Million-Dollar ‘Supercar’ Will Be Sold Through U.S. Dealers

Italian supercar manufacturer Pagani Automobili SpA. said today it will enter the U.S. market with its new model called the Huayra. The company says it will begin selling the 700-horsepower car in the U.S. through a dealer network beginning later this year. Its price is expected to be more than $1 million.

Pagani released pictures of the new two-seater and information about its specifications late last month, but its pending availability in the U.S is big news for the speed-addled and well-heeled. Pagani’s current model, the Zonda, has been a perennial leader in top-speed and brute-power contests run by car magazines for the past decade and has been tantalizingly out of reach for many would-be customers in the States.

Pagani will sell the new Huayra through U.S. dealerships.

Named after Huayra Tata, an ancient God of wind, the Huayra has a six-liter, 12-cylinder engine with two turbochargers built by Mercedes-Benz’s AMG performance unit, which is responsible for the German company’s most powerful models. The engine breathes through a pair of air intakes behind the occupants that the company describes as “a tribute to the supersonic aircraft of the late 1950s and 1960s.” They were designed to allow air into the engine without unnecessarily disturbing aerodynamics.

Pagani, which is based in San Cesario sul Panaro, near Modena, Italy, says it has built five Huayra prototypes and has been road testing them for the past four years. The test cars have traveled more than 300,000 miles and will cover about 600,000 miles before entering the U.S. market. The company says the car complies with the strictest European and American safety and emissions standards.

The car is to make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The company says it will reveal its specific plans for unveiling the Huayra in the U.S. in the coming weeks.

Bring a Wingman When You Buy a Car

What do pilots, police officers and car shoppers all have in common? They work best with a partner - a wingman. Car buying is a difficult process for many people, and although there is an alternate online strategy that can save you much of the hassle, there are times when a trip to the dealership might be the best thing.

That's when a wingman comes in handy. At some point in the purchase process, you'll want to take a test-drive. And, distasteful though it might be, you might need to negotiate or sign contracts in person. At times like these, it's better not to go it alone. But what qualities should you seek in the person who accompanies you? Not just anyone will fill the bill. Having the right person with you at the dealership can help you spot any inconsistencies in the deal, fend off pushy salespeople and create leverage in your negotiations.

At car dealerships, there's safety in numbers.

The Best Wingman Might Be a Woman
The ideal wingman is someone who has a skill you can put to use. Maybe it's a friend who is knowledgeable about cars. Perhaps it's a sibling who is a fearless negotiator. Perhaps it's an in-law who isn't afraid to ask stupid questions. But the wingman emphatically does not have to be a man. Sometimes a car guy can be a liability, particularly if he falls in love with a particular engine or vehicle and inadvertently pressures you into accepting a car that may not best fit your needs. Whether your wingman is male or female, be sure to bring a person who can remain objective and has an eye for detail.

Once you've picked your wingman, you'll need to establish who will do what during the trip to the dealership. If negotiating isn't your strong suit, have your friend handle that aspect while you focus on asking questions. On the other hand, if you're comfortable with negotiating, let your wingman ask the questions and occasionally chime in with an opinion. Your wingman should supplement the skills that might not be your strong suit.

Stay in Close Formation
Don't let yourself get separated from your wingman. If you do, you'll lose your strength in numbers.

Consider what happened to an Edmunds editor and his girlfriend. They had completed negotiations for a car, but were forced to spend an excessive amount of time waiting for the dealership to get the contracts in order. As they made their way to the finance and insurance (F&I) office, the editor made it clear that they didn't want to waste any more time and that they were not interested in being sold any additional services. The F&I manager agreed, but the moment the Edmunds editor stepped out for a cigarette, the F&I team began to push such products and services as paint protection and an extended warranty on the girlfriend. They were clearly hoping she'd be easier to convince.

If you will be test-driving the vehicle during your visit, start by having your wingman keep an eye out for any potential rip-off stickers as you review the car's features. During the test-drive itself, ask the salesperson to ride in the back. This allows you and your wingman to pay closer attention to the car. You might still get the sales pitch, but it is easier to tune out a salesperson when he's in the backseat, rather than at your elbow.

Deploy the Lukewarm Wingman
A wingman can help take some of the heat off you by talking down the car during discussions. Arrange to have him casually mention that he isn't that interested in this particular vehicle - whether he means it or not. Or he can say that he preferred that blue one you saw at the dealership across town. Follow your wingman's lead and express some concerns of your own. This will let the salesperson know that you have other buying options and it puts the pressure on him to make you a better offer. Remaining non-committal diffuses one of the salesperson's most effective weapons: the knowledge that you really want the car in his showroom.

Review the Numbers Together
When it's time to talk numbers, a wingman can either take over the negotiating for you or help spot any inconsistencies in the numbers. He or she can also be on the lookout for any financing pitfalls that you might encounter. While you're busy saying "No" to items in the F&I room, your wingman can make sure that the prices you've agreed upon are reflected in the contract. Pay close attention to any additional fees that appear and don't hesitate to question anything out of the ordinary.

After the ink on the contract has dried, you'll be able to rest easy, knowing that your wingman got you a better deal, spotted an inconsistency or was simply there for moral support. Be sure to thank your wingman and remember what you learned from the experience. You might have to return the favor when it's her time to buy a car.

Five Offbeat Cars Coming in 2011

Ferrari FF

Graft the rear end of a station wagon onto a sports car and you get the Ferrari FF.

Ferrari FF (Courtesy Ferrari)

The FF is supposed to be Ferrari’s most practical model, a supercar the whole family can enjoy. It has four seats and a decently sized trunk, which is why the rear end is designed the way it is.

It will also be the first Ferrari ever to have all-wheel drive. The name “FF” is an acronym that stands for “four seats” and “four-wheel drive.” This car replaces the 612 Scaglietti, which until it ceased production at the end of 2010 was Ferrari’s largest model and the only one with a back seat.

The Ferrari FF’s V12 engine puts out 660 horespower and is good for 0 to 62 mph in 3.7 seconds, Ferrari says.

Actually, the FF’s body style is not without precedent — it’s just obscure. Lamborghini’s Espada from the late 1960s and ’70s had a roof that stretched back like a wagon’s to accommodate a rear seat and trunk. A more recent example is the BMW Z3 Coupe, which — unlike the Ferrari and Lambo — only had two seats.

Here’s a piece of trivia: This type of sporty, stubby wagon is called a “shooting brake” in Europe.

Hyundai Veloster

Hyundai wants this little hatchback to be as cool as a Mini Cooper but more affordable and practical.

Hyundai Veloster (Courtesy Hyundai)

While styling and cool factor are subjective, it does have a larger interior and trunk than the Mini.

What makes it odd is that it has one door on the driver side and two doors on the passenger side. The idea was to keep the shape of a sporty two-door, but to add a rear door on the passenger side for easier access to the back seat.

Hyundai used motorcycles as a design inspiration: The car’s wraparound windshield resembles a helmet visor, and the center console is in the shape of a motorcycle’s gas tank.

A 138-hp four-cylinder engine should make the lightweight Veloster pretty peppy. Hyundai expects it to get 40 mpg on the highway. The car goes on sale this summer.

Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

This bulky convertible SUV-type thing comes across much better in person than in photos. It will appeal to yuppies who like drop-tops but don’t care for sports cars and the compromises they bring in comfort and convenience.

Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet (Courtesy Nissan)

Nissan is setting modest sales targets for the Murano CrossCabriolet, which shows the company is being realistic about its potential.

