If you could have any car, which one would it be? I asked Jody Victor  to tell us about a list from msn.com.

Jody Victor: Hey Joe, this list has some very fine choices in it – maybe one of them is yours! Here’s the second half from Matthew de Paula of msn.com.

Jeep Wrangler – What kind of idiot would pick a Jeep, you ask? We would! Consider what the world would be like without one. Do you really want every so-called sport-utility vehicle on the road to be like a Nissan Juke or Toyota RAV4 – urban assault vehicles with no off-road capabilities whatsoever? That’s where things seem to be headed. But the Wrangler is an SUV that not only still lives up to the abbreviation’s definition, but one that helped create the category. You can drive it straight off the dealer’s lot and into the wilderness to crawl over boulders and wade through streams. Yes, there are things not to like, such as its Tonka Toy styling and coarse engines, but not much; plus, a new V6 engine is on tap for 2012.

Volkswagen Golf/ Jetta TDI – Hybrids have hogged the spotlight as far as eco-friendly rides go. But the not-so-dirty secret among those in the know is that diesel-powered cars are a great alternative. This is particularly true of smaller diesels such as the Volkswagen Golf and Jetta TDI. Their exhaust emissions are clean enough to comply with federal regulations without the need for convoluted and costly exhaust-gas treatments required on larger diesel vehicles from Audi, BMW, Mercedes and others. The Golf and Jetta TDI are not only more fuel-efficient than their gas-powered equivalents, they also offer amazing torque, which makes them fast off the live and fun to drive. How many hybrids are actually fun to drive?

Audi A7 – Audi calls it a “5-door coupe.” But coupes have two doors, not four doors plus a hatch back. Whatever you call it, the A7 is sexy, a big car with sultry lines that draws stares from everyone. The restrained and unadorned exterior is a departure from cars of other luxury brands. So is the signature huge front grille. This car is unique in an industry filled with things that look and feel the same. And with a supercharged V6 engine mated to a 7-speed transmission, it has the moves to back up the stunning good looks. There are two glaring faults , though: A car this big shouldn’t have only four seats, and the controls are overly complicated. Nobody’s perfect.

McLaren MP4-12C – As one of the most successful Formula One racing teams of all time, McLaren is no stranger to building fast cars.But it hasn’t built a road car of its own in gears. Now here’s the MP4-12C to shake up the super-car establishment; it’s both faster and more fuel-efficient than some of the competition. It has the mind-boggling technology we’ve come to expect from McLaren, such as a rear wing that stands upright when the brakes are applied to help slow the car down. The best part is that the MP4-12C is just the opening shot of a larger salvo to follow.

Ferrari 458 Italia Spyder – It has been years – perhaps even decades, some say – since Ferrari has put out a truly gorgeous, timeless car. The current 599 Maranello, California and FF are alluring, but they somehow lack the harmony and subtle beauty that once defined every Ferrari. Fortunately, that tradition is once again alive in the new 458 Italia. The recently unveiled convertible version, the Spyder, only adds to the Italia’s appeal. It is as much of a joy to drive as it is to behold. And with the top down, the melodious sounds of its V8 engine are all the more audible.

Thanks, Jody! What a line-up!

Joe Victor

OK – Thanksgiving is over but we can still appreciate and give thanks for, certain cars because of their looks, performance or what they represent. I asked Jody Victor  to tell us more from an article by Matthew de Paula of msn.com.

Jody Victor: Hey, Joe, here are some wonderful time-tested vehicles. Not necessarily the absolute best in their respective categories, but life would be so much worse without them.

Ford Mustang Boss 302 – This all-American bad-ass proves that the modern-day muscle car is very much alive and kicking butt. What a relief, because just a few years ago its future looked bleak. Ford's Boss 302 is the latest addition to the Mustang lineup. Its 5.0-liter 444-horsepower V8 engine sits right between the 412-horsepower engine in the Mustang GT and the supercharged 5.4-liter 550-horsepower V8 of the Shelby GT500. It's $7,000 more than the GT and $8,000 less than the Shelby – and worth every penny. With adjustable shock absorbers, beefed-up brakes, racing seats and other go-fast parts, the Boss is as close to a race-ready Mustang as you can get straight from the dealer.

Nissan Altima – The Nissan Altima brings sporty flair to a vehicle category often dominated by blandness. Honda and Toyota might have more clout with the average consumer, but those who care about more than just getting from point A to point B will want an Altima 3.5 SR, with its 270-horsepower V6 engine, taut suspension and 17-inch wheels. You don't' have to go all out to have fun in an Altima; the base 4-cylinder engine is plenty punchy. Heck, even the Altima Hybrid offers more fun than its competitors, albeit at the expense of being less fuel-efficient. Plus, the Altima has a clean, uncluttered cabin and cool looks that are sporty without being too aggressive.

Mazda Mazda3 – Mazda is like the BMW of Japan. Superb driving dynamics are at the core of every one of its cars, from the little MX-5 Miata roadster to the large CX-9 crossover. As other automakers bloat their small cars with more gadgets and fluff, Mazda continues to hone a simple formula: make quality cars that are a good value and fun to drive. This is immediately apparent from behind the wheel of a Mazda3. The seating position, steering wheel, pedals, controls and visibility are all good to go. The vehicle responds predictably and positively to every input. Its 4-cylinder engines are gutsier than most in its class; there's even a 263-horsepower turbocharged version.

