BMW 6 SERIES

Starting price: $76,100

The BMW 6 Series is one of the best German cars sold in the United States today. BWM has made the 6-Series one of the most exclusive car offerings of the company, and it is available with either a 3.0 liter inline six cylinder engine rated at 315 horsepower or a 4.4 liter eight cylinder engine rated at 445 horsepower. Both engine choices come with an eight-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel drive coming standard on the cars and all-wheel drive available to add to the car when buying it new. The car’s fuel efficiency is rated at 20 MPG (city) and 31 MPG (highway), and the V-6 is rated at 332 lb-ft of torque.

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Nissan Sway Concept: Stylish subcompact strikes

With the Nissan Sway subcompact, the Japanese automaker is making a statement that small cars need not be boring cars. Positioned as a possible successor to the Micra, a small hatch primarily sold in Europe, the Sway adapts the design language that has been featured on larger Nissan products like the newly redesigned Murano crossover and Maxima sedan

In introducing the Sway, Nissan's chief of design, Shiro Nakamura, said that the vehicle incorporates the V-motion grille theme, floating roof, kicked-up C-pillar treatment and flowing fender lines that have come to characterize the company's styling philosophy. The 4-door hatch uses rear-hinged back doors and no B-pillar to ease cabin access. The coach-style doors give the car the look of a sporty 2-door

A study of contrasts

By using an orange metallic paint on the roof rails and rocker extensions as well as inside the front air intakes to contrast with the bluish gray interior, the contrast highlights the floating roof design and adds a muscular, planted look to the lower body. Another design signature developed for the car was the boomerang shape to the front and rear LED lighting elements

The Sway also features a glass roof, and an interior with a floating wing-design dash inspired by the IDx concept car. The wing shape was adopted for its elegant simplicity. The result is an interior where function takes a priority, and where nothing is used for purely decorative purposes. Structural elements, for example, are shown as structural elements. The door pulls are designed to be integrated as a part of exposed aluminum struts. Even the three-spoke steering wheel has a 'back-to-basics' simplicity, with a squared off bottom section and aluminum spokes

Back to basics

Just two basic instruments face the driver, with all other functions captured on a large trapezoidal tablet in the center of the dashboard visible - and usable - by both driver and front seat passenger. The lightweight seats have an aluminum structure - once again exposed - and are covered in a premium suede-like fabric partially accentuated with pearl-effect material, featuring stitching techniques more usually found on luxury handbags. Color coordination sees the use of strong blue and orange themes inside, complementing the exterior perfectly

"With this new concept car for Geneva, we are experimenting to see how Nissan might be able to bring fresh ideas to the compact hatchback segment," Nakamura said. While this may or may not be the shape of the next Micra, the car's upscale looks in a small package would be a welcome addition to Nissan's U.S. lineup

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Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce debuts 2015

Serving up more power with less weight, improved aerodynamics and a healthy measure of enhanced technology thrown in for good measure, the 2015 Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce - SV for short -- bowed at Geneva as a more exotic take on one of the world's most stunning supercars

Based on the Aventador LP 700-4 Coupe, the new SV pushes the limits emerging as "the fastest and most emotional series-production" Lambo ever to roll out of the Sant'Agata Bolognese factory. To help trim 110 pounds from the carbon-composite intense baseline Aventador, Lamborghini engineers further optimized the monocoque and its aluminum subframes and replaced the alloy body panels as well as the new rear wing and air intakes with either carbon fiber or superlight Sheet Molding Compound (SMC). The interior came under the same mass-reducing scrutiny, where carbon fiber door panels and racing style shell buckets lessened mass, as did dispensing with the standard infotainment system - still on offer at no added cost - conventional carpeting and a fair bit of sound insulation. It also boasts a new yellow TFT screen for its digital instrument cluster with a blue upshift indicator and a G-force indicator in the lower part of the main display

Less restrictive exhaust

On the motivation front, upgrades to the Variable Valve Timing and Variable Intake System on its mid-mounted 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 coupled with all-new lighter and less-restrictive exhaust plumbing contributed to a gain of 50 horsepower - which works out to 739 horsepower. Redline has also been lifted from 8,400 to 8,500 rpm. Collectively, the revamps improved overall power to weight ratio by 10 percent on the 3,362-pound Aventador SV, trimming its 0-62 mph time by 0.1 second -- to 2.8 ticks - and helping it reach a top speed of over 217 mph

