MotorMouths

The Spyder Performante exists purely to thrill. It’s one of the most impractical cars in the universe. And that’s a compliment.

The Aston Martin Vantage V-8 roadster is not the fastest car, but quick enough. And it’s nicely balanced, great to look at, and wonderful to sit inside. What more can you ask from an impractical, two-seat convertible, anyhow?

By any rational measure, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is about as necessary as a single-pronged fork. But it’s also a 5,150-pound hunk of hurtling, bombastic fun.

The SLS makes the transition to a convertible surpassingly well. No surprise, it’s best when your foot pins the accelerator mercilessly to the floor. Which might remind you that, like the coupe, the convertible is rated to travel at up to 197 mph.

The GT-R cares only for immoderate, shameless speed. While it doesn’t look like a high-dollar supercar, it’s actually one of the most shameless examples I’ve ever driven.

The Buick Regal GS was fun to drive. The cars pulls rather than pushes you, and some maneuvers are awkward. But it keeps you mindful and engaged. The major failure was the center console and optional navigation system; such a mess of random buttons.

The AMG vehicles are getting better all the time. The C63 AMG Black Series is a great one. Its top speed is 186 mph and it reaches 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. Walk around the C63 and its racy intentions are clear.

The QX takes up a hunk of roadside real estate. Yet it drives extremely well, is exceptionally quiet and is generally an agreeable place to while away time when you’re stuck in traffic

Run the 2012 Sonic hard and it’s genuine fun. It has a nice nose, handsome wheels and bright accents, which is not to say it’s not a bit of an ugly duckling, but the real revelation is the interior.

No, the new Wrangler isn’t perfect. You may have to wait for the next generation for more power, more gears and better gas mileage. But the most glaring foibles have been worked out and its pure design remains undiluted.

The Porsche 911 hasn’t lost its soul. I was among the first to actually drive the new generation Carrera S and — collective exhale — it is still a great car.

Your daughter or son may already have an eye on the Hyundai Veloster. It’s a mess, but a happy one, not unlike a college dorm room. It rides far better than the economy cars of yore, but nobody will mistake it for an Audi.