Several of the journalists who saw the Murano CrossCabriolet on display at an event in December thought Nissan was crazy for creating it. One even said he wouldn’t be caught behind the wheel and so wouldn’t be test driving it. A Nissan rep at the same event said consumers have responded positively to it.

Say what you will of the design, in person the car looks and feels high end, with a well appointed interior and power-folding fabric top. The trunk and back seat had to be shrunk, and the rear doors are gone to accommodate the convertible roof. Other than that, the specs are similar to a regular Murano.

Range Rover Evoque Coupe

The Evoque is Range Rover’s first vehicle aimed at environmentally conscious young drivers; and for a company that has only ever built large, expensive, gas-guzzling SUVs with go-anywhere capability, it’s a huge deal.

Range Rover Evoque Coupe (Courtesy Land Rover)

In fact, the only reason (or at least the main reason) the Evoque isn’t a car, is because Range Rover refuses to build anything but SUVs for fear of tainting its image. Rightly so.

The Evoque is Range Rover’s smallest, lightest SUV ever. Depending on how it’s configured, it can weigh up to 728 pounds less than the U.S. version of the Land Rover LR2, currently the company’s smallest SUV. Plastic front fenders and an aluminum hood and roof help keep weight down. Opting for front-wheel drive — a first on a Range Rover, and something that would’ve been unthinkable five years ago — instead of the standard four-wheel drive saves 165 pounds.

Its silhouette and overall styling are intentionally car-like — particularly on the two-door model — and much sleeker than the company’s blocky SUVs. The Evoque has been tuned to drive like a sporty luxury sedan on the road. Its four-cylinder engine is small for a Range Rover, so it’s turbocharged to produce a lot of power for its size (240 hp).

Four-door and two-door versions of the Evoque go on sale this fall. Land Rover expects “well equipped” models to sell for around $45,000.

Scion iQ

The Scion iQ is like a mash-up between a Scion xD and a Smart Fortwo.

Scion iQ (Courtesy Toyota)

From the outside, it appears to be a two seater, but there’s actually room in back for one adult and a child. Scion calls it “3 + 1” seating.

That’s because the rear seats aren’t symmetrical — the one on the right is larger than the one on the left. The idea is that the front occupant can move forward to make more room for an adult in back, while a truncated seat behind the driver can accommodate a kid.

It’s a creative use of space and the sort of thing we’re probably going to see more of as cars inevitably get smaller.

The Scion iQ is powered by a tiny four-cylinder engine that produces around 90 hp. As if to preempt any questions around safety, Scion is touting 10 airbags on the iQ, including one that covers the rear window, which the company says is a first.

Scion’s parent company Toyota already sells the iQ in other markets. It goes on sale in the United States this spring.

Automotive Oddities

Strange experiments are happening in the auto industry.

Companies are cross-pollinating different types of vehicles to create new breeds, and the results are sometimes perplexing.

For example, Nissan has turned its pudgy Murano into a convertible. Meanwhile, Range Rover is trying to show some concern for the environment by offering its smallest, most car-like SUV ever, the Evoque.

Both the Murano and Evoque are considered “crossovers,” which by definition are a mixed bag to begin with: They blend attributes of SUVs, wagons and minivans. So it seems these new variations represent the next level of crossing over.

The line between different kinds of cars is also getting hazier, driven in part by a focus on making smaller cars more appealing. Both Hyundai and Scion are launching compact cars that stray from the norm in terms of seating and overall packaging. The intention is to make them more practical and thus appeal to a wider audience.

Six of the Top 12 Greenest Cars

#1: Honda Civic GX

Mileage: 24 city, 36 hwy, per gallon-equivalent

Emissions are a major factor in the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy's "Green Car" rankings, which the group has published annually since 1998. That's why the Civic GX tops the list despite fuel economy figures that are lower than the others. It runs on compressed natural, which is much cleaner burning than gasoline.

Emissions are why you won't find any diesel-powered cars on this list. Despite being very efficient, and much cleaner than they were in the past, diesel engines still emit more pollution than the most fuel-efficient gasoline cars.

#2: Nissan Leaf

Mileage: 106 city, 92 hwy, per gallon equivalent

EV rage: 100 miles

The Leaf burns no fuel at all, running purely on electricity. Electric power plants do burn fuel, and that's a factor taken into account in the ACEEE rankings. That's why the Leaf ranks second to the clean-burning Honda Civic GX.

#3: Smart ForTwo

Mileage: 33 city, 41 hwy

The ForTwo, a two-seat car, relies on small size, light weight and a tiny three cylinder engine to get a great "Green Score." Besides contributing the car's fuel efficiency, weight itself was a big factor in the ACEEE's scoring. The assumption is that heavier cars create more waste and emissions in their manufacturing and disposal than lighter cars.

#4: Toyota Prius

Mileage: 51 city, 48 hwy

Hybrid cars rank highly based on fuel economy, but they pay a penalty because of their heavy battery packs. Cars that use nickel-metal batteries, as the Prius does, pay a higher penalty in the rankings because their batteries contain more toxic substances than do the lithium-ion batteries used in most plug-in cars.

#5: Honda Civic Hybrid

Mileage: 40 city, 43 hwy

Because its hybrid system operates differently from that in a Prius, the Civic Hybrid is more efficient in highway driving than in the city. It's also less efficient overall.

#6: Honda Insight

Mileage: 40 city, 43 hwy

Honda launched the Insight as a less costly competitor to the Prius. Despite being a smaller car, its fuel economy is the same as the Civic Hybrid.

Leaf and Prius stomp the Volt on greenest car list

The Chevrolet Volt didn't rank as one of the top-ten "greenest" cars in America, coming at no. 12, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's annual list.

The fully electric Nissan Leaf ranked second among all 2011 model year cars on the same list. First place went to the compressed natural gas powered Honda Civic GX.

The 2011 Chevy Volt ranked 12th in ACEEE's list.

Vehicles are ranked according to a "Green Score," factoring fuel economy and emissions, including emissions from electric power plants. The relative impact of a vehicle's manufacture and disposal, based on the car's weight, was also considered.

The top 12 cars include gasoline-powered cars, plug-in cars, gasoline/electric hybrids and natural gas powered vehicles. No diesel cars made the top ranks because of their relatively high emissions compared to very fuel-efficient gasoline-powered cars.

The Volt can run on electricity or gasoline. For the purposes of these rankings, the ACEEE assumed the Volt was driven on plug-in electricity 64% percent of the time and on gasoline 36% of the time. The ratio was based on a standard recommended by the Society of Automotive Engineers, an ACEEE spokeswoman said.

"As a gasoline vehicle, the fuel economy's not stellar," said Shruti Vaidyanathan, a spokeswoman for the ACEEE.

When operating under gasoline power, the Volt gets EPA-rated fuel economy of 35 miles per gallon in the city and 40 on the highway.

That's not as good as the third-ranked Smart ForTwo, which gets 41 mpg on the highway, 33 in the city or the fourth-ranked Toyota Prius, which gets 48 on the highway and 51 in the city.

A car's weight is considered an important factor into the rating system, so the Volt's nearly 3,800 pounds dragged its rankings down. The Chevrolet Cruze Eco, a gasoline-powered car that's otherwise very similar to the Volt but weighs 750 pounds less, ranked 8th on the list. Most of the Volt's additional weight comes from its lithium-ion battery pack.

For electric and hybrid cars the organization accounted for battery weight separately. Nickel-metal batteries used in hybrid cars like the Prius have a greater impact, pound for pound, than the less toxic, but far larger, lithium-ion batteries used in the Leaf and Volt.

Weight accounted for roughly 40 pct of the Volt's overall score.

