Nissan 370Z 2010

The Nissan 370Z fits between more expensive sports cars like the Porsche Boxster/Cayman and less expensive, less powerful cars like the Mazda Miata. Available as a coupe or convertible, the Z also competes with the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro, though it is sportier and only offers seating for two instead of four.
The coupe version of the Z was redesigned for 2009, getting a new name to reflect a larger engine. The redesigned version sports a shorter wheelbase and all-new styling inside and out. For 2010, the convertible version gets the same treatment. In both cases, the sixth generation of the Z is the best yet.
The wheelbase of this sixth-generation car is almost four inches shorter than the previous-generation 350Z, and all of the sheet metal is new. Although the styling has something plainly in common with the pre-2009 model, almost every plane and contour is subtly or distinctly different.
The previous 350Z was fun to drive, but the latest-generation 370Z is a revelation. With the shortened body came increased torsional rigidity, which results in a greater feeling of agreement from all parts of the chassis. It now feels agile rather than brutal, supple rather than rigid, and it is easier to drive as a result. Quick, responsive steering also helps.
The roadster is sturdier than most open-top competitors, but isn't as solid and controlled as the coupe.
The 370Z is fast. The 3.7-liter V6 can motivate the car from 0 to 60 mph in as little as 5.2 seconds. Power is readily available across all rev ranges, but the V6 can sound somewhat gruff during hard acceleration. We like the new SynchroRev feature available with the six-speed manual transmission. It blips the throttle during downshifts to match revs and keep the car from getting upset during performance driving. The responsive seven-speed automatic transmission also has a rev matching feature, and it comes with steering wheel shift paddles for those who want to exercise more control.
The new generation Z is much improved on the inside over the pre-2009 models. The materials are much richer looking and the design escapes the low-rent effect of the old 350Z. Along with the improved aesthetics comes rational layout and control function.
There's still ample space in the seats for two occupants to travel in comfort. The coupe has a modest but usable rear cargo area under the hatch, while the convertible has a small trunk sized for a couple of duffle bags at best.
We did find a couple of minor drawbacks. Rear visibility can be limited in both body styles, entry/exit is strictly for younger and more limber occupants, and engine and tire noise can intrude. The roadster suffers from wind noise when the top is down.
The Nismo model introduced for 2010 is best for track use. It has more performance features but has a very hard ride and is considerably louder than the standard versions.
Fast, agile and with a civilized interior, the 370Z is one of the best performance values on the market.

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Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 2013

On Sale: Spring 2012
Expected Pricing: Starting at $54,995
The most powerful production Camaro in history made its North American debut at the 2011 LA Auto Show. And while GM might tell you Chevy runs deep, the compelling power-to-dollar ratio of this souped-up muscle car means your pockets won't have to.
Powering this rear-wheel-drive pony car is a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that cranks out 580 horsepower and 556 pound-feet of torque, which Chevy says is good for zero-to-60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Top speed is 180 mph with the 6-speed manual transmission, and, curiously, 184 mph with the optional 6-speed automatic.
The ZL1 is rife with dragster-ready accoutrements, such as launch control (on manual gearboxes) and behemoth Brembo brakes. Multiple cooling systems such as a rear-differential cooler, an integrated engine- and transmission-oil cooler, and brake-cooling ducts help to diffuse all the heat drivers will no doubt be churning up.
The Camaro ZL1 is outfitted with GM's third-generation Magnetic Ride technology, which uses a special valveless damping and fluid system to adjust suspension firmness to match the road and driving conditions. This, Chevrolet says, keeps the everyday ride compliant while offering track-worthy grip and handling. Also standard is a bevy of electronic systems also found on the Corvette ZR1 that are sure to increase drivers' hero quotients, including traction control, stability control and a new electric power steering system.
Inside, leather upholstery and heated seats are standard, as well as rear-park assist with a rear-view camera display integrated in the center rear-view mirror. The standard nine-speaker audio system has both USB and Bluetooth connectivity. Options include 20-inch wheels, a stripe package, carbon-fiber hood insert, power sunroof, and a suede microfiber interior trim package.
The brass at Chevrolet would have you believe the 2012 ZL1 competes with the likes of luxury sports cars nearly three times the price. And while that might be true looking purely at performance specs, we say more commensurate competitors include the Ford Shelby GT 500 Coupe. For the price, one could also spring for an entry-level Porsche Cayman or Chevrolet Corvette, or a lower horsepower but overall more luxurious choice such as the Audi S5 or BMW 1 Series M Coupe.
The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe will go on sale in the spring of 2012. Base pricing starts at $54,995 MSRP, including a $900 destination charge.
The 2013 Camaro ZL1 convertible will follow in late 2012 with the same specification as the coupe, Chevrolet announced at the LA Auto Show. The fifth-generation Camaro was designed to accommodate a convertible model and four reinforcements were engineered to quell cowl shake common in convertibles. The additional stiffening includes a brace connecting the front strut towers, a transmission support brace, an underbody tunnel brace, a front X-brace, a stiffer cradle, and rear underbody V-braces. The convertible is reinforced further around the windscreen.

