PHOTO COMPARISON OF TEN LARGE LUXURY SEDANS

To the human eye, shape trumps detail more often than not. The grandeur of a palace will grab your attention even if the colour of its bricks are not to your liking. The silhouette of a woman's body is most likely going to stop a man in his tracks despite the fact that her eyes are too close together and her nose is too wide. A thick t-bone steak cut by the best butcher in Texas will have you salivating.... right up until you see that it's 45% fat.

Likewise, the profile of a beautful new car, particularly as it passes you at high speed, will hold you spellbound. Maybe you hate twin-kidney grilles or bulbous fenders or angular taillights or oversized wheels, but the initial moment in which you spotted the shape of the vehicle will forever remain etched on your automotive conscience.

Yet automobiles basically come in only a handful of shapes. You have 1-box minivans, 2-box hatchbacks and wagons, 3-box sedans, wedge-like supercars and mid-engine roadsters, and back-on-its-haunches rear-wheel drive performance cars. Or, to be more specific, almost every vehicle's shape could fall under the heading of: Dodge Grand Caravan, Volvo V70, Honda Accord, Lamborghini Gallardo, and Ford Mustang. Agreeing with that analysis doesn't mean you don't see differences - huge differences - between a Chevrolet Corvette and a Nissan 370Z. In fact, if anything, agreeing with that analysis only praises the talent of automotive designers who continue to work with the consistent limitations presented by four wheels, a powerplant, a cabin, and cargo space.

Now look at one vehicle segment, expanded slightly for the purposes of this article, for evidence of designer talent when styling large, high-end 3-box sedans. Because the Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide are actually hatchbacks and thus strikingly different in overall shape, they're not appearing in pictures after the jump. But ten other big sedans, including a concept and a heavy-duty whippersnapper from Korea, are shown, all with emphasis on profile. We'll all have unique guttural reactions to certain cars while finding others forgettable and some downright offensive. Deep down, these cars are rivals. However, they're seen competing in a high-dollar arena where personal design preference holds far more weight than financing deals or brake horsepower figures. Click through the jump to decide for yourself.

Audi A8

Bentley Continental Flying Spur

BMW 7-Series

Cadillac Sixteen

Hyundai Equus

Jaguar XJ

Lexus LS

Maserati Quattroporte

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Rolls-Royce Ghost

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Top 10 Most Expensive Sedans In The World

WATCH TOP GEAR REVIEW OF FERRARI 458 ITALIA

"Absolutely, unbelievably, mesmerizingly.... brilliant," Jeremy Clarkson says of the Ferrari 458 Italia. At GoodCarBadCar.net, everything Jeremy Clarkson or Top Gear says about a car isn't automatically accepted. But The Good Car Guy pretty much decided the Ferrari 458 Italia was an all-time great as soon as pictures were released. Anything looking that good with that kind of power from that factory wearing that badge is enshrined as Better Than Almost Anything Else.

Still, I had no idea the 458 Italia looked this good. Top Gear has a knack for cinematography, casting a glow or a shadow in just the right place with engine sounds to match the soundtrack and oversteer angles which put the vehicle's best cheek forward. So with Jeremy Clarkson's Top Gear review of the Ferrari 458 Italia in the video below, GoodCarBadCar.net has gone even more head-over-heels for the Four-Five-Eight. 

12 minutes and 19 seconds of a beautiful car with plenty of humour and lots of statistics can be found in the video below.



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ASTON MARTIN RAPIDE BY THE NUMBERS

*December 6/09 Update: USD MSRP of Rapide to be $199,950*

Known most of all for its supreme design competence, Aston Martin is releasing its first 4-door in more than two decades next year in sublime style. The Good Car Guy has been known to complain about Aston's style-by-dimensions take, but it goes without saying that Aston Martin's style credentials are sky high.

