Ultimate convertible: Aston Martin DB9 Volante and Ferrari F430 Spider (tie)
Base price: $174,000 (DB9 Volante) and $199,259 (F430 Spider)
The coupes and convertibles in Aston's DB9 (pictured above) and Ferrari's F430 families are probably our favorite cars on the market. No cars are more engaging, few cars are faster and virtually nothing--automotive or otherwise--is sexier. These two convertibles have perfect steering and balance, gorgeous interiors and exteriors, more than 400 hp each and maximal levels of desirability.
Hottest new convertible: Cadillac XLR-V
Base price: $100,000
A supercharged, 443-hp V-8 was exactly what the XLR line needed. As a bonus, the new XLR-V also has crisper handling, exclusive interior appointments and such sexy styling modifications as a raised hood. Cadillac must be awfully confident to charge $100,000 for one of its cars, but it has crossed into six-figure territory with a strong vehicle.
All-time classic convertible: Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet (tie)
Base price: $52,190 (Corvette) and $81,400 (911)
The Corvette and 911 lines have each been around for over 40 years, and they only get sexier and faster with time. For 2006, the Corvette has a 400-hp V-8, and the 911 (pictured above) gets 325 hp from its entry-level, six-cylinder engine. The cars' prices may seem high compared with entry-level vehicles, but compared with the world's elite sports cars--a company in which they are included--they are bargains.
Best convertible for raw power: Dodge Viper SRT-10
Base price: $85,745
No car makes a statement like the Dodge Viper does. Pedestrians give it space when they see it emerge from garages; not even a Rolls-Royce gets more respect. That's because the unparalleled ferocity of the Viper's styling indicates that it has a lethal, 510-hp V-10 engine under the hood. Never mind that it's the second-most uncomfortable car on the market (see Lotus Elise slide).
Ultimate Japanese convertible: Honda S2000
Base price: $34,600
This is not a cutesy roadster for weekend picnics. This is a screaming, high-revving roller-coaster ride that brings grown men to their knees. An engineering miracle, the S2000 squeezes 237 hp out of a 2.2-liter, four-cylinder engine--and the power peaks at a knuckle-whitening 7,800 rpm. Just for fun, compare the S2000 with Mercedes' scorching, $62,000 SLK55 AMG roadster. The Honda has 34% more horsepower per cylinder and 64% more per liter—for 56% of the price.
Flashiest convertible: Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster
Base price: $319,100
No car is better at attracting attention than Lamborghini's Murciélago flagship, and few cars are more exciting to drive. The Murciélago's unsubtle, aerodynamic look complements an equally unsubtle 580-hp, 12-cylinder engine
Best convertible for purists: Lotus Elise
Base price: $43,915
Your grandma won't be able to get in it. One 6-foot-3-inch Forbes.com editor could not operate the vehicle, because he could not reasonably seat himself. And its suspension, on city streets, is like a buckboard. But this ultra-lightweight, ultra-small, ultra-fast toy (zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds) is one of the market's most beloved sports cars. It has outlandish styling that enthusiasts love, as well as perfect handling and balance.
Best entry-level roadster: Mazda MX-5 Miata
Base price: $20,995
After almost 20 years on the market, the Mazda Miata is still a thrill. Mazda recently overhauled its iconic roadster, making it more attractive and user-friendly, and also more fun to drive. It raised the bar higher for the cheap-roadster segment, meaning such new arrivals as Pontiac's Solstice have a ways to go. The Miata may not have as much power as a Corvette, but the rush both cars give you under hard acceleration is comparable.
Ultimate German convertible: Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG
Base price: $186,775 (2007 model)
Inside the cockpit is a Mercedes interior with all the comfort and amenities you would expect from one of the world's leading luxury-car makers. Under the hood is a race car engine--a 604-hp V-12 with twin turbochargers. Porsche's Carrera GT convertible flagship costs more than $250,000 more, but it has only one more unit of horsepower than the SL65.