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BMW M5 2013

After a model year's hiatus, a new chapter begins for the venerated high-performance sedan that drives the line between worthy track car and posh family sedan. First appearing in summer 2011 in Frankfurt, Germany, and officially making its North American debut at the LA Auto Show, the 2013 BMW M5, dubbed the F10 in Bimmerphile geek-speak, has a new engine, improved suspension and weight saving advances that keep the midsize four-door precipitate as well as perfunctory. Gone is the old 500-horsepower V10 in favor of a 4.4-liter, direct-injected, twin scroll, twin-turbocharged V8 (which BMW calls the S63Tu), a modified version of the power plant found in the X6 M and X5 M. This incarnation churns out 560-hp and 502 pound-feet of torque, with the maximum available between 1500 and 5750 rpm.
Paired to the engine is a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode, replacing the previous generation's SMG sequential automated manual gearbox. The new powertrain, combined with weight savings and an automatic start/stop feature, help to achieve what BMW claims is an increased fuel efficiency of 30 percent. (The 2010 M5 is rated by the EPA at an abysmal 11 mpg City, 17 mpg Highway, or 13 mpg Combined.)
Weight is reduced on the 2013 M5 via new aluminum components and by bolting the rear suspension directly to the chassis, which in the previous generation was linked by bulky rubber subframe bushings. That said, the M5's curb weight is a beefy 4300 pounds, nearly 100 pounds heavier than a standard 5 Series with similar features. And unlike the standard 5 Series, the M5 loses the electric steering in favor of hydraulic, giving the driver a more connected feeling to the road.
Track-day junkies will like the cockpit-adjustable shocks and iron-and-aluminum brake rotors with heavier-duty six-piston calipers, riding inside 18- or 19-inch wheels. All in all, the M5 seems well-suited to take on the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG and Cadillac CTS-V.
Inside, the 2013 BMW M5 is teeming with software and in-car connectivity. Purists may balk at BMW's high-tech solution for letting drivers hear the growl of their V8 engines without irking passersby: A digital signal processor translates data from the engine management system and reproduces engine noises through the car's six-speaker audio system. Translation? A fake engine sound coming through your radio. Still, if you're paying upwards of $100k for a high-performance sedan, you'd better hear something.
The 2013 BMW M5 is slated to arrive in dealerships next summer with an expected base price of $92,000.

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Porsche 918 2014

The Porsche 918 Spyder goes into production September 2013 and on sale in the U.S. near the end of the year. Porsche hasn't said but we're guessing that means it will be a 2014 model. MSRP will be $845,000, Porsche said. The world caught its first glimpse of the Porsche 918 Sypder plug-in hybrid concept in March 2010 at the Geneva Motor Show. Five months later, Stuttgart announced the two-seater would go into production, after being quietly shown (or not-so-quietly, depending on whom you ask) to a hand-picked group of prospective customers, including the swanky Pebble Beach crowd during the week of the famed golf community's Concours d'Elegance.
With its futuristic, multi-faceted (some say overdone) styling, the 918 may someday take its place as the first Porsche supercar since the long-planned and short-lived Carrera GT, a $440,000 mid-engine which ended production in 2006.
The Porsche 918 Spyder is powered by a 500-horsepower, V8 gasoline-powered engine and two electric motors (one each on the front and rear axle) that generate a combined 160 kilowatts of power, roughly the equivalent of 218 hp, for a total of 718 hp. The powertrain is mated to Porsche's dual-clutch PDK transmission for lightening-quick shifts. Energy is stored in a fluid-cooled lithium-ion battery, which can be charged by plugging into a suitable electrical outlet.
Porsche, known for putting out conservative specs on its cars, claims the 918 Spyder is capable of achieving fuel economy numbers equivalent to 78 miles per gallon. But with a 0-to-100 km/h (about 62 mph) time of less than 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 198 mph, we're guessing most drivers won't be out hypermiling.
Performance of the 918 Spyder is largely determined by one of four driving modes:
E-Drive Mode: This all-electric mode is good for about 16 miles.
Hybrid Mode: Like other two-mode-hybrid systems, the 918 Spyder uses a combination of the electric motors and combustion engine, depending on driving demands. Because driving styles and conditions are so variable, Porsche isn't giving any range or fuel economy numbers right now.
Sport Hybrid Mode: Uses both drive systems, but with heavier focus on performance. Power is biased toward the rear wheels and uses Torque Vectoring for enhanced driving dynamics. No numbers here, either.
Race Hybrid Mode: Full power, with push-to-pass E-Boost. Batteries must be fully charged to use this mode, and no doubt EPA ratings are abysmally low. But you'll look great passing the tool in the Ferrari next to you on the freeway.
The 918 Spyder also converts kinetic energy from braking into electrical energy that gets stored in the battery to provide an on-demand power boost for fast acceleration. But this is not to be confused with KERS, which some might recognize as the promising but sometimes problematic technology found in recent incarnations of Formula 1 cars, as well as Porsche's new experimental 918 RSR racecar.
All that extra technology means extra weight. So cutting bulk on the Porsche 918 Spyder was crucial. Porsche used a race-inspired monocoque body shell made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFP), as well as magnesium and aluminum throughout the inner workings of the concept car to achieve a curb weight of 3,285 pounds. However, Porsche has yet to tell us what type of roof will be used on the production car, which could tweak that number.