All told, the Volt ended up ranking lower than six non-hybrid gasoline powered cars.

"I find it kind of laughable," said GM spokesman Rob Peterson when told of ranking and the rational behind it.

Peterson objected to the idea that the Volt's weight counted so heavily against the Volt.

"It's one group's interpretation of a measurement of 'green'," he said.

The ACEEE gave every 2011 model year a "Green Score" base on its overall environmental impact. Among the lowest-scoring vehicles of all were the Ford Expedition and the Chevrolet Suburban.

The ACEEE is a Washington-based non-profit group dedicated to "advancing energy efficiency as a means of promoting economic prosperity," according to its Web site. The group has produced an annual "Green Cars" guide since 1998.

The Future Is Back

Twenty-six-year-old Cameron Wynne is a champion wakeboarder and fan of the electro-funk band Chromeo. His long hair, tanned skin and girlfriend-who-works-in-fashion go a long way toward completing his cool-kid persona. But his beyond-exotic ride provides the finishing touch.

"When I was at the Roosevelt in L.A., they moved a Lamborghini Murcielago so they could park it in front of everything—a Murcielago!" Wynne says. "And they didn't charge me anything. All week."

"It" is Wynne's 1981 DeLorean DMC-12. Yes, that gull-wing stunner best known as the time machine in the 1985 Robert Zemeckis film, Back to the Future. (Wynne's edition is wrapped in black, with matte shard effects that were a 2009 limited-edition design for The Hundreds clothing line.)

Against all expectations—and possibly common sense—the DeLorean is back in limited production, and with it has come a boomlet in DeLoreaniana. Last November Nike's 6.0 Dunk SE DeLorean sneakers sold out online in minutes. A DMC-12 holds a prime spot in Xbox's bestselling Gran Turismo videogame. Next month Mattel's Hot Wheels DeLorean edition will begin its fifth product run in the past year.

Not to mention the car's popularity in the music and film communities. Pop singer Ke$ha drove one to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards; will.i.am owns one; Kanye West and Die Antwoord are vocal fans. The British band Neon Neon devoted its entire 2008 album, Stainless Style, to DeLorean. At least four movie projects—some backed by DeLorean's children—are making the rounds in Hollywood.

When John DeLorean launched the original as a challenge to the Corvette in 1981, its 130hp, 2.8-liter V6 went from 0mph to 60mph in 10.5 seconds. It cost $25,000. Since then the car has garnered both favor and contempt. It became notorious in 1982 when DeLorean, desperate to generate cash (a $27 million stock issue had fallen through), became the target of an FBI investigation into drug trafficking. When the Feds caught him on camera in a Los Angeles Sheraton transferring a suitcase filled with 220 pounds of cocaine and famously saying, "It's as good as gold and just in the nick of time," their case seemed made.

Now, 30 years later, the brand is making a comeback based on its own merits. "People like the car for the car," emphasizes Stephen Wynne, the 54-year-old CEO of DeLorean Motor Co. Along with son Cameron and 16 employees, Wynne is building and restoring DeLoreans at a 40,000-square-foot facility in Humble, Tex., 30 miles north of Houston.

A former mechanic with long caramel bangs, a Carolina Herrera shirt and Prada loafers, Wynne grew up in Liverpool obsessed with cars—his parents' trick to calm him as a toddler was to put him behind the wheel of the family sedan. Wynne moved to California in 1980 and developed an expertise in repairing DeLoreans, since the intricacies of their French-made Peugeot-Renault-Volvo (PRV) engine and Lotus-designed chassis were second nature for someone used to European vehicles. It didn't hurt that he could "talk the same language" when tracking car parts across Europe—back in the day DeLorean cars were assembled in Northern Ireland, thanks to millions of dollars in development incentives from the British government.

While in California Wynne heard that a company called Kapac had DeLorean engineering data and thousands of spare parts lying fallow. In 1997 he bought out Kapac's stocks for under a million dollars and by 1999 was the proud owner of all DeLorean branding rights and subsidiaries.

Today's DeLorean Motor Co. makes about six "new" cars a year—they have stainless-steel reproduction chassis and a combination of new-old stock (NOS), original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and reproduction parts. DMC also sells about 60 certified used DeLoreans annually. (The bulk of the business comes from service, repairs and restoration—and, increasingly, from licensing agreements.) The $57,500 new builds have a few modern options—like a CD player, GPS and iPod/Bluetooth—but their look is identical to those built in the 1980s.

They're fun to drive, too. A DMC-12 is not going to win many drag races (though it will be challenged to them often), but it is nimble enough and feels smooth cruising at 70mph down the interstate. Speed aside, the steering is slightly stiff (power steering is not available); the clutch, brake and accelerator pedals are narrow and sit closely to one another, which requires some adjustment. Headroom inside is limited, but the car is 6 feet wide with ample legroom (good enough for the 6-foot-4 DeLorean himself).

DeLorean positioned his cars as safer and more "ethical" than those produced by GM. But they were panned initially for poor electronics and ill-fitting doors, along with their excessive weight and the tendency of the steel siding to show fingerprints. Stateside quality control and retooling on the doors worked out the kinks in subsequent generations, and the new DeLoreans are built on a lighter chassis and can be wrapped in any color or pattern to protect the steel panels.

Wynne says he has enough original parts to build 500 more new-old cars, including a limited-edition Final Run of 50 to commence production this June. So far, so good: Wynne demurs when asked about profit totals but says DMC revenue has grown to six times the totals of the early 1990s, and last year had an 8% increase in net profits over 2009. When the current supply of parts runs out, the thinking goes, DMC will be able to afford to produce brand-new cars as demand warrants.

The car certainly attracts its share of true believers. The DeLorean factory lot has become a pilgrimage destination. There's the Alabama boy who ran away from home and showed up on Wynne's doorstep, announcing simply: "I'm here." The Canadian friends who drove two days straight to arrive at the shop, see the cars, then drive straight back. The Houston dentist who has delayed his move to Australia until his car exceeds the age limit requiring conversion to right-side drive.

None of this adulation would have surprised DeLorean himself, who built 9,000 DMC-12s before his FBI bust. His biography was 1980s pop-culture lore: A shining star at GM who developed the Pontiac GTO, DeLorean had a flamboyant lifestyle (chest-hair-displaying V-necks, gold chains, a preference for, as he put it, "women who are dramatically less educated than I") that clashed with Detroit's conservative culture. DeLorean decamped to create a vehicle that he hoped would herald a new era of American-branded cars, tapping high-profile investors like Johnny Carson and Sammy Davis Jr., and lining up bank loans and partnerships.

Though he would eventually beat the drug charges—jurors ruled in 1984 that he had been entrapped—DeLorean faced ongoing fraud lawsuits. He spent years wrangling over delinquent mortgage payments and legal fees. In 2000 he had to sell his 434-acre Bedminster, N.J. estate to what became a Trump National Golf Club. He died in March 2005 at age 80.

Wynne calls DeLorean "a visionary" who had "terrible timing." Indeed, the original DeLorean company could be compared with what Tesla is trying to do today. Both had charismatic leaders (Elon Musk in Tesla's case), were founded during deep economic recessions, were priced high for the time (Tesla's Roadster starts at $109,000; $25,000 in 1981 would buy a small house), received government funding, and were built on the back of Lotus engineering. Both presented a radically different concept of what an American-made car should be. But Wynne just smiles when asked whether DMC will launch its own electric model. He lets on that the DMC-12 is well suited to such a configuration.

The Tesla comparison is not one Musk apparently relishes. "The thing that ticks me off," Wynne notes, "is the many times Musk has said, ‘We're not another DeLorean—we're in it for the long run.' It cracks me up—does he realize how similar the dynamics are?"