Fed to Lambo's 7-speed ISR automated manual transmission that prodigious power heads to all four wheels via the latest Haldex IV electronically controlled AWD setup. Like the standard Aventador, the SV uses a racing style pushrod chassis with adaptive Magneto Rheological Suspension (MRS) shocks and a new variable-ratio electromechanical Lamborghini Dynamic Steering (LDS) system that adapts to road speed and the Strada/Sport/Corsa mode settings available on the SV's Drive Select system. Other SV touches include 20-inch front/21-inch rear alloy wheels - available with racing-style center locks -- wrapped in Pirelli P Z Corsa performance tires and standard Carbon Ceramic Brakes

To keep the Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce securely planted at speed and enhance its cornering prowess, the two-seater also benefits from a comprehensive aero tweaking. The front end has a more open appearance with a bolder and deeper splitter and twin wing elements as well as larger air intakes to further improve brake cooling. That same openness carries to the rear treatment, where the 3-way manually adjustable wing is matched with a revised and more efficient lower diffuser separated by a black mesh insert that helps extract heat from the engine compartment. Lamborghini says the revisions optimize the SV's total aero signature by 150 percent and increase downforce by 170 percent compared to the baseline Aventador

The 2015 Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce goes on sale later this spring and will start at just over $366,000. No word yet on what that figure will be in the U.S. or when the first cars will arrive here

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JAGUAR XKR SILVERSTONE

JAGUAR XKR SILVERSTONE

Jaguar introduced the all-new XK8 for the 1998 model year. It replaced the beautiful and iconic — though outdated — XJ-S. In comparison, the XK8 was a modern two-seat grand tourer, both in terms of looks and technology. XKR was the high-performance variant. It featured a beefed-up suspension, larger wheels and a supercharged V-8. Named after the famous British racing circuit, the Silverstone edition was created to honor the marque’s F1 racing heritage. The Silverstone edition added Brembo brakes, a selection of chassis reinforcements and massive 20-inch wheels. Only 100 of these cars where produced. All came decked-out in striking PlatinumSIL along with contrast-piped black leather upholstery. While the XKR’s sizable chassis made it too big and heavy to be a proper sports car, the 370 horsepower put out by its eight-cylinder engine made it fast enough.

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MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION VII

MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION VII

Seen in the second film 2 Fast 2 Furious, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII was used by Brian O’Conner for his undercover mission to take down drug lord Carter Verone. Turbo charged with all wheel drive, the Lancer easily handles corners at speeds that would cause most cars to crash, allowing O’Conner to win an audition street race set up by Verone to choose the drivers he will use for his money laundering operation. Only used for part of the movie, this is one of the few cars driven by a protagonist that remains undamaged during its time on screen. Due to the GPS monitoring system integrated into the electronics of the car, O’Conner ended up ditching the vehicle for a ride that wasn’t as easy to track.

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Mercedes-Maybach Pullman set for Geneva launch 2017

The second entry into of the new Mercedes-Maybach sub-brand, a Pullman limousine, will make its debut at the Geneva Auto Show, marking the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the best-known Pullman sedan of them all, the 1965 Mercedes-Benz 600. The all-new 2017 Mercedes-Maybach Pullman is an impressive limo, measuring 21.3 feet in overall length, fully 3.5 feet longer than the current Mercedes-Maybach S-Class

Powered by a twin-turbo 6.0-liter producing 523 horsepower and 612 lb-ft of torque, the massive Maybach Pullman has a 14.5-foot long wheelbase to accommodate an interior that features a partition between the driver's seat and the rear passenger cabin that has two rear executive seats that can recline up to 43.5 degrees as well as facing jump seats for two additional riders.  In addition to its impressive length, the Mercedes-Maybach Pullman stands 5.2-feet tall, nearly 4 inches taller than a standard Mercedes S-Class

Unabashed luxury

Quite apart from providing stately and stylish seating for high-ranking passengers in the comfort and spaciousness for which it is famed, the new Mercedes-Maybach Pullman is of course the embodiment of exclusivity at its highest level," commented Ola Källenius, Member of the Daimler AG Management Board responsible for sales and marketing of Mercedes-Benz Cars. "One can sense the significance and greatness of it in every detail

The interior of the Mercedes-Maybach Pullman is upholstered entirely in leather and the center partition features a glass window that can be raised and lowered as well as changed from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button. The rear cabin also features standard window curtains, and a retractable 18.5-inch rear monitor

