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The best cars we drove this year

Six hundred and fifty. That's roughly how many cars pass through the hands of Autoblog editors every year, from the vehicles we test here at home, to the cars we drive on new product launches, testing roundups, long-term cars, and so on. Of course, our individual numbers vary due to several reasons, but at the end of the day, our team's repertoire of automotive experience is indeed vast. But let's be honest, some cars certainly stand out more than others. So as the year's about to turn, and as we're readying brand-new daily cat calendars for our cubicles, our editors are all taking time to reflect on the machinery that made this year so special, with one simple, open-ended question as the guide – a question that we're asked quite frequently, from friends, family, colleagues, and more. "What's the best car you drove this year?" Lamborghini Huracan When I review the list of everything I drove in 2014, picking an absolute favorite becomes almost impossible. I mean, how does one delineate between the joy offered by cars as different as the Alfa Romeo 4C, Volkswagen Golf R, Mercedes-AMG GT S and even the humble-yet-wonderful Chevy Colorado? Okay fine, I'll just pick the Lamborghini. I drove the Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 on a racetrack, in the mountains, and along southern coast of Spain. It felt like the king of the car jungle in all of those places, sucking the eyeballs of observers nearly out of their heads as it drove by, and almost melting my brain with its cocktail of speed and grip and intense communication. It feels a little easy to say that the one new supercar I drove this year was also my favorite, but the fact is that the Huracan is one of the finest cars I've driven during my career, let alone 2014. Judge me if you must. – Seyth Miersma Senior Editor Rolls-Royce Wraith There are a couple of ways to look at the question, "What's the best car you drove this year?" In terms of what was so good I'd go out and buy one tomorrow, that'd be my all-time sweetheart, the Volkswagen GTI. Or if I'm just talking about sheer cool-factor, maybe something like the Galpin GTR1, BMW i8, or Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG. But instead, I'm going to write about the sheer opulence of being the best of the best. The hand-crafted, holier-than-thou, shut-your-mouth-when-I'm-talking-to-you supremacy. I'm picking the Rolls-Royce Wraith. I drove the Wraith for a week in April, and was really, really impressed. This car does everything, perfectly.

Hennessey Dodge Demon sets hellishly fast quarter-mile time

The Dodge Demon doesn't strike us as a muscle car much in need of a performance makeover. After all, this 840-horsepower MoPar machine's voracious quest for straight-line speed means it trims weight by jettisoning everything from a front passenger seat and rear seat, to its stereo and all carpeting in the trunk. The folks at Hennessey apparently think that's not nearly extreme enough. So, the Texas-based tuning outfit has turned the Demon into a 1,035-horsepower mega beast that runs a quarter-mile in 9.14 seconds at 152 mph. That's fast, really fast. In fact, the HPE1000 is now the world's fastest Dodge Demon, having set its record-setting pace at Lonestar Motorsports Park on May 8. "The 2018 Demon is a street-legal rocket from Dodge, but we wanted to take the car's impressive track times to an industry leading level." said president and company founder, John Hennessey. For comparison, the stock Dodge Demon is credited with running the quarter-mile in 9.65 seconds at 140 mph. The main HPE1000 modification involves replacing the stock 2.7-liter supercharger with one that's a staggering 4.5-liters in capacity. Also included in the Hennessey toy-chest are stainless steel long tube headers, a high-flow air induction system, upgraded throttle body, upgraded fuel pump and fuel injectors, along with custom engine management calibration. When all is said and done, the HPE1000 Dodge Demon delivers a total of 1,035 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 948 pound-feet of torque at 4,200 rpm. While the standard Demon accelerates from 0-60 mph in only 2.3 seconds, the Hennessey variant trims this down to only 1.9 seconds. That's quick enough to make a Bugatti Chiron blush. Hennessey hasn't stated what all this will cost, though the company did say production of these devilishly fast Demons will be limited to only 50 examples. Customers also receive a 1-year/12,000-mile warranty, which seems a nice touch for a car that's downright scary with its performance specs. Related Video: Featured Gallery Dodge Demon Hennessey HPE1000 View 30 Photos Aftermarket Dodge Coupe Performance supercharger Hennessey dodge demon quarter mile demon

Chrysler recalling nearly half a million Durangos and Grand Cherokees

Rule number one of public relations – save the bad news for Friday. Fiat Chrysler has adhered to that, announcing today that it'd be voluntarily recalling 467,480 SUVs. This latest recall could actually be thought of as a continuation of a September 2014 recall, relating to the fuel-cell relay. In that case, some 188,723 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee CUVs from model year 2011 were recalled. And this time, it's the Durango and GC in trouble again. FCA is adding crossovers from model years 2012 and 2013 to the fuel-pump recall, although only diesel-powered Jeeps with the 3.0-liter V6 that were sold outside of North America are affected this time around. As with the previous recall, deformities in the fuel-pump relay, which could affect its functioning. In most cases, FCA reports that the affected vehicles simply won't start, although they also could be prone to stalling. A new relay circuit will be installed that promises increase durability. Of the 467,480 vehicles being recalled, 338,216 were sold in the US market, 18,991 went to Canada and 10,829 were shipped south of the border, to Mexico. Outside of the NAFTA region, FCA is recalling 99,444 vehicles. No injuries or accidents have been associated with this recall. Statement: Fuel-Pump Relay February 27, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is voluntarily recalling an estimated 467,480 SUVs worldwide to install new a relay circuit that improves fuel-pump relay durability. FCA US engineers have determined a condition identified in a previous investigation may extend to additional vehicles. The previous investigation, which led to a recall, traced a pattern of repairs to fuel-pump relays that are susceptible to deformation. This may affect fuel-pump function, preventing a vehicle from starting, or leading to engine stall. Of the two scenarios, the no-start condition is the more common. FCA US is unaware of any related injuries or accidents. The fuel-pump relay is located inside the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM), which also helps manage other vehicle functions. None of these other functions, including air-bag deployment, is affected by the fuel-pump relay. The new campaign affects an estimated 338,216 vehicles in the U.S.; 18,991 in Canada; 10,829 in Mexico and 99,444 outside the NAFTA region. Covered are model-year 2012 and 2013 Dodge Durango full-size SUVs and non-NAFTA 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee mid-size SUVs equipped with 3.0-liter diesel engines.