MotorMouths

The Lexus LFA delivers racecar-level thrills in a surprisingly comfortable, street-friendly car, developed in a cost-is-no-object program that lasted a decade. That, and exclusivity

But if you have that kind of money, the Italia — unlike some high-priced, half-baked exotics — is worth every penny. I declare the 458 is the best sports car I’ve ever driven, the current state of the art.

A driver might take the Mulsanne for a fast spin without coming off as that social-climbing cliché: the man who could afford the car, but not the chauffeur.

This XKR-S will lift the spirits of a few score Americans, and I’m glad to have driven it. Spectacular to behold, with 550 supercharged V-8 horsepower and a top speed of 186 miles per hour, it can be considered the explosive cap to the long-running XK lineup.

No matter your driving skills, the Cayman is always predictable and forgiving, yet fast and sophisticated enough to satisfy the experts. This Porsche also feels bulletproof.

For today’s speed eaters, the E63 AMG feels like a two-ton burrito in habanero sauce: driving it is akin to the last gas-spewing binge before the diet begins.

The Aston Martin Vantage certainly has the looks, luxury and pedigree to get away with highway robbery. More surprisingly, the Vantage gains enough performance under its lovely skin to make itself a defensible alternative to supercars from Ferrari, Porsche and others.

SLS AMG buyers will get an appealing 563-horsepower mix of ferocity and luxury, with a decidedly Germanic style that is very different from the usual Italian supercar.

The 6 Series seems at one with itself, not its driver — so relaxed and capable that its pilot seems to observe the action from a distance. You don’t have to be a silver-haired fox, or a cougar, to grasp the Bimmer’s vault-on-wheels appeal.

The M6 is a propulsive German warhead, engineered to shatter your gated subdivision, though tastefully. It has more padded leather than a Berlin nightclub. But it seems to approach the outer limits of usable — especially when it only intermittently engages its driver.

Enthusiasts needn’t fear. The Boxster still carves a path with ultimate precision and more control than ever. It’s one of the world’s most brilliant sports cars.

The Spark is ultra-affordable, and it never feels cheap or chintzy. The styling follows a trend of cars like the Nissan Leaf E.V., which, deciding they can’t be pretty, choose to be out-there instead. But the it’s more at home in the slow lane.