The Rapide is a gorgeous 4-door (though technically a 5-door hatchback) with the sort of presence reserved for people who really know how to make an entrance. Marek Reichman, Aston Martin's design director, compares the Rapide to "a race horse standing still" with its "power and elegance" and muscular "rear haunches". He talks about the car's purity being "right from every angle". Car&Driver calls the Rapide the "world's most beautiful hatchback". Edmunds' Inside Line believes the production Rapide remains "remarkably true" to what they called a "snazzy concept". Autoblog calls the Rapide a "British beauty". And of course here at GoodCarBadCar.net it's been said that "the Aston Martin Rapide is one of the best-looking 4-doors in the history of 4-doors". Britain's CAR magazine says the Rapide is a "low-set four-door with a great stance, a beautiful silhouette and enough athletic details to get the CAR office salivating".

In other words, the 2010 Aston Martin Rapide is strong on aesthetics. But what about mathematics? That's to be discovered in the Numbers below.

2,000 - estimated total production of the Rapide at the plant in Graz, Austria

470 - horsepower generated by the Rapide's 5.9L V12

442 - lb-ft of torque produced by the V12, an engine shared with all other current production Aston Martins except for the V8 Vantage

13.97 - diameter, measured in inches, of the Aston Martin Rapide's front brake discs

15:1 - steering rack ratio in the new Rapide, a couple notches quicker than that of the DB9

10.6 - cubic feet of storage capacity in the rear hatch of the new Rapide, less than the 12 cubic feet available in the back of a smart fortwo

26.5 - total cubic feet of luggage capacity available with the Rapide's rear seats folded

645 - total Aston Martin Lagondas sold between 1976 and 1989, the last time Aston pushed a 4-door in the Marketplace

4,299 - weight of the Aston Martin Rapide in pounds

1,000 - total wattage provided by the Bang & Olufsen sound system which inludes motorized tweeters rising out of the dash

250,000 - approximate price, in U.S. dollars, of the Aston Martin Rapide when it goes on sale in the States next year

150,000 - approximate price, in British pounds sterling, of the Rapide when it goes on sale in.... Great Britain; the same as the average out-the-door price of the old Aston Martin Lagonda of the 80s

360 - total LEDs housed in each rear light

125 - Aston Martin dealers around the world in which the Rapide should compete against the future Lamborghini Estoque, Bentley Continental Flying Spur, and maybe even the Rolls-Royce Ghost

LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO/MURCIELAGO/REVENTON EMISSIONS "IMMEASURABLE"

After arriving in Nova Scotia, The Good Car Brother bemoaned his Chevrolet Suburban's poor fuel economy and envied the efficiency of GoodCarBadCar's recent long-term addition, an '09 smart fortwo. Traveling extensively on highways all across this continent, his Suburban was achieving somewhere under 20 miles per gallon. The smart? Routine driving sees near 38 miles per gallon.

Converted to people miles per gallon, however, his Suburban would have been rated around 108 pmpg. GoodCarBadCar's smart with full human capacity wouldn't be rated beyond 76 pmpg. While it's true that no current Lamborghini could attain a pmpg rating over 40, there is another argument - another perspective, really - that ought to be considered when attacking the manufacturer for the consumption and emission of its automobiles.

Over its 46-year history, Lamborghini has produced approximately 22,000 cars. Americans made the Hyundai Elantra the tenth best-selling car in the USA last month by buying 21,673 sedan and wagon Elantras. Context given.

Of the 22,000 Lamborghinis manufactured in the last 46 years, only 11,000 are driven regularly. Unfortunately, this means 11,000 sit in living rooms, museums, and.... avert your eyes, junkyards. More context required? Toyota sold 10,656 Highlanders in August. One can assume they're all being driven. On the school run.

So few Lamborghinis are being driven, yes, but hardly driven in truth. On average, those 11,000 Lamborghinis are driven about 3,000 miles annually. GoodCarBadCar's long-term smart is driven sparingly yet will cover that distance in six months.

Measure the equivalent this'a'way. Take 2,750 cars and drive them each 12,000 miles per year. In other words, that's about 7% of the Honda Accords sold in the U.S. in August driven a regular amount.

Finally, says evo's Harry Metcalfe on Stephan Winkelmann's subject, the "CO2 levels of all the Lamborghinis ever produced is almost immeasurable". And yet, even amongst the automotive enthusiast society, we continue to expect companies like Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Bentley to produce E85-burning hybrids with hydrogen fuel cells and curb weights under 2,000 pounds.

