This is the Morning Shift, our one-stop daily roundup of all the auto news that's actually important - all in one place at 9:00 AM. Or, you could spend all day waiting for other sites to parcel it out to you one story at a time. Isn't your time more important?
We're doing a special one this morning because of the New York Auto Show, which you can follow along using this tag page all day long. Here are the highlights of what we saw yesterday that you might have missed.
1st Gear: The Shelby Raptor Is A Crazed Power Hungry Beast Of A Truck
The Ford Raptor is a favorite of ours. More horsepower is also a thing that we like. So what if you give a Raptor to those lunatics at Shelby? You get this, the Shelby Raptor.
2nd Gear: The Subaru WRX Concept Is So Hot It Will Melt Your Eyeballs
For as long as it's been around, the Subaru WRX hasn't really been about aesthetics. It's the kind of car where once you get behind the wheel and start driving, the way it looks on the outside becomes irrelevant. That's good because most WRX-es have ended up looking like Corollas with hood scoops and absurd wings. The Subaru WRX Concept aims to change all that.
3rd Gear: The 2014 Scion tC Is The Gateway Drug To The Infiniti G37
Every time I see the Scion tC, one thought comes to my head. It's kind of like the Infiniti G37 on a budget. Sure, the tC is a front driver, but for some reason I see a similarity. There is now a new tC, and it still looks like the G37's gateway drug.
4th Gear: A Fat Korean V8 Land Yacht Just Isn't That Cool
I want to like the Hyundai Equus. I want to like the novelty of a big, Korean luxury sedan with a 5.0 liter V8. But dammit the thing's so characterless that it's hard to even form an opinion on it.
5th Gear: The Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid Is The Other Car Subaru Showed Off Today
Subaru kind of had a banner today at the New York Auto Show today. They debuted two cars that just perfectly encapsulate their main audiences: granola-loving hippies who need all-wheel-drive and rally hoons one speeding ticket away from losing their driver's licenses. The Subaru WRX Concept took care of the latter; the former should be perfectly happy with the Subaru XV Crosstrek.
6th Gear: The New Jeep Cherokee Was Absolutely Not Designed To Be An Alfa Romeo
Hey, remember when the Wall Street Journal made waves by reporting that the 2014 Jeep Cherokee was based on an Alfa Romeo design? That's a fascinating tidbit. The problem is, it's not true, according to the American guy who designed it.
Reverse: Rick Wagoner Out
Despite having a face like a Lincoln and the last name of a Jeep, Rick Wagoner was kicked out of GM when the government took over four years ago. Or, well, he "stepped down at Obama's request." That was when it was absolutely clear that the price of taking federal money was taking federal oversight. Wagoner was replaced by Henderson was replaced by Whitacre was replaced by Akerson, who has not yet been replaced.
Neutral: What's Your Best In Show?
We saw a lot of new vehicles this week. Which new car was your favorite?