Dodge Challenger SRT8 2008

• Competes with: Ford Mustang, Nissan 350Z
• Looks like: A 1970s muscle car
• Drivetrain: 425-hp, 6.1-liter V-8 with five-speed automatic
• Hits dealerships: SRT8 this spring, base Challengers in 2009

The production Dodge Challenger is so similar to the concept from last year that it certainly feels like we've seen this car before. The changes to the production model are significant, of course — different grille and taillight clusters — but the overwhelming sense of nostalgia applied to a design probably hasn't been so extreme since Ford redid the Thunderbird in 2002. This Challenger may face the same doomed existence as that convertible, too. While the exterior is certainly muscular and the engine will no doubt offer the same thrills we've enjoyed in other SRT8s, like the Dodge Charger and Magnum, the interior looks to leave a lot to be desired. It looks almost identical to the Charger and Magnum, and neither is our favorite to sit in. At a sticker price of $37,995, the first year's allotment of Challenger SRT8s has already been spoken for, but Dodge should still be worrying about its second year of production. That's when the base model will have to compete with a new Chevy Camaro and revised Ford Mustang. We'll try to stay positive for a moment, though, and point out that the SRT8 comes in just three colors — orange, silver and black — with racing stripes, and will hit 60 mph in the low 5-second range.

Hyundai Genesis Coupe

• Looks like: Hyundai still hasn't found its styling call
• Defining characteristics: Not a lot; the lines are aggressive but don't go anywhere new
• Ridiculous features: Staggered carbon-fiber hood, enormous air intakes
• Chance of being mass-produced: Confirmed; expect a production version at next year's New York auto show

Though the Genesis coupe shares styling elements with the upcoming Genesis sedan, the shared name puzzles us. Hyundai bills the sedan as a full-blown luxury car, but when the production coupe arrives at next spring's New York auto show, it will compete with cars like the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Nissan 350Z. One Hyundai product planner told us the company benchmarked the Infiniti G37's performance, but he added that the rear-wheel-drive coupe won't replace the front-wheel-drive Tiburon, which will likely get its own replacement down the road. As concept cars go, the Genesis coupe's over-the-top quotient is low. There are no gull-wing doors or computerized dashboards. In fact, there's no dashboard at all; the car on display had windows tinted so dark we couldn't make out anything within, and Hyundai wasn't letting anyone open the doors. Hyundai says the coupe's oversized wheels, carbon-fiber hood and bright orange bodywork drew inspiration from race cars and "Dub City" die-cast models. (Evidently, the chrome 24s and 1500-watt stereo didn't make it.) Full mechanical details aren't available yet, but Hyundai says the production coupe will have a standard turbo four-cylinder and an optional 300-plus-horsepower V-6. Hyundai says the production coupe should hit 60 mph in less than 6 seconds with the V-6, and it will be the "most affordable" 300-hp sports car on the market. The current title goes to the $25,840 Ford Mustang GT — which does zero to 60 in well under 6 seconds, mind you — so expect the V-6 Genesis coupe to start around there, with the turbo four-cylinder costing a few grand less.

Saleen S5S Raptor

• Looks like: Lamborghini meets Acura NSX
• Defining characteristics: Monster 650-hp engine
• Ridiculous features: That this monster may be unleashed on roads
• Chance of being mass-produced: Saleen needs a new supercar, and this looks pretty darn super

Saleen is best known for its custom Mustang work, but the company also builds supercars for the rich and speed-addicted as well. The S5S Raptor concept gives us an idea of what its next supercar will look like.

Unlike concept cars from large manufacturers, Saleen is a small shop that hand-builds its supercars, so bringing the Raptor to production wouldn't take too long. The company says it could go on sale within two years at a price near $185,000.

What would that money get you? A supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 good for 650 horsepower and 630 pounds-feet of torque. Zero to 60 time? The company predicts 3.2 seconds. Top speed? More than 200 mph. Saleen says these numbers will be aided by the use of E85 ethanol as the car's fuel.

We're fans of the look. It might remind us a little of a Lamborghini up front, but the wild backside makes the Raptor unique.

Lotus Exige S 2007

• Competes with: BMW Z4 M Coupe, Porsche Cayman S
• Looks like: A genuine racecar, shrink-wrapped to three-quarter scale
• Drivetrain: 220-hp, supercharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder with six-speed manual transmission; rear-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: November 2006
• MSRP: $57,000 (est.)

Lotus added a brand-new Exige coupe to its lineup for the 2006 model year, only to replace it in late 2006 with a supercharged Exige S. It joins the Elise roadster, which debuted in the U.S. for 2005. The limited-production Exige S is marketed toward high-performance enthusiasts and is intended mainly for operation on a racetrack.

Like the Elise, the Exige S coupe is built in Britain.

Exterior
Even though the Exige S looks similar to the soft-top Elise, the two sports cars use different sheet metal. Only the door panels are shared. Both are based on the same 150-pound aluminum chassis — featherweight, by automotive standards. Both models are flamboyantly styled, and each car's appearance is augmented by a variety of vents and curves — some shapely, others practical in nature.

The Exige S sports a body-colored rear wing and black ground effects. A single exhaust pipe replaces the twin pipes in the Elise, and an updated roof scoop channels air to the mid-mounted engine's intercooler.

