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The fall and rise of the budget car

Twenty years ago, the classic bargain brands like Lada seemed to be going the same way as the Soviet empire that spawned them. Woefully dated and badly made, only a weirdo would have bought a new Lada rather than a second-hand model from Ford, Vauxhall or VW. However, one of the big trends in the car industry today is the re-emergence of bargain cars.

Brabus unleashes Mercedes-Benz SL850 6.0 Biturbo

We still remember a time when Brabus' Mercedes-Benz cars were tough to pick out in a crowd, but with the current generation of cars from this Bottrop-based tuning house everyone will be able to spot them from a mile away. Given the maximum speed of some of its cars, that's not a bad thing by any means. And even though Brabus has recently attracted attention for its treatment of the facelifted G-class and the new Mercedes-Benz S-class, their latest reworking of the Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG is sure to reset the bar when it comes to the SL-class.

Hyundai Equus price starts at $58,900

The 2011 Hyundai Equus sedan--the flagship of the Korean automaker's growing lineup--gets a base sticker price of $58,900, including shipping charges. That base price is for the Equus Signature trim level. There also is an Equus Ultimate trim that includes niceties such as reclining rear seats, an entertainment system and a refrigerator in the rear console--priced at $65,400.