Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss:

If you’ve ever dreamed of having a grand-prix driving experience on the street—and have pockets as stuffed as Scrooge McDuck’s—the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss is the thing for you. Serving as the final hurrah for the SLR line, the Stirling Moss sheds both its top and windshield and continues the Mille Miglia–centric theme of the previous SLR 722 and Roadster 722 S special-edition SLRs—722 was both the number and start time of the 300 SLR that won the 1955 event. The driver of that car, of course, was Sir Stirling Moss.

This open-cockpit wonder’s 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 engine will make the same 641 hp as the 722. Zero-to-62-mph sprints are expected to be achieved in less than 3.5 seconds, and top speed is a claimed 217 mph. Imagine 217 mph without the protection of laminated safety glass; the two wind deflectors that stand less than an inch tall likely won’t do much to protect you from the impact of even a large moth at that speed. This car is hard-core.

This Thing Looks AWESOME

Even beyond the obvious lack of a roof and windshield, the rest of the Stirling Moss edition's carbon-fiber exterior is radically different from that of other SLRs, beginning with a freshly styled front fascia. Gone are the quad headlights (removed in favor of stacked clusters), as well as the single-slat grille on both sides of the three-pointed star, giving the front a much smoother style. The lower portion of the front now peaks at the center and the larger intake resembles that of the new Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. Two large hood vents are added near the cowl along with a smaller vent in the front on the passenger side.

The Moss edition features a deep body crease that begins behind the front wheel and extends almost to the back of the door. Dual exhaust outlets now find their exit in the middle of the front quarter panel, rather than down at the rocker, as on conventional SLRs. Smaller and sleeker taillights give the rear a very modern look, while the deck sports two aero humps topped with roll hoops. The rear diffuser is considerably larger than the SLR coupe or roadster’s. There’s a retractable air brake as on the other SLR models, but the Stirling Moss’s air brake differs in that it can be operated manually.

Our Bare Essentials Include Carbon Fiber, Too

The interior is reduced to what Benz calls the “bare essentials,” although it is still coated in high-zoot materials such as carbon fiber, aluminum, and leather. An aluminum plate around the shift lever will carry the engraved signature of Stirling Moss to remind you which SLR you’re driving, just in case the sparrow you nearly took to the face doesn’t do the trick.

The SLR Stirling Moss will be limited to 75 units, which will be the final SLRs ever built, marking the end of the manufacturing contract between Mercedes and McLaren. Assembly will begin in June of 2009 following the end of SLR roadster production in May. Production of the 75 vehicles will continue through December; each one will carry a price of about $1 million—the official price is 750,000 euros—and will only be made available to existing SLR customers in Europe. Considering the Euro-only sales, it’s strange that Mercedes chose to debut the SLR Stirling Moss at the 2009 Detroit auto show. We’re not sure there really is a perfect venue to unveil a radical, speedster-style supercar, but the Motor City probably isn’t it.

2010 Ferrari F500:

What it is: An updated F430 with a larger, more powerful engine (hence the name change), a restyled body with larger air intakes in front and aft of the B-pillars, and a new dashboard that can now house a navigation system.Platform: The aluminum structure of the F430 remains, as does the basic chassis. No weight gain is expected.Powertrain: The F430’s V-8 engine grows to 5.0 liters and gains direct fuel injection. Output rises to more than 550 horses. A seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox will be optional.Competition: The usual suspects—Aston Martin DBS, Chevy Corvette ZR1, Lamborghini LP560-4, McLaren P11, Porsche 911 GT2.Estimated arrival: The new F500 will take center stage this fall at the Frankfurt auto show. Sales will begin in early 2010 with a convertible (spider) version following later that year. In 2011, a more powerful, lighter, and more expensive Scuderia version, topping $300,000, will debut. Prices will start at $200,000 for a base F500; convertibles will command $250,000.

