MotorMouths

The 2012 Porsche Panamera Hybrid S is drawing a bead on evolving the hybrid equation into more than just a lackluster, fuel-sipping conveyance for the environmentally conscious. It’s a legitimate alternative for V8-averse luxury buyers.

Good cars make you feel like a hero. Great cars compliment and connect with every fiber of your being. The Evora S falls into the latter camp.

The 1M delivers what M-heads value most: driving delight über alles. And it’s one of the only times in years that anything with four wheels has lived up to the hype.

The Porsche Cayman R has all the earmarks of the Total Package. If there was ever a proper cliche to be used, “telepathic” is it. Weighty without being cumbersome (à la Lotus Elise) yet smooth and frictionless. It’s – dare I say – better than the big boy 911.

In the realm of a jaw-droppingly stylish sedan, the CLS continues to stand in a class of its own. We might call it one of the best automotive designs of the 21st century.

The Audi S4 is an Evo for the discerning, low-key enthusiast. A sports sedan you actually want to drive, but aren’t forced to. On that measure, they’ve succeeded – brilliantly.

The Lexus LFA is a mystery wrapped in an enigma coated in carbon fiber. It’s got the potential to be many things – track toy and ultra-GT – to 500 (stupendously wealthy) people.

The lightweight aluminum space-frame and 372HP V8 means the A8 is on par with its peers, but Audi’s rear-biased Quattro all-wheel-drive puts it into new territory. For lack of a better phrase, they’ve put old luxury on notice and infused some very welcome “sport” into its flagship.

There’s absolutely nothing in the new car market that matches the Equus on the amenities front for a similar price-point. The Equus isn’t just the ultimate Hyundai – it’s the ultimate four-wheeled value proposition.

With commendable driving dynamics, a segment-leading interior, an IIHS Top Safety Pick trophy and competitive fuel economy, the Sonic is a stand-up value with the stats and swagger to match.

Whether luxury SUV customers are willing to trade in the prestige of a V8 for a supercharged V6 remains to be seen, but as a means of keeping the SUV relevant in this cleaner, greener climate, the 2011 Q7 is yet another step in the right direction.

Few things about the Leaf stand out, and that’s exactly its point. Nissan isn’t out to change the driving experience, it’s just changing the method of motivation. And more than anything else, that’s what’s going to bring electric vehicles into the mainstream.