Yahoo Autos 2014 cars: A very early preview
MORE AT CNNMONEY.COM
It's never too early to see what's under the hood for the world's car makers. Because of the peculiarities of the industry, some 2014 models have already been shown at auto shows like Paris and Frankfurt, or pictures have been released in advance of other shows like Los Angeles (in November) and Detroit (January).
Manufacturers like to keep new models under wraps until the very last minute, lest they steal sales from outgoing models, but sometimes complex logistics or simply corporate flag-waving take precedence over sales tactics.
For those who can't wait for the official start of the 2014 model year on October 1, 2013, here is a peek at some of the all-new cars and crossovers that will be emerging from design studios and engineering centers.
2014 Aston Martin Vanquish
James Bond drives a '60s-vintage DB5 in Skyfall, but actor Daniel Craig should trade it for the 2014 Vanquish faster than you can say "double-oh-seven." It has a skin of carbon fiber, the V-12 engine puts out 565 horsepower, and the car screams to 62 miles per hour in 4.2 seconds. With a top speed of 190 mph (and a base price of $280,000), even George Lazenby would have had no trouble outrunning Blofeld.
2014 BMW i3
Unlike any BMW you have ever seen, the compact hatchback i3 is made of lightweight yet super-strong carbon fiber -- the same stuff used in the fuselage of the 787 Dreamliner. More importantly, the i3 is BMW's first all-electric car. Its range is said to be around 100 miles, and anxious drivers can add a small motorcycle-like gasoline engine that extends the EV to 190 miles. The i3 is expected to go on sale late in 2013 for about $45,000. Production versions will have doors that are solid, rather than transparent below the beltline.
2014 Chevrolet Corvette
The seventh generation of the plastic-bodied sports car is so new that GM is still keeping it under cover. All that has been publicly exposed to date is the redesigned crossed-flag logo and the engine -- a 6.2-liter, 450 hp. V-8. The 2014 Vette redefines "all-new." It has just two carryover parts -- a filter and a latch -- from the previous model, and the Corvette plant in Bowling Green, Ky. will be shut down for six months to get ready to build it. In January, GM pulls back the drapes completely, and production starts in the fall.
2014 Mini Cooper Paceman
Mini has wrought six variations of its basic design since 2001, and here comes the seventh. Think of the Paceman as a two-door version of the four-door Countryman: The dimensions are nearly identical, and both have all-wheel drive. Anglophiles will note that with its sloping roofline and British heritage, the Paceman resembles a mini Range Rover Evoque. The first ships from the British Isles bearing Pacemans (Pacemen?) arrive in the U.S. around mid-2013.