Just for full disclosure's sake, here are some of the Numbers from the EPA on Lamborghini's 2010 models. By the way, the EPA (@ fueleconomy.gov) uses 15,000 miles per year to calculate the carbon footprint of automobiles.

Lamborghini Gallardo 6-speed manual: 12 mpg city/20 mpg highway, 12.2 tons of CO2/year

Lamborgini Murcielago 6-speed manual: 8 mpg city/13 mpg highway, 18.3 tons of CO2/year

Lamborghini Reventon Roadster: 9 mpg city/14 mpg highway, 16.6 tons of CO2/year

DO ALL ASTON MARTINS HAVE TO LOOK ALIKE? RAPIDE GALLERY

Believe you me, the Aston Martin Rapide is one of the best-looking 4-doors in the history of 4-doors. Understand you this, were the funds available to The Good Car Guy, an Aston Martin Rapide would almost definitely be parked beneath GoodCarBadCar Towers. Don't doubt it for a minute, GoodCarBadCar.net is officially a firm supporter of the Aston Martin Rapide and its progression toward production.

That being said, why must it be styled to look exactly like all other current Aston Martins? There's this interesting Porsche dilemma that doesn't faze the designers in Gaydon, Warwickshire one bit. See, at Porsche, each new model is supposed to look like the 911 Carrera, only as an SUV (Cayenne) or sedan (Panamera). Unfortunately, Zuffenhausen's designers can't make it happen. Conversely unfortunate at Aston Martin is the designer's innate comprehension of what an Aston is "supposed to look like" and their spectacular ability to make the DB9 a supercar (DBS) or a smaller 911 competitor (V8 Vantage) or, as seen in the Gallery below, a four-door sedan..... er, hatchback.

And then, this company which designs and manufacturers some of the planet's most beautiful cars needs an ultra-exclusive front-engined British alternative to the Lamborghini Reventon. Thus, 77 examples of the One-77 are sold off to willing supercar connoisseurs. What do these cars look like? Ah, this time Aston Martin exaggerates the family look. How inventive.

Whilst I complain about this unnecessary design kinship, Aston Martin is becoming an increasingly successful company. At the same time, arguments start up every time Ferrari introduces a new car. Antagonists and apologists debate the merits of a new controversial Ferrari design. Then Ferrari goes on to sell more of the new car than they were able to sell of its predecessors. Perhaps it's useful for your cars to look like red-blooded Italian supercars without looking like triplets who were born in different calendar years.

Is there any sedan available today with greater pull-up-at-the-Ritz presence than Aston's Rapide? Certainly not the Mercedes S-Class or Jaguar XJ. Only certain (more expensive) Bentleys and Rolls-Royce Phantoms could compete. Notwithstanding its good looks, the future must hold something different for some of Aston Martin's cars lest we all ignore the brand for boredom.

From the top, the very similar front ends of the Aston Martin DB9, V8 Vantage, DBS, Rapide, and One-77.

AUDI E-TRON CONCEPT : ANOTHER ELECTRIC SUPERCAR; THIS TIME WITH 3,319 LB-FT AND A PHOTO GALLERY

Audi just introduced an electric car based on the R8 at the Frankfurt auto show. The Audi e-tron uses four electric motors and has a theoretical range of 248 kilometres, about 154 miles. For three quick performance-related points, read below the Gallery. And don't forget to click over to see other Frankfurt debuts here.

The Audi e-tron accelerates to 62mph in 4.8 seconds.

313 horsepower is nice. 3,319 lb-ft of torque is no typo.

470 kilograms of battery sits out front. That's over 1000 pounds of dynamics-altering weight.

17 PICTURES OF THE WIESMANN ROADSTER MF5 - GALLERY

The 2010 Wiesmann Roadster MF5 is stunning, as has come to be expected from this niche German manufacturer. Check below the 17-picture Gallery for three quick facts from this outlandish supercar. Click here for more from the Frankfurt auto show.