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Audi S6 2013

An all-new 2013 Audi S6 sedan goes on sale next summer, part of a revised lineup of Audi's high-performance S cars that debuted earlier this year at the Frankfurt auto show. The upcoming S6 was first shown in the U.S. at the LA Auto Show in November 2011. The 2013 S6 uses a new twin-turbocharged, direct-injection 4.0-liter V8 engine called TFSI that makes 420 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. That's a slight power drop from the 435 hp on the previous powerplant, a 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10, but an increase in torque over the previous 398 lb-ft. Paired with a 7-speed, dual-clutch transmission, Audi says the S6 will beat the outgoing model in the 0-62 mph run at 4.8 seconds, compared with 5.1 seconds on the previous generation. The top speed on the 2013 Audi S6 will be electronically limited at 155 mph.
While performance numbers are respectable (albeit not mind-numbing), the S6's real achievement is efficiency. In addition to the revised powertrain, the S6 uses a start-stop feature and cylinder-on-demand technology, which allows the car to operate on four cylinders during highway driving to save fuel. (Hand-in-hand with the cylinder deactivation function is an Active Noise Cancellation system, which sends an anti-phase sound into the cabin to cancel any engine noise when the engine is operating on half of its cylinders.)
The new S6 is lighter than before, thanks to a proliferation of aluminum that comprises 20 percent of the car.
The result of all this, according to Audi's estimations, is improved gas mileage of up to 25 percent. And while official numbers aren't out, Audi says they expect the S6 to achieve an EPA rating of 24 mpg Combined, compared with 16 mpg Combined on the old model.
The S6 comes with Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive system, as well as a sport-tuned adaptive air suspension. Standard features include 19-inch aluminum wheels, steel vented disc brakes, xenon headlights, sport seats, a head-up display, park assist with 360-degree camera, Audi's MMI interface, Bluetooth connectivity and the usual S aero and trim enhancements. Options include 20-inch wheels, carbon ceramic disc brakes (which shave 11 pounds off the 4,178-pound curb weight), speed adjustable steering and Audi's sport differential, which actively distributes power between the rear wheels. The MMI Navigation Plus package gets you an eight-inch LCD display, hard-drive based entertainment system, WLAN capability and a 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. Buyers can also choose from two different seat options.
Key rivals to the 2013 Audi S6 include the redesigned BMW M5, with a twin-turbo V8 that packs more horses and torque, as well as a faster 0-60 mph time, and the Mercedes Benz E63 AMG, which serves up more power but isn't quite as quick.
The 2013 Audi S6 is scheduled to go on sale in late spring/early summer of 2012, shortly after the European launch. Pricing has not been announced. We're guessing the new S6 will be priced similarly to its predecessor, possibly around $76,000.

