They say you should never buy a used rental car, and now fans of the Ford Shelby GT-H won't have to. While the GT-H is exclusive to Hertz, Ford is adding a retail version, the Shelby GT. The Shelby GT reaches dealers early next year as an '07 model. Ford has yet to finalize specs, but expect all the major GT-H goodies, including the Ford Racing intake and exhaust (and its resultant 25 extra hp), the horizontal-bar grille, the hood pins, and the side scoops. Don't expect the black-and-gold Hertz color scheme; instead, the Shelby GT will have silver stripes over a black or white body. Best of all, though, is that whereas the Hertz cars are all equipped with automatic gearboxes, the civilian version can be had with either an automatic or a manual. Of course, the other good part is that buyers of the Shelby GT won't have to wonder how many knuckleheads performed neutral drops or smoky burnouts in their baby; they'll be secure in the knowledge that all the abuse their cars endure will be owner-inflicted.

A 47 percent power bump and a 57 percent torque boost are just the nudges needed to rev the Saturn Sky to the Red Line. A 2.0-liter version of General Motors' Ecotec four-cylinder roused by a dual-scroll intercooled turbo, direct injection, and variable valve timing delivers a hunky 260 hp. Improved driveline mounting (similar to the Mazda MX-5's scheme), a sport suspension damped by Bilstein, ABS, stability control, and upgraded tires take the already capable chassis up a notch. But instead of tuning this Sky to run wild with BMWs and Porsches, Saturn focused on polishing its rough edges. The turbo engine is a torquer, not a spinner, so the Red Line delivers thrust immediately, without waiting for the tach needle to find a sweet spot. The new third gear in the manual box is a more useful ratio, and the optional five-speed automatic is smart enough to downshift during hard braking into a corner. The turbo engine not only speaks more softly than the normally aspirated four-cylinder, it also delivers better fuel mileage. While a couple of clouds still hang over the Sky--a storage-shy cockpit and a clunky convertible top--the arrival of the Red Line is convincing proof that polishing works.

Significance: No, it isn't the cutest convertible on the market, but at least it's got some cool features. But the heated cup holders and a music-holding hard drive pale in comparison to the top options: vinyl, cloth, and steel are all available.

The first hints that Lexus might sell an exotic sports car came exactly two years ago here at the Detroit auto show with the unveiling of the first LF-A concept. That car's primary goal was to introduce the "L-finesse" design direction to the world, but public excitement pushed the brand to take their toy to the track. But now, just as Nissan did with the GT-R and as Mitsubishi is also doing here with the Prototype X, Lexus is showing a second concept of the same car. Is it just another tease? "The first LF-A was pure concept, but one that we went so far as to conduct engineering analysis on," says Lexus general manager Bob Carter. "This latest concept is much closer to a vehicle that we would bring to market, and one in which we will be gauging consumer interest." In other words yes, it is still a tease. And because it might see production, this swoopier LF-A might be an even bigger tease. Thanks a lot, Lexus.

Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you the best pictures yet of the forthcoming Corvette SS. What, you've never heard of the Corvette SS? That's because it's also been called the Corvette Blue Devil. And, more recently, the Corvette ZR-1.