College Cars Online

Last Wednesday, sharp-eyed visitors to Porsche's online car configurator might have noticed an unknown-but-strangely-familiar face among the array of cars pictured:

Yes, folks, that's the new Cayenne,  roaming wild and free for all to see. Of course, since the new Cayenne isn't supposed to be unveiled until the Geneva Auto Show a couple weeks from now, Porsche rapidly pulled the image off the site - but thankfully, not before at least one person snared a decent screenshot.

Car and Driver was lucky enough to take a spin in the next-gen Cayenne; in their February issue, writer/photographer/presumed bratwurst enthusiast/lucky son-of-a-bitch Juergen Zoellter states Cayenne 2.0 is about 440 pounds lighter than the current model - smart thinking, given the current Cayenne is massive enough to gravitationally suck in unlucky pedestrians. (Though that makes for a great conversation starter.)

With the standard eight-speed automatic, Porsche claims the 500-hp Turbo model should do the 0-60 in 4.6 seconds. While we can't vouch for those times yet, we can certainly endorse the looks of the new Cayenne. Based on the picture above, it looks a hell of a lot more aggressive than the current model, which from certain angles, looks as awkward as John Edwards at a "Democrats For Fidelity" summit.

We'll have official details of the 2011 Cayenne once the Geneva Auto Show kicks off on March 2nd. However, if you're still itching for another little glimpse of the fun to come...take a look at the 2011 Audi RS5, also debuting at Geneva.

The RS5 cranks out 450 horses from its 4.2 liter V8 without a psi of help from a turbo or supercharger. Putting that grunt to all four wheels is a seven-speed DSG. Audi claims 0-60 comes in 4.6 seconds - oddly enough, the same as the Cayenne Turbo. That's the good news.

The bad news is, Audi hasn't announced whether it'll come stateside yet. Start writing your senators now, folks.

Of course, never one to be left out, Mercedes-Benz has released details about its Geneva star, the F800 Style concept. Mercedes says the F800 indicates the design direction the company intends to follow from now on, and strongly hints at the look of the next0generation CLS. While we think it looks a bit...blunt from the front, there's definitely potential here.

The F800 also comes with a concept car's usual array of apocryphal wonders, like a plug-in hybrid powertrain capable of running from 0-60 in 4.7 seconds while still achieving 81 miles per gallon. To quote Broken Lizard's magnum opus Super Troopers - "I'll believe that when me shit turns purple and smells like rainbow sherbert."

Yet sadly, for most of us, a Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Audi RS5, or Mercedes-Benz CLS will remain out of fiscal reach for quite some time. But if your budget only stretches to automotive crack instead of full-out cocaine, fear not: it looks like our old friends at Ford have your back.

Ford execs have dropped a couple subtle hints that the next-generation Ford Focus will not only receive a Rip-Snortin' RS version (would you prefer "Red-asS"?), but that the hardcore Focus will be coming to the U.S. for the first time as well. One word: BOOSH.

The current Focus RS.

The 2012(ish) Focus RS should make around 300 horsepower, thanks to a 2.0 liter turbocharged inline four equipped with Ford's EcoBoost, which is also slang for stealing power from a wind farm.

Finally, from the "No Shit, Sherlock" files, the NHTSA (click the link if you want to know what the acronym's for, we're sick of typing it out) is prepping legislation that would ban texting while driving.

Of course, the NHTSA has no ability to put the laws into effect; they're meant as guidelines for individual states to adopt or edit as they see fit. 19 states and D.C already have similar measures in effect, including, hilariously, seat-belt-averse New Hampshire. (Live Free or Die! Or, rather, Live Free until You Die Being Ejected Through A Windshield At 70 MPH!)

We here at CCO think this is a brilliant idea. While we've got mixed feeling on hands-free-calling-only-while-driving laws (studies have shown they don't reduce distraction compared to holding the phone, and we think people will be more likely to engage in distracting phone calls if it's easier to do), texting while driving is just a bad idea. Period. In fact, on weekends, we at CCO like to pick up a Rent-A-Wreck and perform a little vigilante enforcement by ramming texting drivers right off the road. Tweet about that, will you.

And don't even think about using this fucker.

So we were out walking around Manhattan's Upper East Side when, wedged between the crosswalk and the fire hydrant, we spotted this Parking Win:

Anyone who can justify their vanity license plate is okay by us. Bravo, sir.

