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Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet is the ultimate safari machine

Update: A Mercedes representative has informed us that the Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet will not be available in the United States. The text has been updated to reflect this. Vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6 and G500 4x42 are all well and good, but they have one key issue: They simply aren't extravagant enough. Now we know that sounds insane because one of those vehicles has six driven wheels and the other is available in tennis-ball green. But they must not be decadent enough because Mercedes went a step further with the new Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet. While the most obvious change here is the soft-top, which will make this perfect for the wealthy to view wildlife on private safaris, we should start under the hood. The previous two monster G-Wagens made do with lowly V8s. This one features a twin-turbocharged V12 making 630 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque. Like its predecessors, this G650 uses a four-wheel-drive system with front, center, and rear differential locks, and sends power to solid portal axles front and rear. These axles move the differential and drive axles above the wheel centers for additional ground clearance. Inside, the rear passengers will be in the lap of luxury, even while the driver is navigating particularly harsh terrain. The soft top can be electrically raised or lowered, as can a glass partition to the driver's compartment. The two individual rear seats can be fully reclined, and leg rests deploy from below, taking full advantage of the truck's long wheelbase. This would likely make for an amazing vehicle for stargazing. The passengers also have access to folding tables, 10-inch LCD displays, and heated, cooled, and illuminated cup holders. Only 99 of these G650s will be built. Mercedes will show the SUV at this year's Geneva show, and it will hit the market this fall. Mercedes hasn't announced pricing, but expect it to be exorbitant. Not that matters for American buyers, since a Mercedes representative told us it won't be offered in the States. For buyers in countries where the G650 will be available, they will have the option of four interior color schemes, three soft-top colors, and four paint hues. Related Video:

Top horsepower-per-dollar cars in 2017

Bang for the buck. That quasi-scientific statistic is bandied about by motor heads everywhere from classrooms to barrooms, though the truth of the matter is that it's exceedingly complex to measure. A fair performance-per-dollar index would include something like cross-referencing MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) with point-to-point times on a track or driving route, which is obviously hard to do comprehensively. But, for the sheer joy of talking about cars and playing with a big spreadsheet, there's always the horsepower-per-dollar index, which is more straightforward, albeit hilariously flawed. There are vagaries even with this simple formula, of course: MSRP for vehicles can change at a moment's notice, to say nothing of the bottom-line shifting that happens with local deals or showroom negotiation. For this list we're running with the straight MSRP wherever possible, and as recently reported as we can get it. All the vehicles on this list are 2017 models, and all trims are reported where the lowest price and differing power levels intersect. Some choices were made for personal preference and some for sanity, avoiding things like all 48 trim levels of the Ford Transit, all with the same horsepower). If this list were a simple top ten, or even a top fifty, you'd be bored to tears with all the red, white and blue that is represented. Following perfectly with conventional wisdom, American cars really do lead the world where hp/$ is concerned. So, for the sake of variety (and the sheer joy of seeing a minivan 'win' one round of this thing) I've sorted out some top five and bottom five lists for broad power categories. Let's dive in. Less Than 100 Horsepower Okay, okay, this is hardly a category we'll grant you. But we've often tried to click off all the sub-100-hp cars on sale in the US, and making this list gave us an excuse. It also illustrates that none of these smallish vehicles bring cheap horsepower to the table - for that you'll need a motorcycle. The segment-leading Chevy Spark (above) asks just over $139 for each hp, and that Smart Fortwo Electric Drive has hp on sale for about the same price as its very distant family cousin, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG (insert your favorite Smart joke here... we know you want to).

2015 Bahrain F1 Grand Prix puts a dark horse in the desert [spoilers]

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen had said after Malaysia that Ferrari can challenge Mercedes-AMG Petronas purely on pace, beyond the scope of tire wear, in the dry. We didn't see that in China, where Lewis Hamilton easily kept everyone behind and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel only got close to Mercedes' Nico Rosberg when Rosberg slowed down to conserve his tires. But the Iceman's words seemed prescient during qualifying for the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix. At the front, nothing has changed so far this year: four races, four pole positions for Lewis Hamilton. Instead of teammate Rosberg next to him, though, he'll look over to see the scarlet Ferrari of Vettel, who took advantage of Rosberg's cautiousness to snatch second place on the grid. In Q2, Rosberg tried to conserve the tires he'd start the race on and said he couldn't get into a groove in Q3, putting in a time 0.147 seconds slower than Vettel. The second Silver Arrows will share his row with the second Ferrari, Raikkonen – yet again – saying he might have left some time on the table during his hot lap but getting around just one tenth off Rosberg's time. Williams is established as the best of the rest behind two teams this year instead of just one last year, Valtteri Bottas claiming fifth ahead of Felipe Massa. Daniel Ricciardo of Infiniti Red Bull Racing said he wants to fight with the Williams', he'll be helped with a good start off the line for the first time this year. Nico Hulkenberg got Force India into Q3 for the first time since the Italian Grand Prix last year and into eighth on the grid, ahead of Carlos Sainz in the Toro Rosso and Romain Grosjean putting in another excellent day's work for Lotus. Come race time, it turned into Mercedes power against Ferrari strategy. When Sky F1 commentator Martin Brundle talks about the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team he often mentions how their engine advantage leads to other advantages throughout the car. Not having to use aerodynamic changes to make up for power unit deficiencies, for instance, means they can run the aero setup they want, which optimizes speed and tire wear throughout a lap. It equates to advantage on top of advantage on top of advantage. That's where Lewis Hamilton is right now, so fundamentally dialed in to his car and his racing that he run the races he wants to run. From the front spot, the Brit ripped off another perfect start and led the field into Turn 1, relinquishing the lead only during pit stops.