Whether it';s their power, aggressive styling or seductive nature; General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group LLC had more naughty vehicles this year than any other time since MLive started the list back in 2011.Watch video
DETROIT, MI- If Santa Claus gave out presents to every car and truck in the world instead of boy and girl, the vehicles on MLive’s list of Naughtiest Detroit Three Vehicles of 2013 wouldn’t receive anything but coal under their hoods.
Thanks to the U.S. automotive industry driving toward pre-recession levels this year, automakers are back to having "fun." The vehicle's on this year's list aren't necessarily here because they're bad, but because of their naughty behavior.
Whether it’s their power, aggressive styling or seductive nature; General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group LLC had more naughty vehicles this year than any other time since MLive started the list back in 2011.
Here’s the list, which we made and checked twice (photos above):
10. 2014 Ford Fusion: It’s the most fuel-efficient vehicle on our list, but we just couldn’t leave it off.
With its unmatched styling and powertrain operations, this vehicle drove into the highly-competitive midsize sedan segment and dominated its domestic counterparts. Not to mention, it’s even giving the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry a run for their money.
9. 2014 Fiat 500: After making last year’s list for its seductive ads, its sales this year weren’t what many had expected.
Through November, Chrysler sold just over 33,500 Fiat 500 models, a 16 percent decrease compared to the same time in 2012.
But the deciding factor to get it to No. 9 was the Fiat 500 Abarth. It's just naughty.
8. 2014 Chevrolet SS: We haven’t gotten to jump behind the wheel of a Chevrolet SS just yet, but this statement vehicle is the first rear wheel drive performance sedan for GM’s largest brand since 1996.
With a proven 6.2-liter V8 engine of the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette that delivers 415-horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque, expect this five-passenger vehicle to help fill a niche market, but not too much else. 7. 2014 Jeep Cherokee: This vehicle is naughty in more ways than one.
Its highly-publicized delayed launch might have ranked it in our honorable mentions naughty list, but its revolutionary styling (for Jeep) and off-road capabilities bumped it up to No. 7.
For beginners and off-road enthusiasts alike, the Cherokee offers three 4x4 systems and a new, segment-exclusive, capability called "Selec-Speed Control." It features both Hill-descent and -ascent control, allowing the Cherokee to climb and descend steep grades with minimal driver input. But customers can of course always override the settings, but it’s a good way to learn what the vehicle can do.
Not to mention, who doesn’t love finding“Easter Eggs” in a vehicle?
6. 2014 SRT Grand Cherokee: This vehicle, according to SRT boss Ralph Gilles, is leading the way for the SRT brand. While Chrysler doesn’t break out sales for each SRT model, the 2014 SRT Grand Cherokee is leading sales while tearing down the street.
The vehicle features a new eight-speed automatic transmission mated to the proven and powerful 6.4-liter HEMI V8 delivering 470 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 465 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,300 rpm and helps deliver greatly enhanced towing performance of 7,200 pounds – a 44-percent improvement over the 5,000-lb. towing capacity from the previous model.
5. 2015 Ford Mustang: We had some trouble placing the 2015 Ford Mustang on this year’s list. On one hand, the vehicle hasn’t even been released yet and official specs havent't been certified. On the other hand, we know it’s definitely going to cause some trouble when it comes out next year with all three of its engine options topping at least 300 horsepower. And while there may be a new EcoBoost engine for the 2015 Ford Mustang, the anchor of the next-generation pony car remains the 5.0-liter V8. Thanks to an upgraded valvetrain and cylinder heads, vehicles with the iconic “5.0” badge will feature more than 420 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque for the 2015 Mustang, according to Ford.
4. 2014 Cadillac CTS Vsport: There are dozens of things you can say about this vehicle – from its lightweight features to aggressive styling and technologies – but the one thing that put it on this list is its all-new 420-horsepower 3.6-liter Cadillac Twin-Turbo V6 engine.
Yes, it’s not as much horsepower as the SRT Grand Cherokee at No. 6, but this rear-wheel-drive vehicle is racking up more awards than Jack Nicholson.
3. SRT Viper: This was another tough one for this year’s list. Its sales aren’t what many expected, but as Gilles told MLive during the 2013 LA Auto Show, Vipers aren’t supposed to be an extremely high volume seller. They're more like an exclusive club.
No matter how you analyze Chrysler’s Viper sales, this vehicle is so “bad” that we wouldn’t have gotten any gifts from Santa if we didn’t include this vehicle in the top three. This fifth-generation Viper features a SRT-engineered 8.4-liter V10 engine estimated to deliver 640 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque – the most torque of any naturally aspirated engine in the world.
2. Camaro Z/28: GM shocked nearly everyone at the 2013 New York International Auto Show when this baby rolled onto the Chevrolet performance stage.
The vehicle isn’t scheduled to arrive until mid-2014, but we cannot wait to see the new Camaro Z/28 on the road with its naturally aspirated 7.0-liter LS7 engine SAE-certified at 505 horsepower (376 kW) and 481 lb-ft of torque (652 Nm).
To bring out the full potential of the Z/28, GM reduced weight by about 300 pounds compared to a supercharged Camaro ZL1. To do that, GM took out the trunk carpet and insulation, installed thinner glass for the rear window, made air conditioning optional and removed all but one speaker.
1. 2014 Chevrolet Corvette: Even good ole’ Saint Nicholas had trouble trying to find/build enough 2014 Chevy Corvettes to give to all of the really, really good boys and girls.
This seventh-generation slice of Americana is on the top of our list for not only being “bad,” but for everything it represents for anyone who has had the pleasure of driving one.
Pressing the pedal of the C7, which features the most powerful standard engine in Corvette history, is joining in on an American tradition of sports cars dating back more than 60 years, when the first-generation Corvette debuted in 1953. Not to mention, the 2014 model’s all-new small-block, LT1 6.2-liter V8 engine is nothing short of exhilarating.
What’s next for the Corvette? How about a Z06 model for the 2015 model-year?