15 Things We Can’t Wait to See in 2015! How About You?

New year. New possibilities.

The year 2014 was an eventful, newsy one in the automotive world, but here’s hoping 2015 is even more exciting. To keep your mind off those new year’s resolutions you’re probably going to break by this weekend, we’ve put together a little light reading on what we’re most excited to see in 2015.

What you are most excited about in the new year? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. (But type quietly–New Year’s hangover in progress).

An Explosion of Pony Parts (It’s Not What You Think, PETA)

The sixth-generation Mustang is off and running. Admittedly, I wasn’t a huge fan of the redesign, but after looking at some of the concepts at the SEMA Show, I’m more excited about its performance and styling potential than before. Take into account the 2.3L EcoBoost’s impressive performance capabilities, and there are some exciting possibilities across the line.

Now that it’s in the hands of consumers, it’s time for the aftermarket to play catch-up and develop more new parts and accessories for the 2015 Mustang. We can’t wait to see.

Rebirth (again) of the Chevrolet Camaro

2014 was the year of the Mustang and the Hellcat, we say. Now it’s time for Chevrolet to shine as it introduces the next-generation Camaro and its variants. How will the latest iteration of this iconic pony car stack up? And how will it compare to the popular fifth-gen. Camaro design?

No pressure, GM execs. No pressure.

Year of the Mouse–and Rat!

For all the anniversaries last year—Mustang, GTO, Dodge, and more—we’re excited to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the small block Chevy and 50th anniversary of the big block Rat in 2015. Whether you’re a Ford, AMC, or Oldsmobile guy, you have to admit these engines helped change the course of hot rodding in America.

And we’ll celebrate them accordingly.

More Drag Week Mayhem, Please!

Last year, Hot Rod Drag Week heated up as Larry Larson was on a mission to make his ’98 S10 the fastest street car in America. It happened—and then Larson turned it up a notch by taking his truck into the 5-second range later in the year.

Who’s got next? Who’s going to knock off the world’s fastest street car? Drag Week has really taken off, and we can’t wait to see the 2015 version.

Truck Wars: Aluminum F-150s and Midsize Colorados Hit the Streets

There’s a lot for truck enthusiasts to be excited about. We’re curious about how the new aluminum-bodied F-150 stands up and how the sharp-looking, yet somewhat pricey midsize Chevrolet Colorado does in sales.

Hellcats Prowling the Streets

We’ve heard a lot about the Hellcat SRT8s. Let’s see how 700-plus horsepower translates to the street—and how it truly does on fuel. Either way, we’re looking forward to seeing the current king of American muscle actually prowling the streets with regularity in 2015.

What You’ve Been Up To

For all the concept vehicles at SEMA and high-dollar customs at the Detroit AutoRama, we’re always most excited about what’s going on the real world. You know—the world where budget plays a role…the world where work is done in a home garage and the results are shared at local and regional shows. That’s the world where most of us live, and it’s where new trends and new build techniques are formed. Make sure to keep sharing your rides via social media and we’ll continue to show them off.

More Horses (Because You Can Never Have Enough)

Image courtesy of Autoblog.

The traditional Big Three has slapped us in the face with some pretty eye-popping horsepower numbers recently (see the Hellcat). And we liked it. In fact, we want more. Who’s going to take this new “Arms Race” to the next level and dethrone the Hellcat? Will Chevrolet fire the next salvo with its new Camaro family? Or does Ford have something up its sleeves?

The Latest Trends

We outlined six automotive trends that really emerged at the 2014 SEMA Show. We fully expect to notice those trends—colored wheels, LED lights, diesel power, and more—take hold in 2015. More importantly, we’ll see brand-new trends start to emerge later in the year. And we can’t wait to see what they are.

Tech Geeks Behind Wheels

It’s 2015. Back to the Future 2 promised we’d have time-traveling cars that hover. While that hasn’t happened, there are always new technologies for automobiles. From cutting-edge in-car communications systems, to self-parking cars, to fully autonomous vehicles, we’re keeping an eye out for the latest technology in 2015.

A Few Less Recalls—Just Maybe?

OK, things got a little stupid last year as far as vehicle recalls. Record-setting stupid, in fact. How will automakers respond to a rough year for recalls in 2014? How will you respond? And what’s the over/under on recalls for 2015? Should be very interesting—and perhaps, a little scary.

The Return of Jay

Image courtesy of Autoblog.

Comedian, late-night personality, and all-around car guy Jay Leno will soon return to TV with an hour-long television version of his Jay Leno’s Garage web series. Chances are you’ve seen the web show already, but the new show may help bring more focus on classic cars, hot rodding, and motorcycles to the masses. We shall see.

A Ridler Encore

JF Launier’s Ridler Award-winning 1964 Buick Riviera gave a whole new meaning to the word custom. Arguably the most radical ride to ever win the prestigious award, this head-turner then went out and did its thing on the Autocross, proving it’s no trailer queen.

What’s next for the Ridler Award? Will this year’s prize go to something more traditional? Or will someone get rewarded for pushing the envelope even further? There’s no wrong answer. We just want to know what it is.

More of You–Everywhere! 

For now, gasoline prices are expected to stay on the lower side in 2015. That means it’ll be cheaper to fill up the old gas guzzler and take it to car shows, cruise-ins, or races. Or you can just hit the highways for a summer road trip. Either way, we’re looking forward to seeing more hot rods on the road—and more of you at the car events.

More Cars on the Silver Screen

Image courtesy of moviefone.

We know what you’re thinking. But no…we’re not talking specifically about Fast and Furious 7, which is coming out in 2015. We understand by the amount of reader interest in our previous Fast and Furious-related posts that this movie series is a guilty pleasure of yours; however, we’re more excited about the new Mad Max movie. The Mad Max: Fury Road trailer indicates there will be a unique mix of vintage vehicles, trucks, muscle cars, and more–all with a decidedly Mad Max feel.

Coming soon to a theater near you!