Forbes: A Horrifying Glimpse of the Future

[sandertheshark]

The Cars You'll Drive in 2014


1. Alfa Romeo Milano

2. BMW X1

3. BYD F3DM

4. Cadillac Converj

5. Ford C-Max

6. Honda CR-Z

7. Hyundai HED-5 i-Mode

8. MINI E, MINI Crossman

9. Toyota FT-EV

10. Volkswagen BlueSport

11. Fiat 500

[JWC]

12. 1974 VW Beetle.

Well, that's what I'll be driving...unless liberals ban all cars older than ten years.

[280Z Turbo]

I'll be drivin' my gas guzzlin' truck 'til the day I die.


Seriously, what's the problem? Smaller cars are better.

[2o6]

Aside from the fact that that first car was a MiTo, I don't see the problem. The BYD needs to stop being a corolla clone, but if the Technology is good then so be it. FYI, BYD is the 2nd largest producer of batteries (which kind, I forget) so they might know what they're doing in this aspect.


Also, the Converj is still sexy.

[SVT666]

Alfa Romeo MiTo and the Fiat 500 are okay by me, but the rest.....

[MX793]

If the 500 is the Abarth model, I'd be game.  The Alfa isn't too bad either.

[Raza]

I'd rock some of those cars right now.  Alfa MiTo (top engine) and Fiat 500 (Abarth), definitely.

Of course, in 2014, I'll likely still be driving the Wolfsburg, hopefully with a motorcycle and sports car (and maybe a wagon/SUV) as stablemates.

[Vinsanity]

Cars I'll be driving in 2014:

2009 Cadillac CTS-V
2007 Porsche 997 convertible

Or something of that sort. You get the picture

[Madman]

Does this Hannah Elliot person know anything at all about cars?  First car up is the Alfa Romeo Milano, the upcoming replacement for the 147.  She mentions the "Milano" was sold in America before.  Well, yes, Alfa did sell a car called Milano (the North American name for the Alfa 75) in America from 1987-89 but this new car doesn't share a single freakin' bolt with the old 75/Milano!!!  Does she really think Alfa Romeo is going to come back to America with a twenty-year-old design?  She can't even get the photo right.  Instead of a preview rendering of the new Milano, or even a picture of the current 147, she posts a shot of the Alfa Romeo Mito, a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT car which shares little or nothing with the upcoming Milano!  Besides, I seriously doubt even the four cylinder version of the Milano will get 35.5 miles per US gallon.  Perhaps she meant to review the Mito but got the two cars confused?

Anyway, I quite like the Alfa Romeo Mito, the Ford C-Max, Fiat 500 and Volkswagen BlueSport.  How exactly is this "horrifying"?  Looks pretty damn good to me!  I can't wait to see the new Fiats and Alfas at my local Chrysler showroom which, by the way, I've never had reason to visit before.  I'm also more than ready for some non-snooze-inducing cars from the Blue Oval brand.  If this is the future, bring it on!


Cheers,
Madman of the People

[2o6]

I would totally rock a 1.4L 500.

This one is perfect (although, I prefer it in a rich chocolate brown versus this creamy grey:

[Xer0]

If Honda makes the CR-Z drive anything like the Si, Id rock one

[hotrodalex]

My garage on 2014:

Camaro
El Camino
Either an old Triumph with a high revving small block, an old Datsun set up for road racing, or a BMW E30 M3 also set up for road racing
Pontiac G8 GXP or something of that sort

Ducati 848 R or something of that sort to replace my Buell

[Rupert]

Alfa! Fiat!

Horrifying?!

[S204STi]

I'll take the Alfa Milano, with the V6 please. 

[cawimmer430]

If the 500 is the Abarth model, I'd be game. 

The normal 500 is decent too. What's the problem? 

[the Teuton]

I'm down between a 500, a Fiesta, or a diesel Impreza at this point.

[GoCougs]

12. 1974 VW Beetle.

Well, that's what I'll be driving...unless liberals ban all cars older than ten years.

Oh, just you wait. Once confronted with the horror of being forced into dangerous, underpowered, decontented econoboxes, I surmise more than a few Americans will rev up the used vehicle market.

Only a relative few in the market want such cars; the top seller through April '09 is a full sizer (Accord) with the F-series and Silverado a close 2nd and 3rd (Dodge Ram is #8), another large car (Impala), a few midizers, yet only two compacts AND NO SUBCOMPACTS OR HYBRIDS.

[2o6]

Oh, just you wait. Once confronted with the horror of being forced into dangerous, underpowered, decontented econoboxes, I surmise more than a few Americans will rev up the used vehicle market.

