2016 Ferrari FF Coupe

 

What It Is A more conventionally styled version of the clown-shoe-shaped FF. It will get a sloping roofline and lose its rear seat, and the front fascia and side air vents will change slightly. Traditional notions of beauty will thus be satisfied.

Why It Matters

The FF has put off customers who liked the classic proportions of previous executive Ferraris. It is easy enough for Team Maranello to rebody the car, and we expect both models to be sold concurrently.

Platform

The FF coupe is just a restyled FF, so it will share everything with the current Cavallino Country Squire, from the engine to the trick four-wheel-drive system.

Powertrain

This coupe should get the same naturally aspirated, 651-hp, 6.3-liter V-12 powering the current FF.

Competition

Aston Martin Vanquish, Bentley Continental GT, Rolls-Royce Wraith, Barry Manilow for an evening’s worth of entertainment.

What Might Go Wrong

The car already exists as the Ferrari F12berlinetta, and Luca di Montezemolo’s golfing buddies, for whom the FF was built, form a small customer base that likes having rear seats for grandchildren dressed in Ermenegildo Zegna onesies.

Estimated Arrival and Price

Late 2014 or early 2015, starting on the ugly side of $300,000.

2015 Ford F-150

What It Is

Look up “truck” in the dictionary.

Why It Matters

There’s not much at stake with the launch of the new Ford F-series, except one-third of Ford’s annual profit, tens of thousands of jobs, tens of millions in executive bonuses, and possibly the fate of western civilization. Consider: Ford sold more F-series trucks in 2013 than the number of minutes in 2013, plus the number of minutes in the first five months of 2012. All by itself, the F-series business would be a Fortune 500 company.

Platform

The Ford is all-new and rides on a high-strength steel frame with an aluminum cab and bed. Ford says it shaves up to 700 pounds by going nonferrous in the body, which should significantly boost performance and fuel economy. And the F-series had some tonnage to lose: At 5800 pounds, the last EcoBoost V-6 F-150 we tested was 200 pounds heavier than a V-8–powered Chevy Silverado.

Powertrain

A 3.5-liter V-6 replaces last year’s 3.7-liter base engine. The optional 5.0-liter V-8 is improved in as-yet-unspecified ways. But the big engine news is a twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 that joins the stout but thirsty 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V-6. All engines will bolt to a six-speed automatic.

Competition

Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra, Audi A8-camino.

What Might Go Wrong

Judging by the number of times Ford describes the truck’s aluminum body as “military grade” and “rugged,” we’re guessing the company fears some buyers might be scared off by a truck not made entirely of recycled anvils.

Estimated Arrival and Price

With five trim levels and various bed and cab configurations, as well as four engine choices and the option of rear- or four-wheel drive, the price range will be wide, as usual. Expect it to mirror the entries from Chevy and Ram when it goes on sale late this year.

2015 Hyundai Genesis

What It Is

The evolution of Hyundai’s rear-drive luxury mid-sizer. The second gen boasts major equipment upgrades, including Google Glass integration and automatic braking and lane-keeping assist, the latter two all the more necessary because of the first.

Why It Matters

Hyundai continues to probe higher price points, and the Genesis will continue that trend.

Platform

The “DH” Genesis is on a new platform with a three-inch-longer wheelbase than before and a revised front/rear multilink suspension design.

Powertrain

The 3.8-liter V-6 and 5.0-liter V-8 carry over. The V-6 is now rated at 311 horses, with the V-8 making 420 horsepower. The sole trans is Hyundai’s own paddle-shifted eight-speed automatic. Four-wheel drive is now optional.

Competition

Acura RLX, Audi A6, BMW 5-series, Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac CTS/XTS, Chrysler 300, Kia K900, Lexus GS350, Lincoln MKS, Mercedes-Benz E-class.

What Might Go Wrong

Former Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik, an engineer, tried to get the company to invest in chassis tuning, but he left Hyundai in January.

