The 6 Best Cars at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show
It's hard to believe, but within 10 years, cars will be driving themselves. This concept isn't likely to surface before then, but Mercedez-Benz’s self-driving car clearly stood out among the more conventional offerings. It was first unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show last week and has a futuristic space-like feel with a sloping exterior and gull doors that open to the ceiling. It's intended to answer the question: How would a future Mercedes look if it were designed from the ground up for autonomous driving? There's no need to have a driver behind the wheel; this car borrows from the horse-drawn carriage of the past, with seats that face each other to facilitate interaction. A touch screen allows the passengers to give directions.
Mercedes-Benz
This could be the vehicle that sways the masses to embrace electric vehicles, should it be built. It significantly improves the range that the car can drive on a fully charged battery, to 200 miles. That’s crucial for overcoming so-called "range anxiety" among potential buyers — the fear of getting stranded should the battery die. Since many consumers have a commute length in the 80 to 90 mile range, this would assuage those who want to make sure their car has enough juice to get them to and from work each day. The interior seats four and the rounded design is appealing, resembling the Honda FIT and Ford Fiesta — far superior to the Volt. What's more, the Bolt would retail for around $30,000, the sweet spot for buyers. If it's built soon, Chevy’s EV could pose a big threat to Tesla Motors' Model III, due to hit the market in 2017.
© Rebecca Cook / Reuters
When you think of Volvo, safety, not style, is usually the first thing that comes to mind. The manufacturer isn’t known for its aggressive, eye-catching designs. But this latest offering, with its exterior curves, breaks the Volvo mold. This sedan screams luxury, and nicely combines the utility of an SUV while incorporating wagon functions, all without making it look too stodgy. With all-wheel drive and an increased ride height of 2.5 inches, the S60 is an all-road sedan crossover, a unique offering in the luxury market. This is not your mother’s station wagon.
Volvo
Hyundai deserves kudos for creating a vehicle that's different than anything else in the market. Intended to woo millennials, this vehicle combines the functionality of a crossover with the practicality of cargo space you find in a truck. Hyundai says it's designed to appeal to "urban adventurers," whose active pursuits require hauling plenty of large items. This cohort doesn't want to make trade-offs between style and practicality.
The arresting design definitely makes a statement. The front has the look of a luxury car with an upright, hexagonal grill. The rear incorporates a feature usually seen on pick-ups: an expandable flat that can accommodate longer cargo through a sliding drawer function. What’s most impressive is the fuel economy of this large, five-seater: 30 miles per gallon.
Hyundai
Acura’s concept sports hybrid “supercar” will now be a production vehicle — a fortunate development for car enthusiasts. Its sculpted, sporty look is evidence that Acura is taking risks and moving beyond its staid image. Power is a premium focus here. It comes from a combination of a twin-turbocharged engine with three electric motors that deliver over 550 total horsepower. Acura boasts that it starts with a “zero delay acceleration,” thanks to a V6 engine that works with the electric motors. The car retains some of the aluminum that made up the entire original model, using it in the space frame and suspension, but combines it with ultra-high-strength steel and carbon fiber. The price might be called super, too: About $150,000.
© Mark Blinch / Reuters
When this vehicle was unveiled by Ford, it was met with uncharacteristic gasps and roars of applause from the typically reserved audience of journalists, who were excited to learn it could hit showrooms within the next couple of years.
This GT was designed with race car enthusiasts in mind: It lacks air conditioning, a stereo system, rear seats, a trunk floorboard and carpet and a backup camera, all in the pursuit of weight savings, making it 130 pounds lighter than the Shelby GT350 Track Pack model. Ford didn’t sacrifice performance, though, as this model delivers more than 500 horsepower. And looks aren't compromised either, with rear headlights that pop, almost looking like two eyes, and a sloping roofline. Angles that jut out on the side further add to the visual appeal. A true winner in every respect.
Ford/Shelby