Lamborghini Countach

The Lamborghini Countach was a supercar produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini from 1974 to 1990. It popularized, but did not pioneer, the wedge-shaped, sharply angled look popular in many high performance cars since. It also popularized the "cabin-forward" design concept that pushes the passenger compartment forward in order to accommodate a larger engine.

The word countach is an exclamation of astonishment in the local Piedmontese language - generally used by men on seeing an extremely beautiful woman. While the term is considered untranslatable, it can be considered the verbal equivalent of a Wolf Whistle.

The name stuck when Nuccio Bertone first saw "Project 112" in his studio. The prototype was introduced to the world at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show. Most previous Lamborghini car names were associated with bulls and bullfighting.

In 2004, Sports Car International named this car number three on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1970s, and it was listed as number ten on their list of Top Sports Cars of the 1980s.

Despite the fact that the car has been discontinued for 17 years, it still enjoys a massive fan following this day. The Countach has since practically become a symbol for the 1980s, and is widely considered to be one of the most recognizable cars of all time.

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BMW M5 Series Supercharged

BMW M5 Series Supercharged

The M5 is the high-performance version of the BMW 5-Series sedan which was redesigned for 2004, and the M5 has been on hiatus since the 2003 model year. The M5 returns to the lineup for 2006 powered by a 500-horsepower V10 engine mated to a seven-speed sequential-manual gearbox (SMG). Beginning with the founding of BMW, M has always stood for Motoren—German for engines, and now also stands for BMW's specialized motorsports group responsible for developing high-performance cars. The BMW M group began with the limited-production mid-engine M1 in 1978 and in 1988 the first M5 was built, powered by a 256-horsepower inline 6-cylinder engine. The M5 returned for a three-year run in 1991, powered by a 310-horsepower 6-cylinder. A new M5 debuted as a 2000 model and continued through the 2003 model year, powered by a 394-horsepower 4.9-liter V8 engine.

Mercedes SLR McLaren

A Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Collaboration

The SLR super sports GT car showcases the collective experience of Mercedes-Benz and its Formula 1 partner McLaren in the development and production of high-performance sports cars. This unique combination of expertise is evident not only in the pioneering developments and impressive performance of the SLR, but also in its high levels of safety and practicality.

One dramatic example of technology transfer from Formula 1 racing is the carbon fiber composite material of the new SLR body, which provides rigidity and strength never before achieved in road-going vehicles.

Equally impressive is its high level of occupant protection. The SLR is distinguished as the first series production vehicle to utilize a front crash structure made exclusively of carbon fiber. Specially designed to absorb crash energy at a constant rate, the carbon fiber crash structure absorbs four to five times more energy in a severe frontal collision than similar structures made of conventional steel.

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