Estimated Arrival and Price

The current Genesis starts at $36,120 for the V-6 and $48,320 for the V-8. Prices should rise, but the V-6’s sticker will still be below $40K when the new Genesis arrives this month

2018 Infiniti Q100

What It Is

A mission statement for Infiniti wrapped in a gorgeous coupe envelope with a mega price tag. Cue the thunder, lightning, and Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”

Why It Matters

Infiniti needs more customers, and potential buyers need to understand what, aside from confusing alphanumeric names, defines this luxury brand. This car will be a lavish showcase of design and performance.

Platform

A new rear- and four-wheel-drive architecture to be shared with the brand’s other upcoming range topper, a sedan that will take on big Euro autobahn queens such as the BMW 7-series and Mercedes-Benz S-class.

Powertrain

Infiniti prez Johan de Nysschen, who clearly has lofty ambitions, says the brand has abandoned V-8s for future products. Conveniently, the 2009 Essence concept that inspired this flagship was said to be powered by a hybrid system featuring a twin-turbo six, and we’ve been told to expect the next-generation Nissan GT-R to be thus hybridized. Figure on a similar drivetrain powering this coupe, with output possibly exceeding 600 horsepower.

Competition

Bentley Continental GT, BMW M6, Mercedes-Benz S-class coupe, Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911 Turbo.

What Might Go Wrong

It needs to look like the achingly beautiful Essence concept, but it might not. Also, is the world ready for a six-figure Infiniti? Whatever happened to kicking BMW in the 3-series, where it actually hurts?

Estimated Arrival and Price

The earliest we’ll see this new coupe is in 2018. Prices should start at about $150,000. No, that is not a typo

2016 Jaguar XE

What It Is

Code-named X760, a compact sports sedan aimed squarely at the BMW 3-series. The car’s fluid design is modeled after that of the XF and the XJ, and its beauty should be one of  the car’s main selling points.

Why It Matters

Jaguar sold about 76,000 cars worldwide in 2013 while BMW sold nearly 120,000 3-series in the U.S. alone. A 3-series competitor is critical to establishing Jaguar as an A-lister among premium marques, and it is expected to bring significant economies of scale to Jaguar Land Rover’s operations by sharing components with future models from both brands.

Platform

Unlike the Ford-based X-type, this compact sports sedan will get an all-new rear-drive platform that can be upfitted with four-wheel drive.

Powertrain

Jaguar will offer several engines, including an all-new in-house turbo four and a supercharged V-6 with 380 horsepower. Europe will get diesels.

Competition

Audi A4, BMW 3-series, Cadillac ATS, Infiniti Q50, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-class.

What Might Go Wrong

After the unloved X-type, Jaguar needs to flush the memory banks by getting this one right both aesthetically and dynamically. The brand cannot afford to fail in this crucial segment, though it will if Jag doesn’t finally update its Victorian-era infotainment system.

Estimated Arrival and Price

Early 2016 at prices ranging from $40,000 to $55,000.

2015 Lamborghini Huracán

What does a Lamborghini Gallardo have in common with a Toyota Camry? If you answered “wheels,” try again. We were pointing to the fact that each car is its brand’s bestseller. Buyers wailed off in more than 14,000 Gallardos over the car’s 10-year production run, making it Lambo’s most successful model ever. Enter the ­Gallardo’s replacement, the Huracán (OO-rah-kahn), which Lamborghini hopes will build on the glories—sales and otherwise—of its predecessor.

The Huracán will use the Gallardo’s 5.2-liter V-10, massaged for an extra 49 horsepower and 15 pound-feet of torque, for totals of 601 and 413, respectively. The additional output comes from a new intake, lower-friction internals, and new cylinder heads featuring both direct and port fuel injection. And while the last Gallardo offered a manual transmission, only 13 people bought Gallardos so equipped in its final year. So it’s no surprise that the Huracán, named for a memorable Spanish fighting bull from 1879, won’t offer a manual, only a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Power flows to all four wheels via a new electronically managed center differential with a default torque split of 43 percent front/57 percent rear. Those numbers match the car’s front/rear weight distribution, though Lamborghini claims that all of the engine’s power can be sent to the rear axle.

