Gallery: The Most Innovative Cars of the Year
Jaguar Land Rover01jaguar f-type coupe
To follow up on the F-Type Convertible, its first true sports car since the iconic E-Type, Jaguar rolled out the F-Type Coupe this year. The only problem is that the car is so well-balanced, it's not much fun until you're going *way* too fast.
McLaren Automotive02McLaren-650S-04
The 650S has more power, more downforce and more style than the car it replaces, the MP4-12C. Even at $265k, it's a giant step down in price from McLaren's P1 flagship, but plenty of DNA trickled down.
Volvo03Volvo XC90
Volvo is relaunching its brand, and it's kicking things off with the XC90, which will hit the market in the spring. The premium SUV comes with a new four-cylinder—the Swedish brand is done with V6 and V8 engines—and is packed with active safety features that make it "semi-autonomous."
BMW04BMW i3
We first saw the BMW i3 way back in 2012, but it wasn't until 2014 that the car hit the US market. The electric car is efficient, comfortable, and comes with a gas-powered range extender for those nervous about running out of juice.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty05Telsa CEO Elon Musk Unveils New Vehicle
Elon Musk strengthened his company's grip on the title of world's best electric car by unveiling the Tesla Model P85D. For $120,170, the new model provides two motors and stomach-churningly fast acceleration. Oh, and it's got autopilot features.
General Motors062016 Cadillac CTS-V
Just in time for our look back at 2014, Cadillac gave us a look at the 2016 CTS-V. The brand's most powerful car will be able to hit 200 mph and will keep its passengers swaddled in leather.
Google07google self-driving car prototype
Most automakers are working on self-driving technology, but Google has already shown off a prototype that's so over the idea of human drivers, it doesn't even have a steering wheel or pedals.
BMW08BMW i8
BMW's latest supercar, the plug-in electric hybrid i8, is thrilling, yet somehow practical. Even when the juice runs out, the 1.5-liter, 3-cylinder engine borrowed from Mini is enough to make an afternoon drive up Highway 1 a blast.
Ford092015 Ford F-150
Pickups may not seem like a hotbed of innovation, but Ford went for a big upgrade to its perennial best-seller: The F-150 is made of aluminum, not steel. That'll make it lighter, pumping up MPG numbers.
Toyota102016-Toyota-Fuel-Cell-Vehicle Mirai
We're not sold on the idea of hydrogen power as a replacement for gasoline, but Toyota seems to be. And it's backing up that belief with the Mirai FCV, which will offer a 300-mile range and produce only water vapor as a byproduct.
Audi11Audi A3
Marketed at the bottom rung of the luxury ladder, the slightly stocky Audi A3 starts for just $29,900. Most impressive is the stripped down interior design that is at the same time advanced and simple, a welcome break from the piles of buttons and touch screens that now fill most cars.
Chrysler122015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
In an age where engines are getting smaller and MPG figures are going up, Dodge pushed back with the Challenger Hellcat. The muscle car is an exercise in batshit crazy engineering, all to keep this burnout-mobile running, even with 707 ponies under the hood.
Lamborghini13Lamborghini Asterion
Lamborghini may be synonymous with excess, but its latest concept, the Asterion LPI 910-4, shows the Italians do care at least a smudge about fuel efficiency: This charging bull is a plug-in hybrid electric that delivers a remarkable 75 mpg.
