9ff boss Jan Fatthauer admits he drives his own cars on record runs only because he can't find a test driver crazy enough to do it. As the GTurbo 900 Bioethanol -- the world's fastest biofuel car -- sparks into life and threatens to blow the windows out of a neighboring building, I start to understand why.

The noise is otherworldly -- just frightening. The car is effectively a modified version of 9ff's gas-powered GTurbo, but it has been honed for top-speed duty, optimized to run flat-out on a high-speed oval. This, then, is a barely road-legal racing car.

Fatthauer converted his GTurbo to Bioethanol to show just what "green" cars are capable of, and earned another record to add to the eight his company has racked up over its nine years in existence. At the Nardo high-speed test oval in Italy, Fatthauer stormed to 241 mph. It must have felt like the world was coming to an end.

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I'm here to drive the GTurbo on the public road, but it's a stretch to say this is anything other than a record car. I burble, lurch, and bunny hop out of 9ff's Dortmund, Germany, base. And when I hit a manhole cover, it feels like my teeth might crack.

There's a huge, hand-beaten diffuser and a high rear wing. Then there are those, um, interesting wheel covers and seemingly wraparound rear end that helps to stop the car from picking up off the deck as it screams toward its top speed.

The 900 Bioethanol also employs lightweight carbon-fiber doors and hood, and its windows help strip weight high up in the frame, adding to the high-speed performance. Inside is a racing seat, a rollcage, an exposed gear linkage, and not much else. There is a switch to take the edge off the exhaust note, but that's about the only creature comfort.

It takes two hands to engage reverse, and the clutch feels drawbridge heavy. But something funny happens as soon as we get to the local straight road that serves as 9ff's unofficial test track. This thing is so utterly violent that the 'green-orange suppository' labels on the garish paint job suddenly make sense. It genuinely feels like the car's trying to climb inside me.

It pretty much will. According to 9ff, it hits 62 mph in 2.8 seconds, 124 mph in 7.1 and 186 mph in around 19.5 seconds. That's not far behind the Bugatti Veyron, in a car with less power, rear-wheel drive, and the kind of finish that suggests it was put together by mad men in an industrial unit rather than by an automotive powerhouse.

The 900 Bioethanol shakes, clatters, and just swallows up the world, it's absolutely more intimidating than the Veyron, the Koengisegg Agera R -- just about anything. There's no sound insulation, and it feels like my ears are about to explode. Every gear change brings another insane onslaught of acceleration and a shimmy from the rear as the turbos spool and slingshot the car down the road. Hit the throttle hard enough and the Continental VMax rubber will even shift on the rim -- there's that much latent power here.

It still handles like a gem, though. Sort of. The original Porsche 911 GT3 this car is based upon is famous for its huge window of correctability mid-bend. If you know what you're doing, you can smear the standard Porsche all over the road without serious consequences. Not so with this car...

Fatthauer himself admits that the 900 Bioethanol is on a knife's edge. Go in at 75 mph and the car takes the corner, go in a smidge faster and it's liable to spin in to the nearest tree. And while this car is slightly more forgiving than the 1200-hp variant 9ff also offers, this FrankenPorsche is a totally different animal than the GT3.

Suspension components come primarily from the Porsche RSR race car, and race team H&R helped perfect the setup. So it predictably cuts into corners every bit as effectively as the GT3. But push too hard midcorner and you're effectively poking a lion with a stick, so you better be good enough to catch the lightning-fast reaction from the back end.

But you know what you're getting when you knock on 9ff's door. This is like riding big waves, a fight club for cars. 9ff is about pushing the limit every time you turn the key. That's what brings a hard-core group of customers coming back for more.

Under the hood of the 900 Bioethanol is 9ff's massively massaged, 4.0-liter twin turbo with stronger hoses to take the bioethanol fuel. Titanium connecting rods, new pistons coated with Nikasil, an advanced intercooler, two 9ff turbos, and a 100-cell sport metal catalytic converter are all part of the mix. The engine mapping proved a nightmare with the switch to biofuel, but it is running close to smooth for a car with this much power, bile, and sheer anger.