Cost and production volume are the reasons Lamborghini gives for the Huracán lacking a carbon-fiber structure like the one under the Aventador. Instead, the Huracán gets an aluminum space frame shared with the next Audi R8. Some fibers of carbon have found their way onto the little Lambo, though. Fifteen percent of the body’s mass is carbon fiber, including the fire wall and sills, and that helps cut curb weight by a claimed 200 pounds versus the Gallardo. With the standard engine stop-start system, fuel economy is said to improve—a bit. Don’t worry, Lambo customers: You will still be on the Saudi royal family’s Eid-ul-Fitr-card list.

As it’s lighter and more powerful, the wee Lambo’s performance is definitely expected to improve. Lamborghini puts the sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) at 3.2 seconds, a half-second quicker than the Gallardo’s. Acceleration won’t end until the Huracán arrives at 202 mph, we’re told. Should you need to stop in a hurry from that speed, the Huracán comes with stand­ard carbon-ceramic brakes.

Like it or not, the Huracán continues Lambo’s path toward daily-driver acceptability and more-approachable perform­ance. A host of electronic aids avoids the help-me-Jesus moments that vintage Lamborghini drivers have been dining out on for decades. Those who favor the Huracán over its lively competition, including the Ferrari 458 Italia and McLaren 12C, will be granted access this summer at a price starting around $200,000.

2015-lexus-rc-f

What It Is

A coupe version of the IS sedan. And, if you ignore the LFA, and you shouldn’t, the hot-rod RC F is the most powerful Lexus ever. OMG!

Why It Matters

The Lexus lineup lacks a small coupe to take on the German competition. The RC will fill that gap. In sporty F guise, it promises to be our choice, provided the RC F starts off where the excellent IS F left off, FWIW.

Platform

The RC F shares its chassis with the IS sedan and the regular-strength RC coupe. To visually distinguish the hi-po RC F, Lexus gives it big fender flares, a spoiler that deploys at 50 mph, vented bodywork, and a carbon-fiber roof. STFU!

Powertrain

V-6 RC coupes are expected to offer four-wheel drive as an option. OTOH, the RC F will be rear-drive only. An Aisin eight-speed automatic carries over from the IS F. Tweaks to the IS F’s naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8 will up power to roughly 460 horses, a bump from the 416 horses in the outgoing IS F.

Competition

Audi RS5, BMW M4, Cadillac ATS-V, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and Z/28, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, LOL!!

What Might Go Wrong

Lexus has to get this one right, right from the start. If the initial car isn’t better than the competition, it may go unnoticed. Complicating matters, the car’s name is all initials. ROTFL!!!!!

Estimated Arrival and Price

ASAP. Look for the RC F alongside lesser RC coupes in dealer lots by the end of this year. Regular RCs likely will begin at $40,000 with the extra-strength RC F coming in at about $65,000,

-2015-mercedes-benz-c-class

With last year’s arrival of the CLA-class front- and four-wheel-drive small sedan, the C-class is no longer the runt of the Mercedes-Benz sedan litter. To highlight the C’s new position among its siblings, Mercedes has given the upcoming version, which goes on sale in the United States this fall, larger dimensions and aspirations.

Fitting, then, that Mercedes compares the experience of sitting in and driving the newest C-class to scoring a first-class airline upgrade. It is our considered opinion that unless it comes with an infinitely refillable ramekin of warmed mixed nuts, then it does not count as an upgrade. But okay, point taken.

The C-class sedan, which will be built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, certainly does make use of materials and systems that were once found only in more expensive cars. The C’s new body is about 50 percent aluminum, compared with the previous generation’s 10 percent. Mercedes claims this is the prime contributor to the new model’s 220-pound weight loss. This despite a three-inch stretch of the wheelbase, which promises greater rear-seat room than before. For the first time in the model’s ­history, the C will be offered with the air-spring suspension that has underpinned higher-end models for many years. Predictably, Mercedes will also load up a C-class with most of the electronic nannies that are available on the E- and S-class sedans. They include new generations of braking and lane-keeping-assist systems as well as Distronic Plus with Steering Assist that, at speeds below 37 mph, can follow the car ahead even when lane markings are not visible.

