Sexiest new cars on the road

Italian automaker Alfa Romeo is re-entering the U.S. market after an 18-year absence with a sweet-looking 2-seater called the 4C. It has a 200-horsepower 4-cylinder engine just ahead of the rear wheels and a shapely carbon-fiber body. With a curb weight of less than 1,900 pounds, it should be a quick little sports car, despite its small engine.

Read:  Alfa shows off the 4C at Geneva

Aston Martin has long produced some of the sexiest cars ever, with ideal proportions and that perfectly understated British elegance. The Vanquish is its latest creation, and quite possibly the most gorgeous car on this list. In celebrating the British boutique automaker's centenary, the company calls the Vanquish the best Aston Martin ever. We don't doubt it.

2006 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish

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Some will argue that the Audi R8 supercar is the sexiest ride from this German automaker. But we submit a less conventional choice, one that looks less like an alien spacecraft and more like a sultry Italian fastback from the 1960s. The pleasing shape of the Audi RS 7 recalls an era when leather driving gloves and Marlboro cigarettes were compulsory motoring accessories.

2013 Audi S7

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The Bentley Continental GT Speed is the most potent version of Bentley's recently redesigned coupe. It blends Old World beauty with modern flair. Previous versions of the Continental GT didn't entirely embody the elegance for which Bentleys are known. But this new one gets it right, thanks to subtle styling changes that make the car look wider and lower.

2012 Bentley Continental GT

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Even though calling this or any other 4-door car a "coupe" is nothing more than a marketing gimmick — coupes have two doors, not four — there's no arguing that the BMW M6 Gran Coupe is sexy. Think of it as the love child of the M5 sedan and M6 coupe. It blends the best attributes of both: the low, sleek look of a 2-door with the practicality of a 4-door.

2013 BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe

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This multimillion-dollar hypercar is not for everyone. Seeing it in person, however, gives a different perspective than just looking at it in photos — to say nothing of actually driving one. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 has a shape reminiscent of a beetle; still, it is beautiful and unique. And the exquisite craftsmanship afforded by its astronomical price is evident in every precise line and wafer-thin gap between its carbon-fiber body panels.

View Slideshow:  Taking a joyride in a $2.5 million Bugatti

Compared with the previous C6 Corvette, the all-new C7 version has a lot going on within its design, with a plethora of vents, scoops and creases scattered all over its body. But each one serves a purpose, whether it be routing air to cool the engine and brakes or keeping the car glued to the road. Regardless, the new Corvette Stingray's taut form looks fresh and modern and is a welcome update to this iconic American sports car.

2013 Chevrolet Corvette

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There are pricier and more exclusive Ferraris, but none sexier than the 458 Italia — at least in the current lineup. The design of Ferraris has gotten fussy and overwrought in recent years. The 458's seductive body is sleek, smooth and even subdued in its detailing. It recalls Ferraris from the 1960s, arguably the golden era of design for the Italian automaker.

2012 Ferrari 458

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Who knew a hybrid could be sexy? Actually, that's not surprising, considering who designed it. Before Henrik Fisker founded and became CEO of Fisker Automotive, he designed timeless beauties such as the Aston Martin DB9 and BMW Z8. The Fisker Karma, a plug-in hybrid that has a 50-mile electric-only range, proves that you don't have to be granola to be "green."

2012 Fisker Karma

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The F-Type is the most important sports car Jaguar has produced in decades. It takes the successful formula of the larger, luxury-focused XK and pares everything down in size and weight. The result is an appealing package that competes directly with everything from the Audi A8 to the Ferrari 458 Italia to the Porsche 911. With styling cues that evoke the legendary Jaguar E-Type, particularly at the rear of the car, the F-Type is one gorgeous cat.

Lamborghinis are over the top, which means that they're not always sexy, per se. But this one is — in a menacing sort of way. The Aventador LP 700-4 looks as aggressive as it drives, with angular styling that seems like it came straight from a stealth fighter jet. Its sharp edges and angles appear as if they could almost cut you, and so do the signature scissor doors.