Unless you’ve been time-traveling for the last two weeks, you’ve probably heard at least something about the EPIC recall of Toyota vehicles going on. The paranoia is growing. Perhaps you’ve hesitated to cross the street when you see a Corolla stopped at the light. Maybe you’ve pulled over to the side of the road to let once-innocuous Camrys pass. Perchance you feel an icy shiver race up your spine when you pass that Toyota dealership on the way to work. All those cars staring out at you. Watching. Waiting.

She's back, and she's an Avalon!

Well, let’s unclench for a moment, and review the facts.

There are actually several recalls on Toyota vehicles happening right now, for a variety of defects. Most prominent is the global recall of around 8.1 million vehicles – 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. – for a pair of separate accelerator-related issues, either of which could cause unintended acceleration or difficulty stopping. (Generally, not the sorts of things you want in a car.)

The first problem is caused by wear on a defective friction device  in the accelerator, causing the pedal to return to idle more slowly upon release – or not return at all. (The friction device provides the pressure against your foot when you push the gas.) This particular flaw relates to late-model RAV4s, Corollas, Matrixes (Matrices?) Avalons, Camrys, Highlanders, Tundras, and Sequoias.

If you want to mod out your Tundra - this is acceptable.This is not.

The second accelerator-related problem occurs when the gas pedal becomes ensnared in the floor mat; as with the broken friction device, this prevents the accelerator pedal from returning to the idle position. This recall affects late-model Camrys, Avalons, Priuses, Tacomas, Tundras, Highlanders, Corollas, Venzas, Matrixes, and the Lexus IS and ES models. (For a full list of affected models for both recalls, see here.)

On top of those issues, the crown jewels of Toyota’s hybrid lineup – the 2010 Prius and the 2010 Lexus HS 250h – are suffering from a separate recall for a malfunctioning anti-lock brake system, affecting 147,500 cars in the States and 437,000 worldwide. Afflicted cars develop inconsistent brake feel when stopping on slippery surfaces – when ABS is especially important.

There’s also a recall of 7,300 2010 Toyota Camrys for a faulty front brake tube design capable of causing a brake fluid leak; finally, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also received more than 80 complaints regarding steering problems with the Corolla – specifically, that the car can wander while on the highway. (Note to buyers: try a heavier car.)

According to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, Toyota only undertook these recalls after extensive coersion by the U.S. government. LaHood says the Japanese manufacturer would not have initiated the recall if not for the urging of Washingon, calling Toyota “a little safety deaf” in an Associated Press interview and vowing to hold the automaker’s “feet to the fire” on Good Morning America.

Ray LaHood, seen here portraying an aged Richard Nixon in the 2009 film Watchmen.

The NHTSA says the floor mat issue alone has been linked to five deaths, while safety advocates claim the two accelerator defects are linked to at least 19 deaths. Toyota executives are scheduled to testify before Congress on February 24th during a hearing about the recalls.

But Toyota isn’t the only Japanese carmaker suffering from recall fever. More than one million Hondas across the globe are being recalled due to faulty airbag inflators. While the first round of the recall covered approximately 646,000 Fits, Jazzes and Citys (man, car names do not lend themselves to pluralization) around the world, the second part covered nearly 379,000 American cars manufactured between 2001 and 2002.

Since you'll probably never see a Honda City in real life, take a peek.

(This latter recall is technically an extension of a separate one issued in July last year; however, you can bet your iPad deposit Honda wouldn’t be expanding it if not for the Fit/Jazz/City recall…or the Toyota issues.)

Luckily, there’s still plenty of positive news in the automotive world. For example: Autocar reports Jaguar is prepping an electric version of its full-size XJ sedan. Like the Chevy Volt and the Fisker Karma sedan, the ElectroJag (and no, that’s not will.i.am’s new nickname) comes with a range-extending gasoline engine to recharge the batteries; in the ElectroJag’s case, a 1.2 liter three-cylinder engine designed by Lotus.

According to Autocar, the car will have a maximum range of around 600 miles, and be limited to 112 mph. The electric motor will reportedly make 145 kilowatts of power – that’s 194 horsepower, for those of you who haven’t memorized the conversion formulae. (Certainly not us.) Interested buyers should be able to pick one up in 2011.

While we’re waiting for the ElectroJag, there are plenty of new models coming out in the meantime to keep auto enthusiasts aroused. First up: from the “I Still Can’t Believe They’re Building This” files, the Mini Cooper Countryman and Cooper S Countryman.