At launch, all C-classes will be four-wheel drive, though Mercedes will give buyers a choice of engines. The C300 is powered by a 235-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. The C400 carries a 329-hp, turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6. Both engines are direct injected and available only with a reworked version of Mercedes’ seven-speed automatic transmission. In the spring of 2015, a rear-wheel-drive version of the C300, but not the C400, will go on sale.

Also coming in the first half of 2015 is the C-class we’re most interested in: the C63 AMG. While we mourn the loss of the 6.2-liter V-8 that once powered this model, we expect that the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 replacing it should make at least 450 horsepower. Unlike the other C-classes and the E63 AMG, the C63 will remain a rear-wheel-drive model.

The new version of the C-class coupe is even further off. That two-door won’t go on sale until the middle of 2016, earliest. By then we expect a number of other powertrain configurations to be offered, such as a plug-in hybrid and a diesel. And a nine-speed automatic likely will replace the seven-speed unit by then, too. The upgrade lady always makes you wait.

2017-porsche-small-sedan

What It Is

A baby Panamera, basedon the Audi-developed modular-longitudinal MLB architecture. Right-sized for Europe and the world’s metropolitan areas, this sedan promises high performance and Porsche style in a more attainable package (before options).

Why It Matters

Potentially a high-volume model, this car will further change the face of Porsche. To stay true to the brand’s heritage, its performance must beat its Audi platform-mates.

Platform

This second-gen MLB architecture will be shared with a number of upcoming Audi models including the next-gen A4. Porsche’s version will be four-wheel drive only.

Powertrain

Turbocharged six-cylinder engines ranging from around 300 horsepower to well over 400. A diesel will be offered in Europe, and we expect to see a plug-in hybrid as well.

Competition

Audi S4/RS4, BMW M3, Jaguar XFR, Maserati Ghibli, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.

What Might Go Wrong

Porsche once boasted of never having offered sales incentives. That could change as it chases sales volume with vehicles such as the Macan SUV and this upcoming sedan. The stallion of Stuttgart will have a tough time preserving its mystique as its sports cars are marginalized. What’s next, a pickup truck? Actually, that would be kind of sweet.

Estimated Arrival and Price

The baby Panamera won’t come before 2016. We expect prices to begin north of $50,000

2015-subaru-wrx-sti

After testing the new Subaru WRX [March 2014], we feel a certain giddy anticipation for the upcoming STI version, even if the STI’s carry-over powertrain sticks something of a pin in our excitement. No, the heart of Subaru’s STI isn’t based on the WRX’s new direct-injected FA engine. Instead, it gets a carry-over 2.5-liter EJ-series flat-four making the same 305 horsepower as last year. So, what makes the STI worth the wait? Like the regular WRX, the STI has a new platform. The new architecture allows for nearly two inches of additional rear legroom and a larger trunk, features that buyers looking for a budget Audi S4 may appreciate more than will those craving a neo-rally car.

Aside from a stiffer suspension, Subaru quickened the steering and, even though the WRX has good steering feel from its electrically assisted rack, Subaru is outfitting the STI with hydraulic power steering to eke out a bit more sensitivity.

A trio of limited-slip differentials and the six-speed manual gearbox get called back for duty in the new STI. As with the WRX, a brake-based torque-vectoring system for the front axle should reduce low-speed understeer, a trait that plagued previous STIs.

Subaru is keeping schtum on the curb weight, but if the ’15 WRX is any indication, it should gain about 50 pounds, for a total of around 3450. Acceleration will be close to the outgoing STI’s: a zero-to-60 time in the low fives and a mid-13-second quarter.

