MotorMouths

In Aston Martin nomenclature, the DBS is the top of the line and the Volante is the convertible. While the DBS coupe is a direct competitor to the Ferrari 599 GTB, the Volante exists in its own superexclusive sphere, a classic droptop front-engine V-12 sports car.

The new Mercedes-Benz SLS Roadster is a stunning car. Beneath the hood is a 6.2-liter V-8 that awakens with a thunderclap each time you push the glowing red starter button

The new 911 Turbo’s personality is dominated by the motor’s capacity to crush your skull against the headrest during exuberant acceleration.

The redesigned Audi S4 is superior to its predecessor in just about every other way. It’s quicker and less expensive, it gets better mileage and it finally offers handling that challenges BMW.

In the wonderful world where a $200,000 car is deemed discrete, the Bentley Continental Supersports could be viewed as a shrewd extravagance.

You can feel the 911 connection in the way the Cayenne Turbo drives. According to Porsche’s performance figures, the mighty S.U.V. is as quick or quicker than 13 of the 20 variants of the 911.

The FX is a fundamentally strange beast, a crossover that shares its rear-wheel-drive platform with Nissan and Infiniti sports cars. I think it looks like a jacked-up extraterrestrial insect, and I mean that as a compliment.

In the revised Genesis lineup, the 5.0 R-Spec is Phil Collins. It’s the star. And at its price point, it seems poised to beat up on the competing luxury brands.

The 2012 Subaru Impreza is lighter than its predecessor. It’s better looking and its fuel economy is vastly improved. It’s also faster and the exhaust pipe emits only ice cream.

The Evoque is its own thing, a car you might buy instead of a standard Range Rover, but not just because of the price. It will seduce sedan owners who dig the styling, the 28-mpg fuel economy, and the badge.

Perhaps the QX56 doesn’t reinvent the luxury S.U.V. But car buyers vote with their wallets, and at the moment, the voters say that 400 horsepower and a semianiline interior is reinvention enough.

Across the board, the 2012 Camry offers worthwhile improvements to its predecessor, especially with the price. But at some point Toyota might begin worrying that it’s been optimizing its propellers while everyone else is building jets.