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Driver's Choice Awards 2008


Best Dream Machine - Audi R8, Bentley continental GT Speed, Lexus LS 600H L
Audi R8, Bentley continental GT Speed, Lexus LS 600H L

We all like to dream about the car we would buy if we won the lottery. This year we have a trio of Best Dream Machines. We'll start with the awesome Audi R8. This is Audi's first mid-engine road car, but it's bred from race cars to deliver genuine track-level performance. Its lightweight alloy chassis is driven by a 420-horsepower V8 and Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive; while the striking body utilizes sophisticated aerodynamics from Audi's Lemans-winning race cars to boost speed and glue the R8 to the road. Add in a cabin packed with the luxury amenities found in Audi's best sedans, and you have one super supercar.

Of course no badge says dream car quite like that of Bentley, and the Continental GT Speed is not just luxurious; it's the quickest Bentley yet. With a 600-horsepower twin-turbo W12 engine under the hood, the GT Speed will rocket to 60 in well under 5.0-seconds. Serious chassis changes also make the GT Speed much more nimble than any 2-and-a-half ton ultra-luxury car has a right to be. And yes, there's all the over-the-top style and luxury that makes Bentley the darling of the super-rich “look at me” set.

But if you think that a dream car can't be environmentally responsible, we present the Lexus LS 600h L. It's not only the largest hybrid luxury car available, it's also one of the most advanced hybrid vehicles, period. Any full-size luxury sedan that can deliver 430-horsepower, ultra-low emissions, and full-tilt Lexus luxury isn't just a dream car, it's a dream come true!