Best convertible for iconoclasts: Panoz Esperante
Base price: $92,256
We have a soft spot for the thrilling, exotic cars of Georgia-based Panoz Auto Development, and we honor the company's delightful convertibles year after year. The Esperante has outstanding steering, a 305-hp base engine (the top-drawer Esperante GTLM has a supercharged, 420-hp V-8) and a luxurious interior. The Esperante is equally at home on racetracks and the streets of upscale suburbs.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Fastest Cars in the Whole World
No. 1 SSC Ultimate Aero
Base Price: $654,500
Top Speed: 260 to 273 mph
The Ultimate Aero is one of the most extreme vehicles--make that one of the most extreme ideas--of which we have ever heard. It achieves such ridiculous performance with a 1,046-horsepower V-8 engine (you read that hp figure correctly), shoehorned into a car that weighs as much as a Dodge Neon.
No. 2 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
Base Price: $555,000
Top Speed: 240 to 260 mph (estimated)
About as fast and pricey as a car can be (any car, not just an American one), Saleen's S7 has been around for enough years to become an icon in the auto world, even if it may not have widespread public exposure. Recently overhauled, the S7 now features a 750-hp V-8.
Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
We have said this before, but you need only know one thing about S7: 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds.
No. 3 Evans 387 and 487 (tie)
Base Prices: $175,000 (387); $170,000 (487)
Top Speed: 206 mph
Evans, a small automaker started in 1986, makes street-legal racecars that are anything but subtle. Both Evans' 387 and 487 models use 7.0-liter, 550-hp V-8 engines.
Evans 387 and 487
Evans says its cars are best suited for track use, yet they come with such options as air conditioning and CD players--things you just don't see on typical race cars. The 387 and 487 are available in 46 U.S. states.
No. 4 Ford GT
Base Price: $141,245
Top Speed: 205 mph
If the American auto business reverses its fortunes and returns to fighting strength, the GT will be adduced as a turning point. People will remember it for reminding the world--when the world needed reminding--how amazing, fast and beautiful an American car could be.
Ford GT
The GT uses a supercharged, 5.4-liter V-8 with 550 hp.
No. 5 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Base Price: $65,800
Top Speed: 198 mph
The newest Corvette is also the fastest Corvette ever. Recently released, the Z06 has about as low a sticker price as a car with 505 hp can have.
Chevrolet Corvette Z06
The Z06 performs like a race car or supercar, but is also a perfectly acceptable "daily driver." Consider its fuel economy: 16/26 city/highway mpg--hardly typical for a race car.
No. 6 Dodge Viper SRT-10
Base Price: $85,745
Top Speed: 190 mph (estimated)
The top-speed figure posted here applies both to Dodge's classic Viper convertible and its new hardtop version of the car.
Dodge Viper SRT-10
Dodge sells the Viper in low volumes to a set of lunatics who care almost entirely about forceful, sometimes painful deliveries of power (the 510-hp V-10 produces 0-to-60 mph acceleration in less than four seconds)--and almost not at all about being comfortable.
No. 7 Mullen M-11 with V-8
Base Price: $69,950
Top Speed: 180+ mph
Mullen is a small company that builds kit cars, but also pre-assembled, hand-built models. Its M-11 sports car can come with a 400-hp Corvette V-8.
Mullen M-11 with V-8
The M-11 also uses a six-speed Porsche transmission.
No. 8 Panoz Esperante GTLM
Base Price: $121,325
Top Speed: 180 mph
A perennial favorite of ours, the Esperante is a low-volume model line built by Georgia-based Panoz. Its flagship model is the GTLM convertible, which delivers stunning performance to complement good looks and a high level of interior comfort and practicality.
Panoz Esperante GTLM
The GTLM uses a supercharged, 420-hp V-8.
No. 9 Chrysler 300C SRT8, Dodge Charger SRT8 and Dodge Magnum SRT8 (tie)
Base Prices: $42,695 (300C), $38,095 (Charger) and $37,995 (Magnum)
Top Speed: 165 to 170 mph (estimated)
Among American automakers, Chrysler and Dodge have recently started producing the most consistently good new cars. They are making their name with strong designs and high-performance vehicles. The best combination of sharp new looks and strong performance is Chrysler Group's family of "SRT8" cars, which are all new and highly desirable.
