NISSAN TERRANAUT

Yeah, this is probably the geekiest car on the list, but we can't help but put it on here. There's not much going on with the car's exterior, but the inside of this Nissan is a Star Trek geek's fantasy come true. Okay, so it's not a Trekkie's true dream unless Jeri Ryan is sitting seductively in the vehicle, but it's pretty damn close. The Terranaut is a go-anywhere roving science lab. We've seen concept cars that act like pets and look like spaceships, but we've never seen a concept whose selling point is "science on the go".

Why we like it: We watched too much Star Trek: The Next Generation when we were kids, and as we said, the Terranaut's lab looks just like something out of Star Trek. Yeah... we weren't that popular in junior high... Moving on...

TOP 10 CARS OF 2009

Pagani Zonda F; 215 mph, 0-60 in 3.5 seconds – It’s no mistake that Pagani chose to use the “F” badging to represent the first step up in performance for the Zonda above the stock Zonda S. This fast car is driven by Mercedes Benz V12 engine packing 650 horsepower. Base price for this dream car is $694,000.
Jaguar XJ 220; 217 mph, 0-60 in 4.0 seconds – This fast car is driven bya V6 engine that packs 542 horsepower. This is one of the oldest as being released in 1992 but still got what it takes to remain the round of ten of hot wheels. Total of 281 cars were made and by 1997, few of these remained available for sale new at £150,000.

Ferrari Enzo; 217 mph, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds – It is driven by a F140 V12 workhorse with 660 horsepower. It is currently one of the most powerful naturally aspirated production cars in the world. There are only 399 of these cars worldwide and the price of a unit shoots up every time someone crashes one. This Ferrari typically trades above $1,000,000 at auction.

Ascari A10; 220 mph, 0-60 in 2.8 seconds – Although designed for racing A10 is intended to be a usable car or on the road. It is engineered and hand built in Banbury, England featuring a modified 5.0 L BMW V8 engine producing 625 bhp at a price of approximately $650,000 USD. Only 50 A10s lucky owners will have a chance to own one.

Gumpert Apollo; 220 mph, 0-60 in 2.7 seconds – This super car is produced by a German automaker in Altenburg. It is a mid-engined, rear wheel drive two-seater constructed on a tubular chromoly frame, with fiberglass or optional carbon fiber body panels. There are 3 engine types available with the race version rated at 789.06 bhp. The production of the Apollo started in October 2005 with a starting price of $400,000 USD.

McLaren F1; 240 mph, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds – It is power driven by powerhouse V12 engine that packs 62y horsepower. It is popular with its trademark doors that resemble bat wings. Up until 1998, when McLaren produced and sold the standard F1 models, they had a price tag of around 970 000 USD. Today the cars can sell for up to nearly twice that of the original price.

Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo; 248 mph, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds – This super fast car is powered by an 100% aluminum V8 engine packing with 750 horsepower. This twin-turbocharged monster went on sale for $585,296 USD in 2005 , replacing standard non turbo S7 production. Saleen offers an optional competition package with 33% increase in power.

Koenigsegg CCX; 250 mph+, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds – This Sweden-made fast car packs 806 power from its 90 degree V8 engine. The CCX was first unveiled on February 28, 2006 at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show although its existence was announced earlier. At a price of $1,820,000 and $2,050,000 for top of the line model, exclusivity is guaranteed.

Bugatti Veyron; 253 mph, 0-60 in 2.5 seconds – This is a lightweight super car powered by a W16 engine with 1001 horsepower. It sells at $1,444,000, easily the highest priced car in the top 10 list. The car produced by Volkswagen Group subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles was introduced in 2005 as the fastest production car in the world.

SSC Ultimate Aero; 257 mph, 0-60 in 2.7 seconds – This car was acknowledged by Guinness world records as the fastest car in March 2007. It is powered by a twin-turbo engine that packs an astounding 1183 horsepower. Only 24 cars were produced from 2006-2007 at a price of US $485,000.

CARS WALLPAPER GALLERY

CAR OF THE MONTH, THE NISSAN 370 Z

THe 370Z Specs:

Engine: 3.7-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 aluminum-alloy engine

332 hp @ 7,000 rpm
270 lb-ft @ 5,200 rpm

Nismo engine spec:

3.7-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 aluminum-alloy engine
350 hp @ 7,400 rpm
276 lb-ft @ 5,200 rpm

0-100 km/h, 5.4 seconds. 0-160 km/h, 12.8 seconds

HONDA INSIGHT

Where: On the used car market.

Why: If you don't need more than a two-seater, it is almost impossible to beat the Honda Insight, the very first hybrid car to hit the U.S. market. Only drawback: They aren’t being made any more, so finding one could take some searching.

How much: The Insight sold for $20,000 new; today, prices for used ones range from about $3,500 to $13,700.

Nice touch: When it comes to fuel efficiency, many drivers report 70+ real-world miles per gallon. According to the EPA, the Insight was the most fuel-efficient mass-produced automobile ever sold in the United States.

FORD ESCAPE HYBRID

Where: Ford

Why: If you really need an SUV, the Ford Escape hybrid is currently the one that gets the best fuel economy. Keep an eye out for the 2009 Saturn VUE 2-Mode hybrid, however. Though it's not yet available everywhere, it may just dethrone the Escape hybrid in its category.

How much: Starting at $26,640

Nice touch: It gets better fuel economy than many non-hybrid cars that are much smaller, especially in city driving where it is rated at 34 miles per gallon. It also meets California's strict emissions standards for SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) and AT-PZEV (Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle)

HONDA CIVIC HYBRID

Where: Honda

Why: Probably the closest competitor to the Toyota Prius, some people prefer its aesthetics and the way it drives.

How much: Starting at $22,600

Nice touch: For those who don't like to be noticed, the Honda Civic Hybrid looks almost identical to its non-hybrid cousins. Combined fuel economy for city and highway is 42 miles per gallon, according to the EPA.