Thinking about upgrading your car? Read about the features of the latest models.
HIGHLIGHTS: The ATS sheds two doors, morphing into a coupe with new sheetmetal all around, a redesigned Cadillac crest and front fascia, and a handful of tech gadgets including CUE and DockSpot. Powertrain options include a 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 (272 hp, 295 lb-ft) or a 3.6-liter V6 (321 hp, 275 lb-ft). The boosted four gets a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic and is available in rear- or all-wheel drive. The V6 is backed with a six-speed automatic and is also offered in rear- or all-wheel drive. Rumor has it that an ATS-V is in the works, likely with the same twin-turbo V6 with 420 hp found in the CTS V-sport sedan.
BASE PRICE: $38,990
OUR OPINION: Don’t worry about its BMW fixation; the ATS coupe is all ‘Merican, lower and leaner than its sedan counterpart. It’s a sleek, modern machine, but we’re still not fans of CUE.
HIGHLIGHTS: The replacement for the best-selling Ferrari model is the first turbocharged road car from Maranello in 25 years. The 3.8-liter turbocharged V8 produces 553 hp and comes solely with a seven-speed dual-clutch sequential manual. Chassis calibrations are all new with a quicker steering rack, firmer springs and Ferrari’s latest magnetic damping system. Pininfarina and the Ferrari Styling Center are responsible for the design, which is inspired by the 250 Testa Rossa and its famous pontoon-fender styling.
BASE PRICE: $198,000
OUR OPINION: Sizzling looks and potent turbo power should have the California T picking up right where the old one left off as the brand’s volume entry.
HIGHLIGHTS: A Z06 joins the C7 lineup with sharper exterior curves, a widened stance, added aero features and unique fascias. It comes with either a removable roof or as a convertible. Power is delivered by a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 producing 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque, putting the power to the pavement through a paddle-shift eight-speed automatic or the seven-speed manual. Wider wheels and tires also aid in getting the Z06 around the track faster than the previous ZR1.
BASE PRICE: $79,990
OUR OPINION: Chew on this: The Z06 produces more torque than the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, Porsche 911 Turbo S and McLaren 650S. It’s a bona fide rock star. Now imagine what the next ZR1 will bring …
HIGHLIGHTS: Like the Continental GT before it, the Flying Spur gains a V8 option for 2015. The twin-turbocharged engine packs 500 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque that powers all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Small exterior changes such as figure-eight chrome exhaust tips and a red center to the winged Bentley badge set the V8 apart from its W12 brethren.
BASE PRICE: $220,530
OUR OPINION: No W12? No problem, because the V8 packs enough power to move the big sedan reasonably well.
HIGHLIGHTS: McLaren Automotive’s third model since its relaunch is a heavily reworked 12C built around a carbon-fiber tub that weighs just 165 pounds. The 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 has lighter pistons, re-ported heads, revised cam timing and larger exhaust valves for 641 hp. A seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox provides smoother low-speed shifts. Suspension gets firmer springs and recalibrated dampers. Styling adapts the P1’s front end. Coupe and spider versions are available.
BASE PRICE: $265,500
OUR OPINION: It’s brilliant and, by certain objective measures, better than some Ferraris and Lambos.
HIGHLIGHTS: No longer serving as Benz’s gateway vehicle, the new C-class becomes more stylish inside and out. There’s CLA inspiration with the long hood and short rear deck, and S-class touches abound outside and in, with brushed chrome trim and flowing wood veneer. At launch, a 2.0-liter turbo I4 with 241 hp and 3.0-liter biturbo V6 with 329 hp are offered. The C-class family will eventually grow to include a diesel, a plug-in hybrid and a hot C63 AMG.
BASE PRICE: $39,325
OUR OPINION: Features power and refinement at a price point that’s easy to justify.
HIGHLIGHTS: Expected to go on sale sometime in 2015 as a 2016 model, the new Acura supercar features a direct-injected and twin-turbocharged V6 sitting midship, joined by a three-motor, sport-hybrid, super-handling all-wheel-drive system. One electric motor is integrated with the V6 and the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, while the other two power the front wheels.
BASE PRICE: $130,000 (est)
OUR OPINION: Now this is what we expect from an Acura. We’re holding off judgment on the hybrid powertrain for now – and sounding a barbaric yawp for the mid-engine layout, the silhouette, the return of a legend!
HIGHLIGHTS: The S550 coupe, which we sampled first, forms the base of Benz’s range-topping flagship lineup. The proportions are timeless: long hood, short deck, pillarless greenhouse in between. There’s a 4.7-liter turbocharged V8 up there, somewhere, but you can barely hear it from a well-appointed cabin that Benz says is the world’s quietest (a very believable claim). The car’s seven gears are cycled through almost imperceptibly. Driving is suitably effortless. It’s relaxing, not invigorating.
BASE PRICE: $120,000
OUR OPINION: From the driver’s seat, your problems (and the tri-star emblem at the car’s prow) seem very, very far away.
HIGHLIGHTS: An updated Q70 debuts with fresh front and rear fascias, retuned throttle and steering systems, and a quieter cabin. But the big news is the addition of a long-wheelbase model that gives the Q70L best-in-class rear knee room. Regular- and long-wheelbase versions will offer either a 3.7-liter, 330-hp V6 or 5.6-liter, 416-hp V8 in rear-wheel or all-wheel drive. The hybrid model also continues, but only as a regular-wheelbase car. All engines get a seven-speed automatic transmission.
BASE PRICE: $52,255
OUR OPINION: A sporty handler that’s often overlooked. The long-wheelbase offering should help it stand out a little more.