Thankfully it stops well, too. 9ff retained the GT3's brake calipers, but fitted them with pads from the Porsche Supercup race car. They screech and grind until the heat gets into them, but they're designed for high-speed use, so that's hardly a criticism.

Of course the green credentials of bioethanol are a different thing entirely. It has found its way into the general fuel supply with up to 10 percent in modern unleaded. But it has been overtaken, usurped, and otherwise conquered by other alternative fuel sources when it comes to the long-term future.

It is produced primarily from wheat, barley, corn, and sugarcane, and while bioethanol-powered cars would inevitably produce some emissions, the fuel has the potential to be carbon neutral over its lifespan, if you include growing the crops. Brazil, with its sugarcane based program, has used the fuel to great effect.

But it comes with caveats -- big ones. Biofuel produced in massive quantities has the potential to increase food supply prices. You also need more of it than gas to travel the same distance. The world appears to have fallen out of love with biofuel and gone for battery and hydrogen-powered cars instead. Still, the 900 Bioethanol is a stark reminder that biofuel still could have a place in the world, if we want it to.

And Fatthauer intends to go farther. He says 249 mph was always the goal, and he has a rather typical answer for how that will happen. "We just need more power," he says with a wry smile. "Next year we will go with 1100 hp, or 1200 hp, and we'll get 400 kph [249 mph]."

Knowing Fatthauer, he will not only break his own record; he'll show just what can be achieved with the Betamax of the alt-fuel brigade. Perhaps bioethanol has more to offer after all...

9ff GTurbo 900 Bioethanol
Base price	$400,000
Vehicle layout	Rear engine, RWD, 2-pass, 2-door coupe
Engine	4.0-liter/900 hp/700 lb-ft 24-valve flat six
Transmission	6-speed manual
Curb weight	2645 lbs (mfr)
0-60 mph	2.9 sec
Top speed	244 mph

In our November 2011 issue, we anointed the Ferrari 458 Italia the year's Best Driver's Car after running it back-to-back against 10 of the greatest sports car on the planet. After hot laps at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, road drives between Monterey and Los Angeles; and loads of instrumented testing and seat time; we concluded that there is no better combination of ride, handling, and outright performance in the world than the Ferrari 458 Italia.

At least until now.

Welcome to the Ferrari 458 Spider, the world's first hardtop convertible mid-engine supercar, and arguably the finest road-going conveyance money can buy.

Say what? Well, just look at it.

Every Ferrari oozes sex (well, except perhaps the California), but the Spider? She jumps on your lap, grabs you by your ears, and practically demands that you barchetta her curvy bits. And that's with her top up.

Push a little button on the tunnel between the seats, and an elegant 14-second striptease begins with the retraction of the two side windows. The rear deck clamshells skyward while the aluminum roof separates into a large forward section and smaller rear sliver. These pieces flip 180 degrees and stack on top of each other (headliner up) in a cavity behind the cabin shared with the engine bay. As the windows rise and deck closes, two black caps pop out to connect the triangular buttresses to the B-pillar, completing the look.

This folding roof is an engineer's dream; a stunningly elegant solution to a fiendishly difficult problem Ferrari engineers have been working on since 2004. The time and attention to detail are apparent everywhere; for instance, Ferrari claims the hardtop system weighs 55 pounds less than similar softtop mechanisms. To accommodate the folded roof, the intake and exhaust system had to be repositioned and retuned. Air intakes moved from just behind the coupe's side glass to the back end of the car, while exhaust baffles and resonators were added and tweaked.

Not only is it achingly beautiful, top up or down, it is practical, too: Behind the seats is a surprisingly voluminous cargo bench that can accommodate one full-size golf bag on or two overnight bags.

The only stylistic loss is the ability to see the fantastic mid-mounted V-8. Ferrari admits a clear deck lid could have been used, but the sight of an upside-down hardtop folded over the familiar red valve would have been ugly. And Ferrari just doesn't do ugly.