Not to mention the fact that 30 years down the road DeLoreans are still turning heads.

DeLorean World
Where you'll see DMC

CEO Stephen Wynne is careful about licensing his brand. He turned down a "substantial" offer from Grand Theft Auto, for instance, because he didn't want DeLorean associated with its violent and drug-riddled content.

"We took some flak from the gamers," he says. "But it didn't sit right with me."

Here are some licensing proposals DMC did agree to.

- Nike 6.0 Dunk SE DeLorean. The $90 sneaks started listing for $400 on eBay the day after they sold out online. Nike designers visited DMC during production to re-create DeLorean taillights in the sole of the shoes. The kicks came packaged in a silver box that opened on either side like gull-wing doors.

- Mattel Hot Wheels DeLorean edition. The tiny cars sold 400,000 units last year in the fourth quarter alone. A special Back to the Future version is due out this spring.

- Xbox Gran Turismo. Sony approached DMC "very early," Wynne said, but he turned them down. "They offered me a dollar for the licensing, and I said no—you're missing some zeros here. They came back two years later with some real money."

- The Hundreds. The L.A.-based design shop is heavily influenced by southern California's skateboarding and surf punk culture. The Hundreds partnered with DMC to produce a special run of DeLorean T-shirts and a wrap option for the DMC-12.

America's Worst Speed Traps

If you've ever been pulled over for speeding, you know it feels like you're a gazelle that just got taken down by a lion.

And, while this recession, and the gaping budget holes that resulted, have turned most cities into a jungle for motorists, there are some cities that have far more speed traps than others. And automated traffic cams have only egged them on. Now, they can snag just as many motorists for speeding, if not more, with less manpower.

It's hard to get this information from the police or the courts for two reasons: 1) Many tickets are negotiated in court and 2) speed limits, while originally designed to conserve fuel during the energy crisis of the 1970s, have grown into a cash cow for states and municipalities—and they don't want you to know how much they're making off of speeding tickets.

"Speed limits are supposed to be based on factual studies of traffic and what the majority of motorists deem as a safe speed," said Chad Dornsife, director of the Highway Safety Group . "Now, the posted limit has become a revenue generator—not a safety device."

The National Motorists Association, a drivers' rights group, estimates that speeding tickets are a $4.5 to $6 billion industry in America.

To be clear, speeding tickets aren't just for lead foots: In some places, they'll ticket you for going one mile over the speed limit and others set the speed limits artificially low.

"In some places, the average speed limit is set 10 to 15 miles below the actual safe speed for conditions," Dornsife said. "It makes technical violators out of people otherwise driving safely."

10. Los Angeles, California

Speed traps: 151

Los Angeles is a great example of speed limits not matching at all what traffic patterns indicate is a safe speed—which is how they're supposed to be determined.

Most of the speed traps are on the boulevards in the valley, my L.A.-based colleague Jane Wells, who writes the Funny Business blog, says. "The speed limit is 35 but if you actually drove that, you'd get mowed down!" Wells says.

Fines and surcharges for speeding or failing to have proof of insurance can approach $1,400, the NMA reports. And good luck fighting a ticket in L.A. It's always been tough, but with the city teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, motorists don't have a chance.

"If you walk into a courtroom, because of the massive deficits at every level, they can't let a breathing person walk out without taking their money!" Dornsife said.

9. Chicago, Illinois

Speed traps: 153

Chicago now uses red-light cameras to nab motorists for running lights and speeding, which increases the city's ticketing power. And, while, speed limits are supposed to be determined by engineering studies, Dornsife notes that the last study on one red light speed trap here was done in 1994 and the Department of Transportation deemed the safest speed was 43 miles per hour. The posted limit? 30.

Dorsnife notes two problems here: First, some of the traffic-control devices are 20 and 30 years old. And second, on the interstates, local politicians control the speed limits—and the enforcement in the courts. So, good luck fighting a ticket.

Barnet Fagel, aka "The Ticket Doctor," noted one particularly tricky speed trap: Motorists have to drive at a snail's pace leading up to the entrance to Lake Shore Drive, which then opens up into a six-lane highway. A half-mile in is the speed trap, where the speed limit is 40 and police nab drivers just as they're starting to pick up speed. "Comparable divided highways carry higher speed limits by as much as 10 to 20 mph more," he said.

8. Dallas, Texas

Speed traps: 156

Dallas is one of three Texas cities that made the top 10 for speed traps.

"Here's what happens in Texas: We have these safety standards that you have to apply to make sure the speed limit is safe," Dornsife said. "They follow none of them! They have what's called "home rule," which means they don't have to follow federal law."

Dornsife said it's not uncommon here for tickets to be issued for drivers going just a few miles over the speed limit.

Also, good luck keeping up with fluctuations in the speed limit on a given road. Dornsife recalls being at a DOT speed-limit conference and a presenter from Dallas said there are sections of the freeway where the speed limit can change three to four times within a few miles.

And speed limits can be changed arbitrarily: "Somebody stands up in a city council meeting … say, a police officer with no training in traffic engineering … and proposes a speed-limit change and they vote on it," Dornsife said. "Traffic engineers are supposed to decide what speed is safe—and law enforcement is supposed to enforce it," he said. "Half of these cities don't have traffic engineers."

7. Orlando, Florida

Speed traps: 165

You're less likely to break the speed limit on your daily commute than you are on vacation, where you're in a strange place and don't know the laws or the speed traps, Dornsife says. So, Orlando, home of Disney World and Universal Studios and Sea World, benefits from a steady stream of tourists—and revenue from speeding tickets.

"Orlando definitely has speed traps," said Amy Mariani, a former traffic reporter for Clear Channel Radio. Some of the worst ones, she said, are Colonial Drive (State Route 50), where the speed limit constantly changes, the Beachline (State Route 528) as motorists drive west from the airport (That's right, they get you straight from the airport!) and I-4, especially downtown near the Millenia Mall.

Plus, Dornsife says, Orlando was one of the early adopters for red-light cameras—they were using them even before state laws allowed them to. In the first three months, he says, the cameras here generated 700 tickets.

And, they're tough: One motorist noted on Speedtrap.org that officers on motorcycles often snag motorists in a short school zone for doing three to four miles over the speed limit.

6. Denver, Colorado

Speed traps: 165

Colorado, like Texas, has "home rule," where cities don't have to comply with state laws. As a result, traffic on some roadways indicate 35 to 40 miles per hour is safe and yet the speed limit has been set at 25, or 55 is safe and yet the legal limit has been set at 40.

One Denver driver said that many roadways have been designed far bigger than they need to be, which facilitates higher rates of speed. Then they post low speed limits and BAM! They can snag you for a speeding ticket.

And they're tough: They have speed cameras everywhere, that resident said, and they'll even nail you for going an inch over the line at a light.

Jayson Luber, the traffic reporter for 7News at ABC affiliate KMGH, said officers will even wait for drivers riding in the exit lane who dart back into other lanes at the last minute, and nab them for crossing a white line. He said holiday weekends are the worst but police are out in full force year round.

5. Jacksonville, Florida

Speed traps: 175

Florida takes the prize for the state where motorists are most likely to get a speeding ticket, according to a survey last year by the NMA.

One man told News4Jax.com that he wasn't surprised. "I probably passed 30 cops on the way down here, so they were sitting there waiting to get everybody that's for sure," he said.

Jacksonville, in particular, is known for speed traps where multiple drivers are pulled over at once, often by unmarked police cars, and motorists can be charged for going 5 mph over the limit. And, they get low marks on informing motorists of the speed limits.

