Awesome Rides

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster trades the coupe’s iconic gullwing doors – and its hardtop – for a soft top that stows away in 11s, but it’s still a supercar, with a top speed of 197mph.

If you ever wondered just how durable your car is, the guys at Volkswagen want us to know just how much they beat the crap out of their vehicles long before they ever hit the showroom floor.

Limited to just 500 cars, the new Cayman S Black lives up to its name with a sleek black exterior, black 19-inch wheels, black interior, black tailpipes, and bright bi-xenon cornering headlights.

Got a few million bucks to spare? Yep, thought so. Wealthy collectors should know that this 1965 Ford GT40 is hitting the auction block. This rare bird was discontinued after only 12 prototypes were made.

Meant to help beginners enjoy and help surfers do away with paddling, the WaveJet has two battery-powered jets that can propel riders at 12mph. It comes with a bracelet remote control/kill switch.

With a 500hp 4.0L flat six engine, a full roll-cage, rear wing and carbon fiber parts, the 2,998lb. Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 is practically a street legal race car. Limited to 600 units at $185,000 each.

German tuning house Kicherer takes the SLS AMG and boosts the stock V8 from 563HP to 621HP with a crazy 516 lb-ft torque, along with a sexy matte black wrap and one angry-looking girl grill.

While they’re known for their subcompact cars, Mini now has their own subcompact urban bicycles. The 24-pound bike folds neatly and is small enough to fit in the back of – you guessed it – a Mini Cooper.

Built in an edition of 9, Zagato’s sumptuous carbon fiber-bodied TZ3 Stradale, built for Alfa Romeo’s 100th Anniversary, has the soul of an Alfa and the badass heart of a Dodge Viper ACR.

Most of the Cobras we’d drive are Mustangs, but we’ll make an exception for this cool-looking Taiwanese ATV with its powerful four-stroke engine, CVT transmission and 4WD drive-train.

BPG Motors’ UNO III electric scooter has two modes. The 2-wheeled dicycle mode is great for indoor use. For more speed, switch to the 3-wheeled street bike mode and go up to 30mph.

The QTvan gets its name from three “peculiarly British obsessions” – queueing, tea time and caravan. Meant to be hauled by a scooter, it has a full-size bed, a tea service, a full bar and a 19″ TV.

Attila Tari and hypo-Design’s entry in the Michelin Challenge Design, the Straddle is an electric version of a horse, meant to bring the rider closer to his surroundings and to nature in general.

A three-man team based in Camden, London that build or modify motorcycles for everyday use. Their creations may not be the fastest or flashiest rides around, but they definitely have character.

Has a 465hp 6.4L HEMI V8 engine, 175mph top speed, paddle shifters, Brembo calipers and a tech-packed interior, and options like a 900-watt, 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

Modern technologies encased in a body inspired by the original Beetle, the 2012 Beetle is wider, lower and sports a more aggressive look. It’s also the most fuel efficient, able to get up to 33mpg.

Jaguar’s debut of their thrilling new pinnacle model, the 550 hp XKR-S coupe, has been revealed at the New York Auto Show; it boasts a top speed of 186 mph and goes 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds.

This bike features cutting-edge styling to go with its modern energy source. With its continuously-variable transmission and belt-drive, it can hit speeds of 120mph, with a range of 185 miles.

The Audi A3 e-tron variant offers a turbo, direct-injected 1.4L 4 cylinder with 211 hp; combined with the 27 ponies from the 20kW electric motor, the vehicle goes 0 to 60 in 6.8 seconds. Video here.

Top Gear scares the crap out of the gang, strapping them and their ragtops in the back of a cargo plane for a lovely view of the ground. And that’s not the most dangerous thing about their trip.

On a Jalopnik post about what the site thinks is the best automotive commercial ever made, commenter Monsterajr shared this commemorative ad by Shell and Ferrari. Turn your speakers up.

Designed to be a more convenient and secure bike lock, the Hiplok’s steel chain, shackle and body are wrapped in a slick-looking, removable and washable ABS shroud. Available in different colors.

Form and function can be found in the Formula 1-inspired Spada Codatronca Monza low volume supercar, which boasts a supercharged 7.0L Corvette Z06 engine and tops out at over 200 mph.