For a car guy, there’s nothing like the burble of a nice-sounding exhaust to get the blood running. An here, as in all other areas of comparison, the SLK 55 AMG excels. Listen to the sound of the V8 as it starts up and the driver blips the throttle.

But despite being a 5.5 liter V8 with an output of more than 420 horsepower, this car is thoroughly modern and responsible. Firstly, its F1-inspired Cylinder Management System allows up to half of the engine’s cylinders to pump just air for the best possible fuel efficiency. And speaking of efficiency, the 2013 SLK 55 AMG is 30 percent improved over the previous model in terms of fuel consumption and exhaust gas emissions.  So, despite looking like a model for excess, the new SLK is in fact a responsible car for the owner who isn’t afraid to show off his or her wealth.