"Many of their streets are horribly underposted," Dornsife said of Jacksonville. "Some of the signs they use there aren't even legal devices—they're supposed to be a particular size, format and shape," he said.

4. Colorado Springs, Colorado

Speed traps: 186

Remember, Colorado has "home rule," where municipalities don't have to follow state laws, and Colorado Springs takes full advantage of it.

To their credit, they fully disclose how tough they are: They state publicly that drivers will be penalized if they drive 1-4 miles over the speed limit, 5 to 9 miles over, 10 to 19 miles over, 20 to 39 miles over and 40 or more miles over (Literally, they break it down that far). They also state that "one's intent is irrelevant," which means they don't care if you didn't mean to speed, had a broken speedometer or have oversized tires. These situations are "Not a defense to speeding."

Colorado Springs drivers write on Speedtrap.org that often police use unmarked vehicles. And, like Denver, wide roads are often slapped with a 25 mph limit and entering the city from the southeast, one motorist notes, the speed limit drops quickly from 55 to 25.

3. Las Vegas, Nevada

Speed traps: 187

They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas and tourists find out all too soon that applies to speeding tickets as well!

Speed traps are common on the highways heading into and out of Las Vegas, Dornsife said. Department of Transportation records indicate traffic could handle 80 mph but a 70 mph zone is strictly enforced. Even side streets have traffic stops, one motorist noted on Speedtrap.org.

Dornsife added that anytime there's a budget crisis, the number of tickets written out seems to go up. And, good luck trying to fight them in court, especially when the city is still struggling financially.

2. Austin, Texas

Speed traps: 189

The second entry from Texas in the top 10 is Austin, which one motorist described as practically a police state. Remember that here, they have "home rule," so municipalities don't have to follow state laws—and it seems they've taken that invitation to go quite seriously off the script.

That motorist said he was ticketed for going three to four miles per hour over the speed limit in a school zone, and when he was going 83 in an 80 mph zone.

There are serious speed traps at the northern and southern city limits, motorists note on Speedtrap.org, with many noting that everyone they know seems to have a couple of tickets. One woman wrote that she received a ticket and took a driver's education course to eliminate it. A clerk called her a year later and said the ticket was now a warrant and the fine had been increased. Luckily, she had her paperwork to prove it had been eliminated. She also noted that she'd seen three cars pulled over at once.

1. Houston, Texas

Speed traps: 373

And the winning city is from … Texas!

Seriously, the speed traps in Texas are so bad, Dornsife said, "any place in Texas could be No. 1."

Drivers note on Speedtrap.org that there are traps set at the Houston city limits and near attractions like the Astrodome. And, the speed limit can change rapidly and dramatically. One motorist wrote that entering the city on Highway 59 North, the speed limit dropped suddenly to 55 from 70. Just as the motorist noticed the speed-limit change on his GPS, BAM! There was a speed trap.

The number of tickets was even more staggering when the economy was bad: In March of last year, KTRK Channel 13 found that Houston police officers wrote about 3,000 tickets per day, or 147 an hour!

TrafficTicketSecrets.com says the average speeding ticket in the U.S. is about $150. Multiply that out and that's $450,000 a day—and $14 million for the month.

Corrections: An earlier version of this story had a driver anecdote that wasn't from Las Vegas. It also quoted Chad Dorsnife as saying Dallas sets school zones a few miles away from the school; he was actually referring to some small towns in Nevada.

Nissan's shocking new sports car

The first modern electric car to really catch the attention of enthusiasts was Tesla's Roadster. Back in 2006, PayPal founder turned space-frontier fanatic Elon Musk took the catchy name of fabled electron dabbler Nikola Tesla (no, his machine isn't named after the heavy metal band), gave it a tweaked Lotus Elise body and powered it with laptop batteries on steroids. The result was a lightning strike of a hit, generating breathless reporting about the two-seat roadster's staggering torque and long waiting lists topped by celebrities such as George Clooney and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Fast forward five years. It now looks like the folks at Nissan want to capture some of that glitzy mojo for themselves.

Nissan Esflow
With a zero-to-60 mph time of around 4 seconds, Nissan's Esflow concept explores the fun side of going green.

In March, the Japanese automaker plans to unveil its own battery-powered rocket for two at the Geneva Auto Show. News of the so-called Nissan Esflow has already shot around the web, with many of the images and (limited) details provided by the company itself in a clear effort to build awareness of its efforts in the electric car field. The timing couldn't be better. Nissan's four-door electric Leaf starts hitting driveways this spring, and the Esflow is nothing if not a gleaming concept car meant to cast a cool halo over the company's entire range of vehicles. That said, word is Nissan may well consider building the Esflow and is using Geneva as a public-reaction barometer. If that's true, there's a lot to like judging from the images that have been released.

For starters, the Esflow concept, which is anchored to the electric underpinnings of the Leaf, bears a striking resemblance to its gas-powered 370Z stablemate, with perhaps a touch of the old BMW M Couple in its hatchback-like rear haunches and sloped roofline. Up front, a long and wide hood give way to a sharply raked windscreen. Front and rear bumper overhangs are minimal, with the large wheels pushed to the extremities of the car. Although Nissan has not as yet released interior photos, one exterior shot reveals racing style seating more typically found on a Ferrari F430 Challenge Stradale, indicating the sporting intent of this electric steed.


As for just what the Esflow is capable of, Nissan reports that the lithium-ion batteries powering twin rear motors combine for a zero to 60 mph time somewhere around 4 seconds, impressive considering the Tesla astounded with its 3.9 second blast to 60. The Esflow's range is around 150 miles to the charge. That's roughly a third more than what the Leaf is expected to provide, though a bit less than the range of a $100,000 Tesla. The Esflow is rounded out by the usual high-tech car accouterments, from LED lighting and interior LCD screens to an ultra-low profile all-aluminum chassis with an integrated roll bar system. Serious boy-racer stuff for the dawning of an electric-car age. About the only thing this Nissan may need is a better name. Esflow is just one letter too close to E-slow.

Why Does the Maybach 62S Cost $500,000?

The Maybach isn't the most expensive car in the world, but it is the highest-price line of autos made by Mercedes-Benz. The 62S model of the Maybach — the automaker's answer to the Rolls-Royce and Bentley — costs 8 million Hong Kong dollars (about US$1 million). And that's without extras.

But the biggest reason for its high price is the Hong Kong luxury tax, about 50% in this Chinese territory. In the U.S., the car costs about $459,000. Even so, we found that as luxury cars go, the Maybach doesn't offer much beyond what other cars in this category offer, save for a couple of features.

2011 Maybach 62 S

The Maybach received a facelift last year, and small changes were made to the exterior, including a larger chrome-radiator grille in front, more aerodynamic mirrors, new wheels — with 12-spoke 20-inch alloy hubcaps painted in a sterling silver color for the Maybach 52S and 62S — and daytime LED driving headlights (daytime driving lights are mandatory on cars sold in the European Union; but experts disagree on whether they cut down on the rate of traffic fatalities). Of all the Maybach models available in Hong Kong, the 62S has the most powerful engine. Oh, and the “S” stands for “special.”

The 62S was a popular Christmas gift among Hong Kongers, according to the dealership, and all 60 of its available models sold out in eight months. Now, there is an eight-month waiting list for the car.

At the Maybach dealership in Hong Kong — a decked-out space with a terrace overlooking Repulse Bay and an open bar — senior manager Karin Hoo explains why the car costs seven figures.