The less powerful WRX may prove to be quicker than the STI to 60 mph because the STI likely will require two shifts to hit the mark while the WRX gets to 60 mph in second gear. We do expect the STI to scurry around a track more quickly than the WRX thanks to its 37 extra horses and a sportier chassis tune.

When STIs hit dealerships this month, a base one will begin just beyond where the WRX ends, or at roughly $36,000. Early adopters will enjoy the launch-edition STI that bundles gold-painted BBS wheels, blue interior trim, and a short-throw shifter. Just 1000 will be made, and the word is that Subaru won’t ever again offer factory gold wheels. This is part of the effort to move the STI away from its tobacco-sponsored racing origins. Figure the competition for the launch edition, like the car itself, to be fierce.

2018-toyota-sports-car

The FT-1 concept that hints at what may be Toyota’s next sports car. It will likely come as both a coupe and a convertible, and it may be called the Supra, the 2000GT, or something new, like the Toyota Fluminous. We just made that last one up.

Why It Matters

Despite company president Akio Toyoda waxing poetic about building more passionate cars, and Toyota spending big to race prototypes at Le Mans, it has nothing in the cupboard for enthusiasts that is priced under 50 large except for the Subaru-sourced Scion FR-S. This “Supra” might be the product of a Toyota-BMW partnership—a partnership that would lend credibility to Toyota’s claimed passion for passion and save both companies a pile.

Platform

Aligning BMW’s and Toyota’s brand positions will be tricky, but the likeliest crossover point is the BMW Z4 replacement, which could come in just low enough for this Toyota not to blunder into territory belonging to Lexus, a BMW nemesis. If you love the FT-1 concept [pictured above], brace yourself for disappointment: This car won’t be nearly as big or as overcooked as that design study.

Powertrain

Toyota’s ancient inline-sixes are long gone, and its V-6 and V-8 engines would be a tight fit. So we’re expecting BMW turbo power, of  both the four-cylinder and six-cylinder variety, all the way.

Competition

Audi TT, BMW Z4, Chevrolet Corvette, Mercedes-Benz SLK, Nissan 370Z, Porsche Boxster/Cayman.

What Might Go Wrong

When challenged recently to name a current Toyota that appeals to enthusiasts, a U.S. exec said, “The Avalon.” Really. We’re not making that up.

Estimated Arrival and Price

To avoid cannibalizing BMW’s sales, the Supra/Fluminous will likely come in under the Z4 and without all of the Z4’s goodies, so the odds favor a starting point just above $40,000. With the Z4 getting old and a replacement expected in 2015, the core engineering is already  well underway. BMW almost certainly  will insist on showing its car first, so figure 2016-17 for the Toyota

2015 Audi A4

What It Is

The next generation of Audi’s most important model, the globally successful A4. It will be sold as a sedan; a long-wheelbase mini-limo for China; a so-called Avant station wagon for Europe; and the Allroad, a wagon on SUV stilts. There also will be S and RS derivatives offering more power.

Why It Matters

In the Lord of the Flies fight for sales and engineering supremacy among Germany’s carmakers, the A4 is Audi’s sharpest stick. With aggressive styling and a full set of advanced technologies, the next-gen A4 (platform code: B9) must be able to fend off a phalanx of competitors.

Platform

Second-generation MLB (not baseball, but modular-longitudinal architecture), which is related to the next A6, A8, and VW Phaeton. Lightweight and full of electronic features, it will offer front- or four-wheel drive.

Powertrain

In Europe, the Audi A4 comes with a full range of gas and diesel four- and six-cylinder engines. The U.S. market will get a revised 2.0-liter turbo and a diesel engine. S4 models will get a supercharged V-6, and the RS4 might get a V-8 again.

Competition

Acura TLX, BMW 3-series, Cadillac ATS, Infiniti Q50, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-class.

What Might Go Wrong

Audi’s once-futuristic styling is now often criticized as too conservative. The A4 needs to establish a new design motif without scaring off existing buyers.

Estimated Arrival and Price

Europe will get it later this year as a 2015 model. We’ll have to wait until 2015 to buy one. The A4 should open at $35,000.

