Detroit Auto Show 2014: Six Best Vehicles

Now that the press days at the Detroit Auto Show have passed, let’s revisit the highlights of press days.

First up is the Toyota FT-1 concept. Rear wheel drive, dramatic, and Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda’s pet project, the FT-1 has the potential to revive Toyota’s reputation as a cool car company. There’s no word on an official name just yet, but here’s hoping they’ll revive the Supra nameplate.

Next is the Subaru WRX STi. When the restyled WRX was revealed a few months back, it was greeted with yawns thanks to its subdued styling. The WRX STi, however, retains some of the lunacy the line is known for (including the gigantic rear wing). However, Subaru will only sell 1000 STis in the classic blue and gold color scheme in 2015.

Another exciting Japanese reveal: the Infiniti Q50. Infiniti says they’ve designed their Q50 “Eau Rouge” concept using styling elements from their RB9 Red Bull Formula 1 car - and it looks brilliant. If Infiniti puts the Eau Rouge into production, expect some nice numbers - like 500HP, to combat the BMW M5.

Japan wasn’t the only Asian nation to bring a showstopper to Detroit, though - South Korean manufacturer Kia unveiled the Stinger GT4, a rear-wheel drive sports coupe packing 312 horsepower. The best part about this? Kia says “It’s coming now.”

Not to be outdone, the Americans brought a performance car of their own: the new Corvette Z06. In short, it’s got more of everything - power, grip, vents, scoops - and it’ll be faster than the existing ZR1 (which is certainly no slouch).

Last, Ford introduced the new F-150. Normally, pickups aren’t that big of a deal at auto shows, but the 2015 F-150 will have an aluminum structure instead of steel. That means it’ll be about 700 pounds lighter than its predecessor - and a heavy vehicle needs more energy to do everything. A lighter F-150 should give Ford the fuel economy edge in the full-size truck segment.