What were 2014's most overhyped cars?

"Viggen" (viggen37)
12/23/2014 at 14:13 • Filed to: None

The question is in the title. What do you think they were? Did Jalopnik not shut the fuck up about it (Hellcat) and annoy you to no end? Or was it advertised as becoming the next greatest thing, and end up being, well, lame? ND Miata? Corvette Z06? Let's hear it!

DISCUSSION (26)

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Viggen
12/23/2014 at 14:16

The new RX7. It didn't even arrive!

Audi-os, Amigos! > Viggen
12/23/2014 at 14:17

Overhyped.... how ?

Just that they received way the hell too much hype, and it was annoying...

Or that they failed to live up to the hype that preceded them?

Viggen > Audi-os, Amigos!
12/23/2014 at 14:18

Either one I guess. Actually I should add that to the topic.

SJGeorge94 > Viggen
12/23/2014 at 14:18

one word mustang specifically the ecoboost.... shots fired

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Viggen
12/23/2014 at 14:18

The ND. Also, possibly the Canyorado, because it is only minutely smaller than the Silverado/Sierra, and it was issued a stop sale the month, if not week, of the release.

Audi-os, Amigos! > Viggen
12/23/2014 at 14:21

If the latter, the LaFerrari.

If the former, maybe the Z06, but fuck it, I love the hype.

Viggen > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
12/23/2014 at 14:21

A stop sale? What for?

Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis > Viggen
12/23/2014 at 14:24

Miata, thats easy. Same formula, semi-new packaging.

At least the hellcat was something new in the way of 700+ horsepower in a car under a 100 grand.

Grindintosecond > Viggen
12/23/2014 at 14:28

I would say any GM car with an ignition........

*da bum bum-tssssss*

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Viggen
12/23/2014 at 14:33

For having nearly identical mileage to the larger, more powerful and more useful 1/2 tons.

Justin Hughes > Viggen
12/23/2014 at 14:40

The ND. I set aside an entire night to watch the unveiling live online. It was build-up, build-up, build-up, leftsideofthecar HERE'S DURAN DURAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, they never showed the front or back or much of the interior before almost immediately cutting to the band. Meanwhile, the text chat box was a scroller coaster of "SHOW US THE %}}%##^#* CAR!!!!!!!!!" It was like Mazda was embarrassed by it.

And then, once the photos were released that actually do show the whole car, I was happy to see that Mazda is going to make the convertible FR-S/BRZ that Toyobaru won't. Because that's what it looks like to me.

jkm7680 > Viggen
12/23/2014 at 14:42

Hellcat to the max.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Viggen
12/23/2014 at 14:45

Bad wiring in the driver side airbag.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/23/2014 at 14:46

It was actually for bad wiring in the airbags, but it is bad value, especially when you price a Ram.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > SJGeorge94
12/23/2014 at 14:48

No, anything with an Ecoboost. They aren't that economical.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Viggen
12/23/2014 at 14:49

As much as I love them, the Hellcats. It doesn't take geniuses to shove a large, powerful motor in a car. It's nothing insanely special other than their power levels. Chevy did nearly the same thing and it can handle well too.

At the opposite end is the ND Miata. Same formula that's been used for the last 25 years with a new body draped over it. There's nothing to hype about really. We all know how it's going to drive.

PyramidHat > Justin Hughes
12/23/2014 at 15:34

Well, Duran Duran is a vital...

Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
12/23/2014 at 16:26

To be fair, the 918 Spyder has already had recalls as well.

I don't think a recall affects the hype of any given model.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
12/23/2014 at 16:34

The whole recall debacle affects a companies credibility. But with the Porsche, it's German, it is supposed to break.

Axial > Audi-os, Amigos!
12/23/2014 at 16:41

I dunno, I think the P1 was the car of the three that didn't live up to the hype. Of course, the P1 could never live up to its hype, not when that hype includes the notion of finally being "the successor to the F1."

Audi-os, Amigos! > Axial
12/23/2014 at 16:50

Just because the McLaren is great , but perhaps not the greatest , and the LaFerrari was only ugly and meh, and not the worst and ewwwwwww , doesn't make the P1 a bigger disappointment in my eyes.

Axial > Viggen
12/23/2014 at 16:52

For my part, the ND Miata. I have no special love for Miatas. They are tiny cars with low weight and low limits. Probably fun to drive, but you can say that about a lot of cars in that price range. I also think the ND turned out quite ugly.

So, seeing all this build-up for what I ultimately consider a competent but humdrum vehicle was just...wat.

The other thing that annoyed me was all that hype over Porsche's anniversary (or was that last year? Whatever, ranting on it anyway). The Corvette has been around longer than Porsche has been building automobiles, is a car that has always been at the same level of performance, has also had a rather successful racing career, and yet it got approximately dick as far as celebration was concerned while Porsche had relative torrents of front-page posts gushing over the 911. Shit, not even the Beetle got that much celebration and it turned 75 in that same year.

Axial > Audi-os, Amigos!
12/23/2014 at 17:12

But I also think LaFerrari delivered more than the P1 did, and I think the P1 is uglier.

The P1 does nothing extraordinary. It's a formulaic supercar made out of carbon fiber whose only extraordinary feature is the presence of batteries. If nothing else, at least LaFerrari has some extraordinary construction going on. Even then, the Ferrari has been reported to have better steering feel, a better-behaved power band, a better transmission, and better traction and turn-in characteristics.

And finally, the P1 doesn't sound like it does road-car as well as the other two, and that's the most important function of a supercar: being just as good as a regular driver as it is as a track toy. That's what you're paying big bucks for, a no-compromises experience.

Enginerrrrrrrrr > Axial
12/27/2014 at 19:45

I agree with the Miata and the overhyping of porsche but don't forget the porsche 356 started production in 1948. A bit before the corvette; I think they were celebrating the 911, which hasn't changed in 60 years...

Enginerrrrrrrrr > Viggen
12/27/2014 at 19:49

Miata. Should've looked like this:

Kinja'd!!!

It's time the miata's looks grow up a bit.

Axial > Enginerrrrrrrrr
12/27/2014 at 23:49

Hmm, I missed that. Not sure how, because I looked it up to make sure I wasn't just making things up, but I did. @_@

As for the 911, it hasn't even been around for 60 years. 50 years, yes. 60 is how long the Corvette has been around. I'd argue that both cars have changed about the same amount in their respective lifetimes, outward appearances notwithstanding.