More colors: Buyers can choose from 18 different exterior colors, including the newest Maybach “New Bahamas Blue” (a dark sky blue). That’s four more than the standard number offered in Mercedes Benz models. Of course, as with all luxury cars, the Maybach can be painted any color under the rainbow for an extra fee.

2011 Maybach 62 S

Sheepskin interiors: High-grade nappa-leather interiors are standard and each seat is upholstered with a single piece of uncut hide. Buyers choose between two colors: black or white.

Back-seat recliner: Most Maybach owners rarely sit in the front seat of their car; they have chauffeurs. Fashioned after first-class airplane seating, the Maybach back seat reclines to a nearly flat position and comes with a leg rest and tray table on the side “That’s why they call the Maybach a ‘jet on wheels,’” Ms. Hoo says. The back seat has 84.5 centimeters of legroom.

Perfume atomizer: Forget about those paper air fresheners that hang on the rearview mirror. Each Maybach 62S is fitted with a perfume atomizer — built into the air-conditioning vent. That’s guaranteed not to stain the fine leather interior or your (no doubt) bespoke or haute couture clothing, of course. Swiss flavor and scent manufacturer Givaudan custom-blended two scents just for the Maybach: a citrus-y green tea and more-masculine agarwood.

An extra meter: Most Mercedes S-series models are roughly five meters long; the Maybach 62S — as its name denotes — is 6.2 meters. “We name the car in the same way boats are named after their length,” Ms. Hoo says.

A glass roof: With the press of a button, the glass roof changes from opaque to clear to let in more light (it’s made from a liquid-crystal membrane of conductive polymer plastic, and an electric current in the crystals changes the view). Another button triggers a cover to close over the glass roof completely.

Lighting: Turn on the side LED lights, along the edge of the window, for softer interior lighting. “The idea is to have just the right ambience the owner prefers,” Ms. Hoo says.

Engine: With a 12-cylinder, 630-horsepower engine, the Maybach 62S can hit 100 kilometers an hour in just five seconds (that’s a second faster than most luxury sports cars). It can hit a maximum speed of 250 kilometers an hour. The Maybach name, in fact, comes from engineer Wilhelm Maybach, who designed the engines of the first Mercedes.

2011 Maybach 62 S

Entertainment system: Two 9.5-inch flat-screen monitors are installed in the back of the front seats. The monitors can play DVDs or connect to the Internet through the car’s built-in WLAN wireless connection. Sound is surround: 21 speakers, designed by Bose, are strategically placed throughout the car for what Ms. Hoo calls “concert-hall quality.” And everything is controlled via a center console with a remote control in the back and front seats.

Customizable add-ons: “Each Maybach is meant to be bespoke, and personalized to the customer’s own preferences,” Ms. Hoo says. Ask and you shall receive, the dealership says, from adding your family crest to the seats to installing a minibar in the back. But there isn’t a list of “extras” from which to choose — it’s up to the customer to ask. Previous add-ons have included the family crests etched onto the glass, fax machines and cigar humidors.

10 Best Concept Cars of 2011

Audi e-tron

Audi e-tron

This rear-drive electric concept bowed in Detroit wearing slinky metal over tidier-than-TT proportions. Unlike the R8-esque EV of the same name, this e-tron isn’t scheduled for production. All is not lost; its design—the aspect we like most—portends that of Audi’s upcoming R4. An equally gorgeous topless version shown in Paris uses a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain.

Citroen Survolt

Citroen Survolt

Silent racing could be closer than we think. Shown in Paris as a styling buck, the Survolt later gained twin electric motors generating 300 horsepower. It’s capable of 0 to 62 mph in less than five seconds and a top speed of 162 mph, according to Citroën. The company also claims max range of 124 miles—but at slightly lower speeds.

Deltawing Concept

Deltawing Concept

Created by Ben Bowlby (former Lola design chief, former Ganassi Racing tech director), the DeltaWing was one of several proposed 2012 IndyCar chassis. The shape generates downforce without wings or spoilers and is supposed to be immune to turbulence in close quarters. Unveiled at Chicago, it was serious enough to have the support of Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi, but a modular Dallara design ultimately won IndyCar’s affections.

GMC Granite Concept

GMC Granite Concept

A GMC vehicle that’s not a rebadged Chevrolet? That’s the story of this very small but very butch crossover. A Detroit debutant, the Granite has been a show-circuit hit. Future production is at this point a poorly kept secret; the challenge will be preserving the pillarless design and easy-access rear doors.

Jaguar C-X75

Jaguar C-X75

It’s reminiscent of the old XJ220 (1992–94), but this stunning Paris show car’s primary propulsion is provided by electrons rather than combustion events. Like the Chevy Volt, the C-X75 augments its batteries with a range-extending power source. Unlike the Volt, that source is two gas turbines. Top speed is a claimed 205 mph, also unlike the Volt. But forgive us if we remain leery of an electronically powered Jag.

Lancia Stratos

Lancia Stratos

This Lancia Stratos prototype debuted not at an auto show, but while brutalizing an Italian test track. Faithful in appearance to Bertone’s 1972 homologation special, the revival Stratos sports a V-8 derived from the Ferrari F430 Scuderia’s but promises a power-to-weight ratio that’s better than an Enzo’s. Pininfarina and the team of wealthy enthusiasts behind the Stratos will build you one, too—for a price.

Peugeot SR1

Peugeot SR1

In addition to its sculpted shape, this hybrid GT concept—first seen at Geneva—has a couple of unusual features: a centered third seat and a Bell & Ross wristwatch that stows in its own dashboard slot. The design won’t see production, but its internal-combustion/electric propulsion system will appear in the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 crossover.

Pininfarina Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta

Pininfarina Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta

Constructed to celebrate Pininfarina’s 80th anniversary and as a tribute to Alfa Romeo’s centennial, this choice roadster concept made its debut at Geneva. If the thought of pronouncing the name sends your tongue into convulsions, think “Duetto.” Memo to Fiat: If you’re serious about saving Alfa, build this car.

Porsche 918 Spyder

Porsche 918 Spyder

In an auto-show world awash with electric and hybrid concepts, Porsche’s 918 trumps them all with four driving modes and performance potential rivaling the spectacular Carrera GT’s. The heart of the matter is a 500-plus-hp, 3.4-liter V-8, augmented by a trio of electric motors. Production is confirmed for the Geneva showstopper. So is a very high sticker.

Renault Dezir

Renault Dezir

More proof that green and sexy are not mutually exclusive, this two-seater uses Nissan-Renault electric powertrain technology. The DeZir’s styling points the way for future Renault design, and the scissors doors—one rear-hinged, one front—attracted scads of eyeballs at the Paris show. Our favorite part? The pimp-daddy quilted white-leather interior, which was inspired by the idea of an “amorous encounter” and the “coming together of opposites.”

2011 Best in Class Winners

Under $20,000: 2011 Volkswagen Golf

Sticker price: $18,735 (2dr, manual)
Invoice price: $18,017
Fair Purchase Price: $18,454
Five-year service cost: $3,402
One-year insurance cost: $1,124
Resale value after 3 years: 52%; 5 years: 34%
MPG city: 23; highway: 33

Winning this category's Best in Class award for the second year in a row, Volkswagen's Golf features classic German driving dynamics at an easy-to-take price. Redesigned for 2010, the Golf boasts plenty of power, high resale values and a full complement of standard safety features. The four-door is an IIHS top safety pick.

