From Burgundy to Benz: Best (and worst) of 2013

Posted by hpayne on December 29, 2013

Ron Burgundy, Will Ferrell

Will Ferrell as ‘Anchorman’ Ron Burgundy pitches Chrysler’s Durango. (AP)

It’s been a heckuva ride and we were there every click of the odometer. With 2013 in the rear-view mirror, The Detroit News’ expert auto team reflects on the most memorable developments of the last 12 months.

The Burgundy backfire

Bryce Hoffman

Auto reporter

Chrysler Group LLC kept it classy in 2013 by tapping Ron Burgundy to peddle its new 2014 Dodge Durango to the masses. Sales soared with the comedic clout of Will Ferrell. But Chrysler also learned why other automakers had not gone this way before when Burgundy bit the hand that fed him and lampooned the ute’s quality for an easy laugh on Conan O’Brien’s late night show.

VW OMG

Daniel Howes

Business columnist

Global domination is not as easy as it looks. Just ask the world-beaters from Wolfsburg, the Teutonic horde that would use its (maybe soon-to-be-union) assembly plant in Chattanooga to take the rich American market by storm. Instead, Volkswagen AG’s eponymous brand is on track to post a down year in a rising U.S. market, with sales off for each model in its lineup. VW’s North American boss, General Motors Co. refugee Jonathan Browning, is out to pursue other interests. VW’s Passat midsize sedan, dulled of overtly German cues to satisfy stereotypical American tastes, is falling short of expectations. And VW’s boast that it would be the next new-new thing in the States is proving hard to realize.

Turbos take over

Karl Henkel

Auto reporter

Automakers sold some three million vehicles with turbocharged engines in 2013, up from 2.1 million in 2012. That number will almost certainly grow, especially since two major automakers plan to make turbocharged engines their standard option in future vehicles. A top Volkswagen AG executive said earlier this year that the automaker plans to replace its three remaining, conventional gas engines with a completely turbocharged lineup in “three, four years maximum.” Turbocharged engines are more powerful and efficient than naturally-aspirated engines because more air and fuel is forced into the combustion chamber. Ford Motor Co. Vice President of Powertrain Engineering Joe Bakaj says conventional engines could soon become extinct in Ford’s lineup.

The year of Tesla

Henry Payne

Auto critic

For better and worse, 2013 was the Year of Tesla. The Palo Alto-based automaker proved that an auto startup could successfully launch in the highly regulated, capital-intensive industry while its luxury-electric compatriot Fisker sunk beneath the waves. Tesla’s mercurial CEO Elon Musk laid claim to becoming one of America’s great auto entrepreneurs even as he threw infantile temper tantrums when even friendly media (cue the New York Times) found flaws in his product. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the production Tesla S its highest safety rating, then announced the model was under investigation after two vehicles burned to the ground. And Tesla’s stock soared, then came back to earth when closer inspection revealed profits were based on fuzzy math like counting cash from leases and California global warming credits. Whatever the headline, Tesla demands to be watched.

From Government Motors to alternative motors

David Shepardson

Washington bureau chief

Best: The year 2013 was when the U.S. Treasury finally exited General Motors Co., ending the historic five-year bailout and partial government ownership of the Detroit automaker. Both the government and GM were eager to see the partnership end — even if it meant that taxpayers lost $10.5 billion.

Worst: Lots of hype for alternative fuels and technologies that may be a long way away from use in significant numbers: Cellulosic ethanol, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, E15 ethanol, and self-driving cars.

Caddy in the fast lane

Melissa Burden

Auto reporter

The new, midsize luxury Cadillac CTS truly made me want to drive fast. I test drove a model with the 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the hood and found it highly capable. But Cadillac designers also did a lovely job with the entire package, from interior features to outside styling. No wonder my colleague Henry Payne named it his 2014 Vehicle of the Year. Sadly, this sedan — starting at about $46,000 — is not in my price range.

Driverless Benz

Neil Winton

Detroit News contributor

The most memorable moment of 2013 came at the Frankfurt Car Show when Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Mercedes Cars, emerged from the rear of an S-class Mercedes limo which had driven on to the stage without no one at the wheel. Its computer had driven it there. Cynics who think the moon landings were filmed in New Mexico will look for signs of cheating, but I think this clever advance in technology will have huge ramifications. Accidents will be slashed, as will insurance premiums. Mothers Against Drunk Driving will disband. Infirm old people will be liberated. If you can move from your home to your destination in the back seat of your car, who’s going to take the train or plane? Highway speed limits will be raised when the new technology demonstrates it can eliminate accidents, cutting journey times.

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