Hybrids, electric cars, America's comeback, affordable fun and a bunch of exciting new directions. These ten cars made 2013 a very interesting year.
10.) Cadillac CTS
Yes, you can find the 2014 Cadillac CTS at the dealers already, which makes it a 2013 car in my book. It's important not only because it is easily the best sedan General Motors has ever built, but it's also because they will sell it in Europe. That makes it a big deal for Cadillac, GM and the American car industry as a whole.
Suggested By: PelicanHazard
9.) Jaguar F-Type
Not only is the F-Type a fantastic product and a car we all lust for, but also a giant billboard screaming a simple message:
JAGUAR'S GOT IT, BRITAIN'S GOT IT.
It's their current Spitfire moment, and it's cooler than the plane because you can have one.
Suggested By: Seitz
8.) Ford Fiesta ST
Performance for the masses. That's all, but that's enough to put a massive smile on anyone's face.
Suggested By: ColoradoFX4, Photo Credit: David Villarreal Fernández
7.) Mercedes-Benz CLA
You might not like the styling, but the CLA is Mercedes trying to reach a younger audience. It's a hugely dramatic move downmarket (at least in the US) for one of the most staid luxury brands out there.
Suggested By: fintail
6.) Mazda 6
For years, all of Mazda's bread-and-butter sedans had been made on Ford platforms. The Mazda 6 is Mazda's first big sedan in ages that they've made all on their own. And it's such a nice car that the whole mid-size sedan segment had to grow up in order to have a chance competing with it.
Suggested By: Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
5.) C7 Corvette
The C7 is the American Spitfire moment. Which makes it a Mustang.
Suggested By: Leadbull
4.) Volkswagen XL1
So, the amazing XL1 a car that works and barely needs fuel. But it's also something you can't really have.
It's a start.
Suggested By: Leadbull, Photo Credit: illustir
3.) Porsche 918 Spyder
Why the Porsche 918 over the P1 or the LaFerrari? I follow all three closely. I was there when they first shown the 918 prototype. I talked to the McLaren P1's Development Chief and tried to guess what Niki Lauda had to say about the LaFerrari at its premier.
All limited edition supercars, all hybrids. The Porsche wins because it has exhaust coming out of its roof, and because Porsche is a mass producer, making the technology of the 918 more likely to reach us at some point.
Suggested By: Highbury
2.) BMW i3
Like it or not for the price of a 3 Series, the i3 is the first carbon fiber car in production, and it's properly green. Groundbreaking stuff.
Suggested By: SennaMP4
1.) Tesla Model S
The Model S made Tesla own 2013. If they make it in the long run, we will remember this year for what they have achieved.
Suggested By: The Common Gearhead
Welcome back to Answers of the Day - our daily Jalopnik feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous day's Question of the Day and shine it up to show off. It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!
Top Photo Credit: BMW