1. Aston Martin DBS
I’m highly tempted to think that you really can’t go wrong with an Aston Martin. It’s not about the brand name….okay maybe it is, just a little. However, Aston Martins come with some serious specs, features, and looks. This particular model made its debut in the 2006 James Bond Casino Royale, and while you probably won’t have it in your garage any time soon….we still love it. At the very least, this car can literally make it up to 191mph. Keep in mind the cost though before you go looking: $275,000. That’s a house!

2. Audi R8 GT
I’ve always been a fan of the Audi TT, which is supposed to be a “girl’s car.” However, the Audi R8 GT is extremely versatile and ready for either sex. This particular model is more than 5 years old and has a truly stunning design. You can distinguish this Audi from 3 blocks away, easily. Limited to just 333 total cars worldwide, the Audi R8 GT sells for $198,000 base.

3. Bugatti Veyron Super Sport
First seen in 2005, this is like all of the popular kid types in your school all rolled into one. Okay, maybe that doesn’t sound appealing. Basically, the Veyron Supersport is sport, class, and innovation all rolled into one very nice package. With 268mph top speed, I would like a ride in one of these distinctive cars.

4. Ferrari 458 Italia
Even if you’re not usually a Ferrari fan, this particular Ferrari has something to share. The successor to the 430, the 458 has winglets that reduce drag and a nearly flat underbelly. This car easily goes 124mph and can match a top speed of over 200mph. In fact, this Ferrari has an incredible 562 hp.

5. Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe
This car is jaw dropping to say the least. The Phantom has always been something to be admired and something that most of us couldn’t afford for quite a few years to come. Made of polished steel, this Phantom comes with wool carpets, switchgears of brightly polished metal, and a ton of wood. For a base price of $445,000, you are literally paying what most people pay (sometimes less) for a house! However, for a big event, renting one of these is not a bad option.

You have to pay a little more in the beginning, as compared to other Nissans or similar vehicles that use fuel. You also have to charge the car, and one charge can only go so far, but considering the rising sales, obviously there are consumers who think that all the restrictions that come with an affordable electric car are worth it.

Despite slightly lower gas prices, especially in the winter season, many would like to be prepared. Just as the hybrids of the past have been extremely popular, consumers seem to at least like the Nissan Leaf. As of October 31, 2011, Nissan officially sold 8,048 Nissan Leafs to mostly enthusiastic owners. In fact, the Nissan Leaf seems to be the most commonly used cars for people who own them. This is not like the Smart Car that is used mostly for around town driving. People are using the Leaf for all of their daily tasks.

According to Brendan Jones, director of electric vehicle marketing and sales strategy at Nissan, it’s not all about the fuel savings. “They drive it primarily because it is fun to drive.” Of course, the practicality doesn’t hurt, but it’s nice to know that the leaf is not as uncomfortable as certain other small models such as the mini cooper.

Keep in mind, this car as a cold weather driving range of as little as 65 miles total, which can be a little bit worrisome if you have longer to go. However, the average Leaf driver drives only 35 miles a day. Obviously, the anxiety associated with being stranded when you can’t simply pull into or walk to a nearby gas station is a bit high. However, Jones states that most get used to the idea and learn to be prepared.

If you do get stranded, much like a natural gas vehicle, you do have to be towed. The good news is that for an extra $700, you get an optional fast-charging port, which has become extremely popular despite the still limited number of stations that offer this option.

So far, there are 562 orders for these fact acting chargers. The competition isn’t too stiff for the Leaf simply because it is the only economy car offering this option so far. However, we do expect more competition in the future.

1. Jeep Liberty/Dodge Nitro
These cars are mechanically quite equivalent and may as well be the same car. The basic idea is that these are midsize traditional truck based SUV’s designed to be off road warriors, right? The problem is that these particular models are extremely underpowered if you want to go offroad, and talk about a rough ride during normal situations.

These provide only 4 speed automatic options with no real interior comfort, and these two brands are famous for mechanical problems anyway. Yes, just in case you were wondering, there are plenty of consumer complaints.

2. Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon
We know, the American cars really are getting a bad rap, but what do you do. The reality is that these small pickups are again underpowered and oversold. Full size trucks may have worse gas mileage, but in other ways, you get more for your buck. You get a real truck!

