When Lexus announced in mid-2007 that they would build a world class Ferrari-beater called the LFA, discerning supercar enthusiasts were rightly skeptical. So naturally, when the manufacturer invited me and a handful of other journalists to take a few track laps in the LFA, I was eager to see if the total package would defy critics.

Tourists and commuters traversing the famed Los Angeles intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue may notice something different hanging in the air lately, a highly modified mid-60s Chrysler Imperial that is precipitously hanging 30 feet up the side of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

While volume manufacturers like Nissan and Chevrolet increasingly vie for buyer approval for their new affordable electric cars, an equally heated battle is shaping up for the highline electric sports car segment. So it was hardly surprising when BMW announced early last month that they would also enter the race with production approval of the Vision EfficientDynamics.

As expected, the overriding theme of this year’s L.A. Auto Show was green cars, with no end of new production and concept electric plug-ins and hybrids on display. And while Chevy’s Volt drew the nod for the hotly contested 2011 Green Car of the Year Award, narrowly beating out the Nissan Leaf, my attention couldn’t help but be drawn to the following less environmentally exciting cars…

When the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show opens to the public this Friday, North Carolina-based Li-ion Motors will offer the first public glimpse of their new electric supercar, the Inizio. Fresh from an industry insider’s presentation at last month’s SEMA show in Las Vegas, the Inizio makes a rather bold claim as America’s first and only 100% homegrown battery-powered supercar.

If you’re a resident of Sant’ Agata Bolognese, Italy, you’ve probably grown accustomed to what must be the fairly regular appearance of dynamic supercars produced just down the road at Lamborghini S.p.A.’s headquarters. But even by such jaded standards, the charging bull parade that wound through the city last Friday must have been a rare treat.

Lotus used the Paris Motor Show to showcase not just the Elite concept car, but an entire new line of concepts that offered a glimpse of the potential route the company might take in the coming years. Of all these projected models, though, only the new Esprit truly represents the traditional Lotus values of lightweight no-frills construction driven by a powerful engine.

In celebration of its 60th anniversary of doing business in North America, Porsche announced a plan last August to find the earliest car sold in the United States, which the company would identify from submissions made by American owners.

Jaguar has been busy this year celebrating their 75th anniversary, and while new model launches, marketing campaigns, and a spectacular Pebble Beach presentation have had enthusiasts buzzing far and wide, the manufacturer clearly saved the best for last. Using the platform of the recently concluded Paris Motor Show, Jag unveiled a brand new, commemorative concept car titled the C-X75.