Sports cars continue to provide bright flashes of light in an automotive market obsessed, with escalating high of performance, handling and sheer driving fun. For this top-10 list, the candidates were limited to coupes and convertibles with room for just two occupants.
10. Mazda MX-5 Miata ($23,190 - $28,660)
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a two-seat convertible powered by a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine good for 167 horsepower. Depending on trim level, you'll find this power routed to the rear wheels through a five- or six-speed manual transmission or an available six-speed automatic -- though with the automatic, engine output has dropped to 158 hp.
9. Nissan 370Z ($32,750 - $42,200)
The Nissan 370Z debuted just a few years ago. But as an extension of its predecessor, the 350Z, the current car feels as if it's been around much longer. The 2013 Nissan 370Z carries over with minimal exterior tweaks, marking time until an anticipated full redesign in a few years. There are no changes to the Z's 332-horsepower 3.7-liter V6, nor to its six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmissions
8. BMW Z4 ($48,650 - $64,200)
The BMW Z4 is one of the more intriguing sports cars available. It's a successor to the original Z3 and is the company's only two-seat sports car. It features traditional characteristics such as a front-engine/rear-drive layout, a hunkered-down stance, a long hood and rearward positioning of driver and passenger. While the first Z4 featured a traditional soft top, the current Z4 model has a sleek retractable hardtop that makes this fun-loving roadster a more viable all-year car choice
7. Chevrolet Corvette ($49,525 - $111,525)
Chevy Corvette is offered in four main trim levels: base Corvette, Grand Sport, Z06 and ZR1. The regular Vette and the Grand Sport are available in removable-roof coupe and convertible body styles, while the latter two are ultrahigh-performance versions that are only available as fixed-roof coupes.
6. Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class ($54,800)
The latest Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class luxury roadster was fully redesigned for 2012. It's available in SLK250 and SLK350 variants. The SLK250 features a turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder that produces 201 horsepower, while the SLK350's 3.5-liter V6 produces 302 hp. The SLK250 can be matched with a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic transmission, while the SLK350 gets only the auto.
5. Porsche 911 ($79,950)
If there's one thing you can't blame Porsche for, it's not offering enough variety, and this year in particular brings an added level of variety -- some would also say confusion -- to the mix. This is because Porsche will be selling a redesigned 911 for 2012 alongside the "old" 911.
4. Jaguar XKR ($103,500)
A supercharged V8 boosted to 510 roaring horsepower and a firmed-up suspension turns this luxury cruiser into an all-out supercar.
3. Audi R8 ($123,300 - $196,800)
The masterful sports coupe is joined by a Spyder version for 2012, both of them mighty mid-engine performance cars with sophisticated drivability.
2. Ferrari 458 Italia ($227,325 - $257,000)
Available as a coupe or the new retractable-hardtop Spider, the mid-engine beauty is built of exotic materials and powered by a 562-horsepower V8.
1. Lamborghini Aventador ($387,000)
The latest super-exotic sports car from the Italian automaker replaces the Murcielago with a 700-horsepower V12 mounted amidships, with a zero-60 time of 2.9 seconds.