2016 Fiat/Abarth Spider and Mazda MX-5 Miata: Fusion Cuisine

Why does one of the cars above have an Alfa grille? When we originally published this piece in our magazine, Fiat-Chrysler's version of the next Mazda Miata was slated to go to that brand; the latest intelligence suggests that Fiat or Abarth will get the car instead, with the latter being the frontrunner. Either way, there’s some precedent for this Italo-Japanese mash-up. Back in the 1960s, young Mazda hired Italians, such as Giorgetto Giugiaro, to design a few cars. Remember the Mazda Luce (LOO-chay)? No? Well, a quarter century after the first Mazda MX-5 Miata dropped from heaven, the fourth generation will arrive on a platform shared with the new Fiat/Abarth Spider. The deal works for both parties: Mazda does the bulk of the engineering, builds the cars, and enjoys the economies of scale, while Fiat-Chrysler finally gets a new roadster.

The next Miata/Spider is built on a Mazda-developed front-engine, rear-drive platform that makes ample use of Mazda’s parts bin. The Miata will come with fuel-efficient Skyactiv four-cylinder engines. Top-of-the-line versions will make around 200 horsepower, and a slick-shifting six-speed manual transmission will be standard.

The Spider, by contrast, likely will be fitted with either a 1.4-liter turbo four shared with the Fiat 500 Abarth or a version of the 1.7-liter turbocharged four from the Alfa Romeo 4C. Expect the Fiat/Abarth to use a dual-clutch automatic.

Prices for the Mazda should start in the mid-$20,000 range, with its Italianate sibling commanding a premium. And while the Miata will be a continuation of a successful and fascinating heritage, its sister model will start anew, benefiting from Mazda’s engineering and manufacturing expertise.

See, and you’re always complaining that the media only reports bad news.

2016 Cadillac CTS-V

What It Is

The eagerly awaited bazooka version of the third-generation Cadillac CTS, designed to fight for America’s honor against its European competitors. Unfortunately, this time around, there won’t be a station wagon or a coupe—or a manual option. That’s a crime, but the automatic sedan is what sells.

Why It Matters

The first two generations of this velvet Vette have given Cadillac credibility among enthusiasts. The next one will sand down the few rough edges of its predecessors. The CTS-V is a halo car for the brand and for GM as a whole.

Platform

Broadly speaking, the CTS-V will use the ATS/CTS “Alpha” architecture, but with more aluminum onboard.

Powertrain

Power will come from a supercharged V-8, most likely the 6.2-liter LT4 from the new Corvette Z06. It will make at least 600 horsepower and send the squawk to the rear tires through GM’s new eight-speed automatic.

Competition

Audi S6/S7/RS7, BMW M5/M6 Gran Coupe, Jaguar XFR, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG.

What Might Go Wrong

The lack of coupe and wagon variants may put off the hard core. And the 420-hp Vsport could make the CTS-V a harder sell.

Estimated Arrival and PriceMid-2015 as a 2016 model, at prices starting around $75,000.

2015 Chrysler 200

Chrysler uses a pile of buzzwords to describe the all-new 200: “iconic,” “industry first,” etc. It’s as if the Chrysler folks thought they were speaking at TED and not the Detroit auto show. Normally, the car media scoffs at such hyperbole, but buried in all the thought leadership, paradigm shifts, and needle moving lurks something long absent in the company’s mid-size sedan portfolio: bravado. Or, at least, what passes for bravado when you’re launching a Camry competitor with a base price of just $22,695.

The 2015 Chrysler 200 rolls into dealerships sometime this spring. Ultimately replacing both the Dodge Avenger as well as its namesake (formerly known as the Sebring), the 200 comes off the old Chrysler platform and onto Fiat’s “Compact U.S. Wide” component set. The architecture is shared with the Dodge Dart, but here the wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer. This allows Chrysler to stretch the body to 192.3 inches, which is longer than the Honda Accord and Volks­wagen Passat. On paper, there’s nearly an inch and a half more rear legroom than in the old model, and the new 200 is also wider and has a larger trunk.