Yes, Mini has made an SUV.

And we like it.

It actually looks fairly attractive. Crossing “adorable” with “butch” could have been disastrous (just imagine Amy Adams on HGH), but the folks at Mini have found a nice compromise. (Even if the front end vaguely resembles a Pandorian catfish.) In addition, the Countryman looks like it maintains a fairly low center of gravity, which, combined with Mini’s usual emphasis on playful dynamics, means handling should be excellent for the teeny-tiny SUV class.

Power in the U.S. comes from what appear to be the same engines powering the other Minis – a naturally aspirated 1.6 liter four-cylinder making 120 horsepower in the Cooper Countryman and a turbocharged version of the same putting down 180 horses in the Countryman S. (Yes, it’s technically “Cooper S Countryman,” but “Countryman S” sounds so Porsche-like.) Both models come with choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions, but all-wheel-drive will only be available on the S in the States.

Then again, given that Mini claims basic Countrymans (Countrymen? Jesus…) take 10.5 seconds for the run from naught to 60, the added weight of AWD would probably make things awfully lethargic. Countryman S models will supposedly do it in a much more reasonable 7.6 seconds – probably closer to 8.1 with the AWD. Top speeds are limited to 118 and 128 mph for the Countryman and Countryman S, respectively.

But Mini isn’t the only one seeing how small they can take the SUV concept. Coming from the other side of the globe is Nissan’s Juke, which, while sounding suspiciously like a sassy Autobot, looks more like…a sassy Autobot in need of a new face.

We’re gonna be straight with you: we’re a little weirded out by this thing. You know why? Because we don’t know how to make eye contact with it.

Despite what Pixar wanted us to believe, we all know a car’s headlights are its eyes. For the last 100 years, the front end of just about every car has vaguely resembled a human face. This is probably a large part of what leads us to identify with cars so strongly – to name them, to write songs about them, to take such pride in them. We look at them, and see mechanical people. Mechanical friends. And it all starts by making eye contact with those two headlamps.

 You see? Your eyes go to his headlamps!With the Juke…it’s like meeting somebody with four eyes. You don’t know which ones to look into. It’s like trying to relate to an enormous spider. Do you make contact with those giant foglamps that look like they should be the headlights…or those skinny things high on the fenders? Which ones are its eyes, goddamnit?!

Okay, it's just generally ugly.

Befetting the recession, Audi’s newest model is also their least expensive. Dubbed the A1, the baby Audi is the newest entrant into the luxury subcompact class, a category that in the U.S. includes…um…well, there’s the Mini, we suppose…and the…nope, that’s it. Unsurprisingly, Audi isn’t planning on bringing the diminutive three-door hatch stateside – at least not anytime soon.

Which is too bad, ’cause we’d love to try one on. Powertrain options include two diesel and two gasoline engines linked to a seven-speed twin clutch transmission and the front wheels; with between 86 and 122 horses, power is hardly AMG-esque, but on the bright side, even the thirstiest model averages 44 miles per gallon. (There’s also a 465-watt Bose stereo available, so while you may not be winning many drag races, you can always deafen your foe just before the green light.)

Audi sources say the A1 will spawn a full range of models, from a five-door hatch to a convertible to a S1 with a turbocharged engine making 180 horses. Expect the five-door in 2011 and the other models in 2012.

Volvo, though, has its sights set in a loftier price bracket for their new S60 sedan. The company claims the car is the most “dynamic car model” they’ve ever made; while we can’t support or deny this yet, we certainly can say it is the best-looking Volvo we’ve ever seen.

According to Volvo, the 2011 S60 will offer two separate chassis; European models will have a “dynamic” chassis, while North American and Asian markets receive a one with a “comfort” chassis. Thankfully, the “dynamic” version will be available as a “sport variant” here in the U.S. of A. Coupled up with the car’s optional turbocharged 3.0 liter inline six-cylinder making 304 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque, the S60 should do the 0-60 hustle in 6.5 seconds. (AWD is standard on turbocharged models.)

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Volvo if it wasn’t safe. Having taken occupant safety about as far as early 21st century technology can go, the company has moved onto protecting people outside the car. The XC60 sport-ute was first, with its “City Safety” system capable of detecting stopped traffic ahead and automatically applying the brakes to avoid an accident. However, the system only detected cars, and only could completely stop the car from below 10 mph.