507 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque from a BMW M5's V10

Top speed of 193mph

€189,500 MSRP

BUGATTI UNVEILS THE GALIBIER 16C 4-DOOR CONCEPT

They wanted to call it the Caliber, but Dodge stole that name for its smallish hatchback. So Bugatti changed a couple letters around and got Galibier.

Okay, it's not a funny joke. And anybody with an ounce of French language training knows that the more appropriate pronunciation for this car is Gal-ib-err but Gahl-eeb-yay. Why so much talk about the name?

Well, we don't know much else about this four-door Bugatti. Its proportions are kind of; a little bit; sort of similar to the Lamborghini Estoque concept. But those very same proportions aren't unlike those of the Aston Martin Rapide. Perhaps this is just the nature of ultra-expensive sedans.

The Galibier was introduced to the elite in Bugatti's home of Molsheim in the Alsace region of France. An 8-litre sixteen-cylinder engine uses two-stage supercharging (a la VW's twin-charged Golf?) and can run on E85 fuel. Swiss watchmaker Parmigiani created a removable clock that can be worn on the owner's wrist. Rather gaudily, Ettore Bugatti's signature sits on a panel atop the glovebox. Oh, and about that name: Galibier is the name of a stage in the Tour de France as well as a particular version of Bugatti's old Type 57.

LAMBORGHINI INTRODUCES THE REVENTON ROADSTER- GALLERY

Around this time two years ago, Lamborghini unveiled the Reventon. Although criticized in some corners - including this one - for being comparably overpriced in light of the upgrades over Lamborghini's Murcielago, the Reventon's exclusivity and stop-you-in-your-tracks design led to some success. Now we have the Lamborghini Reventon Roadster. Rather extreme, we must admit, the Reventon in topless form still generates 661 horsepower, accelerates to 60mph in 3.4 seconds as it makes progress toward a 205mph top speed.

Read more about Lamborghini here

Lamborghini's boss, Stephan Winkelmann, says the Reventon Roadster "adds an extra emotional component" to the most extreme car in the brand's history. Yeah, as if the buyers of the regular Reventon weren't a bit emotional over the whole thing anyway.

Lambo Reventon Roadster buyers will be asked to pony up €1,100,000, today's equal of $1,601,431 USD. That's way too much money to pay for a car with the Lamborghini Reventon Roadster's capabilities. However, there will be about 20 of Lamborghini's "friends and collectors" willing to shell out.

Find out which car compete with the Reventon Roadster for the wallets of the mega rich

2011 MERCEDES SLS AMG GULLWING GALLERY - 90 IMAGES

By no means a traditionally beautiful car, the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG makes good use of alluring proportions and gullwing doors to draw the eye(s) of online onlookers around the globe.

The successor to the SLR McLaren (a car Mercedes-Benz and McLaren could never agree on) is an in-house development; ironically debuting with its full motherload of pictures on the same day as the McLaren MP4-12C. It's hard to argue about pedigree when one car, the McLaren, inherits the genes of the best supercar of all time, the McLaren F1, while the other, this SLS AMG, can look back over a hundred years of phenomenal machinery.

Besides, if you have the money to have one, you can probably have the other, as well. 53% of the SLS AMG's weight is over the rear wheels. That sounds mid-engined like, very MP4-12Cesque for this front-engined Benz. 571 horsepower is slightly less than what's on offer from McLaren, but this now-famous 6.3L V8 from AMG is a wondrous engine.

And then there's those doors. Like the 300SL of 1954, this Benz's doors open towards the sky above the cockpit. More awe-inspiring and eye-catching than a Lamborghini Murcielago's scissor doors or the Aston Martin DB9's swan-like open/closing method, this car's most talked about feature won't be 479 lb-ft of torque but the emotion-stirring gullwing appendages.

€177,310, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG price, converts directly to about $258,000 USD. Don't expect that to be the MSRP of the AMG Gullwing when it heads across the pond next year; but it could be close. The SLS AMG's blunt nose and similarities to the SLR McLaren in its side vents and its bog-standard Benz-like interior won't deter buyers. This is the kind of Mercedes that'll incite envy of Ferrari or Lambo proportions. A McLaren MP4-12C/Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing comparison will be on the newstands near you before long. For now, check out all 90 pictures of the new SLS AMG below and the McLaren's 26 images here.

ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST DEBUTS WITH 48 IMAGES AND SOME SPECS

As the most powerful car in the history of Rolls-Royce, the new 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost is bound to attract plenty of attention from the motoring press over the next few days. Smaller and less expensive than the awe-inspiring Phantom, the Ghost generates 563 horsepower by way of a 6.6L V12.

Rolls says the Ghost is designed with "Yacht Lines" in mind. The "elevated prow" is distinctly Rolls-Royce while the overall shape is very Phantom-like. This can't be surprising given BMW's nature to simply upsize the design of each of their own models. BMW, after all, is Rolls-Royce's German owner.

Inside the layout is much more BMW-like than the Phantom could ever be. Though it's doubtful that any visible parts are shared with the 7-Series Bimmer (photo comparo here), the less formal dashboard style could be off-putting to those who have the money to buy a Bentley Continental GT or even the new Bentley Mulsanne.

Don't kid yourself, the interior of this Rolls-Royce Ghost likely provides the kind of ambience only a handful of other cars can attain. And while we've known for a long time that BMW wanted Rolls-Royce to offer a smaller Rolls, its arrival is somehow discomforting. A lesser Rolls-Royce? Is that appropriate?

Appropriate will be one of many adjectives used to describe the financial statement of Rolls-Royce once the Ghost is rolling off the (slow-moving) assembly line in Goodwood. Compared with Toyota Camry sales which reach beyond 400,000 in the United States alone, the hundreds of Rolls-Royce Ghosts sold will seem like tiny drops in a small puddle. When sold at prices between €200,000-€300,000, however, the Ghost will be an earner on par with the Rolls-Royce Phantom that came before. Check out all 48 images of the new Rolls-Royce Ghost below before having a look-see at The Good Car Guy's own Phantom photo.

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EXPANDED FERRARI 458 ITALIA GALLERY

Ferrari has slightly expanded its portfolio of 458 Italia pictures. This is one of the best-looking modern Ferraris and is thus essential viewing for all citizens of the planet. The Good Car Guy has already shown a comparo of photos between the 458 and its predecessors, the F430 and 360 Modena. You should also take a look at the previous Gallery of 458 Italia pics here for context... or something, while also listening to the sound of its V8 in this video.

GALLERY - NOBLE M600 - 13 PICTURES

Founded in 1999 as yet another British answer to Porsche, Lee Noble's Noble Automotive Ltd. (since sold by Mr. Noble) has been mildly successful building cars in the UK and South Africa and marketing their cars around the world as exclusive ultra-sporting and refined sub-supercars. There's your 40+ word introduction. Here's today's story.

Noble has finally released pictures of the production M600. Clean lines married with a dramatic profile make for a typical Nobleesque appearance. Also unique is the fashion with which Noble Automotive releases details for their vehicles. (See succinct press release below the Gallery.) The M600 will be ridiculously quick in straight lines as well as around corners and on real world roads. Pricing will inevitably be a notch or three above what one would expect but will unquestionably be worth it for the few who take Noble up on their offer.

The 650bhp Noble M600, for those who love to drive. Designed and engineered with a purity that rewards driver skill, the Noble M600 neither dictates or hinders with unnecessary Computer assistance. The Noble M600 puts you back in the drivers seat.

GALLERY - 2011 BENTLEY MULSANNE - 7 PICTURES

1992 marked the end of Mulsanne production for Bentley Motors. 2011 will mark the Mulsanne's rebirth. True, much of the Mulsanne's architecture is still shared by the big Bentleys; those designed before Volkswagen took control of Bentley.

Immediately upon release, pictures of the new Mulsanne impressed greatly. Looking for all the world like a traditional Bentley, the new Mulsanne appears completely modern at the same time. Result.

