MotorMouths

The new 458 Italia is so fast that you wonder how much faster cars can get before you need a special license to drive supercars. Public-road driving in the 458 is a supreme test of self-discipline, but it is surprisingly uncompromised.

Exclusive, with stunning performance, an exotic soundtrack and price, plus an admission that each one will lose Lexus money, the LFA ticks all the boxes in the lexicon of supercar. It’s also genuinely charismatic, with a feel and spirit all its own.

The new Jaguar XJ is a car with a delight of originality. You’ll feel as if you have entered a private world when you step inside—a world you’ll want to revisit again and again.

The 2011 Volvo S60 is a good-looking sedan with a charismatic driveline, some really useful safety innovations, and spacious accommodations.

The diesel-powered BMW 335d is not only the faster point-to-point car than its gasoline counterpart, it also gives you a 10 mpg (U.S.) boost over the the gas one.

The BMW 5 Series is a solid car. It’s a very grown-up solution to going fast, with a chassis balance that can juggle bowie knives on a high wire, although you do need to dig expensively into the chassis-options list to get that feel.

We’ll leave you to sort through the dilemma that is the sporting hybrid, but Honda has done a great job bringing together these two incongruent ideas. The CR-Z might be a bit bloated for some tastes, but there’s no denying its technical virtuosity.