The S60, in turn, receives something called “Pedestrian Safety.” Operating along the same principles as City Safety, the new version detects and warns the driver of pedestrians ahead; if the driver doesn’t react, the car applies maximum braking power. Volvo says the system can avoid a collision altogether at speeds up to 22 miles per hour. We’d like to test it by putting Glenn Beck in front of the car. And we bet it’ll stop in time at 35 mph, too.

Our last 2011 model isn’t really all that new or innovative…it’s just one of our old favorites. After a couple years on hiatus, Porsche announced they’re bringing back the 911 Turbo S. 530 horsepower. I mean, come on. From a six-cylinder production car. God bless you, Porsche.

Less awesome is Porsche’s choice to only offer the Turbo S with their seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, known as Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe! (That is actually the real name.) Sure, the PDK offers faster shifts, improved fuel economy and automatic shifting when you’re lazy, but the simple fact that Porsche – keeper of purity in the automotive world – is offering their most potent sports car without a stick seems a sign the death of the manual transmission is closer than we think.

Still, Porsche claims 0-60 in 3.3 seconds (and they’re usually conservative), top speed of 195 mph, and 25 miles per gallon. We’ll find a way to live with PDK.

But maybe you need a little more space in your all-weather supercar. Maybe you’ve got kids, maybe your spouse/partner/mother doesn’t want you driving a sports car, maybe you just want something a little more innocuous so the ATF doesn’t have it so easy following you to your warehouse full of smokes, booze and guns.

Once upon a time, you could’ve bought an Audi RS6. Five years ago, it was the 450-horsepower king of the sports-sedan hill; fast as an M5, but with AWD traction. Then Audi brought out a new A6, and Audi stopped importing the RS6.

The good news: Horchaus does it now.

The Canadian subsidiary of MTM Tuners, Horchaus has begun bringing Euro-only Audi models like the current RS6 to the U.S. and Canada. More importantly, not only is Audi okay with this, but Audi is actually prepping the cars to U.S. Department of Transportation standards. It’s 100 percent legal, baby.

Not enough good news? Well, try this on for size: Horchaus’s cars are downright affordable. (Ish.) Choose to buy a R8 5.2 V10 from your local Audi dealer, it’ll cost at least $146,000; have Horchaus bring one over, it costs around $98,000. No idea why Audi’s allowing this, but ya gotta love it.

And that RS6 you wanted? $107,000. A bit more than an equivalent Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, maybe, but the Audi has all-wheel-drive and 62 more horses. Plus, you can get it as a wagon. How cool is that?

The Good: Sports-car performance, sedan convenience, inspires Kobe Bryant-levels of confidence.

The Bad: Not as fuel-efficient as the EPA would have you think, transmission a bit rebellious.

The Verdict: A near-perfect harmony of speed, style and substance.

The best automobiles are more than transportation appliances. Sure, they move you from place to place just as well as any car, truck, golf cart or Segway – but they do so much more. They inspire passion. They inspire lust. And, like Hugh Grant in any number of estrogen-tastic romantic comedies, despite their flaws, you ultimately come to love them wholeheartedly.

The Audi S4 is one of those cars.

On the surface, the S4 doesn’t seem very different from the A4 on which it’s based. While the S4 receives unique bumpers, a mildly different grille and quad tailpipes in lieu of the A4’s twin pipes, only the hardest core of enthusiasts are likely to notice. It’s a stealthy approach to speed – in stark contrast to the in-your-face aggression of potential competitors like the BMW M3 or the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.

(Of course, Audi insists the S4 doesn’t compete with those macho models, instead preferring to stack its stealth sports sedan against the “regular” six-cylinder entry-level luxury sedans – specifically, the BMW 335i, which the S4 is locked onto like a Tomahawk cruise missile.)

The trend of stylish subtlety continues inside, where the biggest variation from the A4 are a pair of sport bucket seats up front – though a handful of other differentiators, such as S4-branded gauges and steering wheel, pop up around the interior. But lack of style was never really a problem with the A4 (at least from my point of view), and the S4’s differences, though minor, add a bit of panache to the car’s looks.

Pop the hood, though, and the changes become a lot more apparent. Instead of the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder in the A4, the S4 runs wild with a 333-horsepower supercharged 3.0 liter V6 capable of propelling the S4 from 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds, according to both Audi and Car and Driver.