Only a relative few in the market want such cars; the top seller through April '09 is a full sizer (Accord) with the F-series and Silverado a close 2nd and 3rd (Dodge Ram is #8), another large car (Impala), a few midizers, yet only two compacts AND NO SUBCOMPACTS OR HYBRIDS.

However, Hybrids and Subcompacts are a sizable part of the market. Trendy, youthful hatches are redefining the segment. Just because they don't sell in large numbers doesn't mean that they don't matter.

Besides, when is 0-60 in 10 seconds, dangerous and underpowered?

[Minpin]

I'll take....fuck it I'll walk thanks.

[MX793]

However, Hybrids and Subcompacts are a sizable part of the market. Trendy, youthful hatches are redefining the segment. Just because they don't sell in large numbers doesn't mean that they don't matter.

I'd be surprised if hybrids and subcompacts (ignoring sports cars, which also get classed as subcompacts) account for more than 10% of the new car market.

Besides, when is 0-60 in 10 seconds, dangerous and underpowered?

When you come off a 20 mph ramp and need to merge with a steady flow of traffic going 60 mph and the merging/acceleration lane is only 150 ft long.

[GoCougs]

However, Hybrids and Subcompacts are a sizable part of the market. Trendy, youthful hatches are redefining the segment. Just because they don't sell in large numbers doesn't mean that they don't matter.

Besides, when is 0-60 in 10 seconds, dangerous and underpowered?

They don't matter in the context that even with gross restrictions, high gas prices, and a terrible economy, the market overwhelmingly chooses not to buy hybrids and subcompacts - with the gloriously worst MPG offenders (Detroit full-size trucks) being at or near the top and all three in the top 10.

[sportyaccordy]

Um, where the fuck are the V8s

Give me a 98 Accord and an 03 Mustang Cobra SVT, I'll be OK

Give me an LS1 equipped 240SX and or E36 and I will marry you

Its very simple

Small car, decent size V8

[Rupert]

I'd be surprised if hybrids and subcompacts (ignoring sports cars, which also get classed as subcompacts) account for more than 10% of the new car market.

When you come off a 20 mph ramp and need to merge with a steady flow of traffic going 60 mph and the merging/acceleration lane is only 150 ft long.

Yes, because there are no cars slower than 10 seconds to 60 mph on the road today.

Shit, neither of my cars can do 60 in under 10 seconds, and I don't have problems accelerating and merging safely. In fact, I don't think any of the cars I've owned could do 60 in 10 seconds, except maybe the Miata.

[the Teuton]

My car goes from 0 to 60 in 12 seconds if I'm lucky, and it suffers from a host of other problems.  So let's suppose it realistically hits 60 in about 14 seconds.

I've now driven it 2,500 miles in the past 3.5 months, and I can truthfully say that I don't think my life has felt threatened due to inadequate acceleration during any of that time.  So excuse me as I stand on my soapbox and call all of you naysayers wrong for saying 10 seconds isn't a good enough target.

[BimmerM3]

Let's see... in 2014 I'll be three years out of college. If all goes well, I'll probably be driving one of the following:

-Miata
-S2000
-E46 something

[Raza]

Oh, just you wait. Once confronted with the horror of being forced into dangerous, underpowered, decontented econoboxes, I surmise more than a few Americans will rev up the used vehicle market.

Only a relative few in the market want such cars; the top seller through April '09 is a full sizer (Accord) with the F-series and Silverado a close 2nd and 3rd (Dodge Ram is #8), another large car (Impala), a few midizers, yet only two compacts AND NO SUBCOMPACTS OR HYBRIDS.

I don't see how small cars that still get five star crash test ratings in Europe can be considered dangerous.  Some underpowered, yes, but not dangerous.  There are many cars running around on the roads that are larger, but also slower and far less safe.  You can't equate size and safety, not if you want to be taken seriously.  Yes, there is a correlation, but it's not 1.

Not to mention that John's talking about a small car from 35 years ago that accelerates even slower than a car like a Fiat 500 and will likely disintegrate in a crash with a blade of grass.

[Raza]

And I think my ideal small car would be something not on this list:



Renaultsport Twingo 133 Cup.

I'll have it in blue, though.

[Eye of the Tiger]

[sportyaccordy]

I can't fuck with these small cars... you guys must not be familiar with the sound of an uncorked 4 banger; it's not sexy

[Eye of the Tiger]

I can't fuck with these small cars... you guys must not be familiar with the sound of an uncorked 4 banger; it's not sexy

whatever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fPYFh5kpus