In Pictures: Ten to-die-for cars you must see at the auto show

When you hear “plug-in hybrid,” you automatically think of an earnest, tree-hugging ride designed to impress the crowd at a Greenpeace fundraiser. The P1 isn’t that kind of plug-in hybrid. Instead, it’s a 903-horsepower monster with the appearance of a mutant insect and a hybrid powertrain that would not be out of place in a starship. Built in McLaren’s legendary English factory (which resembles a computer clean-room crossed with a missile factory) this is a science project on wheels. The chassis is moulded from carbon sheets. The doors swing up and out, and a wing pops up out of the tail on polished struts. Definitely a car to marvel at.

Although it’s best known for rapper-transporter SUVs and Mad Men-era land yachts, Cadillac has some amazing engineering talent, and the ATS coupe is its masterwork. Based on the CTS sports sedan, the ATS has fattened fenders and two less doors. Although the changes sound minor, they make for an interesting car.

The Golf you’ll see at the Canadian International AutoShow is an all-new design, the seventh generation of VW’s classic hatchback. The first Golf, which appeared in 1974, signaled VW’s move away from the rear-engine, air-cooled Beetle that had defined the company since the 1930s. This model is lower and wider than its predecessors, and weight has been reduced with high-strength materials, but the new Golf retains its signature feature – the flip-up hatchback that maximizes storage space.

The Mustang has had a checkered history. First came glory, in the form of the 1964 original, which set sales records and launched the pony car movement. That was followed by masterpieces like the 1969 Boss 302 Mustang. Then came the dark age of the Mustang 11, a 1970s travesty that was featured on Charlie’s Angels. 

The Polestar is an enthusiast cult car, but was never available in Canada. Now the wait is over, and the Polestar’s arrival symbolizes the Swedish car maker’s changing fortunes. Although many think of Volvo as a builder of dull, nanny-state rides that may save their life in a crash but bore them to death afterward, the cognoscenti have always known about Volvo’s long rally racing history, and its tradition of smart engineering that combines performance with safety. The Polestar is the thinking-driver’s performance machine, with 508 horsepower, a beautiful leather interior, and the muscular, hunkered-down presence of a race car.