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Xcar weighs in on the five best-sounding modern cars

Getting behind the wheel of a well-balanced vehicle can be a wonderfully visceral experience, thanks to the combined feeling of things like the weight of the steering, the bite of the brakes, and, of course, the roar of the engine. Unfortunately, many of the sensations of driving require actually being in the driver's seat to understand them, but thankfully the intoxicating noise of a beautifully tuned internal combustion engine can be shared with everyone. In a new video, Xcar shares their opinion on the five best-sounding modern performance cars. The list is a symphony of horsepower. As opposed to keeping all of the vehicles brand new, Xcar actually picks a few that are recently off the market. They're all definitely champs, though. While the list itself is well stocked, you might be able to argue with the specific order, and it would be nice to hear a few participants from outside of Europe for a collection like this one, too. No matter. Every listener is sure to find something they like in the bunch, though. Turn up the volume and enjoy.

Of course the Aston Martin AM37 speedboat is fast and beautiful

We told you last week about the new Porsche-designed 115-foot yacht. On a slightly smaller scale in terms of LOA — but on at least the same scale of opulence — is the Aston Martin AM37 speedboat that debuted this week at the Monaco Boat Show. The 37-footer (hence the name) has been in R&D for two years. Designed by Aston Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman working with with naval architect Mulder Design and Dutch shipbuilder Quitessence Yachts, it promises bespoke design with state-of-the-art marine technology. It's designed to carry six passengers and two crew members, and each interior is custom outfitted. Reichman used the same "golden ratio" employed in all kinds of art and architecture — and in the design of Aston Martin cars. A single piece of curved glass wraps around the cockpit, and the decks are natural teak. The boat on display in Monaco was outfitted with cream-colored leather. The electrically controlled cockpit cover can be deployed from the lucky owner's Apple Watch. Forbes magazine has more photos of that particular boat, and reports that Aston plans to build just 10 of these per year. The AM37 costs $1.6 million. So maybe you can get one to serve as a tender to your $16.7 million Porsche yacht. Related Video:

Aston Martin will make a profit for the first time since 2010

LONDON — Aston Martin is on course to post its first annual pre-tax profit since 2010 as strong demand for the luxury automaker's DB11 sports car boosts its performance. Pre-tax profit reached 22 million pounds ($29 million) in the first nine months of 2017, reversing a loss of 124 million pounds in the same period in 2016, Aston said on Wednesday. "Our strong financial performance and continued profitability reflect the growing appeal of our high-performance sports cars, with the new DB11 Volante and a new Vantage expected to stimulate further demand in the coming year," Chief Executive Andy Palmer said. Asked on Monday whether the firm would be in the black this year, Palmer told Reuters: "It's our intention to be." Aston Martin, which is mainly owned by Kuwaiti and Italian private equity firms, last posted a profit in 2010. Its losses then grew, partly due to lack of new models, a high-profile recall and an extended period without a chief executive. Since Palmer's appointment in 2014, the firm has pursued a turnaround plan designed to boost its model lineup, quadruple volumes and produce its first SUV at a new plant in Wales, setting up a possible stock market flotation. Volumes rose 65 percent to 3,330 cars in the first nine months of the year, prompting the firm to raise its full-year guidance to expect core earnings of at least 180 million pounds on revenue of over 840 million pounds. Third-quarter profit stood at 0.8 million pounds, reflecting a quieter period across the car sector when demand falls as people take holidays and some customers prefer to wait until after the vacation period to have their cars delivered. On Tuesday, the firm launched its new Vantage model, which will take its output to 7,000 sports cars in 2019, its highest level in a decade. Related Video: