These are the cars that fifth-graders sketched in their school notebooks, when the intricacies of long division failed to captivate their attention. No kid drew pictures of minivans or station wagons. They conceived long, low sports cars, with two-seats, big tires, and big engines. If you can afford one of these uncompromising vehicles, where performance and looks take precedence over all else, you might have had to make some type of compromise in your life - like working hard for a living. Now it's pay back time. Time to leave compromise where it belongs - in the dust.
Aston-Martin Vanquish S The Vanquish is Aston-Martin's senior sports car, and with the lighter DB9 offering similar performance in a like-sized package, we've sometimes wondered why it's still around. That question has been answered with the S model, which ... – more »
Aston-Martin DB9, DB9 Volante Once again, we have let another year go by without cadging a drive in this lovely British car, which is now the middle model in the Aston family. So, like you, we can only imagine the effect when its 450-hp, 6.0-litre V12 ... – more »
Audi TT Coupe / Roadster 1.8T, 3.2 For 2006 the TT continues in coupe and roadster guises, each with a choice of two engines. The 1.8T models use a turbocharged 225-hp, 1.8-litre "four" that comes only with a six-speed manual gearbox. The 3.2 ... – more »
Ferrari F430 / Spyder Coupe, Challenge, Spider The latest edition of the "junior" Ferrari was new last year, so little changes now except for the arrival of the inevitable Challenge version -- a stripped-for-action (but still street-legal) competition ... – more »
Ferrari 575M Maranello Superamerica A new 620-hp 599GTB will soon replace the Maranello, which until then continues in Superamerica convertible guise. It's really more like a Targa, in which the glass roof panel rotates backwards to rest on the rear deck ... – more »
Dodge Viper SRT10 Roadster, SRT10 Coupe The awesome Viper convertible is joined by a coupe sister vehicle for 2006, initially only in blue with twin white stripes. Either way, the Viper remains a truly hard-core driving machine. There are no cupholders, ... – more »
Chrysler Crossfire Coupe / Roadster Crossfire, Limited, SRT6 / Limited, SRT6 Apart from new paint colours, Chrysler's street-legal concept car continues as is for 2006, still combining eye-popping looks with the under-the-skin engineering of the last-generation ... – more »
Honda S2000 For 2006 the S2000 gets drive-by-wire throttle control, Vehicle Stability Assist, and minor cabin upgrades. Despite appearances, max power of 237 horsepower is not a drop from last year's 240 -- the change simply reflects new SAE test procedures. ... – more »
Lamborghini Gallardo Coupe, Coupe SE, Spyder Last year we said of the Gallardo ... "first gear is so tall that it doesn't feel as quick ... as it really is" and noted "steering turn-in isn't as sharp as you'd expect." Somebody in ... – more »
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Still the most powerful car available in Canada, the SLR's 5.5-litre supercharged V8 produces 617 horsepower. Linked to a five-speed automatic, it launches the SLR from 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. Top speed is 334 km/h. Ride is ... – more »
Lamborghini Murcielago Coupe, Roadster The first new Lamborghini launched under Audi ownership may not look as revolutionary as expected, but it sure is gizmology rich. The body is mostly carbon-fibre and features "active" air intakes and spoiler. ... – more »
Panoz Esperante, GT, GTLM Now here's a machine that guarantees exclusivity. Hand-built in Georgia, the Esperante uses Mustang powertrains in a unique carbon-fibre structure, with suspension derived from Panoz's racing experience. Three models are offered ... – more »
Porsche Boxster Boxster, Boxster S After a comprehensive remodeling for 2005, Porsche's beautifully balanced roadster stays the course for 2006. The base and S models are respectively powered by 2.7-litre, 240-hp and 3.2-litre, 280-hp versions of the classic ... – more »
Mercedes-Benz SLK SLK280, SLK350, SLK55 AMG Your first SLK gets closer with the debut of a new entry-level SLK280. Its 3.0-litre V6 generates 228 horsepower, compared with the 268 of the robust 3.5-litre, which remains available -- as does the SLK 55, powered ... – more »
Porsche 911 Carrera, 4, S, 4S / Cabriolet, 4, S, 4S A major 2005 redesign kept the classic 911 profile while at the same time making Porsche's rear-engined icon both more user-friendly and a more potent hard-core driving machine. Since then, Porsche has ... – more »
Porsche Carrera GT The GT is the ultimate expression of Porsche's art -- a megabucks supercar for the ultra-rich. To drive, it's an odd mixture of user-friendly and intimidating. Its 5.7-litre V10 howls out 605 horsepower at 8,000 rpm, yet is flexible ... – more »
Chevrolet Corvette C6 Coupe, Convertible, Z06 The sixth-generation Corvette was a shoo-in for Editors' Choice last year, and with the 505-hp Z06 joining the line for 2006, that choice is even more of a no-brainer. – more »
Aston Martin V8 Vantage Perhaps now you can finally afford that Aston Martin you've always wanted. It may seem strange to equate "affordability" with a car priced at $135,500, but in the world of exotic sports cars the V8 Vantage is indeed ... – more »
Porsche Cayman S Some would say the Cayman S is just a Boxster with a fixed roof, but that would be a faux-pas worse than wearing white pants after Labour Day. Yes, it shares a platform and mid-engine setup with the roadster, but the formula diverges ... – more »
Ford GT Two years after going on sale in the U.S., the Ford GT is finally available in Canada for '06. Ford calls it, "the pace car for an entire company," as it represents the best of what Dearborn has to offer. It's a retro-inspired super-car ... – more »
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