$20,000-$25,000: 2011 Toyota Prius

Sticker price: $23,810 (Prius II)
Invoice price: $22,427
Fair Purchase Price: $23,572
Five-year service cost: $3,454
One-year insurance cost: $1,133
Resale value after 3 years: NA; 5 years: NA
MPG city: 51; highway: 48

A Best New Model winner in 2010, Prius tops the competition with class-leading fuel economy, loads of cargo room, and low service and insurance costs. Toyota just introduced a wagon to the Prius family for the 2012 model year, and a plug-in version is on the way, too.

$25,000-$30,000: 2011 Honda Accord

Sticker price: $27,830 (EX V6 sedan)
Invoice price: $25,295
Fair Purchase Price: $27,830
Five-year service cost: $3,793
One-year insurance cost: $1,172
Resale value after 3 years: 52%; 5 years: 35%
MPG city: 20; highway: 30

Driving away with Best in Class for the fourth year in a row, Honda's best-seller is renowned for reliability. The V6 is powerful -- it puts out 271 horses -- yet thrifty. The Accord features ample interior space and a comfy ride in addition to a full complement of standard safety equipment.

$30,000-$45,000: 2011 BMW 335d

Sticker price: $44,825
Invoice price: $41,310
Fair Purchase Price: $43,928
Five-year service cost: $4,371
One-year insurance cost: $1,656
Resale value after 3 years: 58%; 5 years: 35%
MPG city: 23; highway: 36

Taking the title for the second year, BMW 335d delivers top-notch resale values and sporty driving dynamics combined with serious torque to send you speeding off the line. It also gets nearly 30% better fuel economy on the highway than the gas-engine 335i. It was Kiplinger's pick for Best All-Around Car in the latest Best List, too.

Over $45,000: 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Sticker price: $51,775 (E350 BlueTEC sedan)
Invoice price: $48,212
Fair Purchase Price: $50,740
Five-year service cost: NA
One-year insurance cost: NA
Resale value after 3 years: 53%; 5 years: 32%
MPG city: 22; highway: 33

Redesigned last year, the ninth-generation E sedan only gets better with a turbocharged diesel engine. The 3.0-liter V6 puts out 210 horses and develops 400 pound-feet of torque-numbers guaranteed to blow your hair back. Plus, the BlueTEC model pushes fuel economy to 33 mpg on the highway to win Most Fuel-Efficient honors.

Sports: 2011 Porsche Boxster

Sticker price: $62,150 (Spyder)
Invoice price: $55,850
Fair Purchase Price: NA
Five-year service cost: NA
One-year insurance cost: NA
Resale value after 3 years: NA; 5 years: NA
MPG city: 19; highway: 27

After a two-year hiatus, the Boxster once again tops its Porsche brethren (Cayman won last year, and the 911 Carrera the year before that). The Spyder trim is new for the two-seat convertible -- it's the lightest Porsche on the road and has more power and better fuel economy than the Boxster S trim. But incredible handling and a wallet-friendly price (for a Porsche) are all vintage Boxster.

Small Crossovers: 2011 Subaru Forester

Sticker price: $27,720 (2.5XT Premium)
Invoice price: $26,041
Fair Purchase Price: $27,166
Five-year service cost: $5,034
One-year insurance cost: $1,171
Resale value after 3 years: 57%; 5 years: 36%
MPG city: 19; Highway: 24

Kiplinger's 2009 Best New Crossover returns to win Best in Class, boasting agile handling, high resale values, loads of cargo space and an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick. In fact, Subaru is the only nameplate that has earned a Top Safety pick for all its models.

Large and Midsize Crossovers: 2011 Mazda CX-9

Sticker price: $29,930 (Sport)
Invoice price: $27,778
Fair Purchase Price: $29,481
Five-year service cost: $4,330
One-year insurance cost: $1,143
Resale value after 3 years: NA; 5 years: NA
MPG city: 17; Highway: 24

The biggest of Mazda's bunch, the seven-seat CX-9 rises to the top again (it won Best in Class plaudits in 2009). The 2011 has more power, more rear legroom and even more cargo space than class standouts Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander, and it comes with three years of roadside assistance.

Truck-based SUVs: 2011 Chevrolet Suburban

Sticker price: $41,875 (1500 LS)
Invoice price: $39,010
Fair Purchase Price: $40,619
Five-year service cost: $3,756
One-year insurance cost: $1,129
Resale value after 3 years: NA; 5 years: NA
MPG city: 15; highway: 21

Suburban's low service and insurance costs and a reasonable start price for a hauler that seats nine earns it top honors. The 5.3-liter V8 puts out plenty of power and has the lowest annual fuel cost for a V8 in the segment. Cargo space is a whopping 90 cubic feet. Like several of the winners list here, it's also one of Kiplinger's 10 Best Cars of the Past Decade.

Minivans: 2011 Honda Odyssey

Sticker price: $28,580 (LX)
Invoice price: $25,976
Fair Purchase Price: $28,580
Five-year service cost: $3,995
One-year insurance cost: $960
Resale value after 3 years: 54%; 5 years: 34%
MPG city: 18; highway: 27

Redesigned for 2011, Odyssey takes back the throne it surrendered to the Toyota Sienna in 2010. With class-leading resale values and fuel-efficiency, plus the lowest insurance cost among minivans, there's not much this ride can't handle-including entertaining five passengers with a nine-inch rear-seat entertainment screen (available on EX-L and standard on Touring).

Wagons: 2011 Subaru Outback

Sticker price: $29,220 (2.5i Limited)
Invoice price: $27,455
Fair Purchase Price: $29,220
Five-year service cost: $4,752
One-year insurance cost: $1,076
Resale value after 3 years: 60%; 5 years: 38%
MPG city: 22; highway: 29

Stylish design, strong resale values and heaps of utility propel this all-wheel-drive wagon to the top for the second year in a row (it won Best New Wagon as well as Best in Class in 2010). The 2.5-liter four-cylinder is powerful without pushing down fuel economy -- it gets 29 miles per gallon on the highway. Cargo space is a roomy 34 cubic feet, matched among wagons only by the more expensive Audi A6.

The death of the station wagon

The news came like a blow to the gut for this child of 1950s suburbia:

Volvo, the company most associated with station wagons for the last 20 years, will stop selling wagons in the U.S. The market is drying up.

The Volvo wagon had been on life support for months. After dropping the larger V70 Volvo in 2010, Doug Speck, CEO of Volvo Cars of North America, told Automotive News he was giving the V50 another year because there "is a bit more energy in the small wagon segment."

Not enough, apparently. Volvo, which was sold to China's Geely in 2010, sold just 480 V50s last year, about two per dealer.

Other makers have been quietly dropping wagons for years as their customers flee to more utilitarian vehicles.

Edmunds.com, the online-car buying site, lists 115 kinds of SUVs and 92 types of crossovers but only 31 varieties of station wagon. Even that count is suspect. It includes a Ford Flex, which is a minivan in disguise, and the bizarre Dodge Caliber.

Growing up in a Connecticut commuter town after World War II in an active family of seven, station wagons were the only practical forms of conveyance.

Ford Country Squires, with their acres of imitation wood, were particularly prized. Sportier owners displayed yacht flags representing their initials on the driver's side door. Black Labradors and Golden Retrievers were practically standard equipment.

At 16, I took my driver's test in a brown Plymouth Suburban wagon with a rear-facing third seat and a three-speed manual transmission. Luckily, parallel parking wasn't part of the exam.

Somewhat later, the Plymouth's transmission linkage developed the habit of seizing up when it got warm. The driver had a choice of wrapping his hands in rags, diving under the hood, and shaking the rods until they freed up -- or driving home in first gear.

I shudder to think how we flirted with disaster in those pre-safety-conscious days. On long trips, my parents would fold down the wagon's seats and outfit the passenger compartment with pillows and blankets, where we slid around, un-seat-belted.

