Audi R8

For the first time, Audi reaches out to buyers in a higher tax bracket with the low and wide (it barely cleared the sides of our rather cramped garage in New York City) R8. Priced well into six figures, it looks like a street-legal racecar, but is civil enough to be driven daily, though you'll want to watch those huge wheels with low-profile tires around curbs and potholes. A 420-hp V8 engine can be mated to a six-speed manual or Audi's R-Tronic sequential-shift transmission. The latter is fun on the track, but clunky around town (it should not be confused with Audi/VW's excellent DSG transmission). Handling dynamics are tear-inducing in a good way, and the engine sounds melodic from behind its glass enclosure.