But those numbers seem so cold and abstract compared to those 333 horses. This car is fast. Whee! Fast. The supercharger has effectively no lag (a major advantage blowers have over turbochargers) – punch the throttle, and you’re thrown back into your seat and on your way to that inevitable court date. (“Reckless driving,” my ass…)

While the S4 is based off a front-drive platform (indeed, you can buy a FWD A4 if you really want, but good luck finding one), it thankfully comes with standard all-wheel-drive, which harnesses those gallivanting ponies and sticks them to the ground with the expected Germanic efficiency. Between it and the electronic stability control, even the slipperiest Vermont roads were easily negotiable.

That said, though, click off the ESP, and the S4 will hang its tail out in curves all day long if you want it too (especially on those aforementioned icy dirt roads). I spend the better part of ten minutes baking donuts in the fresh snow of an Asian fusion restaurant parking lot – including several continuous loops around a blue spruce in the middle of the lot. (And I don’t regret it one bit, Ma.)

While a six-speed manual transmission comes standard, my tester put the power down through a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. In the past, I’ve been quite happy with this type of transmission (both in the Audi TT-S and the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart), and the S4 was no exception – in automatic mode, shifts are as smooth as a slushbox, while in manual mode, it cracks off shifts with Barry Allen speed.

Adding a seventh, higher gear to the mix adds some virtue to the car’s hefty serving of vice, allowing the S4 to reach an EPA-claimed 28 mpg on the highway and 18 mpg in town. Of course, the EPA test cycle was designed by an engineer who drives like Ralph Nader in a snowstorm, so real-world mileage is a bit lower; I averaged 22.45 miles per gallon over a week of mostly highway driving.

The dual clutch ‘box isn’t perfect, however. Even in manual mode, flooring the throttle in high gear causes the car to drop down several cogs to put you in the heart of the powerband again. In automatic mode, this certainly makes sense, but presumably any driver who’s enabled manual mode wants to make his or her own decisions – and if he/she wants to, say, test top-gear acceleration along the New Jersey Turnpike without being unexpectedly flung towards the Pennsylvania state line, that’s his or her perogative.

Less startling but more annoying, the aluminum paddles on the back of the steering wheel are on the small side – small enough to be all but invisible behind the spokes at 9 and 3 o’clock. I presume this was an intentional move to keep them out of the way for drivers who don’t want to be bothered with shifting for themselves – but it seems kind of a burn to the enthusiasts who, presumably, make up a hefty percentage of the S4’s clientele.

Quibbles aside, the S4’s powertrain makes for one hell of a fun ride; luckily, when the road turns curvy, the suspension and chassis proves more than capable of cashing the checks the supercharged V6 loves to write all over the pavement. As with true sports cars, the S4’s limits will almost always lie beyond those of your nerves (at least on public roads).

Push the car into turns, and it urges you on, encouraging and emboldening you. While the steering can be heavy at low speeds, it lightens up as the car builds velocity, never feeling floaty or disconnected. Few cars instill as much confidence in their drivers as the S4 does.

On a side note, this was the first Audi I’ve tested lacking the Audi Drive Select system, which allows the driver to adjust the suspension, steering and drivetrain’s responsiveness. To what degree the ADS improves non-“S” models, I’m still unsure, but given my experience with the S4, I’d be hard-pressed to imagine how the system could improve on the car’s dynamics – at least, not enough to warrant its $3,950 price.

Of course, sport sedans promise a measure of convenience along with performance – after all, as Mitt Romney learned, society tends to frown on strapping your dog to the roof of your car; there will be times you need that extra room. Not surprisingly, the S4 offers all the convenience of the A4 it’s based on – it just goes faster. Granted, it’s still on the smaller end of the sedan spectrum; it’s possible to fit three adults and a week’s worth of luggage into the car, but let’s just say my backseat-dwelling father would probably not enjoy repeating that drive from Boston to New York City anytime soon. (Especially since he had to share the rear bench with several large bags.)

The Bottom Line:

For anyone seeking maximum driving excitement for around $50,000 without sacrificing utility, the S4 is as good as it gets. It’ll take winding back roads like a sports car at noon and let you drive octogenarian ladies to and from dinner at night. The S4 packs 95 percent of the fun of a sports car with 100 percent of the comfort and handiness of a four-door luxury sedan.