BMW M3 – Nobody does sport sedans like BMW. Other automakers have come close to knocking the BMW 3-Series from its pedestal, but none has yet succeeded. The current BMW M3 only solidifies this domination. It sounds and acts like a supercar on the racetrack, yet it is eminently more practical, not to mention more affordable. It is uncanny how easy the M3 is to drive with abandon. It always turns in sharply, brakes immediately and changes gears instantaneously. In fact, the M3 lulls you into thinking you're a better driver than you really are. BMW all but invented the performance-sedan segment decades ago. To this day it reigns supreme.

Cadillac CTS-V Wagon – A 556-horsepower wagon that laps a racetrack as well as it hauls groceries is so wrong that it's just right. The Cadillac CTS-V wagon keeps hope alive for a future not entirely overrun with politically correct cars. So, soccer moms and dads, ditch the minivan or crossover and get one of these with a stick shift and Recaro racing seats. If you feel the need to rationalize the $63,215 price tag, rest assured that wagons are nearly as practical as crossovers of the same size. They're just way more fun to drive and usually more fuel-efficient. We say usually, because the CTS-V's 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine is actually a guzzler.

Thanks, Jody! We'll get the rest next time!

Joe Victor

Some vehicles out there have stood the test of time – they remain popular because of their price, looks, or reliability/usability. I asked Jody Victor  to tell us about the second installment of this list.

Jody Victor: Yes, Joe, you've got that right. Let's see what vehicles are on the last part of this list from an article by Kirk Bell of msn.com.

Jeep Wrangler – Sure, there have been some meager approximations,of the Jeep during its70-year run, such as the Ford Bronco, Toyota FJ Cruiser and Nissan Xterra. But none of those vehicles has offered the incredible off-road ability or appealing back-to-basics approach of the Wrangler. Plus, the addition of the 4-door Unlimited in 2004 made the Wrangler more practical for families. Perhaps the Hummer brand would have survived had it offered a modern interpretation of the Wrangler.

Nissan LEAF – Sometimes you have no competition because you're the first to the ballgame. Nissan was the first company to offer a reasonably priced, electric-powered  passenger vehicle when it released the LEAF in December 2011. Smart has since offered the fortwo electric, and Mitsubishi will soon have the i, but those vehicles are small. On the other hand, the LEAF can carry five passengers and is relatively affordable at $27,700, after the $7,500 tax rebate. In five years, the LEAF will be one of many electrics, as just about every automaker is working on a battery-electric vehicle. For now, however, it is the only game in town.

Chevrolet Volt – The Volt is a different take on the electric car. Though it always runs on electricity, it has an internal-combustion engine to charge the battery and extend the driving range. Chevrolet calls it an extended-range electric vehicle, and it's an elegant solution to the range-anxiety problem of the Nissan LEAF. Like the LEAF, the Volt is the first of what is sure to be many such electrics. The Fisker Karma uses the same type of system, but costs close to $100,000, more than double the cost of the Volt. Until battery technology progresses enough to increase a vehicle's range to 300 miles or more, extended-range electrics will be more practical than battery-electric vehicles.

Ferrari FF – The Ferrari FF replaces the 612 Scaglietti as the brand's V12-powered grand tourer. Sure, there are other V12-powered GT cars and supercars, but the FF has several unique traits. Most notably, it features an odd, 2-door hatchback body style, last seen on the 1998-2002 BMW M Coupe. The FF is also the only GT supercar to come with all-wheel drive. Yes, at roughly $300,000 it costs more than any other 4-seater, but it performs better, too. With a 651-horsepower V12 engine under the hood, the FF can bolt from zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, top out at 208 mph, and carve through corners like a much smaller sports car. Want an all-season 4-seat supercar wagon? This is the only one.

Mazda Mazda5 – Today's minivans are anything but mini. However, there is one that really can lay claim to that name. It's the 6-passenger Mazda5. Twenty-two inches shorter than the ;Dodge Grand Caravan and about $5,000 cheaper, the Mazda5 is great for a small family. It has the ride and handling of a compact car and the space of a crossover, but the sliding side doors qualify it as minivan. Those traits make the Mazda5 unique in the U.S. The body style is common in Europe, however, where it's called a multipurpose vehicle, or MPV.

Thanks, Jody! We'll be sure to check these out.

Joe Victor

There are a few vehicles out there that just clicked with the public. I asked Jody Victor  to tell us about such vehicles.

Jody Victor: Joe, there are some vehicles that nobody liked and then, there are the ones that became classics. Here are the first 5 of 10 that are in a league of their own because of price, body style, market position, or performance from an article on msn.com  by Kirk Bell.

Chevrolet Corvette – The Chevrolet Corvette, with its willing V8 power, razor-sharp handling and impressive racing pedigree, has set the standard for American performance cars since its 1953 debut. Ford and Chrysler have never really competed head-to-head with the 'Vette, though the Dodge Viper was in the ballpark. In the current Corvette lineup, the $111,525 ZR1 delivers supercar performance for a fraction of the price of exotic European sports cars, and the $75,525 Z06 isn't far behind.