Such beauty does come at price. Despite reinforcing the side sills and bulkhead between the cabin and engine, Ferrari admits the Spider gives up 30 percent in chassis rigidity to the Italia, while gaining approximately 100 pounds and a touch of aerodynamic drag. This means the Spider is about a half-second behind the Italia around Ferrari's Fiorano test track and clearly not the better-performing 458. But here's the thing: It is nearly impossible to discern such deficits on the street -- especially while receiving such toe-curling aural pleasure.

Ferrari sent us motoring around the tight country roads of Italy's famous Emilia-Romagna region, and the sensations were eerily familiar, even if the roads were not. This is the 458 I remembered from our Best Driver's Car laps in Monterey and runs through the canyons of central California -- that fingertip control of the steering wheel, the instant response from pedal and paddle, and the flash of those fantastic shift lights. Could I feel the extra 100 pounds? No, not even close. The Spider rips through time and space with just as much passion and alacrity as its brother. How about the 30 percent reduction in torsional stiffness? I thought I would notice it, but even over broken tarmac, numerous speed bumps, and a couple of American-sized potholes, there was never any distinct chassis flex or quiver -- and nary a squeak nor rattle to be heard.

What can be heard, without the prophylaxis provided by a solid roof, can only be described as eargasmic. Raw, lusty, and willing to rev, the Spider's 557-horsepower V-8, essentially unchanged from the Italia, wails into the open at the slightest suggestion of throttle. Flat-foot upshifts from the dual-clutch seven-speed transmission are a delight, particularly in Race mode, but it's the piercing crispness of the impossibly quick downshifts that send follicles -- among other things -- standing on end.

More impressive is that this audio-erotic stimulation comes without guilt. Ferrari equipped the Spider with Wind Stop, a retracting rear window ("Like in a 4 Runner," one journalist snarkily observed) between the buttresses. With the top up, this window can be fully opened to allow the heavenly reverberations to enter the cabin unobstructed. Top down, the window retracts by two-thirds to a position Ferrari determined, via wind-tunnel testing, that minimizes buffeting to driver and passenger. (Put it all the way up, and turbulence actually increases.) And indeed, even when rocketing at triple-digit speeds, there is surprisingly little top-down turbulence.

But does all this really make the Spider more appealing than the planet's Best Driver's Car?

Yes, it does, and Ferrari basically admits as much. Its research indicates that the Italia guy -- and they are almost exclusively men -- is primarily interested in top-tier performance and bleeding-edge technology. He loves driving fast, primarily on the weekends when he goes for short, aggressive solo blasts through canyons and B-roads. He may or may not track his car, but he's certainly not interested in any sort of performance compromises.

The Spider owner is a different beast; he too loves the performance and racing credentials, and the swagger that comes with the prancing horse badge. He is more likely to drive his 458 daily, and his trips are longer and more often there's someone in the passenger seat. Spider customers are also willing to pay more (roughly $60,000 more) for their steeds, and traditionally buy more of them than the coupe guys. What does that mean?

The Spider was purpose-built for the guy more interested in experiencing all of the pleasures, aural and otherwise, the world's best driver's car has to offer.

 

2012 Ferrari 458 Spider
Base Price	$257,000 (est)
Vehicle layout	Mid-engine, RWD, 2-pass, 2-door convertible
Engine	4.5L/557-hp/398-lb-ft DOHC 32-valve V-8
Transmission	7-speed twin-clutch auto
Curb weight	3550 lb (mfr)
Wheelbase	104.3 in
Length x width x height	178.2 x 76.3 x 47.7 in
0-60 mph	3.3 sec (MT est)
EPA city/hwy fuel econ	12/18 mpg (est)
Energy consumption, city/hwy	281/187 kW-hrs/100 miles (est)
CO2 emissions	1.37 lb/mile (est)
On sale in the U.S.	January 2012

Just a few weeks ago, Volkswagen of America's state-of-the-art plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, cranked out its 10,000th Passat -- a Candy White TDI wearing a premium chrome package. Not bad for a facility that opened just five months earlier. Volkswagen is charging ahead with its goal of building 100,000 vehicles a year at Chattanooga starting next year, and the all-new 2012 Volkswagen Passat is key to hitting that target. In September alone, more than 3000 customers took home one of VW's Chattanoogian chariots.

