Mercedes-Benz AMG

Making its North American debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show is the new Mercedes-Benz CLS55 AMG, a car that looks like a coupe, but actually has four doors. Power is provided by a supercharged 5.5-litre V-8 that produces 469 horsepower. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a five-speed AMG Speedshift automatic transmission that can be manually shifted from either a conventional lever or Formula-1 style gearshift buttons on the steering wheel. 0 to 60 mph acceleration takes just 4.5 seconds.

Porsche Boxster

Making its North American debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2005 Porsche Boxster and Boxster S represent the first major makeover in the model’s history. Changes include significant styling changes, more powerful engines, numerous handling enhancements,

and greater active and passive safety. The entry-level Boxster is powered by a 2.7-litre, 240 horsepower flat-6 engine, while the performance-oriented Boxster S has a 3.2-litre flat-6 that produces 280 horsepower and a top speed of 166 mph.

Pontiac G6 Hardtop

Joining the G6 sedan in the Pontiac lineup is the all-new 2006 G6 Convertible Hardtop, built on the same platform as the G6 Coupe. GT and GTP mo-dels are offered, with powertrains including a 3.5-litre, 200 horsepower V-6 and a 3.9-litre, 240 horsepower V-6. The G6 features 2+2 seating for four adults, and the Karmann-designed metal hard top retracts in less than 30 seconds with the touch of a single button.

Dodge Magnum SRT8

The all-New 2006 Dodge Magnum SRT8 is beefed-up American muscle. The Magnum’s station wagon body houses an SRT-tuned, 6.1-litre Hemi V-8 producing 425-horsepower, an increase of 85 horsepower 25 per cent over the standard Magnum. 0 to 60 mph acceleration takes just a little over five seconds.