In addition to the big-boy sheetmetal, the 200 offers an optional big-boy engine. A 3.6-liter V-6 is again available and has 12 more horses than before, for 295. And, if you don’t want to overwhelm your front tires with that kind of power, you can now order your 200 with four-wheel drive. Bundled with the V-6 upgrade, it’ll cost you $4200, but Chrysler promises that fuel econo­my won’t suffer too much thanks to the four-wheel-drive system’s on-demand actuation (it remains a front-driver until the system detects slip). ZF’s nine-speed automatic is standard on all models including those equipped with the base engine, the 184-hp, 2.4-liter Tigershark four-cylinder. If the powertrain sounds familiar, that’s because the 200 shares a lot with another platform-mate, the Jeep Cherokee.

Inside, there is more corporate-parts-bin kit, but at least we’re talking the nicer Fiat-era stuff, like the rotary shifter from the Ram pickup and the company’s big-screen infotainment system. The optional features list is replete with safety tech, from adaptive cruise control to a collision-warning system that automatically applies the brakes, both on the road and while backing up. And because life is sometimes hard, the 200 also can parallel-park itself.

Whether anyone outside of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car purchasing department will want to park the 200 in their garage will likely come down to the car’s sleek lines and improved proportions, both of which Chrysler got right. Richer materials inside, coupled with an attractive instrument panel, should also please non-fleet buyers. We've now driven the Chrysler 200

2016 Mercedes-Benz GT AMG

In 1955, Mercedes augmented sales of its hyper-expensive 300SL “Flügeltüren,” or Gullwing, with the far more modest and modestly priced 190SL. Though it shared much of the Gullwing’s visual vernacular, it was less a true companion to that first supercar than a runway to the tidy pagoda-roof SLs of the 1960s. The new-era gullwing, the SLS, gets its own half-price stablemate in 2015 called the GT AMG. But this time the circumstances are a little different: The cheaper car is now the more desirable one. We’ve seen the finished design, and to our eyes it is the most beautiful German car of the modern era.

It is sculptural in the truest, Henry Moore-ish sense of that term, with a shape that rewards prolonged viewing. Its visual appeal is rooted in its rejection of Teutonic—and, indeed, current—car-design orthodoxy. Most German cars are widest at their rocker panels; they’re horseshoe crabs. This one tucks in at the sides like an English or American sports car from the ’60s, exposing a lot of tire width. And whereas most German cars are composed of discrete sections—front, cabin, rear—the GT is one continuous cursive flourish. From the soft, integrated grille and lights to a long hood evoking the Jaguar E-type to a fastback that resolves into a Porsche 928–like rump, the car is exquisite. It is designer Gorden Wagener’s finest work. Perhaps most captivating is the car’s incongruity: This hardest-edged performer in Mercedes’ lineup is also the most curvaceous.

The GT shares its aluminum space frame with the SLS but is about a foot shorter overall. Though the wheelbase is also pinched a bit, it still has a dash-to-axle length to rival the SLS’s, even if it loses the naturally aspirated furnace under that long hood. Instead, the GT AMG gets the new corporate 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 that will be shared with the next C63. This engine will send SLS-like levels of power and torque to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transaxle.

Although you enter through conventional doors, the GT AMG is anything but a conventional Mercedes-Benz inside. The cabin is a true cockpit, with a high cowl and a rising center console, tastefully finished in carbon fiber, leather, and Alcantara. For now, all we can show you is this well-informed rendering; you’ll get to see AMG’s Porsche 911 fighter around the Paris show in the fall. Prepare to drool on your shoes

2018 Nissan IDx

We believe that the world will always need affordable rear-drive excellence, and—shockingly, considering the efficiency-minded, regulation-restricted, and somewhat homogenized state of the industry—so do today’s automakers. The 10Best-winning Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ twins, unleashed for 2013, prove the staying power of the concept, and both Chevy and Kia have dipped a toe in the drip pan with their respective Code 130R and GT4 Stinger show cars. Now Nissan seems ready to party, too, having energized last fall’s Tokyo auto show with the surprise debut of two versions of the IDx concept.

