Implementation IS key. That's why I caveated my post a bit. I've seen videos of FWD on snow and ice tires embarass some AWD setup on all seasons. The problem with AWD is it can give an ignorant and risky driver a false sense of confidence.

Honestly, I'd say many RWD cars with winter tires can embarass a lot of AWD cars with all seasons.

2015 Lexus IS350 F-Sport AWD
Looks
Holy fuck the front end is terrible. I like the back end, though. The tail lights are kinda cool.

Interior
I spent a solid 10 minutes just touching and playing everything. I want a car with this level of interior so fucking bad holy shit oh my god. The mouse thing to control the infotainment is weird. Greatest instrument cluster of all time. Driving position is surprisingly low and sports car like. Nice seats.

Drive
Surprisingly responsive and stiff in Sport+ mode. 6 speed auto is not that great. Paddle shifters have some delay. Doesn't let engine really play like it should. Car doesn't feel fast or have a lot of power in sixth gear. I wish they would put the 8 speed in the AWD model. Very quiet and smooth over Michigan's terrible roads. Handling was overall very, very good.

I can definitely see myself owning this car down the road when a good used one runs around $30-$35k, but I'd probably wait for either a forced-induction engine or the 8 speed to get put in the AWD model.

Here are my current rankings of various qualities of the cars I've driven.

Interiors
1. IS350
2. S4
(decent gap)
3. Mustang (more design than quality)
4. GTI
5. 135i
6. 335i
7. WRX

Driving Dynamics/Handling
1. WRX
2. 135i
3. IS350
4. S4
(decent gap)
5. 335i
6. GTI (dat FWD)
(huge gap)
7. Mustang

Road Noise/Refinement/Comfort
1. IS350
2. GTI
3. S4
4. Mustang
5. 335i
6. 135i
(huge gap)
7. WRX

Automatic Transmission
1. S4
2. 135i
3. GTI
4. WRX
(decent gap)
5. IS350
6. 335i
7. Mustang

Engine/Sense of Speed
1. S4
2. 135i
3. WRX
4. IS350
5. GTI
6. 335i (Weird, I know)
7. Mustang

My Perceived Value
1. WRX
2. S4
3. 135i
4. 335i
5. IS350
6. GTI
7. Mustang

Huh. Weird. Never thought much of the S4, hugely overpriced imho. I owned a GTI and loved it too I switched to BMWs, and I drove everything else on your list except the WRX (I just think it would make me feel old - a young person's car, I mean). I agree the Mustang is no value proposition. But why the 135 over the 3 series?

Keep in mind the BMWs and S4 were used cars. The S4 I drove was $32k. The 335i was a little under $30k, while the 135i was a right around $30k. It's hard to find anything new or used that gives you as much performance and luxury as the S4 does. I just didn't want to deal with taking it in a few times a year and I felt the overall driving experience wasn't as enjoyable as the WRX.

In general, it looks like for the same money as a last gen 335i, you can get a slightly newer 135i with the M-sport package. The 135i also has a 7 speed dual clutch transmission that greatly improved the overall driving experience compared to the 6 speed in the 335i I drove. It was also an overall better handling and more fun to drive car.

@2nd link - Jesus...   

The Chinese justice system is weird. Some relatively minor things that would get you into a fair amount of trouble in the states are basically waived off. On the other hand things like banking fraud, which here is largely unpunishable beyond a fine, there can and will result in a death sentence - no matter how rich you are. The Chinese would throw somebody like Ethan Couch's "affluenza" defense right in the trash and promptly shoot him in the face.

Which is not to say that they don't have a two tier justice system. I would imagine that the rules are very different for "inner" party members.

So the Communist Party wants people to be happy with a Trabant?

Good for them...