2012 Lamborghini Aventador

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Lexus has not been known for cars that get your blood boiling. Fortunately, that is changing, as the Japanese luxury automaker has proved with its exotic LFA supercar. This car's sex appeal goes beyond its exterior design, though. The sound and fury of its high-revving V10 engine will make your hair stand on end.

2012 Lexus LFA

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If the Lotus Evora exudes classic British beauty, then the allure of this midengine sports car lies in understatement. Its shape is eminently sporty and rakish, but it doesn't seem to scream for attention as do many cars of its type. The Evora possesses an air of sobriety, much like the Toyota V6 engine that provides its power.

2012 Lotus Evora

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The Maserati GranTurismo is the prototypical hot-blooded Italian supercar, designed to overwhelm all of its driver's senses. The interior is as gorgeous as the exterior, with its fragrant, finely crafted leather. The sound that plays from its V8 engine might as well be music. It's not the best performing car in its category, but it certainly conveys a sensory experience unlike any other.

2012 Maserati GranTurismo

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Speaking of top-performing cars, this is one. The McLaren MP4-12C Spider looks as stunning as it drives, particularly with its amazingly engineered folding hardtop that stows neatly out of sight. There is a cool, clinical precision to the overall design, which is emblematic of McLaren's obsessive engineering ethos.

View Pictures:  Mclaren MP4-12C Spider

Here is another unconventional choice thrown in for variety. This ludicrously powerful station wagon just looks cool. From the gaping air inlets in the front bumper to the stylish LED headlights to the long, sultry shape, the Mercedes E63 AMG S-Model 4Matic Wagon is one sexy beast. And with its monster twin-turbo V8 engine, it not only holds its own among supercars in terms of looks, but also in performance.

2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon

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It wouldn't seem possible to get more extreme than Pagani's previous supercar, the Zonda. But boutique automakers such as Pagani exist to perpetually push boundaries; hence, the Huayra. This Mercedes AMG-powered Italian hypercar looks different than any Ferrari or Lamborghini. Some might argue it looks better, owing to styling that isn't quite so extroverted.

View Pictures:  Pagani Huarya

The Porsche 911 hasn't always been sexy; attractive, yes, but not necessarily sexy. The latest version, however, is another story. Despite holding to the same basic shape Porsche has used for decades, the new 911, known to insiders and enthusiasts by its code name 991, has more attractive proportions than its predecessors, thanks in part to being longer and wider.

2013 Porsche 911

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The larger Rolls-Royce Phantom definitely has more gravitas than its smaller sibling. But the Ghost's svelte shape is sexier. It retains the graceful, elegant styling of the Phantom, incorporating design elements such as the downward-sloping rear reminiscent of classic Rolls-Royces, but the Rolls-Royce Ghost pulls it all together in a tidier package.

2012 Rolls-Royce Ghost

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Sports-car fans cheered when Chrysler announced it was bringing the Viper back. They cheered even louder once the company took the wraps off the new V10-powered supercar. Much like the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, the Viper has evolved into a truly world-class sports car capable of going wheel-to-wheel with the best from Europe.

2013 Dodge SRT Viper

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For more information on the vehicles in this slideshow, click the links below:

-Aston Martin Vanquish
-Bentley Continental GT Speed
-BMW M6 Gran Coupe
-Chevrolet Corvette
-Ferrari 458 Italia
-Fisker Karma
-Lamborghini Aventador
-Lexus LFA
-Lotus Evora
-Maserati GranTurismo
-Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon
-Porsche 911
-Rolls-Royce Ghost
-Dodge SRT Viper

Matthew de Paula wanted to be an automotive journalist ever since reading his first car magazine in grade school. After a brief stint writing about finance, he helped launch ForbesAutos.com and became the site's editor in 2006. Matthew now freelances for various outlets.