Auto News 5

For the vast majority of this magazine's readers (and, I would guess, a full majority of its writers), exotic cars are an exercise in voyeurism. I enjoy reading Ferrari reviews not because I need to make an educated purchase decision, but because I want to know what it feels like to mat the throttle of an F430 on an increasing-radius on-ramp. I want to hear about how the Bugatti Veyron's acceleration feels like a blind-side sack from Rodney Harrison or learn why, exactly, a Morgan Roadster uses wooden body framing instead of the possibly more-effective metal variety. And does the Morgan warranty cover termites? This is information I need to know.

After years of casting around for a third model, Lamborghini has settled on what Manfred Fitzgerald, head of brand and design, rather presumptively calls "the world's first supersedan." The dramatic Estoque, revealed in concept form at the Paris auto show, isn't called a four-door coupe by its makers, but it certainly would travel in the extrawide tire tracks of cars like the Porsche Panamera and the Aston Martin Rapide, both of which it would follow to market, in 2012.

Back in 1986, Chrysler-designer-turned-Dodge-car-marketing-manager Bob Marcks had the idea that a tough "big rig" look could transform Dodge pickup sales. He made a couple of rough sketches, and even though trucks weren't his business, his idea was picked up in the creative ferment of the Bob Lutz/Tom Gale era at the old "New" Chrysler Corporation, resulting in the production vehicle that debuted at the Detroit auto show in 1993. That the aggressive styling really mattered was proven by results: with pretty much the same old underpinnings, sales tripled less than a year after the Ram went on sale. At one point, the Ram pickup was the third best-selling vehicle in America, ahead of all passenger cars and behind only the perpetual leaders, Ford's F-150 and Chevrolet's Silverado.