Gallery: Planes, Chains and Automobiles: Autopia's 2012 Lust List
01ktm-freeride
The beginning of each year offers so much promise. It’s a fresh start, a chance to look ahead with wonder, with optimism and with more than a little anticipation. This year will be especially good to gearheads. There is [no shortage of lustworthy machinery](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2011/11/nine-for-nine/) coming down the pike, from absurdly powerful muscle cars to drop-dead gorgeous electrics and leading-edge motorcycles. We may even see the first flight of the spaceships that will one day take us to the heavens. Here, then, are the 12 things we’re most looking forward to in 2012. KTM Freeride E -------------- The problem with electric motorcycles isn’t range, it’s accessibility. Until now, anything truly worth riding was built in limited numbers by tiny startups. The promise of zero-emissions riding on a machine you’d actually buy was out of reach to almost everyone. The [KTM Freeride E](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2010/03/ktm-freeride-electric-motorcycles/) solves that problem. The first electric motorcycle from a major manufacturer is utterly unintimidating to newcomers but fast enough to keep experienced riders entertained. Motorcycles like this will open new riding areas to new riders. Quick, clean and quiet, small bikes and electric bikes are the future. The future starts now with the KTM Freeride E. *— Wes Siler* *Photo: KTM*
02subaru-brz
Subaru BRZ / Scion FR-S ----------------------- Much has been written about these cars in recent months, and with good reason. These cars, developed in a corporate [partnership between Subaru and Toyota](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2011/11/toyota-gt-86-subaru-brz/), flat-out rock. Think about it. They’re crazy light. They’re rear-wheel-drive. They offer 197 horsepower in a package not much larger than a Mazda MX-5 Miata. They’re gorgeous, with styling that recalls the classic Japanese sports cars of the 1970s. And they’re affordable, with prices starting in the mid-20s. Small size. Light weight. Low center of gravity and decent power. Can you say insanely fun to drive? Oh yes. Sign us up. *— Chuck Squatriglia* *Photo: Subaru*
03tesla-motors-model-s
Tesla Motors Model S -------------------- [Tesla Motors](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/tag/tesla-motors/) proved long ago with the Roadster that it could design a top-notch electric drivetrain. The Roadster is the benchmark for EV range and performance, and a damn fine car. Yet it was merely the opening act for the main attraction: Model S. [Model S](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/tag/tesla-model-s/) is Elon Musk’s all-in bet that Tesla Motors is a real car company, one worthy of respect beyond the EV community. Critics like to say the Roadster is simply a converted Lotus Elise, which is unfair because it fails to recognize the remarkable engineering of the drivetrain. The Model S is Musk looking those idiots straight in the eye and saying, “Get stuffed” while telling Detroit (along with Japan and Europe), “Look what we can do.” The Model S was [designed entirely by Tesla Motors](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2011/01/tesla-wants-some-engineering-cred/), which assembled a team of engineers from the likes of Lotus, Jaguar and Williams F1. The car [promises to handle as well](http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2012-tesla-model-s-first-ride-reviews) as it looks, and Tesla is making good on its promise to deliver the S with a starting price of $49,900 after the federal EV tax credit. You’ll be able to get it with one of three packs — 40, 60 or 80 kilowatt-hours — with each offering greater range, performance and price. The top-of-the-line Model S Performance provides a claimed range of 300 miles, does zero to 60 in 4.4 seconds and starts at $87,400. That silence you hear is Tesla’s critics. *— Chuck Squatriglia* *Photo: Tesla Motors*
Bruce Benedict04fisker-automotive-karma
