Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Roadster

"Will you be wanting the Bat-Pod, Sir?" Bruce Wayne's butler asks him, in reference to Batman's new, outlandish assault vehicle.

"In the middle of the day, Alfred? Not very subtle," replies the millionaire playboy and part-time vigilante. He opts instead for a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, sparking one of the few laughs in the rather bleak 'Dark Knight' — this Italian show-off is anything but subtle.

Yes, VW are once again pulling the strings, but this is no super Scirocco. Monstrous mid-mounted 6.5-litre engine producing 471kW? Check. Low-slung, ground-hugging carbon-fibre body that tips the scales at less than a BMW 3-Series? Check. Outrageous scissor doors? Check. Air intakes that open at high speeds so the engine can suck in more air? Check. Folding side mirrors to boost aerodynamics? Check. Rear wing that raises automatically — and so produces more downforce — the faster you go? Check. Electronic launch control device called "Thrust"? Check. Roll bar that automatically pops up behind the seats in milliseconds during a roll-over emergency? Check. Ride height control that allows you to raise the front axle at low speeds? Check. Ceramic brakes; 3.4-second 0 to 100km/h sprint time; top speed of 330km/h? Check. Check. Check.

Still not convinced? How about the fact it has no real roof? Sure there's a soft top, but it's designed for temporary use and only for crawling around at less than 160km/h.

Rolls Royce Phantom

The English — and we're not talking Jordan or football hooligans here — are traditionally known for their quiet reserve. The Germans for their fastidious attention to detail. So when the most stiff-upper lip of companies (Rolls Royce) and their Bavarian masters (BMW), declare a car the best in the world, they're not likely having you on old chap.

"When Rolls-Royce says it's the best car in the world, it's hard to disagree," writes Alexander Parker in '25 Cars To Drive Before You Die'.

"Really, which car is better? Which car is better conceived, better built or better designed?" he asks. "Indeed, the Phantom is very real, and it is the undisputed monarch of the motoring world."

But it's no lily-livered Prince Charles. This hand-built Rolls virtually blocks out the sun — at six metres long, over 1.5m high and tipping the scales at 2485kg, all it needs is a moat and a drawbridge. Instead the Phantom gets a mouthful of an engine: a 6.75 litre 48-valve V12 producing 338kW and 720Nm. That, in technical terms, is "ridiculously powerful" and means this car weighing more than three smart fortwo's can sprint from 0 to 100km/h faster than a Ford Focus RS (5.7 seconds.) Not that any Rolls owner would attempt something quite so uncouth — this is a luxury liner, not a dragster.

So inside the mobile castle, heavily soundproofed to prevent the plebeian sounds of everyday life from penetrating, it's all about deep carpets, hand-crafted wood panelling, wireless headphones, heated and cooled cup holders, custom umbrellas, rear "coach doors" (hinged at the back) that close automatically at the touch of a button, and something called the Starlight Headliner, featuring 800 individually hand fixed 'stars' to create the illusion of a dazzling sky at night.

"Every single atom of every single component is designed to make life quiet and comfortable," reckons Jeremy Clarkson.

"The only proper drawback is the loathing from other road users."

But Rolls has considered even that. The traditional Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament retracts automatically when tampered with or the car's parked — presumably to protect it from those soccer hooligans or a jealous Jordan.