Mazda MX-5 Miata – Since it was released in 1989, the Mazda Miata has appealed as a throwback to the lightweight British roadsters of the 1960s. The Miata has as much character as those old favorites, but it is far more reliable. While it's not very powerful, it is as fun to drive as larger sports cars, with their bigger engines and much higher price tags. The Miata has had very little competition in its 22-year run. General Motors tried from 2006 to 2009 with the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky. While those roadsters were decent efforts, they never matched the Miata's tossable feel, rev-happy engine or engaging personality.

Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet – Sometimes automakers answer a question nobody was really asking. By chopping the top off of its Murano mid-size crossover, Nissan has created its own market niche. Nissan calls it an Uncompromising convertible with style and functionality. Do you really need a convertible crossover? We don't think so. But can it be fun and useful for small families? Sure. A price of $44,540 will limit its appeal, and with little structural rigidity, it;s not very sporty in the twisties. However, the CrossCabriolet does offer room for four, pleasant road manners, excellent throttle response, open-air fun and the opportunity to see over most traffic.

smart fortwo – When the smart fortwo arrived in the United States in 2008, it was the smallest production car most people had ever seen and held some promise as a cute commuter car that would make buyers look fiscally and environmentally responsible. The novelty worked at first, with smart selling close to 40,000 fortwos in the first two years, which is impressive. But buyers soon learned that the car costs too much, its fuel economy isn't all that great, and the transmission is annoying. The fortwo would be a nice package for about $9,000, but with a price close to $15,000 (with air conditioning and a radio), there are better subcompact or used-car choices.

Honda Ridgeline – The small- to mid-size-pickup market is shrinking in the U.S., primarily because smaller trucks don't deliver the same profit margins for automakers as full-size pickups. Honda has taken a unique approach to this problem by building the Ridgeline on a car-like, uni-body platform instead of using a traditional ladder frame and pricing it at least $10,000 above the competition. Unlike other trucks, the bed is part of the body, not separate, and it features a lockable trunk. The unitized body costs the Ridgeline a few hundred pounds of payload capacity, but that doesn't affect towing, and it makes the Ridgeline smoother and more refined on the road than its competitors.

Thanks, Jody! Can't wait to hear about the rest.

Joe Victor

Hood ornaments have long been recognized for all the attributes of the automotive line they represent. Some of them are just a logo but others have interesting histories behind them. Here's Jody Victor  telling us the rest of the story from  msn.com.

Jody Victor: Hey, Joe, you've got that right! Here's the second part on automotive emblems from Josh Condon of msn.com  Autos.

Mercedes-Benz Three-Pointed Star – After “Mercedes” became a registered trade name for the Daimler-Mercedes automotive group, the company searched for a defining logo. In 1909, Paul and Adolf Daimler, sons of company founder Gottlieb Daimler, came up with the idea of using a star as the symbol for the automaker's badge. When first employed as the technical director of the Cologne, Germany-based Deutz AG engine factory in 1872, Gottlieb had marked a star above the image of his house on a postcard, writing to his wife that the same star, symbolizing prosperity, would one day shine over his own factory.

BMW Roundel – Lots of BMW fans know this one: The famous BMW roundel, trademarked in 1917, represents the aircraft-manufacturing roots of the Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor Works) – a spinning white propeller against a blue sky. That explanation is a common misconception. In fact, the roundel combines the company-name-within-a-black-circle style of Rapp Motorenwerke – from which BMW BmbH sprang – with basic imagery derived from the blue and white diamond flag of the Bavarian Free State. However, the blue and white color scheme within the BMW roundel is reversed from that of the flag, because at the time it was illegal to use national symbols in commercial trademarks.

Chevrolet Bow Tie – The instantly recognizable Chevrolet bow-tie emblem was created by General Motors and Chevrolet co-founder William C. Durant, but there are various stories as to how he came up with the logo. The long-accepted story is that he was inspired by the pattern on the wallpaper of a Parisian hotel. However, his daughter Margery said  in her 1929 book, “My Father,” that Durant, always doodling during meals, came up with the image “between the soup and the fried chicken one night.” And Durant's wife, Catherine, told an interviewer that he had spotted the logo – possible used for Coalettes, a refined fuel product from Southern Compressed coal Co.  – while reading the newspaper in a Virginia hotel room.

Pontiac Dart – general Motors introduced Pontiac in 1926 as a companion brand to its Oakland automobile line, which it had recently acquired and which was based in Pontiac, Michigan, and within its first year the performance-oriented Pontiac was already outselling its GM sibling. The name “Pontiac” came from an American Indian, Chief Pontiac, who led an unsuccessful uprising against the British after the French and Indian War; this reference was apparent in the brand's original logo of an American Indian Headdress. The headdress logo was phased out in 1956, but the American Indian imagery remained with the introduction of “the Dart,” a stylized red arrowhead with a silver star in the middle.

Thanks, Jody! Next time we see these emblems we'll know where they came from!

Joe Victor