS models, the AMG GT S leapfrogs its mortal rivals and boldly sets its crosshairs on the real target, the Porsche 911, otherwise known as the world's automotive performance unicorn. True, the AMG GT S is night to the 911’s day, but it’s getting great word of mouth on the streets from fans and auto scribes alike. And how couldn’t it? With killer looks and a very worthy powertrain Porsche may feel a shiver down its back as the AMG GT S will surely siphon sales from Porsche’s rear-engine icon. Which, for these reasons and more, is why the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT S is my favorite car of 2014 (and yes, technically the AMG GT S is a 2016-year model… shoot me).