I know. We're not even a month into 2012, and I'm already telling you about exotic cars that will be available in 2013. Well, get used to it. The list is short now, but it will grow with every auto show, especially the big ones like Geneva and New York this spring, then Frankfurt and Los Angeles in the fall.

The SL-class from Mercedes turns the big six-oh next year, so the company is gearing up with a new lighter, more efficient roadster to mark the anniversary. The 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL550 does the line justice, more so than some of those squared-off numbers from the go-go 80s. This new incarnation looks nearly as fast as the original.

The Aston Martin Vantage has been around for decades -- longer than you might think. The Vantage name has carried V8 engines, V12 engines, and race livery with aplomb, and it's carried on today as the smallest, most accessible Aston on the market.

You might be surprised to learn that the Nissan GT-R has a long history that goes all the way back to its battles against Porsche in the 1960s. Back then, it was a four-door sedan called the Skyline, but it was a Godzilla in sheep's clothing. These days, the GT-R looks like the sports car that it is, but its sub-$100k price tag still might surprise anyone who's seen it set records on the Nurburgring.