2012 Tesla Model S Sedan :

PayPal founder Elon Musk's next planned opus for his Tesla Motors electric-car company is a $57,400 electric luxury sedan to be built in Southern California. (You know Tesla, of course, from their Lotus-based Roadster.) According to the company, the Tesla Model S will have up to 300 miles of range, a 4900-pound curb weight, and expected acceleration to 60 mph of 5.6 seconds. After attending the unveiling, we can confirm that it wears the beguiling looks of a Jaguar XF doppelganger.

If all goes to plan—a plan which includes an infusion of both government and private funds to the teetering company—production of the Model S should begin in the third quarter of 2011. Musk says that no matter what happens, the Model S will go into production even if funding shortages prolong the launch date.

Key elements of the five-door, five-passenger car’s design, which was completed by Mazda USA's former design director Franz Von Holzhausen, include a relatively slippery 0.26 coefficient of drag and an expansive hatchback big enough to swallow a mountain bike. A twin-screen computer display with web connectivity features prominently in the leather-and-wood-trimmed cabin. The options list will be long, and include the buyer’s choice of one of three lithium-ion battery packs. The pack included in the base price will have a range of 160 miles, an intermediate pack will offer 230 miles, and the premium 8000-cell pack will weigh over 1000 pounds and supply up to 300 miles of range while recharging in as little as 45 minutes.

Musk hopes to assemble the Model S at a rate of 20,000 per year. A Sport model is planned for after launch. Musk expects a $7500 federal tax credit on electric vehicles of a certain size will defray the price to $49,900. That is, again, if everything goes to plan. So far, little about Musk’s various post-PayPal enterprises, including a solar-panel installation business and a rocket factory, has followed an easy path.

2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR:

The crazy, manly Dodge Viper SRT10 was lifted to a full 600 hp for the 2008 model year. Now, only months later, Dodge brings out an even hotter version, the ACR - American Club Racer.

What Dodge says:

- The engine is left alone: 8.4-liter pushrod V-10 with 600 hp at 6100 rpm and 560 lb-ft of torque at 5000 rpm. Max engine speed is still 6250 RPM.
- The 6-speed Tremec T56 transmission and the GKN ViscoLok speed-sensing limited-slip differential also caries over from the standard Viper.
- The cool bits that should make the ACR a real track weapon include: a coil-over suspension from supplier KW Suspensions in Germany that is fully adjustable for compression, rebound, and ride height. Plus, a new, stiffer front anti-sway bar is fitted. Forged wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires (20 mm wider in front), and StopTech, two-piece brake rotors combine to give a savings of 60 pounds in unsprung, rotating mass.
- Outside, a giant, adjustable carbon fiber rear wing is added along with a front, carbon fiber splitter supported by stainless steel tension cables. A track extension piece is also supplied with each Viper ACR that owners can fit for track events, pushing front downforce up another 1/3.
- Even with all the extra parts added to the car, the Viper ACR is 40 pounds lighter than the standard Viper. The optional Hard Core package shaves yet another 40 pounds off the car, to 3366 pounds, according to Dodge. This package deletes the audio system, underhood silencer pad, trunk carpeting, and tire inflator. The radio is replaced with a cover that can house the included lap timer.
- Buyers can choose between five exterior colors (red, black, violet, bright blue metallic, and orange). They can also spec either a monotone or a two-tone paint treatment with a black stripe down the center of the car. Finally, a driver's stripe is available that runs the length of the car and includes a leather accent on the steering wheel.
- Prices are not finalized but Dodge has said that the ACR will cost under $100,000.

What we say:

The standard Viper is a rude, crude machine but comes into its own on the track. It is balanced and actually quite a pussycat when tossed around a circuit. The amount of race track performance the ACR should add for not much more money screams "smoking deal". Plus, it's not like you can make a Viper perform any worse on the road -- so the car should no more miserable on the drive to and from track events than the standard car. We have little doubt that the Viper ACR will thrash a Porsche 911 GT3 on a track, and maybe even a GT2.