Auto Focus with Yemi Shobowale: Top New Car Reveals in 2014

The automobile industry is one where players keep reinventing the wheel to stay relevant. 2014 wasn’t an exception, as we witnessed exciting reveals from automakers. Competition is becoming so intense we are beginning to see a shift in traditional automakers delve into other segments in a bid to get more market share.

Mercedes-Benz moved into the Porsche 911 territory with the unveiling of the AMG GT; and Jaguar into the SUV territory with the C-X17. Traditional luxury automaker Bentley is readying its own SUV while supercar makers Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati have announced they are creating their off-road versions as well.
The automobile industry is an interesting one with all manner of innovation, technology and power developed into contraptions with wheels. The interesting part is that automakers are restless, just when you’re grappling with the news of a new car from BMW, Jaguar hits you with their own bombshell.

2014 had its own fair share of bombshells like the unveiling of the new Audi Q7. This has been long-coming. The outgoing model has so aged that I hiss each time I see a Q7.

Just when BMW dropped the all-new X6, they had barely celebrated its arrival when Merc hit them with a fierce competitor in the mould of the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe.

By the way, Mercedes-Benz announced a nomenclature bombshell by changing its SUV line-up. The M-class will now be called the GLE-Class (In line with the E-Class), The GL becomes GLS (In line with the S-Class) while the GLK becomes GLC (in line with the C-Class). This was done to follow the saloon line-up (C, E and S-Class) and also to create a distinct ‘G’ nomenclature for its SUVs and to easily separate them into luxury segments.

Jaguar dropped its BMW 3 Series/Mercedes-Benz C-Class fighter called the ‘XE’. Merc also challenged the Porsche 911 by releasing the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT.

Land Rover replaced the Freelander with the Land Rover Discovery Sport (the first in a new 3-part line-up of Land Rovers).

Lamborghini surprised us with the Asterion just before the Paris Motor Show, the supercar is a hybrid with 5.2-litre V10 engine with 610 horsepower and an additional 300 horsepower from the electric motor, this takes total output to 910 horsepower with 0-62mph in 3.0seconds and a top speed of 199mph.

Volkswagen and Volvo also gave us a taste of their medicine with the former giving us the new Passat and the latter the all-new XC90. Both cars were received with a lot of applause at the 2014 Paris Motor Show.

Other automakers too were busy with their own reveals, Kia Gave us the All-new Sorento, Mercedes-Benz excited us with the S-Class Coupe and the new S600 Maybach, while Skoda gave us the new Fabia and Mazda the new version of the iconic MX-5 amongst other offering from other automakers in 2014.

Find the list below:

Audi Q7
BMW X6
Jaguar XE
Kia Sorento
Land Rover Discovery Sport
Lamborghini Asterion
Mazda MX-5
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT
Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe
Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe
Mercedes-Benz S-ClassMaybach
Skoda Fabia
Volkswagen Passat
Volvo XC90

Photo credit:, Audi, Auto Focus Blog, Mercedes-Benz and Carstrok