MotorMouths

For the money, it’s going to be difficult to find anything that comes close to the breathtaking performance and pure driving pleasure of the all-new 911 Carrera S.

The 2013 Boxster is a far classier package than ever before, with the refined details that a luxury buyer would hope to get in a far less competent driving machine. You’re going to find any excuse possible to keep on driving.

The 2010 Hyundai Tucson is a surprisingly attractive, solidly built and well-equipped offering that should give some of the better-known entries in the segment, like Toyota’s RAV4, a real run for the money.

From both a design and engineering standpoint, the 2011 Lexus LFA is a remarkable achievement. Yet while the performance numbers are impressive, the car doesn’t have the brutality of a Lamborghini or Aston Martin – nor the over-the-top looks of a Ferrari.

For a relatively modest premium, Chevy has one-upped itself. Anyone looking to Europe for a real performance machine would be foolish not to take a look a the 2011 Corvette Grand Sport.

Even more luxurious — and functional — than before, the 2011 R-Class has a bit more of a crossover-ute look that should enhance its appeal. It’s definitely worth a closer look.

The 2010 VW Golf’s price tag may get you to swallow hard, but if you’re in the market for a compact offering that’s roomy, fun-to-drive and delivers great fuel economy, you’ll have to look hard to find something quite as competitive.

There’s little doubt in our mind that the ’11 Volkswagen Touareg is a big improvement over the first-generation SUV. It’s lighter, better looking, roomier and more nimble.

There are many American motorists who likely won’t even consider the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, which is too bad. It is a solid and impressive offering that is a sizable step above the best-selling compact on the market.

The 2011 VW Jetta is an attractive, well-engineered sedan that should put the German back in the running as it takes a serious shot at the Japanese brands that have long dominated the compact sedan segment.

The Lexus GX460 is a bland but well-equipped and competent vehicle that will nonetheless make sense for suburbanites who want a 3-row, go-anywhere SUV.

For those who like the basic idea of a Mini, and would likely join the fold if it offered something just a wee bit roomier and more practical, well, the 2011 Mini Countryman may be precisely the prescription.