Top Ten Hip Rides - Luxury Sports Sedans - Features

Luxury Sports Sedans

09: Infiniti G35 Sport

Whether you relish the thrill of rocketing from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds, taming a sinuous mountain road, or chauffeuring a primped foursome to the theatre, the G35 is ready for action. Better yet, for around $400 per month, you can have that action every day. Fortified with 306 healthy horses underhood, all corralled by an efficient five-speed automatic with downshift rev matching, the second-generation G trumps the musclecar brawn of a V-8 powered Ford Mustang GT-it boasts an exhaust note just as raspy, to boot, not to mention a quarter-mile time (13.9 seconds at 99.9 mph) just 0.4 behind-while offering the sophistication of a four-wheel independent control-arm/multilink suspension. Standard features are plentiful and include vehicle dynamic control, bi-Xenon headlamps, leather-appointed seats, an in-dash six-disc changer, and an Intelligent key system with push-button start.

Where the new G really stands out, though, is in the details. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is double-stitched by hand-a process that takes more than an hour to complete but places the stitches away from where the driver's hands rest for a smoother, improved feel-while the aluminum hood is secured with dual latches to ensure proper alignment. The interior's standard aluminum trim is finished to mimic Washi, an elegant, handmade Japanese paper, whereas the sculpted grille, with its "twisted" horizontal blades, is meant to resemble traditional Japanese swords.

Have a few extra bucks to spare per month? Then opt for one of the G's high-tech options, including a 10-speaker Bose sound system, touch-screen nav with real-time traffic updates, four-wheel active steering, intelligent cruise control, and adaptive front lighting that swivels the lighting pattern according to steering angle and vehicle speed to provide improved visibility at night-a useful feature for getting down that mountain.

-Ron Kiino

10: Mercedes-Benz C230 Sport

A Mercedes-Benz for the masses? Almost 25 years ago, it was a revolutionary idea. And the launch of the 190E in November 1982 proved Stuttgart could deliver its legendary engineering expertise at a relatively affordable price. Mercedes-Benz is today marketing-driven rather than engineering-led, but the idea of driving the three-pointed star is still a seductive one. Especially if you can do it for not much more money than you'd spend on something wearing the Blue Oval. Or a Bow Tie.

The C230 Sport is the entry-level Mercedes sedan here in the U.S. The Sport moniker means you get a standard six-speed manual (Benz's new seven-speed automatic is an option) bigger wheels and tires, sport-tuned suspension, and some minor cosmetic mods. The engine is a 2.5-liter V-6 with 201 horsepower (if engineers still ran the place, this car would be called the C250 Sport).

Make no mistake: Despite the Sport goodies, this car is a very different drive from a BMW 3 Series; everything about it is a touch more...languid. That's not necessarily a bad thing, however, especially if your daily drive includes a lot of commuting in heavy traffic and general suburban schmoozing. Besides, you'll have more time to enjoy the improved cabin quality and watch the sun glinting on that famed hood ornament.

The all-new C-Class, which made its public debut at the Geneva show, is scheduled to go on sale here late summer, which means you can expect to find some great run-out deals on the C230 Sport before the 2008s arrive. And here's the thing: The last of the outgoing models to roll off the Mercedes-Benz assembly line in Sindelfingen, Germany, this past December was an Iridium silver C230 Sport destined for the U.S.

So you never know-you might end up driving a future collectable, too.

-Angus MacKenzie