Long before Ford got out of the wood-grain-paneling business in 1991, Volvos had become the wagon of choice.

Safety had emerged an issue, and so had the environment. Volvos had the twin advantages of looking sensible and being upscale at the same time. It was a boxy European import that looked as wholesome as a bowl of granola.

Wagons were part of Volvo's DNA. As the story went, the reason Volvo sedans looked so boxy is that designers would style the wagon first, and then cut off the tailgate and add a trunk.

What happened to the Volvo wagon is a classic case of automotive Darwinism.

American buyers first turned away from station wagons during the 1973 oil crisis. Their extreme length, emphasized by long rear overhangs to accommodate a third seat, made them natural targets.

In the 1980s, the minivan came along and stole the people-mover business.

SUVs moved to the fore in the 1990s. Far more utilitarian, they offered a lot more cargo space, a command seating position, and four-wheel-drive.

And the 2000s were the decade of the crossover, combining the best features of both van and SUV. With their combination of capability and capacity, they remain one of the fastest-growing segments.

Despite its enduring image for safety and solidity, Volvo has been behind the automotive curve for decades.

With annual sales of fewer than 400,000 cars, it never enjoyed the scale it needed to support R&D or frequent model changes.

It was slow to move production out of high-cost Sweden and never built cars in the U.S., its largest market.

Product innovation came slowly too. Volvo never built an SUV, it didn't get around to all-wheel-drive until well after Audi and Subaru, and didn't introduce its first crossover until 1998.

Nor did its 1999 sale to Ford help matters. Neither party was able to benefit. Ford tried to integrate Swedish engineering into its cars but found it expensive and prone to weightiness.

And Ford technology never made it across the Atlantic, likely because of an unwillingness to share and fear of diluting Volvo's image.

Volvo probably did itself a disservice by running testimonials from owners who drove their Volvos for years and years. When you put a million miles or more on a car, it limits the opportunity for repeat business.

Audi, BMW, and Mercedes still offer wagons for sale in America, although they don't call them that. At Audi, "avant" is the preferred designation; BMW uses "touring," and Mercedes likes "estate."

Sport wagons, though, have never made much of an impact. Cadillac's CTS is a spectacular offering, but its tightly tailored body and rear liftgate have limited its appeal.

Volvo plans to soldier on with its well-regarded line of crossovers: the XC60, XC70, and XC90.

Before I get carried away by nostalgia, caution should be observed in writing off an entire vehicle segment, because they do have a habit of coming back to life.

The 1976 Cadillac Eldorado was lionized as the last American convertible -- until Lee Iacocca brought out the 1982 Chrysler LeBaron ragtop.

The station wagon may rise again.

It's Hard to Beat a Low MSRP

It's Hard to Beat a Low MSRP

Cars made by non-luxury manufacturers have something else going for them when it comes to a list like this: They simply cost a lot less than a new Porsche 911 or a BMW M3.

In fact, no vehicles on our list cost more than the $26,850 Prius--though the $26,645 Honda CR-V comes close. Four of the 10 models on our list are made by Honda, and two by Toyota, both companies known for inexpensive-but-reliable cars.

"It's a general rule that the cost of ownership number is going to be a lot higher for an expensive vehicle," Wurster says. "Think about sales tax. Since you're not looking at ratios or percentages--it's just gross tax--the number is going to be higher on something expensive."

Of course, a low initial price doesn't guarantee a good value. The $11,965 Chevrolet Aveo, $13,255 Toyota Yaris and $13,320 Ford Fiesta, for instance, all cost less than the $14,180 Mazda2 and the $20,825 Honda Element--both of which made our list. But their relatively high depreciation rates and proportionate repair costs shot their overall cost of ownership much too high to qualify as good values.

Still, a low MSRP helped several pickup trucks and crossovers make the list, like the $19,745 Hyundai Tucson and the $22,515 Toyota Tacoma. They both demand a bit more for fuel costs over five years than their smaller counterparts, but their reliability (low maintenance and repair costs), low MSRPs and--most importantly--current low depreciation rates qualify them as value-packed vehicles.

Now if only more of their big-rig brethren could follow suit.

Behind the Numbers

To compile our list, we used cost-of-ownership data from Vincentric, which is based in Bingham Farms, Mich. We first selected the 114 vehicles that received overall value ratings of "excellent." We then ranked them based on the manufacturer suggested retail price and how overall ownership costs over five years are affected by depreciation, taxes and fees, fuel costs, insurance, interest, maintenance, opportunity costs and repairs. We chose the top 10 vehicles from that "excellent" group with the lowest cost of ownership to be on our Most Value-Packed Cars list.

The data assumes an annual rate of 15,000 miles driven per vehicle and fuel outlays of $2.899 for regular, $3.189 for premium and $3.186 for diesel fuel. Fuel prices are a weighted average of national fuel prices from the previous five months that is skewed toward the more recent months. All costs are plotted as projections based on forecasts by Vincentric analysts, and gas prices include a 3.5% inflation rate.

Depreciation is the biggest factor in determining how much a vehicle will cost the owner. Most new cars lose anywhere between 10% and 20% of their sticker price the moment they leave the lot--luxury cars tend to depreciate more than others, thanks to price premiums based on brand image, interior trim and newfangled technology rendered obsolete by the model's next generation.

One of the reasons the Toyota Prius made our list is because of its outstanding depreciation ratio. Alt-fuel vehicles in particular do well with on resale lots.

"Diesels and hybrids have excellent resale values," says Jake Fisher, the senior automotive engineer at Consumer Reports. "If you want to go out and buy a 60,000-mile Prius, you'll pay top dollar for it."

The Most Value-Packed Cars

Looking for a ride that combines quality, reliability and cost efficiency over the long haul without breaking the bank? These 10 vehicles are your best bets.
Things are looking up for the auto industry this year: Global new car sales are expected to rise 6% over 2010, which would beat the record 70 million units sold in 2007. J.D. Power and Associates has said U.S. auto sales will reach 13 million units this year, an increase of 12% over 2010.

But a lot could happen to derail the rosy forecasts. Unrest in Egypt and the Middle East has the oil market on edge, and higher prices or the fear of them directly affects how and when consumers spend money on a new car--and which type they choose.

The main thing drivers want these days is something they can trust for the long haul, says David Wurster, head of product development and analysis for the automotive analytics firm Vincentric. An unstable outlook for fuel costs affects more than you might think--in everything from compact cars to SUVs.

"If fuel jumps up to $4 a gallon, now all of a sudden nobody will want trucks," Wurster says. "Then the residuals will start to fall and as a result the deprecation will go up and the cost of ownership will go up."

These days, compacts are some of the safest bets when it comes to getting the most value for the money. The Mazda2, Nissan Versa and Chevrolet Cruze take three of the first four spots on our list of the most value-packed cars on the market.

Ford F-250; Ford F-150 Raptor; Ford Expedition/Lincoln Navigator

2011 Ford Expedition
Twin land yachts: the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator.

This Ford foursome offers a range of low-mileage options for working folks, off-road fanatics and families alike (12/16 mpg for the F-250, 11/14 for the F-150 and 13/18 for the SUV siblings). Both pickup trucks pack 6.2-liter V8s, the F-250 typically putting that to use on construction sites while the Raptor, true to its name, uses that power for more sporting purposes. Think Baja 1000, with just a few suspension tweaks. Meanwhile, the Blue Oval's Expedition/Navigator duo offers 5.4-liter V8s that cart their occupants around town in upmarket interiors whose added weight no doubt only serve to dock points from its overall score.