Fisker Automotive Karma ----------------------- This is the other big-ticket car with a cord we’re looking forward to. Company founder Henrik Fisker — who designed [automotive eye candy like the BMW Z8](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2010/07/henrik-fisker-design-gallery/all/1) and Aston Martin V8 Vantage — wants to prove green and gorgeous aren’t mutually exclusive. On that score, he’s definitely succeeded. The Karma is a stunner. Beneath the gorgeous bodywork the car works a lot like the Chevrolet Volt, with a battery providing an [EPA-certified 32 miles of range](http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/21/the-fisker-karmas-20-m-p-g-conundrum/). When the battery winds down, a gasoline engine drives a generator to keep juice flowing to the wheels. At that point you’re looking at 20 mpg, the feds say. Those figures fall well short of what the company promised, but they’re respectable for a luxury car that weighs 5,500 pounds. And then there was the battery issue that led to a recall, but [Fisker swears that’s been straightened out](http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2012/01/03/fisker-says-it-has-fixed-most-recalled-karma-hybrids/). Fisker’s delivered about 40 Karmas so far, and early reviews suggest the car goes as well as it looks. The glossies have given it favorable reviews, and the gearheads at *Top Gear* named it the luxury car of the year. Not bad for Fisker Automotive’s inaugural effort. *Photo: Fisker Automotive*
05airbus-a350-xwb
Airbus A350 XWB --------------- Now it's Airbus' turn. For the past several years the [Boeing 787 Dreamliner](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/tag/787-dreamliner/) has been the center of attention in the commercial aviation world. That focus now shifts to [Airbus](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/tag/airbus/) as it begins building and flight testing its first composite airliner, the A350 XWB. The [A350 XWB](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2011/12/first-airbus-a350-hitches-a-ride-to-the-factory/) (for extra-wide body) has, like the 787, had a tumultuous start marked by changes and redesigns to meet customer needs. Airbus also is taking a different approach to composite construction. Rather than make the fuselage entirely of composite materials as Boeing did, Airbus has for many reasons opted instead to affix carbon fiber panels to an aluminum airframe. Many in the industry are waiting to see if the new design will lead to a faster, simpler development with fewer delays, or if Airbus’ unique use of composite material will tread the same tortured development path Boeing followed. Either way, we’re eager to see this new airplane take wing. *— Jason Paur* Photo: Airbus. The view from within the first 21-meter long forward fuselage section of an A350 XWB.
06ford-mustang-shelby-gt500
2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 ------------------------------ Think about this: 650 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque in a [Mustang](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/06/mustang-boss/). A *Mustang*. Not some one-off, either, but a factory-built car with a warranty. The top speed is said to be north of 200 mph. Unlike past GT500s, this one might actually handle. And stop. It’s a 200-mph Mustang. (Faster than [Chevrolet's Corvette](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2011/09/corvette-racing/) Z06.) It’s a 200-mph Mustang with a warranty. (Faster than Chevrolet's Camaro ZL1.) Did we mention it does more than 200 mph? What a ridiculous anachronism. How glorious all the same. *— Sam Smith* *Photo: Ford*
07lamborghini-lp-550-2-spyder
Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Spyder ------------------------------------ [Modern day Lamborghinis](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2011/08/peek-inside-the-lamborghini-factory-2/) are not scary. Sexy, fast and raucous? Most definitely. But scary, as in, *"Oh my god, this thing is gonna kill me!"*? No. Not for some time now, thanks to tarmac-grabbing all-wheel-drive and handling tuned for understeer. Perhaps that’s why our recent experience in a Lamborghini was so momentous. The car was the Gallardo LP 550-2 Tricolore, and its mid-mounted V-10 delivered every one of its 550 horsepower to the rear wheels. The lighter, twitchier coupe put us on edge at the Monticello Motor Club's road course and literally took our breath away, just like [tempestuous Lambos of yore](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2010/09/lamborghini-miura-sv/). And that's why we want a [Gallardo LP 550-2 Spyder](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2011/11/get-bitten-by-lamborghinis-new-spyder/). The droptop challenges drivers, makes them *earn* the excitement that only a supercar can deliver. It also promises symphonic aural entertainment, with its 10-cylinder engine roaring just aft of the cabin. At $209,500, the Spyder ain't cheap. But considering it's the second most affordable Lamborghini in the lineup, the rear wheel-drive roadster just might be scary enough to conjure a cult following. *— Basem Wasef* *Photo: Lamborghini*
Main events in flight. Image: Thomas Pedersen / Morten Bulskov. Edited: Kristian von Bengtson08ducati-1199-panigale
Ducati 1199 Panigale -------------------- You’ve undoubtedly heard of Ducati. It’s not so much a motorcycle as a brand. But what all those glitzy “lifestyle” ads and strategic product placements don’t tell you is this: The reality of Ducati has not always matched the image. Until now. For the first time ever, Ducati can legitimately say it sells the fastest motorcycle in the world. Hell — it’s the fastest production bike *ever* if we’re talking lap times. With an 1,199cc V-twin making 195 horsepower in a bike that weighs a scant 395 pounds ready to ride, the Panigale — named after Ducati’s hometown — is as powerful as anything else in the world and quite a bit lighter than anything else in its class. The [Panigale harnesses that record-breaking power](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2011/11/oh-yes-we-want-to-ride-ducatis-1199/)-to-weight ratio with bleeding-edge electronics pulled straight from the track. Performance-tuned traction control, wheelie control, launch control, ABS and suspension that electronically adjusts itself on the fly will make this bike not only the fastest ever, but one mere mortals can ride as fast possible. *— Wes Siler* *Photo: Ducati*
Daimler AG - Global Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars09mercedes-benz-sl-500
Mercedes-Benz SL550 ------------------- The soon-to-be-defunct Mercedes-Benz SL was a slick bit of kit, but it also tipped the scales at well over two tons. That’s hardly the stuff of sports car dreams, and a mockery of the [roadster's storied "Sport Light" designation](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2011/01/driving-the-awesome-mercedes-300-sl-gullwing/). For 2013, Mercedes is ditching steel for aluminum, and the result is nothing short of stunning. The chassis is not only 240 pounds leaner, but also stiffer, with a lower center of gravity. Add a 429-horsepower, twin-turbocharged V8 and the flagship SL550 hits 60 mph in an estimated 4.5 seconds. That makes it as quick as the outgoing SL63 AMG. Which, of course, only means the upcoming [AMG version of the SL](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/07/benz-gullwing/) will be even more lustworthy. Bravo, Mercedes-Benz, for shunning status quo and returning to your lightweight roots. Enthusiasts everywhere thank you. *— Basem Wasef* *Photo: Mercedes-Benz*
Joe Wilssens10fiat-abarth-500
Fiat Abarth 500 --------------- Given that the anemic 101-horsepower [Fiat 500 is a blast to drive](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/02/fiat-500/), we can't wait to get our hands on a cinquecento stung by Abarth's scorpion. The [Abarth 500](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2011/11/finally-we-get-the-abarth-500/), announced at the L.A. Auto Show in November, the real deal and a car Carlo Abarth would be proud of. It’s got a turbocharged version of Fiat's MultiAir 1.4 L four-cylinder engine good for 160 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque – in a car that weighs a hair over 2,500 pounds. Mama mia! *— Keith Barry* *Photo: Fiat*
Ford11ford-focus-st
Ford Focus ST ------------- Yeah, yeah. We know. Another Ford. But hear us out. The hot-rodded Focus ST takes an entertaining car with an amazing chassis and ridiculous value and gives it a better suspension and 247 horsepower. It’s the first fast Focus on this side of the Atlantic since Ford killed the SVT in 2004. This will be a respectable alternative to the Volkswagen GTI and the (ugh) Mazda Mazdaspeed3. What’s not to love? *— Sam Smith* *Photo: Ford*
12spaceshiptwo-aloft
Commercial Space Flight Takes Off --------------------------------- We’ll see big things this year as commercial space flight blasts off. Scaled Composites is expected to begin powered test flights of SpaceShipTwo, the spacecraft that [Virgin Galactic](”) will use to carry those with deep pockets into space. The craft will be carried aloft aboard its mothership, WhiteKnightTwo, before rocketing toward the heavens. If the development of its predecessor is any indication, it won’t be long before SpaceShipTwo is inching its way toward 328,000 feet (100 kilometers), the somewhat arbitrary line defining space for most in the industry. Flying even higher, [SpaceX](”) is scheduled to launch its Dragon spacecraft into space atop the Falcon 9 rocket in early February. Its destination? The International Space Station. As part of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation System competition, the Falcon 9 will deliver the Dragon into orbit and, if all goes according to plan, the capsule will dock with the space station some time in mid February. *— Jason Paur* *Photo: Virgin Galactic*
