Best Life Magazine: Cars: The Best New Cars of 2008

A look at the strongest new car models since, well, ever

BEGINNER LUXURY CAR
Mercedes-Benz C-class The old C-class used to look a little cheap, like a run-of-the-mill sedan dressed up for prom. Not so with the fully redesigned entry-level Benz. The new C-class comes in three versions, the best of which is the C350 Sport, with a 268-horsepower V-6 and a seven-speed transmission. From $37,275

RACE CAR
Porsche 911 GT2 The most powerful 911 of all time. Need we say more? If you insist: How about 530 horses and a top speed of 205 miles per hour? With those kinds of numbers, does cost even matter? A minor warning: The GT2 is one angry machine. It’s the one 911 that could cause fits in inexperienced drivers. $191,700

BMW M3 REBORN STEALTH SPORTS CAR
BMW M3 It has been an agonizingly long time since the last wholly new M3, but the wait was well worth it. The all-new M3 is bigger, faster, and—most surprising of all—less angry. It’s more refined than ever, feeling every bit as accessible as a regular old 3-series. It may have a carbon-fiber roof, but it’s also perfectly suitable for commuting to work. $60,000 (est.)

NEW STEALTH SPORTS CAR
Lexus IS F This is the first Lexus to wear the F badge, the Japanese brand’s new in-house tuning arm that takes ordinary Lexuses and makes them sportier by amping up the power, tightening the suspension, and fattening the tires. Think of it as more or less the Japanese M3, powered by a 5.0-liter V-8 that churns out 416 horses. $63,000 (est.)

BARGAIN SPORTS CAR
Subaru Impreza WRX STI Under this nondescript Japanese body lie the inner workings of a race car. This is the turbocharged version of the already quick WRX, with a bigger 2.5-liter engine, variable valve timing, and an SI-drive with three preset modes that tweak the throttle response. It’s nearly as fast on snow or dirt as it is on the street. $34,995

NEW AMERICAN CLASSIC
Cadillac CTS Presenting the first American car with an interior to match those rarified walnut-and-leather cabins of Europe: Real wood replaces faux wood, the leather is soft and supple, and there are no unsightly gaps between dash parts. It looks, in fact, far more expensive than it is, and it’s the first in a whole series of overhauled Caddies. $33,000

Audi R8 INTERGALACTIC SPORTS CAR
Audi R8 Like something from space, the R8 landed in America last fall as the best new sports car since…well, it’s hard to remember. It’s the only car to challenge the Porsche 911 in its combination of performance and ride quality. It has 420 horses, all-wheel drive, and a cabin so comfortable you could drive the R8 cross-country. $109,000

MOGUL MOBILE
Bentley Continental GT Speed It’s difficult to imagine that anyone considered the twin-turbo 552-horsepower Continental GT to be too slow. But for those nutty few who did, the British luxury brand rolls out the most powerful Bentley ever, with 600 horses and a top speed of more than 200 miles per hour. $199,990

BEST MODEL-LINE REINVENTION
Jaguar XF Under Ford’s leadership, Jaguar cleaned up its reputation but also dumbed down some of its designs. The XF isn’t quite as beautiful as the last wholly new Jaguar, the XK, but it is still much sleeker and sexier than the Jag sedans of old. The 420-horsepower version of this five-seater makes a nice rival for the Audi S6. $49,975

CONVERTIBLE
Ford Mustang Shelby GT Convertible With those bold racing stripes and a growling V-8 under the hood, it’s the same Shelby GT you loved last year…but now it goes topless with the push of a button. Only 2,300 will be made. $44,605

ECONOMY-ISH CAR
Honda Accord Coupe At last, Honda realized that just because you have one of the world’s most popular sedans doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have to expend some effort on making it look cool. The Accord coupe has slits for lights, a chunky front end, and an aggressive back-to-front crouch like the Infiniti G37. From $22,000 to $30,000

SUV
Volkswagen Tiguan Like many automakers, VW realized that bigger isn’t always better, even when you’re talking SUVs. This baby brother to the Touareg has an equally weird name and is built on the Rabbit frame with a peppy engine yanked out of the GTI. $22,490

HYBRID
Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon SUV It’s admittedly a little laughable to try to use the word green in relation to a full-size SUV unless you’re talking paint color, but at least GM’s twin wide-body V-8s are trying. They can run on electricity at low speeds and, when necessary, even shut down some cylinders to save fuel. $50,000

WAGON
Volvo V70 Still roomy, still reliable, still safe. The Swedish company, owned by Ford, knows how to court soccer moms, and the new V70 doesn’t fall down on the job with this new and slightly sleeker full-size wagon, now featuring six cylinders instead of five. $33,210

CAR FOR URBANITES
Volvo C30 The smallest Volvo ever made doesn’t feel so small inside, thanks largely to its gigantic rear windshield, which is so big you could practically call it a bay window. The C30 is also surprisingly quick and has a seemingly infinite list of options for personalization, including 17 paint colors. $23,445

DAD-MOBILE
Chrysler Town & Country There’s no way around it: A minivan is never going to look cool, except maybe to your kids, who care far more about personal DVD players (in this case, one for each of the two backseat captain’s chairs) and a fold-out table for board games (the first of its kind in a minivan) than a spoiler or mag wheels. $23,190

TOURING COUPE
Aston Martin DBS That car that Daniel Craig (as James Bond) rolled in Casino Royale? That was an early preview of this baby, the DBS, and it was sad to see even one of these beautiful 510-horsepower V-12 sport coupes (which will take its place beside the top-of-the-line Vanquish in Aston’s stable) ruined. $265,000

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