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So You Can't Afford: 2012 Porsche Carrera 911 S400-hp 3.8-liter flat six
Price: $97,350
The inexpensive imitator: Chevy Corvette
Chevrolet's Corvette has been competing with the Porsche 911 since it first landed on our shores in 1964. Back in the 1960s, the Vette would smoke the Porsche on any road—as long as that road didn't twist. Today the sports car icons are much more evenly matched.
But Maybe You Can Afford: 2011 Chevrolet Corvette430-hp, 5900-rpm 6.3-liter V-8
Price: $49,525
Both should hit 60 mph in just a tick over 4 seconds. The Porsche, with its endless new technology like the Dynamic Chassis Control, which replaces the traditional antiroll bars with active ones to get you around corners faster, would probably squeak out a quicker lap time on the track. But is the Chevy less fun? No way. In fact some would argue that with fewer driver technologies, the Vette might be the purer experience.
We're not expecting to convert any lifelong 911 fans here. Behind the wheel, the Porsche is like a luxury coupe—the interior is gorgeous. The Corvette is as it's always been: a bit down-market by comparison, especially with its thinly padded thrones. But if what you want is muscle and you don't care much about the name on the back of the car, you could get the Vette and buy some very nice seats with the $47,825 you'll save. In fact, you could almost buy another brand new Corvette.
So You Can't Afford: 2012 Audi A7300-hp, 3.0-liter supercharged V-6
Price: $59,250
The inexpensive imitator: Volkswagen CC
Mercedes-Benz invented the slinky four-door coupe when it introduced the original CLS in 2004. But VW wasn't too far behind when it took that same idea and applied it to a far less expensive car with the 2008 Passat CC. Now this group of cars has grown to include the Porsche Panamera and the new Audi A7.
But Maybe You Can Afford: 2012 Volkswagen CC200-hp, 2.0-liter inline-four turbo
Price: $28,515
Although the CC is front-wheel drive and has 100 fewer horsepower than the Audi, drivers can buy it with the optional 3.6-liter V-6 and all-wheel drive, so it lines up even more closely with the A7. The V-6 CC sells for $40,090, but that's still 20 grand less than the Audi. The CC is certainly smaller, yet it still provides a comfy 37 inches of rear legroom, the same as the Audi.
The biggest difference in terms of usability is that the VW uses a traditional trunk with 13.0 cubic feet of luggage space while the Audi is a hatchback with a whopping 24.5 cubic feet of room even before the rear seats are folded down. And, since it's an Audi, it outclasses the VW on the inside. But that $30,000 price gap between the two makes a compelling argument for the CC. It's still the only reasonably priced four-door coupe on the market.
So You Can't Afford: 2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class429-hp, 4.6-liter twin turbo V8
Price: $94,500
The inexpensive imitator: Hyundai Equus
It appears that Hyundai's mission is to beat the luxury-car brands at their own game. And it's having some serious success doing so. The Genesis Coupe is the perfect low-buck foil to the Infiniti G37. The Genesis sedan arrived ready to take on the mid-level luxury sedans like the BMW 5 Series. The Korean automaker had to have some serious confidence to take on the large luxury sedans—like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class—with its new Equus. After all, since the 1970s the S-Class has been the car world's benchmark for what a large sedan should be.
But Maybe You Can Afford: 2012 Hyundai Equus429-hp 4.6-liter V-8
Price: $58,000
On paper the Equus packs a serious punch. It matches the big Benz in horsepower, but produces it with a much smaller engine. The Equus is about the same size too, with a larger trunk than the Mercedes. The Equus packs the same level of luxury features, from its reclining rear seats to the smart cruise control and lane-departure warning.
So where's the extra $36,500 worth of car you'll get with a Mercedes-Benz? It's largely in the details. The leather is more sumptuous. The wood, buttons, and switches are higher quality. And when it comes to the drive, you can think of the Hyundai as Buick-level engagement. The Mercedes-Benz feels tauter and more responsive in the corners. And, of course, buying a big Mercedes-Benz doesn't require any explanation. It's an S-Class. You might have to explain to people why you bought a $60,000 Hyundai.
So You Can't Afford: 2012 Fisker Karma402-hp (drive motors), 260-hp 2.0-liter turbo generator
Price: $96,895
The inexpensive imitator: Chevy Volt
Despite advancements in technology and a rebirth of the electric car, plug-in hybrids are still rare machinery on the streets today. There are only a mere handful for sale by large-scale manufacturers. The Chevy Volt may have been the one to break that ice, but it's the Fisker Karma that wants to command the room. The Karma's proportions are sensual and gorgeous, to be sure. And its powertrain will propel the sexy four-door to 60 mph in just 5.9 seconds.
But Maybe You Can Afford: 2012 Chevy Volt149-hp (drive motors), 84-hp 1.4-liter generator
Price: $39,995
Both cars are plug-in hybrids. The Volt might be cool and techy on the inside, but it's no luxury car. It is more efficient, though. The Karma was certified by the EPA for a 52-mpg equivalent. It has an electric range of 32 miles and returns 20 mpg when running on gas. The Volt returns 93 mpg-e, has a 35-mile electric range, and returns a fuel economy of 37 mpg on gas.
The Fisker will certainly be the more compelling vehicle to drive, and the one that draws the larger crowd. But the Volt is backed by one of the world's largest and oldest auto companies — GM. And that's comforting when so much of this technology is so very new.
So You Can't Afford: 2012 Land Rover Range Rover375-hp 5.0-liter V-8
Price: $78,835
The inexpensive imitator: Jeep Grand Cherokee
For more than 60 years, the four-wheel-drive world has been dominated by two brands — Jeep and Land Rover. Yet neither is stuck in the past. Oh no. All Land Rovers use intelligent 4WD systems, and Jeep's brand stretches wildly from the rugged Wrangler to the compact Compass. But can the top models of each brand be compared fairly, despite a price gap of nearly $50,000? That's why we're here.
The Range Rover is more luxurious than the Grand Cherokee by far. The level of craftsmanship and materials on the inside of this British machine rival that of Bentley. The Jeep has moved a large leap forward in this department but, still, you can see where Land Rover's money went.
But Maybe You Can Afford: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee290-hp 3.6-liter
Price: $29,490
When it comes down to hard mechanicals, though, the two 4WDs move closer. Both ride on an independent suspension system. And the Grand Cherokee uses an optional advanced air suspension that mimics the pioneering multiheight system that Range Rover has used since the 1990s. Both vehicles use a 4WD system that can be tailored to suit particular terrains as well.
When it comes to towing, a properly equipped Grand Cherokee can move a 7400-pound trailer. The Range Rover beats that, but by just 316 pounds. Under the hood, the Rover's V-8 matches up well with the optional Hemi V-8 in the Jeep. But while the $100,000, 510-hp Supercharged Range Rover is still geared for off-road use, the 465-hp SRT8 Grand Cherokee is the closest a driver could come to a Jeep hot rod. And it does so at just $55,295. So for the cost of one Range Rover, you could have one Grand Cherokee for off-roading and another one for the street.
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