We don't know much about the '11 Mulsanne's powertrain or technological advances. In fact, we know next-to-nothing about the '11 Bentley Mulsanne's powertrain and technological advances. It's very evident that the Mulsanne's front end is designed to be redesigned. Remaining upright, the Mulsanne maintains the aura of I-have-more-money-than-you without peering back to 1979 for inspiration.

Wildly successful in its first attempt to reinvigorate the old-style Bentleys, the only pressure on Volkswagen revolves around the greatness of the Mulsanne's interior and, naturally, torque levels.

NEW-FOR-2010 PORSCHE 911 TURBO GALLERY

Six cylinders displacing 3.8 litres, mated with two turbochargers and direct injection, make Porsche's new 2010 911 Turbo a 500 horsepower kind of car. Porsche's estimates are usually conservative, and they're saying the new Turbo will hit 60mph in 3.4 seconds. Their suggestion that the 911 Turbo will reach 194mph (312kmh) is entirely believable.

Yet, for the first time ever when it comes to the introduction of a new Turbo, I don't care.

Though it may sound like heresy coming from an auto enthusiast, the 911 Turbo has begun boring me. Always with the power and the superior all-wheel drive and the grip and the traction. If every car were a 911, the Turbo would be analogous to mainstream midsize V6 sedans. Sure, it's fast and solid and luxurious and good-looking (from some angles). But most of its customers choose the automatic. There are two semi-useable seats in the rear. The Turbo is by no means the fastest 911 available. Thank the GT2 for that fact. And it's nowhere close to reigning as the champion of frightening hardcore sportscars. Blame the GT3.

Check out all Porsche-related posts here

'Tis the speed of the 911 Carrera S that, for me personally, makes the new 911 Turbo finally boring. Countless others have already come to this conclusion. They're driving the Audi R8. Some of them, dare I point out, are sitting in the Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG with the top down.... until the sky falters and spits out a few droplets.

See the Porsche Boxster in The Good 12 & The Good 12 v2.0

Yes, the 911 GT3 makes the Turbo look like the 911 for your grandfather. Comfortable and fast with a reputation that makes him look younger. But.... really not the best tool for corner carving. Better than almost anything on the planet? Yes. But not the best.

Oh, and if I want knock-the-wind-out-of-me; hand-the-policeman-my-license; make-my-wife-angry; insult-every-environmentalist-alive kind of speed, the 911 GT2 is better suited to playing the villain.

Porsche's new 911 Turbo ticks all the boxes. Jaw-droppingly fast? Tick. Slightly more mature rear wing than before? Tick, indeed. Technologically advanced? Tick check. Slightly improved fuel efficiency? Ticker-tape parade. PDK transmission availability? Check tick.

Pent-up excitement finally released from every auto enthusiast now that pics (7 below) and specs have been released? Fail.

ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE V12 SCREENSHOTS THROW PERCEPTION TO THE WIND

Around four-feet high and six feet wide, the Aston Martin Vantage V8's proportions are clearly sporting. In V12 form, the hood gills, spectacular wheels, and slightly lowered ride height add to the Vantage's aura. Check out the pictures; each one a screenshot from Jeremy Clarkson's test drive of the Aston Martin Vantage V12 on Top Gear.

Quite clearly, perspective is completely lacking. The background is blurred by the speed. Nevertheless, don't you think the Aston Martin Vantage V12 looks extremely long in these pics? Looking far more DB9-like than one would have believed, the V12 Vantage in this video these pictures must explain itself.

Here are the stats. At 172.5 inches long, the V12 Vantage is thirteen inches shorter than the Aston Martin DB9; about five inches shorter than Hyundai's Elantra, three inches shorter than a Porsche 911, but an inch longer than the BMW 135i. In other words, the V12 Vantage is a whole lot smaller than it looks. Long, low, and wide makes a case for grace.

PHOTO COMPARO OF THE NEW FERRARI 458 ITALIA & FERRARI F430 AND FERRARI 360 MODENA

Quite telling, this anecdote surely is. One Christmas in the years prior to the marriage of The Good Car Guy and The Good Car Girl, the gift directed my way revolved around the Ferrari 360 Modena. Creativity won the day, yes. But the car was cast in such beautiful light.

