Top 10 Cars to Give as a Gift

Let's say you want to buy one of the ultimate high-performance "supercars" for your loved one. So you get a Ferrari or Lamborghini, right? Oh, come on, that has so been done. No, the car to get them is the R8, the first supercar from German automaker Audi. A distant relative of the Lamborghini Gallardo, the R8 has a proper mid-engine supercar layout, a proper supercar shape, and proper supercar handling -- but with a starting price of around $110,000, it's more affordable than its exotic Italian rivals. And in case the supercar fan in your life isn't such a super driver, it's worth noting that the R8 is easy to drive, very safe (thanks to standard all-wheel-drive), and is available with (shhh, don't tell) an automatic transmission.

As the least expensive car in the US, the Chevy Aveo is the perfect gift for someone who can't afford their own car. It may not be very good -- OK, there's no "may" about it, it's not very good -- but the Aveo provides basic, safe transportation. And best yet, once the recipient can afford his or her own vehicle, it's bound to be a step up from the Aveo no matter what a heap it is. Money-saving gift-giving tip: Find a gently-used example, as the Aveo loses about 98% of its value the moment you drive it off the dealer's lot.

Want to convince your import-owning friends or relatives that American cars are as good as the Japanese? Then buy them the all-new-for-2008 Chevy Malibu. It won't break the bank -- you can get a nice one for around $20k -- and they'll have no choice but to drive it, as doing otherwise would be rude. It won't take long before they realize that the Malibu trounces its comparably-priced Japanese rivals on interior design, engine refinement and value for money. The Malibu is still a new model so we don't know about build quality, but if it holds up, you just may have created another American-car convert.

For fans of old muscle cars, no new vehicle captures the spirit of the muscle-car era the way the Ford Mustang does. It's brash, loud, and a bit archaic, but there's nothing like flooring the gas and getting shoved firmly into the seat as the roar of the V8 engine fills your ears. (Actually, the base-model V6 makes a pretty decent roar, too.) A word of caution: Not all car buffs like Mustangs -- some, in fact, really hate them -- so it's best to get a handle on your prospective recipient's feelings before spending the cash. (If they turn out to be die-hard Mustang fans, get 'em the Shelby GT500.) Also, the Mustang can be a handful to drive, so don't even think of giving one to a young or inexperienced driver.

As a daily driver, the S2000 CR -- a lightweight, race-ready version of the S2000 roadster -- is pointless and useless. It has no A/C, no stereo, and if you want to take the aluminum roof off, you have to a) have a helper and b) leave it at home. And that right there is what makes it such a great gift. I mean, how many gifts have you given that were pointless and useless? How often will your loved one use that automatic tie steamer or Miata-shaped Jell-o mold? Never. But buy the car fanatic in your life an S2000 CR, and he (he has to be a he; no woman would put up with a car this impractical) will be out there every weekend when the weather's nice, grinning like an idiot and having the time of his life in this racecar-for-the-masses.

The Reventon is Lamborghini's new flagship, a 641 horsepower, 211 MPH, carbon-fiber-bodied, $1.4 million supercar inspired by the F22A Raptor fighter jet. Lamborghini plans to sell just twenty Renventons, eleven of them in the United States, which means your chances of getting one are only slightly better than your chances of being elected Pope. Cars don't get a whole lot more exclusive than this. That makes the Reventon the ultimate automotive gift -- that and the fact that the odds of the recipient's neighbor getting a nicer, newer one are just about nil.

There's a reason the Miata has been one of America's favorite roadsters since it was introduced nearly two decades ago: It's cute, easy to drive, reasonably affordable, and lots of fun to tool around in. (It also makes a great racing car, for those who are into that sort of thing.) Mazda recently introduced a version with a retractable hardtop, increasing the appeal for those who live where the weather isn't always nice -- though beware, the Miata's not very good in the snow.

Say what you like about Mercedes, but nothing has quite the same level of cachet as a car that wears the three-pointed star. My pick for a gift is the E-Class; though it's not the cheapest Benz, it's the least expensive once that, in my opinion, offers a proper level of Mercedes elegance. It's quick, it's quiet, it's relaxing to drive, and it makes an eminently practical family car -- plus it's one of the few cars available in the US with a super-frugal diesel engine. If your loved one likes to drive fast, consider the E63 AMG Wagon, possibly the stealthiest hot rod ever created -- it's a proper sports car masquerading as a boring ol' station wagon.

The fact that you're giving someone a car as a gift probably means that you like them, and if that's the case, then you probably want to keep them safe. Hence my recommendation of the Saab 9-3, which has been one of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Best Safety Picks for several years now. Best yet, the IIHS blessing extends to sedan, wagon and convertible versions. But safety isn't the Saab's only virtue; the 9-3 is fun to drive, unique, and makes a very practical family car. My advice: Skip the pricier Aero models and go for the base 2.0T, which is quick, economical, and a great value.

You know the scenario -- your loved one is into something you know nothing about, so you ask a friend with the same interest. She says "Buy a blue-crested franacranch, he'll go nuts." So knowing nothing about franacranches, you buy the blue-crested one, noting that it's way more expensive than the other franacranches yet looks almost exactly the same. With trepidation, you give it to your loved one. He opens it and says "Oh, a franacranch, how nice --" and then his eyes go like saucepans and he says "Oh my goodness, it's a blue-crested franacranch! Wow! How did you know?" Then he calls his friends and says "Guess what I got? A blue-crested franacranch!" Yes, it's a real! In your face!"

Well, it's just like that with the Impreza WRX STi.