MotorMouths

Unlike white-knuckle-driving supercars which cost more than a house in Florida, the Bentley Mulsanne induces a vastly different reaction. Breath out, relax. You’re rich, after all.

I had a decent time, especially on the highway with a flood of sunshine pooling into the cabin. I’m not sure it was $36,000 worth of fun — the price as tested — but it clarified my opinion. The Camaro with a V-6, top down, in a state where the sun shines.

Take the old-school family station wagon, evil it up with a man-eating grill and wicked knifelike taillights, and then stick a supercharged Corvette engine inside. The result is the CTS-V wagon, a family vehicle with a heavy-metal attitude.

With its toylike body, the Lotus Evora is light and easy to maneuver. On the road it will spank an expensive, high-horsepower sports car.

The Countryman’s added height and weight conspire to work against the go-kart handling that the brand is famous for. It’s still maneuverable, just less so. But for many customers, the extra space inside is worth the car’s growing pains.

The arrival of a mass-produced electric vehicle (EV), sans gas tank or tail pipes, should feel momentous. You’re not spewing bad stuff into the sky. However, the act of driving the Leaf oddly belies this buzz, feeling like a run-of-the-mill hybrid.

What a difference a year makes. Just take a look at a 2010 Ford Explorer parked next to a totally redesigned 2011 model. Only a year separates the two but in terms of appearance and workmanship they might as well have been made in different decades. Hot and not.

I’ve experienced many cars that handle better, but few that lend such a sense of place and well-being as the 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost. So this is what it feels to be like the idling rich.

A vehicle like this will always have a few compromises, and the BMW X3’s are suddenly scant. Those who would naturally gravitate to a 3 Series might now consider its bulkier brother.

Hyundai is using the same model Lexus employed to muscle into the luxury market decades ago. Buy the Hyundai Equus and you may not impress all your high-flying friends — just the ones who appreciate the bottom line.

With the top missing, the proportions of the Audi R8 5.2 Spyder are better — wider and more squished. More exotic. The combination of all-wheel-drive, mid-engine layout, manual transmission and big engine is the perfect algorithm for a convertible.

While the 3 hatchback is a personal favorite, the Mazda 2 is not simply a clone that’s undergone a magical shrinking ray. It’s got its own character. I envy the lucky teenagers who are invariably going to end up with this car.