BMW 645Ci/645Ci Cabriolet

$98,500 - $108,500 Cdn.

Coupes are for stylin’, and the new rear-drive 6 demands attention, regardless of which side of the styling fence you are sitting on. Power flows from the throttleless, Valvetronic 4.4-liter 325-hp, 330-lb. ft. of torque-laden vee-eight. Your living room would do well looking like the 6’s cockpit. And as for iDrive, we say get over it…

New for 2004: Respect for the new-look of BMW
S-S.com choice: Six-speed manual tintop, sans "active steering" included in the Sport pack
Cudda hadda: How about a 545I for $30K less?
Why Buy?: Paparazzi attracting looks and a beautiful interior for you and your significant other

BMW 325 Ci/330Ci/325I Cabriolet/330I Cabriolet

$42,250 - $63,950 Cdn.

The last of the "pre-Bungled" BMWs, the 3 Series Coupes— from the bottom-rung 325i to 330i convertibles— are the best lookers in the E46 family. Even the softer riding rag tops provide the balanced rear-drive ride and handling characteristics close to the tintop’s high standards.

New for 2004: 330iCi M Performance Edition in steel gray and the stick
S-S.com choice: The new M Performance edition is a poor man’s M3
Cudda hadda: 2001 BMW M3
Why Buy?: The best ride vs. handling combo in the biz. Still.

Infiniti G35

$45,200 Cdn.

Looking more of one piece than its retro-reaching, detail-festooned little brother Zed, the G35 coupe is our favourite model from Nissan’s FM platform, still. With 15 more ponies than the sedan, a six-speed stick, a buttoned-down multilink independent suspension and a wheels–at-each-corner stance that’s aggressive and modern, it’s getting a whole lot easier to be an Infiniti cufflink these days

New for 2004: Less lineups
S-S.com choice: Sport package with limited slip, 18-inch wheels and performance rubber
Cudda hadda: A loaded up G35 sedan for $3k less
Why Buy?: If you prefer sushi to bratwurst

Mercedes-Benz CLK55 AMG/Cabriolet

$100,950 – 109,500 Cdn.

These AMG-messaged coupes provide heart-stopping acceleration, but there's no stick, the interior is C Class quality and the car’s bland, ubiquitous M-B styling doesn’t look like $100 hard earned big ones.

New for 2004: The wind-in-yer-rug Cab
S-S.com choice: The tintop
Cudda hadda: Wait for the 4-door C55 AMG
Why Buy?: So you can brag you spent more than your buddy did on his M3

Audi A41.8T/3.0/S4Cabriolet

$51,100 – 61,700 Cdn.

The Cab adds 350 pounds in strengthening materials to retain the quiet and comfortable ride and top-grade handling found in the A4 sedans. Regular-strength 1.8T straight-four and 3.0-liter vee-six get CV tranny. You’ll want the thumping 340-hp, vee-eight S4 available with the 6-speed stick

New for 2004: S4
S-S.com choice: Can you say "ess four"?
Cudda hadda: If you can find a better vee-eight all-wheel-drive four-seat cabriolet, buy it!
Why Buy?: If you find oversteer scary

Dodge RAM SRT-10

$57,910 Cdn.

Replacing Ford’s SVT Lightning as our token GOODS truck, this 5,100 lb. truck uses the all-aluminum Viper vee-ten , all 505 cubic inches, 500 horsepower, and 525 lb.-ft. of torque of it, to deliver a 0 to 60 mph time of 5.2 seconds and a top speed of150 miles per hour. Scary!

New for 2004: A very quick way to get to Home Depot
S-S.com choice: We’d get one in charcoal, and don’t forget the gun rack
Cudda hadda: 1994 Viper
Why Buy?: Because you can