Unique Pullman design

Unlike the ubiquitous stretch limousines on the road today, the Mercedes-Maybach Pullman S600 features long side doors for easy access, a rear seat positioned behind the vehicle's C-pillar and a generous area at the front of the rear cabin for the power jump seats (which can be deleted at the buyer's option). The standard Burmester audio setup can be upgraded to a Burmester High-End 3D Surround Sound System, while customers are also given the opportunity to individually specify colors, equipment and materials to match their preferences

The prices for unarmored models start at around half a million euros ($566,922). The first customers will take delivery at the beginning of 2016, while the U.S. launch is still to be determined

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AUDI A6

Starting price: $44,800

The Audi A6 is one of the best German cars sold in the United States today. Audi has put focus on making the A6 a more luxurious version of the A7 in recent years, but its performance is on par with the A7. One of the most technologically advanced cars on the market today, the A6 base engine is a 2.0 liter turbo-four cylinder rated at 252 horsepower, and it comes with front-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is an option to add to the A6, and there is a supercharged 3.0 liter V-6 rated at 333 horsepower, and a 3.0 liter V-6 diesel engine available for consumers to choose from when buying the car. The A6 can go from zero to 60 MPH in 5.1 seconds, and it gets respectable fuel economy at 19 MPG (city) and 28 MPG (highway) with a top overall speed of 129 MPH.

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JAGUAR F-TYPE R

JAGUAR F-TYPE R

Price: $99,000

For more than two decades, owning a Jaguar has been synonymous with exotic cars. The company’s latest offering is the F-Type R sports car that features a supercharged, 5.0 liter, V8 engine rated at 550 horsepower with quicker acceleration than found in past models produced by the company. Starting in 2015, the F-Type R also comes in an all-wheel drive version for car enthusiasts who demand greater control of the vehicle and also includes faster acceleration. The F-Type R can go from zero to 60 in 4.0 seconds and gets respectable gas mileage for an exotic car at 16 MPG city and 23 MPG highway. Jaguar carries its standard four year or 50,000 mile basic and powertrain warranties on the auto which just looks cool to drive.

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LAMBORGHINI VENENO

LAMBORGHINI VENENO

When you think of luxury sports cars, Lamborghini models often come to mind. However, this masterpiece looks like nothing you’ve ever seen before. The design looks like something your favorite comic book character would be driving. It has unique design elements that will make your jaw drop. Everything from the rugged scale designs on the back to the giant spoiler and unique exhaust system make it new and fresh. Furthermore, the car is made from lightweight carbon fiber. Even the interior is clad in the futuristic material. This light, yet strong, material makes it reach top speeds of 220 MPH. So what does it take to own this masterpiece? All it takes is $4 million and a personal invite from Lamborghini. Only 4 will be built in 2015, so car enthusiasts will just have to stick with posters.

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MACH 1 COBRA JET

1969 MACH 1 COBRA JET

0-60 MPH time: 5.5 seconds

Despite being produced in 1969, the Mach 1 Cobra Jet remains one of the fastest Mustangs of all time. The car can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 5.5 seconds, and is powered by a 428 cubic-inch engine that is 7.0 liter in size and rated at 440 lb-ft of torque and 335 horsepower. The Mach 1 is also capable of running the quarter-mile in just 13.9 seconds with a top speed of 103 MPH. The top overall speed of the car is 121 MPH which is faster than the equivalent model of the Trans Am that was popular for road racing at the time. The car can break from 80 MPH in just 256 feet (not bad for cars built in the late 1960s), and it has a slightly larger wheelbase than newer Mustangs at 108 inches in width.

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FORD GT

FORD GT

Ford GT is an American mid-engine two-seater sports car inspired by Ford’s GT40 racing cars of the 1960s and produced during the 2005 and 2006 model years. Total production for both years was 4,038.

Ford GT features a superplastic frame with aluminum body panels, roll-bonded floor panels, a welded center tunnel, one-piece door panels, and an aluminum engine cover. Brakes are aluminum Brembo calipers cross-drilled and vented on all wheels.

The mid-mounted aluminum, eight-cylinder, 5,400-cc, supercharged, 550-horsepower engine and six-speed manual transmission with a helical limited-slip differential, tested by Car and Driver and Motor Trend magazines in 2004, recorded 0 to 60 mph acceleration times of 3.3, 3.5, and 3.7 seconds.

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BUGATTI VEYRON HYPERCAR “LA FINALE”

BUGATTI VEYRON HYPERCAR “LA FINALE”

Price: Estimated more than $2.6 million

The final Bugatti Veyron Hypercar was put on display at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show for the first time. Dubbed the “La Finale” due to it being the 450th and final Veyron to be produced, the auto was reported to have been sold to a Middle East Collector for a significant sum of money. Bugatti used the original Veyron to inspire the design of the final model to include a two-tone paint finish made of red exposed and conventional black carbon fiber. The auto includes a turbocharged, 8.0 liter W-16 engine and rates a ridiculous 1,183 horsepower along with 1,106 pound-feet of torque. La Finale can go from zero to 61 in 2.5 seconds and boasts the top speed for all open-top production cars in the world of 254 MPH.

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AUDI A4

Starting price: $35,500

The Audi A4 is one of the top and most affordable German cars sold in America today. Audi strikes a balance between performance and comfort with the automobile, and is powered by a 2.0 liter turbo four cylinder engine rated at 220 horsepower. Consumers can choose between a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission for the vehicle with all-wheel drive. The A4 can go from zero to 60 MPH in 5.6 seconds, and it has a top overall speed of 128 MPH. The fuel efficiency of the auto is average with a rating of 21 MPG (city) and 29 MPG (highway).

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Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake -- a wagon we still want 2015

this new wagon -- which remains a Euro-only offering for now - will start hitting showrooms there this month. Like its sedan sibling, the new Shooting Brake offers a choice of gasoline and diesel engines with outputs ranging from 121 horsepower to 355 horses in the range-topping CLA45 AMG - a variant that also comes standard with M-B's 4Matic all-wheel drive which is optional on the other front-drive members of the family

"Like its big brother, the CLS Shooting Brake, the CLA Shooting Brake is targeted at active customers who are looking outside of the mainstream for a car that impresses with a high utility value," notes Ola Källenius, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars with responsibility for Marketing & Sales. Those seeking a bit more visual distinction without the added performance and expense of going the full AMG route will be able to choose a limited-run OrangeArt Edition that adds unique orange highlights to the bezels around its the bi-xenon headlamps, rim flanges of the AMG light-alloy wheels and lower fascias as well as orange/black sports seats with orange contrast topstitching

Offered in standard, Urban and AMG Line trims as well as the CLA45 AMG itself, the 5-passenger CLA Shooting Brake features bespoke body bits from the A-pillar back to its smartly raked tail. Both a Panoramic glass roof and power liftgate are included in its roster of upline options. The Shooting Brake's more flowing roofline adds nearly 1.6 inches of additional rear headroom and the available cargo space can be increased from 17.5 to 47.8 cu ft by dropping the near-flat folding backs on its 60/40-split rear seat. There are currently no plans to bring the CLA Shooting Brake to America, although we hope Mercedes reconsiders that decision at some point

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BMW 4-SERIES

Starting price: $40,300

The BMW 4-Series has quickly established itself as one of the top German cars sold in America. Similar to the larger 6-Series, BMW offers the car in four-door, coupe, and convertible options. The available engines for the car include the stock 2.0 liter turbo-four cylinder engine rated at 240 horsepower, or the 3.0 liter turbo inline-six cylinder rated at 300 horsepower. Consumers also have the choice between an eight-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission as well as the choice between all-wheel or rear-wheel drive. The car’s fuel efficiency is rated at 21 MPG (city) and 32 MPG (highway). The 4-Series can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 4.9 seconds with a top overall speed of 155 MPH.

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Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6

It’s not often that Bentley makes a major change to the types of cars it builds. The current Continental series dates back to 2003, after all, and the company will still brag about 24 Hours of Le Mans wins from the 1920s.

That makes the EXP 10 Speed 6 truly radical. While still a bona fide luxury car, it’s much smaller and closer to a traditional sports car than just about anything Bentley has ever made.

Propulsion for the sleek coupe comes courtesy of a hybrid powertrain, with enough grunt to get the EXP 10 Speed 6 up to 200 mph. Other up-to-the moment touches include 3D-printed components and a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

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ACURA / HONDA NSX SUPERCAR

ACURA / HONDA NSX SUPERCAR

Price: $151,500

The Acura / Honda NSX Supercar is finally here. It took the company just shy of four years to finally go from concept car to reality for this exotic automobile. The vehicle features a hybrid all-wheel drive powertrain that is powered by a twin-turbocharged V-6 engine. The company takes this further by mating the engine to a nine-speed, dual-clutch transmission that is subsequently connected to three electric motors in the automobile. One of the few exotic cars that is a hybrid, the Supercar uses one of the motors to power the rear wheels while the other two provide power to the front wheels. The company will not release additional performance metrics until the auto is officially released, but it is expected that the Supercar will see some decent numbers for those into exotic hybrid autos.

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