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Audi R8 GT Spyder 2012

With the 2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder debuting at this year's LA Auto Show, one might say the Audi R8 supercar lineup is now complete. This latest addition, the drop-top version of the uber-performance GT, means the venerated Audi R8 now has topless siblings for all of its variants. The Audi R8 GT Spyder gets the same powerplant that propels the hardtop: a mid-mounted, direct-injection 5.2-liter V10 that makes 560 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque.
Sportscar purists might bemoan that the only transmission choice is the R-Tronic, Audi's 6-speed single clutch automated manual. Still, the 2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder is no slouch. Add the standard rear-biased four-wheel-drive plus launch control, and you get a manufacturer-estimated 0-62 mph time of 3.8 seconds (or 0-60 in about 3.6 seconds) and a top speed of 197 miles per hour.
Like its hardtop sibling, the GT Spyder sports carbon-fiber panels and trim, including a front splitter, rear spoiler and rear bumper with integrated diffuser. Combined with a lighter transmission, wheels and brakes, examples of the R8 GT Spyder bound for the U.S. each lose 107 pounds over non-GT Spyders. European spec models will get special fiberglass bucket seats that will shave off even more weight, but whether they'll end up here in the States is TBD. In addition to the fancy aero and lighter components, the 2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder, like the coupe, also gets 19-inch wheels and a 0.4-inch lower suspension. A GT Spyder for the North American market should weigh in at a more svelte but still substantial 3,800 pounds.
Options on the 2012 Audi R8 GT Sypder will most likely be the same or similar as on the coupe, which includes an enhance leather package, Audi's MMI infotainment system, a Bang & Olufson sound system and various wheel and brake choices. The Spyder also features a microphone built into the driver’s seatbelt to allow for clearer handsfree calling with the top down.
The most obvious competitor to the 2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder might very well be the newly unveiled Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster. Its 563 hp and 479 pound-feet of torque top the specs on the Audi, and will only set you back $183,000, compared to the $200,000-plus price tag we're expecting for the R8 GT Spyder. Other worthy competitors include the Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG, Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet, and Ferrari 458 Spider.
Like the GT Coupe, only 333 Audi R8 GT Spyders will be produced, and only about 90 of them are slated for American soil. As for pricing, though figures haven't been announced, the current hardtop GT starts at $196,800, and the 5.2 Audi R8 has about a 10-percent price premium over the hardtop with the same engine. That makes our guess for the 2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder around $215,000, give or take, with availability expected in early 2012.

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Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster 2012

A convertible version of the ultra high-performance Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG goes on sale late in 2012. The SLS AMG Roadster joins the coupe version launched May 2010 as a 2011 model. The price of the roadster should be just under $200,000, including a big destination charge to cover careful handling. The coupe retails for $185,750.
The Roadster version of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG gives up the signature gull-wing doors of the Coupe but gains less than 90 pounds, leaving performance effectively unchanged. It's still very quick at 197 mph and able to enter any drifting contest with its electronic safety nets switched off. With them enabled, it's a consummate Grand Touring machine.
A multi-layer folding soft-top in black, sand or red is used to keep the center of gravity low and not change the front/rear balance, two key aspects of high-performance cars. The top may be opened or closed at speeds to 30 mph and the process takes only 11 seconds; it uses a glass rear window and takes away less than 2 percent of the cargo area. A wind deflector may be fitted between the roll-bars and the Airscarf system that vents warm air to occupant's neck areas is standard. Conventional doors replace the gull-wings, but eight airbags remain.
The SLS AMG Roadster uses SLS AMG Coupe components underneath, including an aluminum space-frame chassis, free-revving 563-hp hand-assembled 6.2-liter V8 engine, rear-mounted seven-speed multi-clutch transmission and limited-slip differential, compound brake rotors and 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels. The fully independent suspension can be optioned with adaptive damping to keep the firm handling but allow a softer ride over long distances.
One sits low in the SLS and visibility with the top up is less than ideal. Some mitigation comes in the form of now-standard blind-spot monitor system, and the rear camera aids backing.
Inside, the SLS sport seats are trimmed in leather with trim touches available in suede, carbon fiber and piano black lacquer finishes. All the requisite features and amenities are covered and any Mercedes driver will find all the controls familiar; among the options is a one-kilowatt Bang & Olufsen sound system at 6.4 cents/watt.
The Roadster will offer the broad option detail of the Coupe, including various forged alloy wheels, genuine carbon fiber engine covers and other trim, and a new AMG Performance Media package that's more performance instrumentation than what media suggest. At least two of the options, Alubeam silver liquid metal paint and carbon ceramic brakes, are more than $12,000 each. Super-car prices add up quickly and the SLS Roadster is not immune.
The SLS AMG Roadster is the first convertible designed from the ground up by Mercedes's AMG division and makes a fitting partner to the coupe. You may miss the gull-wing door show but the Roadster sounds even better.
With an expected 22 miles per gallon, the SLS could get slapped with a federal Gas Guzzler Tax.

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