These are the most alluring new vehicles on the market.
Looks aren't everything. Given a rainy day on a pock-marked street, even a luxury roadster will look and feel less than stellar.
But when it comes to attracting attention on a showroom floor, appearance does matter--a lot. Take, for instance, the case of Jaguar's new XJ sedan.
"From what we hear from our customers, the styling is really what gets people into the door for that vehicle," says Gary Flom, president and CEO of Manhattan Automobile Company. "And the XJ is a revolutionary car in terms of beauty, aesthetics and styling. It's a remarkable car that absolutely makes a huge difference for Jaguar--and I think sets a new benchmark in terms of the styling for a long, large sedan."
The $113,000 XJL Supersport is just one of 10 cars on our list of this year's most beautiful. Others, like the $240,000 Ferrari 458 Italia and $183,000 Mercedes SLS AMG, are much more sporty than Jag's large sedan--but they all have an allure that's hard to resist.
To compile our list of this year's most beautiful cars, we asked some of our best luxury-car experts for their nominees: Manhattan Automobile Company's Gary Flom; Tamara Warren, a longtime automotive journalist and creator of the car and design blog Go Tryke; Mike Caudill, the automotive analyst for Driven Media; and Noah Lehmann-Haupt, CEO of Gotham Dream Cars. Cars nominated for the list must be in production for 2010--no pre-production models are allowed, like the admittedly beautiful Fisker Karma, or the sleek new Range Rover Evoque.
Rolls Royce GhostMSRP: $245,000
The 6.6-liter turbocharged V12 has 563 horsepower, with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Zero to 60 mph is 4.8 seconds; top speed is 155 mph. It's the most drivable and aesthetically distinctive modern Rolls but still shares the same uber-luxe leather, paint and wood detailing as the larger Phantom.
Porsche Boxster SpyderMSRP: $61,200
The 320-horsepower engine (more powerful than the Boxster S) gets to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of 166 miles per hour. Its two trunks and manageable ragtop (switch time: three minutes) make it viable as a daily driver in warm climates.
Mercedes SLS AMGMSRP: $183,000
This car is the modern interpretation of the classic Mercedes 300SL. It's a V8 and with 571 horsepower, which gets it to 60 mph in 3.8-seconds and a top speed of 197 miles per hour.
Maserati QuattroporteMSRP: $120,250
The 4.2-liter V8 has 400 bhp and a top speed of 164 mph. Zero to 60 mph time is 5.5 seconds. Hand-stitched Poltrona Frau leather and wood veneers in dozens of colors can be combined for a personalized feel inside the car.
Jaguar XJMSRP: $113,000 (XJL Supersport)
The highest end of the XJ line, the XJL Supersport, does 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, with a top speed of 155 mph (thanks to a 510-hp engine). It has softgrain leather throughout the cabin, manual side window blinds and a panoramic sunroof.
Ferrari 458 ItaliaMSRP: $240,000
The 8-cylinder two-seater "berlinetta" has a mid-rear mounted engine and a max speed of 202 miles per hour. Its three rear tailpipes, single-opening front grille, side air intakes and swooping Pininfarina design underscore the "performance-oriented efficiency" that inspired the project, Ferrari says.
Dodge Challenger SRT8MSRP: $43,680
The vintage throwback has a 6.1-liter V8 HEMI engine, with a five-speed automatic transmission and 425-horsepower. Inside, heated leather bucket seats with an accent stripe and illuminated cup-holders help make the car viable as a daily driver.
Bentley MulsanneMSRP: $285,000
Mulsanne is inspired by the company founder W.O. Bentley's crowning achievement, the 8-liter auto first shown at the 1930 London Motor Show. A 6 3/4-liter, V8 engine gets 505bhp; inside, exotic woods, leather hides and solid stainless-steel brightware are hand-crafted for maximum luxury.
Aston Martin RapideMSRP: $197,850
The front mid-mounted 6-liter V12 engine produces 470 bhp, with a 0-60 mph time of 5.1 seconds. The engine is hand-built in Köln, Germany, and features a six-speed Touchtronic 2 automatic transmission.
Alfa Romeo 8C SpiderMSRP: $301,600
The 4.7-liter, V8 engine gets 444 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Each angle on the front and sides of the car was calibrated to ensure the most efficient airflow around the car, Alfa says, and it shows: It'll do 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds and 0 to 100 mph in 9.7 seconds.