Though I wouldn't suggest the advent of the Ferrari F430 was the beginning of a downward trend; something was off with the 360 Modena's successor. Its penchant for high speeds was greater; even when comparing garden variety examples with the extreme 360 Challenge Stradale. The F430 remained a visual shocker. And the competition (Lamborghini Gallardo, anyone?), while still alluring and successful, held court on the periphery.

Hard to put a finger on it, eh? The F430 lost some of the classy magic. When the F355 gave way to the 360 Modena, some Ferrari lovers were pained by its massive air intakes. For me, the 360 Modena stepped aside and in came the F430, a harder car by every definition. Lovely? For sure. The Good Car Guy's second-favourite supercar? Oh yeah. Still, the F430 was regression; at least in terms of desirability.

Now we have pictures of the F430's replacement, the Ferrari 458 Italia. Power is up, yes, but so is efficiency. There'll be plenty of techno talk in the upcoming days, as well. However strong on technology and modernity Ferrari may be, the firm is still firmly entrenched as passion-based. Personally, the inherent desire that washed over GoodCarBadCar Towers when pictures of the new 458 appeared carry the Italia to a place where floors are washed with F430s.

Stay tuned for a complete specification comparo of the last three mid-engined Ferrari V8s. Prepare to be impressed. For now, take a look at the comparative Gallery below.

GALLERY - FERRARI 458 ITALIA - 4 PICTURES

4.5 litres of thumping Italian metal built to send power to the rear wheels of a red supercar: a wonderful thing, indeed. Named after its displacement (4.5L) and the number of cylinders (8), the 458 Italia by Ferrari is an attempt to take Ferrari into the next era of automobile production. The 2011 model year marks Ferrari's start of a green era..... well, sort of.

The 458 Italia uses high-end materials that cost a bijillion to actually put together. Moreover, this Ferrari will still use a lot of gasoline. However, thanks to direct-injection for the engine; a very compact and aerodynamic shape; a shockingly light chassis; and a 7-speed transmission; the Italia should return improved economy compared with the F430 while also being quicker. Quicker, they say, than the Ferrari Enzo.

With the purpose of showing the 458 Italia's true colours, The Good Car Guy edited hue right out of two preliminary Italia photos. In order to truly see its profile and its lines, a lack of colour is necessary. To compensate, red was punched up a notch in the other two. Enjoy the viewing. Ferrari hasn't made a car this good-looking since the 456M. There's a little dose of Dino in here, as well. That can't hurt.

FERRARI BRINGS SCUDERIA SPIRIT TO 430 SPIDER

Back when Ferrari strode back to the firm, indisputable top of the pack, the F355 was a 380-horsepower supercar. 380 horsepower? You mean five more horsepower than Hyundai's V8 luxury sedan? Quaint.

One received the impression since the F355's time that Ferrari didn't want to play in horsepower wars - Lamborghini and Mercedes-Benz AMG both outpunched Maranello in that department - but managed the acceleration of horsepower increases quite capably. For instance, take the car you see here: Ferrari's new Scuderia Spider 16M. In the Ferrari of the past, a convertible would never be treated to the most outrageous of Ferrari's performance equipment. Now, the 430 Scuderia has joined with the 430 Spider in fitting the Scuderia Spider 16M with a 510 horsepower 4.3L V8. In the F355's era, even the hyper-expensive 456M GT, a V12 supercoupe, only had 442 horses.

Better yet, the Scuderia Spider has shed 176 pounds. Worse yet, the Scuderia Spider will likely feature a base price of close to or over $300,000 USD.

Yes, Ferrari's manufacturing of a new hardtop convertible, the California, spoke volumes about the Italians' willingness to work with open-top cars. Now cometh the Scuderia Spider 16M. Only 499 will be assembled. (2700 F355's were built by Ferrari, by the way.) 

Not only was the 430 Spider's predecessor never built with the most powerful Ferrari V8 of its time; the 360 Spider was never available with the Scuderia Spider 16M's sound option either. A special 16GB Ferrari iPod Touch will rest prominently in a central dock in front of the dashboard.