AUTOMOTIVE - AUTOS: Top 10 Sports Cars Of 2012

Sports cars continue to provide bright flashes of light in an automotive market obsessed with safety and economy, with escalating levels 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, although a couple have vestigial rear seats but remain essentially two seaters.

In ascending order of price tags, they are:

Mazda MX-5 Miata ($23,190 - $28,660) ?The little car that started off the rebirth of modern-day roadsters is affordable, economical and loads of fun, and now available with a retractable hardtop.

Nissan 370Z ($32,750 - $42,200) ? The thoroughly enjoyable Nissan 370Z in either coupe or convertible remains a top choice with a unique look, great handling and plenty of power.

BMW Z4 ($48,650 - $64,200) ? The latest generation has improved styling and a choice of strong-running engines, with the allure of a classic roadster.

Chevrolet Corvette ($49,525 - $111,525) ? Still the greatest bargain in sports-car performance, Chevy?s fiberglass sports car ranges from the muscular base model to the ultra-powerful ZL1.

Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class ($54,800) ? The revamped compact sports car has an aggressive new look and road manners to match.

Porsche 911 ($79,950) ? All new for 2012, the iconic 911 enters yet another phase in its development while retaining the style and substance of the purposeful original.

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.

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.

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.

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.

For a gallery of photos, see Best Sports Cars.

Bob Golfen, Automotive Editor for SPEED.com, is a veteran auto writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, with a passion for collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. SPEED.com fans can email Bob Golfen at

Source: http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/autos-10-best-2012-sports-cars/

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