The Best Cars, Crashes, and Concepts of 2011
Welcome to the Best of Automopedia 2011! It was a year for protesting, and great losses in the design and automotive world. We said goodbye to auto makers, to vehicle franchises, and car fanatics.
It was also the year of incredible triumph – green cars are now the norm, and well priced automobiles are not only affordable, they’re made WELL.
Technology advanced to a point where 2011 might be remembered as the first year of the driverless vehicle. Take a trip down blog post memory lane, as we round up the best, oddest, and strangest stories of 2011.
Tech 2011:
Google’s Self-Driving Toyota Prius
Google spent 2011 working on their version of Knight Rider’s KITT. But instead of a gas-guzzling ’82 Trans Am, G+ used a Toyota Prius. Aside from a few glitches, including the self-driving Prius crashing into a utility truck, all seemed to go well.
In fact, the Google self-driving vehicle has received an official patent from the federal government. Next step – making driverless cars legal in the state of Nevada!
The New Gas Mileage Window Stickers
If you dropped in onto a car lot in 2011, you might have noticed something different slapped on vehicle windows. The EPA is attempting to update new car window sticker info – which gives you MPG ratings up front.
Close Calls of 2011:
Semi (Almost) Takes Out Driver
This is the perfect marketing pitch for having in-dash cameras installed on all vehicles.
The Bad Habits of Drivers and Cyclists
3-Way Street from ronconcocacola on Vimeo.
This year was rough on cyclists – as biking becomes increasingly popular on both coasts, the City of new York attempted to pass harder restrictions on those riding two-wheels. But not everyone on a bike is perfect, the same goes for drivers who do not wish to share the road.
2011 Nostalgia:
Electric DeLorean DMC-12 Coming 2013
DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) announced plans to re-release the 1982 DMC-12 as an all-electric 2013 model – Priced at $90,000 – 100,000 a piece.
Centuries Old Ship Found Under WTC
A 30-foot wooden hulled vessel was discovered about 20 to 30 feet below the World Trade Center site earlier this year. This is the first large-scale archaeological find along the Manhattan waterfront since 1982.
Vintage 1920’s Subway Train Runs Under NYC
To celebrate the second season of TV’s Boardwalk Empire (which was AWESOME), HBO contracted a vintage 1920′s subway train to “run on Saturdays and Sundays…from 12 to 6 pm, stopping at the 96th, 72nd, and Times Square-42nd st stations.”
Indie Rock and Auto Ads
In today’s world of Internet Piracy, alt and indie rock groups have to “sell out” to survive. In doing so, many great musicians have lent their music to the background of car commercials.
Who and What We Lost in 2011:
Creator of Hot Wheels Dies at 95
Hot Wheels creator Elliot Handler passed away in 2011, at the age of 95. He is half of the team that founded Mattel in 1945, along with wife Ruth and Mattel co-founder Harold Matson. The multi-billion dollar company employs more than 30,000 people.
Mercury is Gone, with Ford Ranger and Saab
Technically, this happened in 2010 (when Ford officially announced the end of their Mercury line-up). However, 2011 models were the final round for this American car company. Sure, they were mostly rebranded Fords, but they were luxurious, and during previous decades, made some of the most iconic sedans and muscle cars on the roads. So long, sweet Mercury, we are poorer for losing you.
2011 also saw the end of Ford Ranger, which will continue to sell overseas, but not in the big-truck-loving land of North America. And just this past month, Saab finally stated their assets will be liquidated.
The Shameful of 2011:
Chrysler Factory Employees Drinking, Drugging, Working
If you worked for the American auto industry wouldn’t you want to be drunk every day?
Random New Car Fires
Dodge wanted some free promotion of their new Durango – and they got it…hmm, this might not have been what they wanted. Several Chevrolet Volt spontaneous fires were also reported in 2011 – causing GM to rename their hybrid “Chevy Fire.”
Worst Hybrids on the Market
From all at Automopedia – Have a Safe & Happy Holiday! Drive (or bike) carefully, and See you in 2012!
Holy moly! This is a great post. Here I was expecting to just see a plain Jane list of the best cars of 2011, kind of like the one I was just reading over at http://www.ranker.com, but this is incredible. Well done!
Some great memories here, and some stories I had missed that made me (sorry) smile!
It was a funny year, but 2012 could be even worse!