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    Autolust: The Top 10 Luxury Cars of 2010
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Autolust: The Top 10 Luxury Cars of 2010

By
Seamus Payne
Seamus Payne
Learn more about TheCoolist's Editorial Process
Published on December 8, 2010

The luxury cars of 2010 were a bold and beautiful group, one progressive in visual design, drivetrain and staggering expense. The most familiar luxury car brands like Audi, Bentley and Maserati made subtle changes to their lineups, while brands like Lamborghini, Fisker and Citroen rolled out stunning new works of automotive ingenuity. New concept cars also arrived on the scene, rounding out a list of automotive eye candy that is worth printing out and taping to the ceiling above your bed. This is autolust at its best, the 10 best luxury cars of 2010.

Audi R8 GT

The new Audi R8 GT represents a smart step forward for the German brand’s flagship model. This Audi R8 went on a carbon fiber diet to slim down 220 pounds from its predecessor, maximizing the output of its v10 engine. The result pushes the GT model to 62 mph in 3.6 seconds, speeding from there to a top end limit of 199 mph. If you want one for yourself, you’ll need to work out an import– the Audi R8 GT is for sale in Germany for roughly $256,000 after conversion to USD.

Audi R8 GT Gallery

Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept

The Italian design lab Stile Bertone released the Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, one of the top concepts of the event. Designed by Jason Castriota, the Pandion concept car is likely to never see production, but we hope that some of its inspiration winds up on the design table of production cars at Alfa Romeo. The swooping side windows, the rugged rims, the subtle, angular grill all make the Pandion a lovely concept.

Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept Gallery

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport

You’re looking at the world’s fastest production vehicle, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport. Without electronic limiting, this Bugatti can reach speeds of up to 270mph on the track, speed that no other production car can hope to match. To keep the tires from falling apart under those speeds, Bugatti has limited the top to 258 mph which will outgun pretty much any vehicle on the road. From where we sit, the only stat as impressive as the top speed is the price. To park one of these in your own garage, you’ll need to shell out $2,300,000 base. Once you’ve done that, you can shell out another $260,000 on a matching Bugatti Watch for this Super Sport. Ahh, the lives on the wealthy…

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport Gallery

Jaguar C-X75 Concept

Jaguar has revealed a new form of propulsion in the Jaguar C-X75 Concept at this year’s Paris Motor Show. This sleek and curvy coupe is powered by a turbine-hybrid engine, which uses a pair of gas-fed turbines to drive an electric motor. The twin 96hp turbines generate power sent to four 195hp electric motors in each wheel, combining for a total of 780hp in the power department. The system is designed for long-range driving, capable of 560 mile jaunts on a single tank of fuel. Oh, and it’s also capable of blinding speeds. It’ll hit 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and it’ll top out at 205 mph on the open road. Grrrrowl.

Jaguar C-X75 Concept Gallery

Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale

Also at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, Maserati revealed their new flagship, the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale. The latest trident-branded beauty is a step forward in performance, capable of top speeds of 186 mph thanks to a new 4.2 liter V8 engine that delivers 450hp. This Maserati, the fastest in their lineup, will be available in Europe in a few months for a converted price of $205,000 USD.

Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale Gallery

Fisker Karma

The Fisker Karma hybrid luxury car is not new to 2010– but it’s production model is. The production 2011 Fisker Karma was officially shown off in-the-flesh at the Paris Motor Show, three years after its conceptual reveal by Henrik Fisker. This Fisker Karma is powered by a pair of electric motors that produce 403hp, plus a turbocharged 260hp gasoline engine for a total of 663 hybrid horses. Based on your driving habits and the current power setting, Fisker claims that a pilot can pull 100 mpg out of this beast on the open road. In terms of electric cars, the price isn’t bad either. While the numbers are hard to nail down, you might be able to swing a 2011 Fisker Karma for roughly $88,000. That makes it the most cost-effective sports car on this list.

Fisker Karma: Production Model Gallery

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento

Yet another Paris Motor Show reveal, the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento is the latest from this lusty Italian luxury brand. The Sesto Elemento is a continuation of Lamborghini’s design philosophy of sharp, angular and “lo-fi digital” inspiration– and yet another success. It’s powered by a V10 engine with 570 ponies, pushing this supercar to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds. While the latest Lambo may only be a concept at present, it is rumored to be planned for a track build in the near future.

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Gallery

Hennessey Venom GT

The Hennessey Venom GT is as light as a feather, as stiff as a sword– and as strong as a bull as well. The Venom GT is powered by a Corvette ZR1 engine fit into a Lotus Elise body, which is like dropping a barrel of dynamite into a thimble. The vehicle only weighs 2,548 pounds, so that dual-turbocharged 1,200hp heartbeat puts up some performance numbers that can outpace pretty much any vehicle on this list. The Hennessey Venom GT will hit 60mph in 2.9 seconds on its way to a blinding top end of 260 mph. While there will only be a few of these on the road, it’ll cost you $1,000,000 to procure one. The power is amazing, but the design feels a little too “electric razor” for our blood. But hey, to each his/her own.

Hennessey Venom GT Gallery

2011 Bentley Continental GT

Bentley boosted their pride and joy in the new 2011 Bentley Continental GT. A curvy design refresh and a bump in power have made Bentley’s GT even better, a continuation of the brand’s combined focus on both luxury and performance. The performance end comes from a new-and-improved engine, a 567hp W12 system that’ll push this stunner to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. It’s one of the few flex fuel vehicles on the list, so domestic drivers can fill it with American-made ethanol or a fossil-based product at their choosing. At the dealership, you can expect to pay $190,000 for a base model, a moderate sum when compared to the others on this list.

2011 Bentley Continental GT Gallery

Citroen Survolt Art Car by Francoise Nielly

The Citroen Survolt Art Car by Francoise Nielly combines two of TheCoolist’s favorites– the Citroen Survolt concept and the brilliant French painter Francoise Nielly. Nielly focuses mostly on portraits in her work, with wild works of vibrant neon color with bold and descriptive strokes. The Citroen Survolt concept car was teased at the Geneva Motor Show but then hit the track at the Le Mans Classic 2010. While there is still no news if the Survolt will end up being produced, it may see a short run like its predecessor, the GT by Citroen. The art car shown here may not just be one of the most amazing cars of 2010, but it is high on our personal list of the best cars of this young century.

Citroen Survolt Art Car Gallery

– – – – – – – – –

These luxury cars may be priced out of our garage, but they’re certainly not out of our hearts. What is your favorite luxury car of 2010? There were many released this year but these ten represented our own favorites. Chime in with a comment below, but first check out these other hot feature articles on TheCoolist:

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