Part of the 2012 Passat's success no doubt has to do with the variety of models and trims available for the big VW sedan. There are three engine choices -- a 170-horse 2.5-liter inline-five, 280-horse 3.6-liter V-6, and a 140-horse 2.0-liter turbo four-banger -- available in a total of 14 trims. We recently had a chance to sample three combinations: a 2.5L S, 3.6 SEL, and TDI SE.

No matter the trim or mill, the Passat's sheetmetal stays basically the same. Its lines are simple, clean, and inoffensive, yet modern. A few staffers labeled it boring, but then noted the Passat and its competition in the family-friendly sedan segment aren't exactly known for avant-garde styling. Overall, we consider the styling a step in the right direction, especially with the LED touches and available 17-inch alloys.

Dimensionally, the car looks large at 191.6 inches long and 72.2 inches wide, yet it doesn't feel unwieldy when shuffling through traffic. It's within a few inches of its Audi A6 cousin, and nearly as comfortable -- just don't tell Ingolstadt. It bests the A6 in most interior measurements, but not in fancy accoutrements. The new Passat's cabin, with its to-the-point dash/center console/storage layout and simplistic multimedia interface, isn't ugly, uncomfortable, or confusing -- it's just as plain and simple as its body panels.

The standard equipment list gives buyers plenty to work with: a six-speed manual (or automatic transmission), auto dual-climate control, power locks and windows, color-matched mirrors and door handles, Bluetooth, and electronically adjustable driver seat are all included. Sadly, an iPod interface isn't. You'll have to upgrade to the 2.5L SE manual to get 17-inch wheels, heated leatherette front seats, and a touch-screen Premium VIII radio. Continue up the SE and SEL trim chain in either V-6 or TDI models to get more goodies like a navigation system with Mobile Device Interface, Fender sound system, wood grain, and chrome accents or aluminum accents.

My sampling of the Passat portfolio began rather sluggishly. That's just how it goes when you're strapped into the 2.5L S equipped with a six-speed automatic gearbox - unless, of course, the throttle is mashed to its limit, or you weigh 15 pounds. It's one of those cars whose powertrain won't outperform its responsive chassis. As solid as the Passat's stout structure, suspension, and weighty steering may be, the underpowered mill and its slow-to-respond transmission hold this particular base model back when it comes to the fun factor.

Throttle laid flat, the 2.5L gets to 60 mph from nil in 9 seconds, while a quarter-mile is cleared in 16.8 seconds at 83.8 mph. Braking the roughly 3200-pound sedan from 60 mph necessitates 130 feet of pavement. Good thing its taut ride and controllable handling are above par for such a sedan.

Average consumers are likely to lug friends, kids, or coworkers in this model, not carve unused back roads like my colleagues and I do. The 2.5 SE offers enough power to get from Point A to B, and that's probably good enough. Its pipes may not omit an attractive note, but at the end of the day, it returns a competitive 22/31 city/highway EPA fuel economy rating .

Prospective Passat buyers have to throw down nearly $6000 extra for the SEL V6 to get a powertrain worthy of its athletically inclined chassis. Compared to the 2.5L S, the SEL V6 feels as if it runs on pure taurine. The initial throttle response can be abrupt, but with gradual input the six-speed dual-clutch DSG orchestrates a smoother power delivery as it knocks off cogs in fractions of seconds. Watching the tachometer bounce wildly is fun to do in the Passat - you don't expect it in this kind of sedan.

As you can imagine, with 110 more horses and 81 more lb-ft than the base mill, the VR6-packing Passat is a lot more entertaining. That extra power helps out if you're more of a passer than a cruiser. Its sharp turn-in impresses, as does the palatable chassis communication. Its brakes bite harder as well. Relatively speaking, the Passat V6 is the rocket of the lineup: Going from nothing to 60 mph is a 5.7-second affair; it tackles a quarter-mile in 14.2 seconds at 100.9 mph and needs 119 feet to stop from 60 mph.

