Home » Blogs » Farewell 2009: A Few Disappointments, and Looking Toward Next Year

The Ford Taurus SHO was another disappointment. Blame the weight of expectations - and, perhaps, the portly 4405 lbs it carried -- but against cars like the Cadillac CTS-V, the SHO felt more like a quietly competent full-size sedan than a ball-tearing bitumen burner. Honda's loud and flimsy Insight seemed an unduly cheap and cynical effort from a company usually more engineering-led, as did Mercedes-Benz's disappointingly ordinary E550 Coupe. Both cars were based on hardware from a segment below (the Insight on the Fit, and the E550 Coupe on the C-Class), and it showed. The Ferrari California: why, why, why, oh why did it have to look like that?The great thing about this business is there's always the promise of next year, and new cars that will be better, faster, more stylish, more interesting than last year's offerings. So what cars do I most want to drive in 2010? Here's the short list: Aston Martin Rapide -- will it be a true four seat GT, or just a glamorous show-pony? Bentley Mulsanne -- it has a turbocharged pushrod 6.75-liter V-8 because, well, that's what traditional Bentleys have had for the past 20 years. But will that be a reason to own it? 2011 Buick Regal -- will this be the breakthrough Euro-style, American branded car that banishes the ghost of Merkur forever? And will it make Buick relevant to buyers under 60 again?2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe -- the current CTS-V is one of the greatest American sedans ever built; can Caddy repeat the magic with the Coupe? Chevrolet Volt -- it's conceptually the most interesting car from GM since the Corvair, but will it really work, and will America get it? Ferrari 458 Italia -- it's the most exciting new Ferrari since the Enzo; you need to ask why I want to drive it? 2011 Ford Mustang -- will the new 412-hp V-8 and 305-hp V-6 engines comprehensively crush Camaro? McLaren MP4-12C -- can it beat Ferrari and Lamborghini out of the box? Yes, it's going to be an interesting year, and I hope you'll come along for the ride. Happy New Year.