Base Price: $654,500
Top Speed: 260 to 273 mph
The Ultimate Aero is one of the most extreme vehicles--make that one of the most extreme ideas--of which we have ever heard. It achieves such ridiculous performance with a 1,046-horsepower V-8 engine (you read that hp figure correctly), shoehorned into a car that weighs as much as a Dodge Neon.
No. 2 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
Base Price: $555,000
Top Speed: 240 to 260 mph (estimated)
About as fast and pricey as a car can be (any car, not just an American one), Saleen's S7 has been around for enough years to become an icon in the auto world, even if it may not have widespread public exposure. Recently overhauled, the S7 now features a 750-hp V-8.
Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
We have said this before, but you need only know one thing about S7: 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds.
No. 3 Evans 387 and 487 (tie)
Base Prices: $175,000 (387); $170,000 (487)
Top Speed: 206 mph
Evans, a small automaker started in 1986, makes street-legal racecars that are anything but subtle. Both Evans' 387 and 487 models use 7.0-liter, 550-hp V-8 engines.
Evans 387 and 487
Evans says its cars are best suited for track use, yet they come with such options as air conditioning and CD players--things you just don't see on typical race cars. The 387 and 487 are available in 46 U.S. states.
No. 4 Ford GT
Base Price: $141,245
Top Speed: 205 mph
If the American auto business reverses its fortunes and returns to fighting strength, the GT will be adduced as a turning point. People will remember it for reminding the world--when the world needed reminding--how amazing, fast and beautiful an American car could be.
Ford GT
The GT uses a supercharged, 5.4-liter V-8 with 550 hp.
No. 5 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Base Price: $65,800
Top Speed: 198 mph
The newest Corvette is also the fastest Corvette ever. Recently released, the Z06 has about as low a sticker price as a car with 505 hp can have.
Chevrolet Corvette Z06
The Z06 performs like a race car or supercar, but is also a perfectly acceptable "daily driver." Consider its fuel economy: 16/26 city/highway mpg--hardly typical for a race car.
No. 6 Dodge Viper SRT-10
Base Price: $85,745
Top Speed: 190 mph (estimated)
The top-speed figure posted here applies both to Dodge's classic Viper convertible and its new hardtop version of the car.
Dodge Viper SRT-10
Dodge sells the Viper in low volumes to a set of lunatics who care almost entirely about forceful, sometimes painful deliveries of power (the 510-hp V-10 produces 0-to-60 mph acceleration in less than four seconds)--and almost not at all about being comfortable.
No. 7 Mullen M-11 with V-8
Base Price: $69,950
Top Speed: 180+ mph
Mullen is a small company that builds kit cars, but also pre-assembled, hand-built models. Its M-11 sports car can come with a 400-hp Corvette V-8.
Mullen M-11 with V-8
The M-11 also uses a six-speed Porsche transmission.
No. 8 Panoz Esperante GTLM
Base Price: $121,325
Top Speed: 180 mph
A perennial favorite of ours, the Esperante is a low-volume model line built by Georgia-based Panoz. Its flagship model is the GTLM convertible, which delivers stunning performance to complement good looks and a high level of interior comfort and practicality.
Panoz Esperante GTLM
The GTLM uses a supercharged, 420-hp V-8.
No. 9 Chrysler 300C SRT8, Dodge Charger SRT8 and Dodge Magnum SRT8 (tie)
Base Prices: $42,695 (300C), $38,095 (Charger) and $37,995 (Magnum)
Top Speed: 165 to 170 mph (estimated)
Among American automakers, Chrysler and Dodge have recently started producing the most consistently good new cars. They are making their name with strong designs and high-performance vehicles. The best combination of sharp new looks and strong performance is Chrysler Group's family of "SRT8" cars, which are all new and highly desirable.
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