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Sports Car Reviews and Buying Guide:

If you ask someone in their 20's what they consider to be a "sports car" they will rattle off names like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Lotus, Maserati, and other European sports cars. Sure, those are the more exotic sports cars on the market, but for someone who grew up in the 1960's and 1970's they would consider a Corvette or other muscle cars to be "sporty" as well. Over the years sports cars have become faster, more powerful, and a lot more aerodynamic. Sports cars tend to be 2 seaters that handle really well on sharp curves and windy roads. Their looks are often more important than their reliability and horsepower is a key component that buyers are looking for. With todays environmentally conscious society, gas guzzling muscle cars are less popular while the modern sports car sells quite well. American doesn't offer many true sports cars, but the Chevrolet Corvette consistently ranks in the top sports cars per Car and Driver and Road and Track magazines. The Italian sports cars are very expensive and insuring one of those might make you rethink the whole idea.
sports car
Before you get behind the wheel of any sports car, consider the features you really want. All of these cars are fast and powerful, but some perform much better with handling, acceleration, and a comfortable ride. There are horsepower beasts like the Dodge Viper SRT10 and the Corvette Z06, but too much HP and not enough handling turns into a "wild stallion" on wheels and those cars don't handle nearly as well as the more balance vehicles like the Porsche 911 Carrera S. We assume that if you are looking for a sports car, that money is not that big of an issue. We will not waste our time with reviewing the really high end sports cars that cost $150,000+, but focus our attention on more attainable brands and models that cost between $55,000-$90,000. The reason why Porsche is so popular amongst car enthusiasts is because it delivers in performance and the strong reliability factor can't be overlooked. Why spend $80K on a sports car if it's breaking down all the time? Another category in sports cars that deserves some notice are the newer "luxury sports sedans/cars". BMW, Mercedes, and Audi make some pretty cool sports sedans that could double as a sports car with all the handling and performance features. Car and Driver does the best job of comparing sports cars and taking into account all the factors that buyers consider. Their reviews are thorough and the results are reliable. Consumer Reports does a yearly buying guide for all types of cars with rankings for reliability, customer satisfaction, overall performance, and repair history. They don't cover all the sports cars that are sold so their "best buys" are not always your ideal list to choose from. Forbesautos.com has some great reviews available for luxury sports cars (other types as well) with a useful buyers guide to go with their ratings. We have tried to list the most popular and top rated sports cars in a few categories below. By no means are these meant to be the only cars you should consider since everone has their own taste and style they want from a performance vehicle.

Best Sports Car:

Clearly, the standout sports car manufacturers is German made Porsche. The Porsche 911 Carrera S (about $85000) offers a 3.8 liter Flat 6 engine that powers up 355 HP and plenty of torque. Acceleration on the Porsche from 0-60 is 4.6 seconds and top speed is a respectable 182 MPH. The fine tuned Carrera S is a piece of art with design and engineering only seen from Porsche. The new sports car has two-tone interiors, 19-inch sport wheels, 6-speed manual transmission, and larger brakes. I have never driven one of these beauties, but my brother and one of my close friends own Porsches and the cars are impressive. The hum of the engine is soothing even at higher speeds and the bucket seats help you to relax while the road is flying by. You can view all the Porsche models online HERE with full specs and pictures.

Best Value Sports Car:

For decades the Chevy Corvette has represented American sports cars worldwide. From the 427 engines in the 1960's Corvettes to the modern powerhouses, Chevy has done a good job with their best selling sports car. Corvettes have always been reasonably priced compared to their Italian and German counterparts, which makes them a popular choice amongst the average buyer. Reliability may not be their strong point in recent years, but saving $30000 (versus Porsche) makes the Corvette look like a bargain. The Chevy Corvette Coupe ($50,000) remains a great "value buy" in the sports car category. You still get a 400 HP 6.0 L V8 Engine that will impress most. Handling on Corvettes is still not as precise say experts, but the power and acceleration keep them fun to drive. You can find out more about the newest Corvette models HERE.

Luxury Sports Car:

The BMW 650i Coupe ($75,000) comes in as the best luxury sports car with the perfect combination of style and power. Go zero to 60 in a little over 5 seconds with a powerful 4.8 liter V8 engine that produces 360 HP. The Active Roll Stabilization (ARS) is what allows the BMW to stick to the road and handle superbly around corners and curves. The sport suspension keeps the ride smooth and comfortable. The interior seating (leather) and trim give the feel of a luxury sedan and the audio system is first rate. We like the 4 year/50,000 mile warranty offered by BMW. You can find out more about the newest 650i HERE

Sports Car Wallpaper & Pictures:

With so many beautiful sports cars to choose from, perhaps it's a good idea to look at some high quality sports car wallpaper images online first to see what the various cars look like. We searched for "sports car pictures" on Google and came up with some top sites that have impressive collections. See the list below: