With 302 horses at your disposal, you'd think that stopping the 2002 Mercedes SL500 convertible would be an issue. Not so.


The car features the first brake-by-wire system. Hit the brakes and a computer begins slowing you within a fraction of a second. The system also determines which wheels have the most traction and applies the brakes accordingly to prevent a skid.


And just in case it pulls a Windows 98 on you, hydraulics act as a backup. Available next spring; price not set.

Originally built for the German army but coming to America this fall, Mercedes' new G-Class may be the toughest thing to come out of Austria since Schwarzenegger. Like Arnold, the attraction is a rare combination of brute strength and relaxing charm. A 300-horsepower all-aluminum engine, plus a stable suspension, can pop the SUV over 80 percent grades, while a leather interior coddles you like a wealthy movie star married into an even wealthier family. Price: $72,500.

Shakespeare once described the "seven ages" of a person's life. Clearly, he wasn't a car guy. For when it comes to the sheet metal in the driveway, there are actually just five stages of life and, thanks to new technology, each is poised for a dramatic makeover. From more powerful and efficient engines to voice recognition and Web access, automakers are introducing innovations designed to appeal to a variety of tastes. Here's what's coming to a driveway near you, next year and beyond.

The first time you hit the gas in one of Mercedes' newest AMG models, you might think it's powered by rocket fuel. Well, not really. But as your cranium hits the headrest, it becomes quite clear that there's no ordinary V6 under the hood.

The C32 sedan and SLK32 roadster are the latest in a series of specialized models from AMG, a DaimlerChrysler subsidiary that modifies engines and suspensions of basic production cars for high performance. On the road, it takes a conscious effort to slow to the flow of traffic. Mercedes claims 0 to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds. We believe it.

First came the elegance, and now comes the verve.

The Mercedes C-Class coupe is a sporty complement

to the company's more sedate C-Class sedan. The

sport coupe is about 7 inches shorter than the sedan,

and its high snubbed rear and long sloping hood all but

shout "catch me if you can."

The coupe proved right at home on the curves of the

narrow "Corniches" that hug the cliffs of France's

Cte

d'Azur between Nice and Monaco, where we tested it. It

accelerated energetically with sharp bursts of

adrenaline when the road briefly straightened, while