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10. 2014 Cadillac CTS
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2014 Cadillac CTS: Cadillac isn't abandoning its hard-edged styling themes, but they are softening with the next CTS
The current, second-generation Cadillac CTS sedan is the backbone of the GM luxury division's sales. So don't expect Caddy to screw too much with the CTS's personality as it transfers the car over to the new Alpha architecture. It should, however, be significantly more refined in appearance, feature the CUE touchscreen driver interface, and have an interior that stresses elegance over gimmicks.
The most intriguing element of the next CTS will be a twin-turbocharged edition of GM's direct-injection V6 to replace the current car's 3.6-liter, naturally aspirated engine. By knocking displacement down to 3.0 liters and adding in GM's new seven-speed automatic and/or manual transmissions, fuel economy should rise up toward 31 or 32 mpg on the freeway without a significant loss of performance.
As to the CTS-V, that will have to wait until 2015 to appear alongside whatever higher-output Corvettes show up.
9. 2014 SRT Viper Roadster
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2014 SRT Viper Roadster: The original 1992 Dodge Viper RT/10 was a roadster, and there will be a Viper roadster for 2014
The original 1992 Dodge Viper RT/10 was a roadster. And the 2014 SRT Viper will also be available as a roadster. Just think of the Viper coupe shown at this year's New York auto show — with its 640-hp, 8.3-liter V10 and hard-core chassis intact — but with a roof that goes down. That is all.
8. 2014 Chevrolet SS
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The Pontiac G8 lives!
And like the G8, the upcoming 2014 Chevrolet SS sedan is a product of GM's Australian Holden division and essentially a reworked version of what's sold there as the Commodore. It's also the same car upon which the current Caprice police vehicle is based. That's no bad thing. After all, the Commodore's basic chassis design (which also underpins the Camaro) closely resembles that of a BMW 5 Series, from the MacPherson struts up front to the multilink system holding up the tail.
The SS will use a slightly shorter wheelbase than the Caprice police car, but under the hood expect the same engines that the cops get. That means base power will likely be the direct-injection 3.6-liter V6 making, say, 323 hp, with the Camaro's 6.2-liter 426-hp V8 optional.
And yes, the SS will be the car upon which all of GM's NASCAR teams will base their racers starting with the 2013 season.
7. 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
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2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Though its structure will be aluminum, the new S-Class won't give up any of its legendary road presence
The most Mercedes of all Mercedes, the S-Class, is going all-aluminum. The new range will, as usual, be vast, starting with diesel V6-powered lopers used as livery service vehicles in Berlin and rising to AMG-tuned, twin-turbo V12 wonderwagens. But all versions — even the inevitable hybrid — will benefit from a new aluminum structure that knocks weight off the still-big sedan without compromising structure or safety.
The most interesting S-Class variant may well be a rumored "Pullman" model that will take over for the failed Maybach models that are being euthanized. Riding on a wheelbase stretched out beyond even the long-wheelbase S-Class, the Pullman may be the car to buy if you're looking for a good Christmas gift for the Pope.
2014 Cadillac CTS: Cadillac isn't abandoning its hard-edged styling themes, but they are softening with the next CTS
The current, second-generation Cadillac CTS sedan is the backbone of the GM luxury division's sales. So don't expect Caddy to screw too much with the CTS's personality as it transfers the car over to the new Alpha architecture. It should, however, be significantly more refined in appearance, feature the CUE touchscreen driver interface, and have an interior that stresses elegance over gimmicks.
The most intriguing element of the next CTS will be a twin-turbocharged edition of GM's direct-injection V6 to replace the current car's 3.6-liter, naturally aspirated engine. By knocking displacement down to 3.0 liters and adding in GM's new seven-speed automatic and/or manual transmissions, fuel economy should rise up toward 31 or 32 mpg on the freeway without a significant loss of performance.
As to the CTS-V, that will have to wait until 2015 to appear alongside whatever higher-output Corvettes show up.
9. 2014 SRT Viper Roadster
2014 SRT Viper Roadster: The original 1992 Dodge Viper RT/10 was a roadster, and there will be a Viper roadster for 2014
The original 1992 Dodge Viper RT/10 was a roadster. And the 2014 SRT Viper will also be available as a roadster. Just think of the Viper coupe shown at this year's New York auto show — with its 640-hp, 8.3-liter V10 and hard-core chassis intact — but with a roof that goes down. That is all.
8. 2014 Chevrolet SS
The Pontiac G8 lives!
And like the G8, the upcoming 2014 Chevrolet SS sedan is a product of GM's Australian Holden division and essentially a reworked version of what's sold there as the Commodore. It's also the same car upon which the current Caprice police vehicle is based. That's no bad thing. After all, the Commodore's basic chassis design (which also underpins the Camaro) closely resembles that of a BMW 5 Series, from the MacPherson struts up front to the multilink system holding up the tail.
The SS will use a slightly shorter wheelbase than the Caprice police car, but under the hood expect the same engines that the cops get. That means base power will likely be the direct-injection 3.6-liter V6 making, say, 323 hp, with the Camaro's 6.2-liter 426-hp V8 optional.
And yes, the SS will be the car upon which all of GM's NASCAR teams will base their racers starting with the 2013 season.
7. 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Though its structure will be aluminum, the new S-Class won't give up any of its legendary road presence
The most Mercedes of all Mercedes, the S-Class, is going all-aluminum. The new range will, as usual, be vast, starting with diesel V6-powered lopers used as livery service vehicles in Berlin and rising to AMG-tuned, twin-turbo V12 wonderwagens. But all versions — even the inevitable hybrid — will benefit from a new aluminum structure that knocks weight off the still-big sedan without compromising structure or safety.
The most interesting S-Class variant may well be a rumored "Pullman" model that will take over for the failed Maybach models that are being euthanized. Riding on a wheelbase stretched out beyond even the long-wheelbase S-Class, the Pullman may be the car to buy if you're looking for a good Christmas gift for the Pope.