This manual transmission car model is outdated and crude, and these cost way too much compared to other manual transmission trucks and cars. These models are considered to be marginally reliable, and all in all, these both receive poor rankings.

3. Nissan Armada
Yes, this model is really a beast on the road. It’s unruly and a handful in normal driving conditions, and parking can really be a pain. Parallel parking is particularly bad. A real dinosaur in more ways than one, we have long since moved past models like this. You should expect better.

4. GMC Sierra/Chevrolet Silverado 2500
We group cars because the models and cars are that similar. These two trucks are described as full size, heavy duty trucks. However, to carry that much weight alone, you have to have a powerful engine. While this truck can tow a maximum of 17,500 pounds when properly equipped (key phrase there), but for everyday driving, not so great.

5. Dodge Caliber
A small, crossover wagon, this appeals to some. It looks good with compact segments, and you think that it would be great with an automatic transmission. However, the Dodge Caliber is extremely underpowered and has a cheap interior. You are just not getting what you pay for.

6. Nissan Titan
We’ll give Nissan enough credit to say that their cars always look good. However, looking good and being good are not quite the same thing. Frankly, the Nissan Titan in reality lags far behind the competition. However, if you want cash rebates and tax breaks that are given for trucks and SUV’s over a certain weight, over a certain price, etc., Nissan does provide that.

In October 2011 alone, BMW sold 107,789 cars, Mercedes sold only 103,378, and Audi sold a whopping 108,500. BMW’s sales from the October increased by 12.5%, Mercedes increased by a mere 2.9%, and Audi’s increased by 24%, creating hope for the future. However, that is only one month compared to a full year of sales.

It is quite clear that Audi is boasting impressive growth rates, creating increased demand in China, the US, and UK. However, China is currently the fastest growing industry in the world, increasing by 62% over the past year. Chinese BMW sales have increased by 43% while Chinese Mercedes Benz have only grown by 23% in the past year. Regardless of the car manufacturer, all 3 have sale that have significantly grown within the past year.

Even though Mercedes has fallen to the third spot in line, Mr. Joachim Schmidt, head of sales at Mercedes Benz states, “We are still on track to sell more vehicles in the full year than ever before.”

What is behind the growth in both European made luxury cars and Audi in particular? Experts have not yet released any data on that. All we know is that China seems to really like Audi and all of its innovations or possibly Audi’s new car designs, and as an ever expanding country, the Chinese market is perhaps the most important market in the world and the on that any smart car manufacturer wants to cater to in the future.

Trim & Features

The one downside to the new Audi TT is that it only comes with manual options. So I hope you like and can operate a manual vehicle. It has 19 inch wheels, 255/35 summer compound tires, and a magnetic ride control suspension with normal and sport modes. It modifies the throttle response and exhaust note, provides ventilated disc brakes, and it has unique front and rear bumpers with a fixed rear wing spoiler.

Outside of that this new Audi TT looks and functions a lot like older models. It has rain sensing wipers, heated windshield nozzles, power heated side mirrors, and Xenon plus headlights for bad weather any time. It comes equipped with a Bose premium sound system, navigation, ambient cabin lighting, carbon fiber exterior mirrors, and buyers can choose certain option changes at no extra charge.

Under the Hood

The Audi TT’s engine is something to be rivaled. It comes with a turbocharged 2.5 liter 5 cylinder engine, and it provides maximum performance with forged six-bearing crankshafts, sodium cooled exhaust valves, etc. Basically, you get 360 hp, 5500 to 6700 rpm, and 342 pound-feet of torque spread between the 4 wheels of the Audi TT. Drivers can accelerate from 0 to 60 in just 4.1 seconds, and it can drive a total of 174mph.

So far, the Audi TT seems to get an average of 18mpg city and 25mpg highway, which isn’t bad for a car with an engine like this.

Safety & Longevity

The Audi TT comes with a standard safety pack including dual front, dual side, and dual knee airbags, antilock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assistance, and stability and traction control with rain-sensing wipers. It provides rear park assist as an added benefit and adaptive headlights.

Audi TT’s are not said to be the most reliable cars in the long run, that looks a little gloomy. However, crash tests seem to be rather positive. The current warranty gives you 50,000 miles or 4 years of ownership.