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A Year of Automotive Headlines

This past year announced the introduction of some exciting new cars and new technology but also controversial events in motorsports and a record number of recalls. Take a look at 2014's cars in the News: NASCAR Fights gordon_fight For 2014 NASCAR introduced a new points system where a driver can still get into the next round based on points BUT if you win any race in a round, you’re safe from elimination and automatically advance. And just like any elimination-based reality show, all hell breaks loose when someone is threatened to get cut. Matt Kenseth took some notes from WWE by attacking Brad Keslowski from behind post-race in Charlotte. The biggest fight of the season would have to be in Texas when (again) Brad Keslowski tried to pass between race leaders, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, colliding with Gordon, knocking him out of the race and hurting his championship standings. Once they pulled into the pits, all hell broke loose between Gordon and Keslowski’s pit crews. Both drivers walked away with busted lips and bloody faces. America laautoshow_hellcat Hellcat, Z06, ATS-V, Z/28, Mustang, F-150 Colorado/Canyon. After years of getting destroyed on the world market, America came back strong in 2014 with the SRT Hellcat the most powerful rear wheel drive vehicles under $60k available, world class sports cars like the Corvette Z06, Cadillac ATS-V, Camaro Z/28 and all new Mustang. On the truck front, Ford unveiled an aluminum bodied F-150 and that along with the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon are giving their Japanese mid-sized trucks competition a run for the money. America is fighting its way back to the top with some serious contenders. Accidents Loic Duval 2014 002 Most motorsports accidents end with an unfortunate outcome, but this one ends on a lighter note. Audi started their LeMans run with a huge crash with their #1 car. Luckily driver, Loic Duval walked away unharmed and the track fencing kept the car and debris away from spectators. The Audi team worked through the night to get the car ready for competition. By the end of the race on Sunday, Audi finshed 1st and 2nd. A spectacular finish to what could have been a tragic end. Check out more from LeMans here. Google Self-Driving Car google_car The Google Self Driving Car may not be for enthusiasts, but you can’t argue with the advantages self-driving cars have for the disabled, travelers and busy families. Hybrid/electric enthusiast cars 892063_salon prive 2014 2 090 The word hybrid or electric was once associated with slow and mindlessly boring "automotive appliances". New 2014 models like the Ferrari LaFerrari, Porsche 918, McLaren P1, BMW i8 hybrids and 671 horsepower, dual-electric motor Tesla Model S P85D showed us that being green can be fun too. Recalls, recalls, recalls… Porsche1 We can’t talk about cars in 2014 without talking about recalls. Ignition switches and air bag-related deaths lead to the recall of at least 60 million cars in the United States this past year. 2014 beats the previous recall record of 1999 when 55.6 million vehicles were recalled. The recalls have forced manufactures to take action against faulty defects leading to cars being called back due to potential fuel leaks, faulty hood latches, failing alternators and even potential water leaking in rear view mirrors. Let us know what 2014 automotive headlines we might have missed in the comments below!
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