Bilstein shock absorbers work with Eibach coil springs, and cross-drilled rotors and twin-piston Lotus/AP brake calipers are installed. Built on a 90.5-inch wheelbase, the Exige S measures 149.5 inches long overall and is 45.6 inches tall.

Interior
As in the Elise, only two people can fit inside the Exige S. The small steering wheel is barely more than a foot in diameter. An air conditioning-delete option is offered, and composite sport seats come only in black. An optional Touring Pack includes leather seats, additional sound insulation, an upgraded stereo system and full carpeting.

Under the Hood
The supercharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder in the Exige S pumps out 220 horsepower and 165 pounds-feet of torque. Lotus says 80 percent of the torque is available at just over 2,000 rpm, giving the Exige S a flexible power band.

The sole transmission is a six-speed manual. Options include traction control and a torque-sensing limited-slip differential. Meant to distribute power more evenly between the rear tires during autocross competition, the limited-slip differential permits more aggressive acceleration when exiting corners. An engine control system can vary the rpm at which the engine's variable valve timing kicks into motion.

Lotus says the Exige S scoots from zero to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds.

Safety
The antilock braking system is specially calibrated for delayed actuation, which allows competition-oriented drivers to perform "threshold" braking.

Maserati Gran Turismo 2008

• Competes with: BMW 650, Jaguar XKR, Aston Martin V-8 Vantage
• Looks like: A stretched, flattened and chopped version of the Maserati Coupe
• Drivetrain: 405-hp, 4.2-liter V-8 with ZF six-speed automatic transmission; rear-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Fourth quarter of 2007

Maserati teamed with Italian design company Pininfarina to style its latest model, the Gran Turismo, which is influenced by another of the companies' collaborative efforts, the Maserati Birdcage 75 concept car of 2006.

The Gran Turismo is a replacement for the not-so-gracefully-aging Maserati Coupe that first hit the road as a 2002 model.

Exterior
The Gran Turismo looks like a current Maserati Coupe that was imported into an image-editing program, then stretched, flattened and chopped into a sleek sports car. The Gran Turismo displayed at the Geneva show features wheels almost identical to the 2005 concept's. The production version will have standard 19-inch wheels, with 20-inch wheels available.

The most alluring view of the Gran Turismo is its side profile, where the arching fenders and long pointed nose are most notable; this is in stark contrast with the current Coupe and its bulgy front and rear ends.

Interior
Maserati surrounds the interior with high-quality leather and wood, as well as chrome accents on the dashboard. There's seating for four passengers, and Maserati says two adults can fit comfortably in the backseat.

Under the Hood
Powered by the same Ferrari-derived 4.2-liter V-8 as the Coupe, the Gran Turismo has 405 horsepower, and Maserati says it can accelerate from zero to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 177 mph. A six-speed automatic transmission adapts gear changes to driving style and conditions.

Volkswagen Scirocco 2009

• Competes with: Mini Cooper S, Volvo C30
• Looks like: A low-riding GTI with a chopped roof

Though it's been absent from the U.S. for a while, Scirocco is one of Volkswagen's more recognizable nameplates, and it's been resurrected in the form of a two-door hatchback that has room for up to four people. Details are few at the moment, but Volkswagen says the Scirocco will be offered with an adaptive suspension and both diesel and gas engines. We'll have to wait and see if the diesel engine option makes it to the U.S.

The Scirocco's profile is reminiscent of Volvo's new C30 hatchback, with its sloping roofline and long side windows. Rather than a version of VW's corporate chrome grille, the Scirocco has black upper and lower sections that are separated by a molded bumper. A small rear spoiler finishes off the liftgate.

Inside, the dashboard layout closely resembles the GTI's, and occupants in both the front and back get sculpted bucket seats.

Volvo XC60 2009

• Competes with: BMW X3, Land Rover LR2, Acura RDX
• Looks like: Safe comes to the compact luxury SUV market
• Drivetrain: 281-hp, turbocharged six-cylinder
• Hits dealerships: Early 2009

Volvo is jumping into the small luxury SUV game with the XC60. It joins an ever-growing group of very good vehicles, like the BMW X3, Acura RDX, Land Rover LR2, Infiniti EX35 and Mercedes-Benz's upcoming GLK. Can Volvo play the safe card and win buyers?

That's what the company says it isn't doing, at least with the design. While it certainly isn't boxy, we're not sure if the lines are as universally appealing as the Infiniti EX35 or as true to their brand as the Land Rover LR2. At first glance the interior looks similar to other Volvos, but the floating center stack is actually off-center, skewing toward the driver. It's an odd effect, but it might turn out to be quite practical.

Under the hood is an energetic turbocharged T6 six-cylinder pumping out 281 horsepower — more than any other SUV in this segment. It will be the only available engine in the U.S. when it goes on sale in early 2009. All-wheel drive will be standard, which makes us worry that the entry price might be high. But considering that parts of Volvo's lineup — like the S80 and XC70 — are priced well below the competition, we'll have to wait and see.

As for safety, the XC60 comes with a crash-avoidance feature that can tell if you're about to run into the car in front of you, and it then applies the brakes to avoid the accident. Volvo is calling it "City Safety" in the XC60, but it sounds much like the collision warning system in other vehicles in Volvo's lineup, sometimes as part of a $1,700 option package. City Safety is standard in the XC60.