2015 Most Anticipated Road Debuts

There is a certain excitement when you first see that leaked photo or an auto show debut of a brand new model online. It's also exciting when you first see a debut live at an auto show before it hits the road. Nothing compares though to the first you time you spot a brand new car on the road. Here are the top three 2015 models I can't wait to see on the road.

2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

All the hype around the CLA has done little to  make me comfortable with its design. I am jut not as excited about it as seemingly everyone else. The S-Class on the other hand is a home run and is fantastic, the C-class promises a sportier version of the S-class for the masses. The only potential downfall is around the C-pillar area that might be too compact to properly develop. Still, all the photos promise a best in class design in the hotly contested entry luxury category.

2015 Ford Mustang

Redesigning a retro inspired design is a supremely difficult task. Ford did a good job with the current generation Mustang but the changes were relatively minor. The 2015 version pushes the boundary much further with a more modern look. Yet it still has enough of that retro look to keep the recent lineage alive.

2015 Ford F-150

The big story here is of course the aluminum, the tech and the F-150's continued quest to remain the best selling vehicle in America. The current F-150 has more than adequate styling for a pickup but the 2015 version looks to dethrone the Ram as the best styled pickup on the market today.

Best Non Exotic Exhaust Notes

You are walking down the street and all of a sudden someone turns the corner and gives it some gas and you hear a glorious sound that makes you turn around to see if you can guess correctly what it is. Every so often you turn around and see an exotic that surprises you but more often than not it's something a little more ordinary. Below are some of the best exhaust notes from cars that you can spot on a regular basis.

Mercedes-Benz C63

The AMG 6.2 liter V8 that powers 63 series AMG models is on its last legs as it is replaced by smaller turbocharged V8 engines. Lauded for its excellent power the naturally aspirated V8 is one of the best sounding engines this side of super cars and exotics. The AMG V8 has the perfect balance between a low rumble of an American V8 and that of a higher revving European V8 which makes it a hard combination to beat.




Mustang V8

The Mustang has always had a fantastic V8 sound even when the 4.6 liter V8 was barely stronger than some V6s at the time. Nevertheless, Mustang V8s almost always deliver a fantastic rumble that while not as high revving as the AMG V8 does rev a little higher than your traditional American V8 giving you more glorious sound through the rev range. While the latest 5.0 cammer sounds fantastic one of my favorites is the 2003-2004 SVT Cobra that is always one of the louder street legal cars that you will spot as most are usually modified.




Audi V8

The now nearly retired Audi 4.2 V8 is another fantastic sounding V8. Most often found in the last generation S4 and the pre face lift S5 the 4.2 also has some additional revs to play with as well for a throaty sound across the entire rev range. The 4.2 also sounds pretty good in the Q7 but is far too quite in the A6 and A8 versions. Much like the AMG V8 the naturally aspirated V8 is being replaced in all but its high power version by the smaller supercharged V6 that delivers more power but lacks the sound.




To balance out all of the amazing exhaust notes one can hear on a daily basis there is always one sound that drives me insane, the various versions of the Infiniti 3.7 V6. The VQ's pitch just doesn't sound right to me especially at lower RPM and the worst offender is the FX version that always produces a loud drone even when accelerating at an extremely pedestrian pace.

Geneva Preview: Audi TT MKIII

Toughest job in the automotive design? A tossup between creating the next generation of a retro inspired model and creating the next generation of a style icon. In both cases you have to make progress, give your creation a fresh new look but you are limited with how far you can push the boundry. Go too far and you break the lineage and upset some people, do too little and you are guilty of being lazy and unimaginative. Surely a sought out challenge for many designers, but the reality is that aside from the Beetle, Mustang and 911 there are few other examples of sucess with multiple generations of a unique design. The Audi TT faces the same dillemma, the first generation had as big of an impact on automotive design as any. The second generation brought a modern design that was undoubtedly stylish yet didn't capture the hearts in the same way. Sportier dimensions were offset by a look that made the TT blend in a bit more with the rest of the Audi lineup. In just a couple of days we'll find out what Audi brings for round three, from first glance the shape is very much second generation but the previously released sketches hint at some first generation influence. It certainly doesn't look like the newest TT will betray its namesake but will it advance its game enough to satisfy the critical?

 

Three Gimmick Features That Actually Work

Much like coaches in football, automakers are always looking to one up the competition by any means possible. While offensive coordinators run gadget plays to catch the defense off guard, the auto industry has gimmick features. When they work in football (see 2007 Fiesta Bowl)gadget plays are great and memorable but most of the time defenses sniff them out early and the play fizzles out. Gimmick features are much the same as all but few prove to be pointless. However as in football there are a few features that actually prove useful and effective, here are three of the best.

Boise State Statue of Liberty Play: Fiesta Bowl 2007



Ford Mustang Sequential Turn Lights



The sequential turn lights give the Mustang some extra style and are an improvement over the one bulb stop/turn light setup.

Volkswagen/Lincoln Window Feature




This feature lets you close/open all of the windows and the sunroof after you have taken the key out of the ignition or before you have even opened the car. Useful when you want to cool down your car on a hot day before getting in.

LED Daytime Running Lights

 A feature so ubiquitous now that it is hard to even call it a gimmick anymore, it is the automotive equivalent of the option in college football. Once upon a time LED daytime running lights were rare enough to be called gimmicks, yet even then they served the DRL function with minimal energy consumption and without using up your mainlights.

A Four Door Ford Mustang

The following two facts are true, Road & Track is reporting that Ford will be build a four door version of its popular Mustang for 2014 and that today is April 1st. The end result is not too bad at all and perhaps begs the question whether Ford should actually build a four door Mustang to take on the Dodge Charger. Even if this April Fool's joke doesn't sway Ford to add extra doors to the Mustang it should have Ford thinking about building a V8 powered rear wheel drive sedan. Ford actually already builds such a sedan in Australia called the Falcon and in its highest performing application it is powered by a supercharged version of the Mustang GT's V8 with 450 horsepower. With Ford's recent focus on offering its products globally there is a possibility that the next version of the Falcon would be sold in other countries aside from Australia. However, there is also a more likely possibility where the next generation Falcon is replaced by a Taurus derivative. Here is to hoping that Ford utilizes the next generation Mustang platform to create a Falcon for Australia and the USA or at least a true Cadillac competitor for Lincoln. With Ford struggling to differentiate Lincoln from the Ford models they are based on a rear drive MKS would go a long way in doing so.

Click to see more photos of how a four door Mustang would look like

If the next generation Falcon stays rear wheel drive it has a chance of coming to America

Best Looking Modern Engine Bays

With the ever growing trend of manufacturers adding more and more plastic into the engine compartment it's become significantly rarer to find modern vehicles with visually appealing engine bays. However, there are always exceptions to all trends and there are new vehicles out there with great looking engines and engine bays. Without further ado here are the best looking modern engine bays.


Ferrari 599 V12



Audi RS4 V8



Chrysler SRT8 V8



Bugatti Veyron W16



Ford Mustang 5.0 V8



Ferrari 458 Italia V8



Mercedes Benz 6.3 AMG V8