Sliding between the 2.5L and V6 SEL in terms of price and performance is the fuel-miser TDI SE. Contrary to a lot of other diesel-fueled rides, the TDI lacks the delicious push of low-rpm torque we love. It feels as potent as the asthmatic 2.5L that's down 59 lb-ft -- the extra 198 pounds it carries have something to do with that.

Real oomph from the Passat TDI only arrives when the tach needle dances high on its relatively small stage (it redlines at a paltry 5000 rpm). Just a few fans of the left steering wheel paddle are enough to spur adequate velocities. You'll need 8.7 seconds to get it up to 60 mph, and 16.6 seconds at 83.1 mph to get it past the quarter-mile post. The TDI does, however, possess the best steering feel of the trio -- it's communicative throughout a rotation, rather than just off-center as in both the V6 and 2.5L. Braking is in a middle ground between the 2.5 and VR6 at 124 feet from 60 mph.

Despite it not being an enthralling choice for impassioned enthusiasts, the TDI is arguably the best pick for the sedan buyer looking for decent sportiness, great comfort, massive space, and awesome fuel economy and range. The last trait rocked our proverbial socks: We went at least 450 miles between fill-ups. And we weren't friendly with the go-pedal, either.

Three Passats aimed at three different buyers. Together they comprise one solid lineup that is already throwing some hard blows in one of America's hugely important midsize sedan market. Do Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, Subaru, and the rest of the lot have something to worry about? Yes, they do. And if Volkswagen's optimistic sales plans come to fruition, you'll soon be seeing a lot more Tennessee-built Passats strolling through your neck of the woods.

2012 Volkswagen Passat	SE	SEL	SE TDI
BASE PRICE	$25,595	$29,765	$28,665
PRICE AS TESTED	$25,595	$31,365	$29,695
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan	Front engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan	Front engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan
ENGINE	2.5L/170-hp/177-lb-ft DOHC 20-valve I-5	3.6L/280-hp/258-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6	2.0L/140-hp/236-lb-ft turbodiesel DOHC 16-valve I-4
TRANSMISSION	6-speed automatic	6-speed twin-clutch auto.	6-speed twin-clutch auto.
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)	3271 lb (60/40%)	3504 lb (59/41%)	3469 lb (60/40%)
WHEELBASE	110.4 in	110.4 in	110.4 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	191.6 x 72.2 x 58.5 in	191.6 x 72.2 x 58.5 in	191.6 x 72.2 x 58.5 in
0-60 MPH	9.0 sec	5.7 sec	8.7 sec
QUARTER MILE	16.8 sec @ 83.8 mph	14.2 sec @ 100.9 mph	16.6 sec @ 83.1 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	130 ft	119 ft	124 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	0.83 g (avg)	0.83 g (avg)	0.80 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	27.8 sec @ 0.60 g (avg)	26.9 sec @ 0.66 g (avg)	28.1 sec @ 0.59 g (avg)
EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON	22/31 mpg	20/28 mpg	30/40 mpg
ENERGY CONSUMPTION, CITY/HWY	153/109 kW-hrs/100 miles	169/120 kW-hrs/100 miles	128/96 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS	0.77 lb/mile	0.85 lb/mile	0.66 lb/mile

Movies always seem to get it wrong. In Ian Fleming's original novels about everyone's favorite numerically nomenclatured spy, Bond had a taste for cars from Crewe instead of Aston Martins. If Fleming's Bond were still fighting the Cold War, facing supervillains bent on global destruction, and ordering aerated cocktails, there is a good chance Bentley would still be his motor of choice. Why? Because Bond isn't just a singleminded killing machine. He's a thinking man, a ladies' man, and a gentleman. He's not just a bit of everything -- he's all of everything.

The Bentley Continental GTC is a kindred spirit of her majesty's diplomatic fail-safe. Like any double-O, the Bentley is not about excelling at a single task, but accomplishing everything thrown at it with style, grace, and dead-on effectiveness.