Here’s the most important thing about the IDx: Nissan wants to build it. What could derail the entire project is that Nissan currently lacks an obvious platform for this car. Some adapted version of the Z-car’s bones could work, although that architecture would potentially bring too much mass to the IDx.

What the IDx is intended to do is get young adults to stop Snapchatting and start caring about and buying cars. (Or, at least, Snapchat about cars.) To capture youth—not just the demographic, but also its essence—the IDx concept draws some inspiration from a model more likely to be remembered by those kids’ elders: the classic Datsun 510 of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Fans of the 510, a sort of Japanese BMW 2002, will squeal at the upright three-box design and proportions and the wheels—as well as the NISMO version painted to resemble historic BRE 510 ­racers. Modern driveline tech, such as direct injection, places the car in the present. Nissan says the idea is more homage than retro, but the tie to the past is double-knotted by an Easter egg in the car’s name: DX is 510 in Roman numerals.

A U.S.-spec IDx likely would be powered by the naturally aspirated 1.8-liter four from the Sentra, as well as a 1.6 turbo four in a NISMO spinoff. Transmissions would include a CVT—this is a Nissan, after all—as well as, we hope, manual ’boxes across the range, including performance variants. Yes, that’s variants, plural. Nissan currently applies its hi-po badge in two strata, with NISMO models mostly getting mild upgrades (stickers!) and NISMO RS cars receiving more holistic go-fast makeovers. If the Juke can get an RS version, we see no reason why the IDx wouldn’t, couldn’t, or shouldn’t.

More formal and square-jawed than the Scibaru twins, the IDx is akin to the BMW 2-series coupe, only a lot cheaper. If Nissan gives it the green light, figure on the IDx arriving in 2017 and starting in the low- to mid-$20,000 range. If Nissan really wants to peddle something excellent, it will hawk the IDx in a whole mess of body styles that parallel the 510’s, which was available not only as a coupe, but also as a sedan and a wagon.

Best Cars On 2015 Mustang

What It Is

Though it bears the Shelby name, this is the creation of Ford’s SVT group. It’s more the spiritual successor to the recent and beloved Boss 302 than the most recent Shelby, that ground-thumping supercharged beast known as the GT500. So why call it a Shelby instead of a Boss or a Cobra or a Mach (or a Sprint or a Ghia or . . .)? Because attaching the Shelby name allows Ford to charge more.

Why It Matters

Why it matters? Why it matters?! What’s wrong with you—are you only reading this because you’re waiting at the doctor’s office?

Platform

The GT350 uses the same “S550” platform that underpins the 2015 Mustang. We anticipate that this version will ride on a significantly stiffer suspension with adjustable dampers. Early test vehicles, spotted around the company’s Dearborn, Michigan, headquarters, wore cross-drilled carbon-ceramic brake rotors. Those mules were also rolling on 19-inch Michelin Pilot Super Sport summer performance tires, with bodies pierced by a center hood vent and what appeared to be functional fender vents behind the front wheels.

Powertrain

SVT isn’t trying to top its supercharged GT500 engine here. Instead, expect a version of the 5.0-liter V-8 that powers the Mustang GT. This engine might have a slightly larger displacement than the stock unit, and SVT is known to be working on a flat-plane crankshaft for the “Voodoo” engine. The lower rotating mass with such a setup should allow this V-8 to rev past 8000 rpm and deliver about 550 horsepower. We expect this engine to be mounted exclusively to a manual transmission and send its power through a limited-slip differential.

Competition

Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE, Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, other Chevrolet Camaros, Dodge Challenger SRT, a used Boss 302.

What Might Go Wrong

If the SVT team can do a performance Mustang as good as the Mustang team’s old Boss 302, not much at all should go wrong.

Estimated Arrival and PriceFigure about $50,000 for this 2016 model