Chosen, semi-randomly, by Michael Goetz

1) Aston Martin One-77

This $1 million-plus supercar is either a widely inappropriate project for today’s economic climate, or a great way to kick today’s economic climate in the cajoines. I’ll go with the later

Aston Martin One-77

2) Chevrolet Spark

Spark’s oversized grille gives it teeth. The world needs more angry small cars, because, as you know, nothing is more entertaining than an angry small person with an axe to grind. 

Chevrolet Spark

3) Mercedes-Benz E Class Coupe

If you’re diligent at your craft, and God knows the Germans are, you can eventually solve many disparate elements into one vehicle. The E Class Coupe is such a work: lots of heritage yet looks new; substantial yet fuel efficient with two new, very advanced four-cylinder engines (gas and diesel); a five-seater with one of the lowest coefficient of drags (0.24) in the business.

Mercedes-Benz E Class Coupe

4) VW Polo

The first Polo to be sold in North America. A sure sign that hell is thawing, just a little, and maybe Canucks and Yanks will see that the smallest class segment is not about “cheap” or “size for the money” but about competent, fully-equipped cars that happen to be of a certain, tidy size. And maybe we don’t all need to be driving SUVS.

Arnold Schwarzenegger inside a VW Polo

5) Zagato Perana Z-One

On the surface this looks like another one of those cars people or firms build because they like old-school, beautiful sports car, and damn it, that’s what we’ll make, and let’s worry about the business model later. Well, this case there is an actual and interesting business model. By using a fiberglass body on a tubular chassis, Zagato intends to undercut those who make such svelte machinery with expensive hand-made bodies. Price should be under 50,000 Euros (about $80,000), for each of the 999 units they intend to make each year. Power is by way of a Corvette engine producing about 440 hp.

Zagato Z-One