The first rule of Bond is to look the part. While the Continental hasn't changed considerably since the initial 2003 launch, it has been subtly refreshed. The 2012 GTC takes all of last year's GT updates and applies them to the convertible body style. Every GTC panel is new for 2012. The front fenders are probably the most significant, as the effort and expense in the ever-so-slight visual change might define the very spirit of Bentley. Like crisply creased tuxedo pants, the character lines sweep across the headlamps and over the fenders to create a feeling of motion. Past Continentals made do with stamped panels similar to what the rest of the industry considers adequate. For 2012, Bentley turned to the aerospace industry to borrow a production process known as superforming, in which sheets of aluminum are heated to nearly 1000 degrees Fahrenheit and then molded around a single tool using air pressure. The cooling time is controlled to eliminate the need for an additional heat-treating process. The previous character lines had radii of 6.5mm, or roughly a quarter of an inch. The now-perfect pleats are 3mm, or less than an eighth of an inch radius. Not only are the sharper lines possible, but the fender is now one uninterrupted piece from the lower front spoiler to the hood and the A-pillar. The previous fender required a cut line that sliced the headlights in half, not incredibly noticeable, but nowhere near as visually perfect as the new pieces. While most manufacturers would struggle to see the value in all this effort and expense, Bentley sees it as a continuation of its heritage.

The rest of the body maintains the athletic yet debonair theme. The Bentley does not scream supercar, but has the air of reserved performance. Bentley has sculpted the stance of the new GTC, adding 20-inch wheels as standard and offering 21-inch options wrapping the body lines tighter around the alloys and emphasizing the track, which has been widened by 1.6 inches in front and 1.9 inches in the rear. The rear trunklid is made from a fiber-reinforced composite material, allowing Bond to communicate with MI6 without externally mounted antennae. The trunklid also incorporates the double-horseshoe shape initially seen on the Mulsanne, but with a larger lip spoiler.

The customizable interior includes seven standard wood veneers hand-selected and matched by craftsmen in Bentley's woodshop. Drivers can also choose completely custom selections. The thin sheets of wood are formed and adhered to aluminum plates, some machined sheet metal, and others beautiful cast pieces. The entire interior has a bespoke feel to it, with a choice of 17 different standard hides for upholstered surfaces. These can be ordered in two-tone combinations, with umpteen different colors and styles of stitching and embroidery. And if those combinations don't fit your needs, custom hides are of course available. The seats are large and luxurious and offer more adjustments than those on a first-class transatlantic 747 flight. They hold you in place in even the most demanding situations. The driving position is low, and the hand-stitched steering wheel adjusts for both height and reach. The thick rim and contoured spokes fill the palm of your hand, but unlike some other steering wheels, still allow your fingers to wrap around naturally for miles of comfort.

The shortage of plastics is surprising. Air-conditioning vents and controls are metal. Knobs and buttons are beautifully knurled machined pieces. Even the veneered sunglass case that snaps into the center cupholders looks like an aspirational purchase and not merely an accessory. The few parts that have been lifted from Audi have been reworked, and nothing feels mass-produced.

Bond would feel perfectly at ease in the Bentley, chasing henchmen or giving a ride to Tilly Soames after slashing her Mustang's tires. The 6.0-liter twin turbo W-12 has been revamped to produce an effortless 567 horsepower while twisting out 517 lb-ft of torque from 1700 up to 6000 RPM. Bentley refers to the engines delivery as a "wave of torque." In reality, waves crest and break, but the Bentley never does. It is one fluid push from the time you put your foot down to the time you lift it off. The turbos' spooling is imperceptible and the engine never feels out of the powerband. The engine is complimented by Bentley's six-speed ZF-produced automatic transmission. For 2012, shifts are quicker with the ability to fire off downshifts two at a time. The transmission has both normal and sport mode, with the latter holding gears longer and grabbing a lower ratio sooner. For those control freaks out there, column-mounted shift paddles the size of putters are mounted on each side of the wheel. The transmission will automatically upshift at redline, so really the downshift paddle is all that's needed.