As an automotive journalist, people often ask, “If you could have one car, regardless of price, what would it be?” Usually, I’ll respond with my supercar crush du jour, then offer a quippy remark about the fun factor overwhelming the little inconveniences – crappy gas mileage, hefty insurance rates, lack of room, tricky behavior in town, and so forth.

But today? I might just tell them, “Audi S4.”

Base Price/Price As Tested: $48,125/$53,450

0-60: 4.9 seconds (courtesy Car and Driver)

Fuel Economy: 18 city/28 highway (EPA estimate); 22.45 mpg (observed)

Key Competitors: BMW 335i/335xi, Ford Taurus SHO, Cadillac CTS

 

In what could be the coolest piece of automotive video advertising to come out of Germany since BMW handed a group of directors their entire lineup and Clive Owen's lanky frame, Mercedes-Benz appears to have driven its SLS supercar up the wall.

Literally.

Of course, could is the key word here. From the footage, it's not entirely clear whether the volks at Mercedes actually sacked up and went for this testosterone-fueled stunt, or whether, like your prom date, they just faked the climax.

Most of the Interwebs seems to believe it was faked, citing everything from the over-rendered appearance of the vehicle at the Moment of Truth to the fact that only Chuck Norris possesses the ability to barrel roll a car inside a tunnel. As much as it pains us to admit it, we think it's probably faked, too. I mean, don't you think if Mercedes was gonna attempt this feat, they'd bring a couple journalists along to see (and Tweet about it)?

The bright spot of news here, though, is that the SLS looks a helluva lot better in motion than it does in static pictures. I mean, that B-pillar is still as ugly as Jay Leno in the morning, and the SLR packed a lot more visual Sturm und Drang. But based on the video (and that exhaust note!), we're willing to move the SLS from the "Not Interested" column to "We'll Consider It."

(*Cough, cough - loan us one, Mercedes - cough, cough**)

But unfortunately, very close to those two columns in our Enormous Anal-Retentive Spreadsheet of Cars is one entitled "Why Didn't They Build It, God?" Populated for years by such cars as the Cadillac Sixteen, Chrysler ME412 and Bentley Hunaudières, the next-generation Acura NSX was one of the most recent and grieved-over additions to the list. Powered by a 5.5 liter, 600+ horsepower V10 routed through a race-optimized version of the company's Super-Handling All Wheel Drive!, the NSX2 was nearly finished with development (including running the Wagnerian Nürburgring racetrack in 7 minutes 37 seconds on its first try) when Honda pulled the plug to focus on "fuel-efficient vehicles." Dicks.

To this day, for Hondaphiles and auto enthusiasts, "Where Were You When They Killed The New NSX?" prompts the same sort of emotional jolt as asking "Where Were You When Kennedy Was Shot?" Perhaps the only real peace to be found was in Honda's announcement that the finished product would have looked very similar to Acura's 2007 Advanced Sports Car Concept, a supercar-shaped dose of Valium if there ever was one.

That's it - preach it, Homer.

Then today, Honda releases photos of their HSV-10 GT race car - and it's like seeing that girl you always wanted to ask out in high school on the cover of the Victoria's Secret catalog.

This is what the NSX was going to look like, isn't it, Honda? Don't bullshit me here. I can see it in that rear angle. You were all set to unleash a 625-horsepower AWD supercar that looked like a furious Ferrari 599 GTB, and you killed it? What were you thinking?

Was it that you were going to lose money on each one you sold? Well, of course you were - Toyota's losing money on every Lexus LFA they sell, and they're going for $350K. You were gonna sell a comparable car for 47 percent of the price - it would have been cheaper to upholster every Accord in the world in mink.

But a car like the NSX isn't about the cost. It's about Showing Your Power. Screw any argument about "bringing people into showrooms" or "generating interest in the brand" - nobody goes into a Chevy dealership to ogle a ZR1 then thinks, "Gee, this Cobalt must be just as cool, since it's right next to the Corvette!" An unprofitable supercar is an automaker's way of saying, "Our cars are so successful, we could literally afford to flush wads of cash down the toilet. But instead, we're gonna take that money and build a car so cool, people will idolize it for the rest of the century."

One more thing, Honda: you also have to keep up with the Joneses. Toyota has the LFA. Nissan has the GT-R. And you're out several million bucks in R&D with nothing to show for it. Ball's in your court.