2013 Sports Cars Buyers Guide
Sports cars are a broad segment with a narrow focus — performance. If there’s one thing a car like the naturally-aspirated Mazda MX-5 Miata shares with blacktop-burning quad-turbos like the Bugatti Veyron, it’s the goal to thrill and engage the driver.
This is a particularly exciting time to look at buying a sports car. Gas-wary politicians and consumers alike have forced unprecedented innovation out of automakers across the board in recent years.

In the performance driving segment, where mileage is typically an afterthought, we see cars coming from all outrageous power and fuel economy that would have been unimaginable only a few years ago.
Ford’s storied Mustang GT muscle car dawdled like an undisciplined child well below the 300-horsepower mark until 2010 when the Chevrolet Camaro SS returned to glory. Now both cars manage more than 400 horsepower, a figure not terribly far from the 8.0-liter V10 Dodge Viper claimed a decade ago.
Not only that, but combinations like variable valve timing, direct injection and forced induction are pushing power out of small and efficient engines like the 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T. It offers 14 more horsepower than a Mustang GT did until after 2004. Best of all, the entry-level Genesis starts at $24,250, which makes it a fantastic choice.

Still, it can be heavy in the corners and somewhat imprecise. If that doesn’t suit you, consider the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ, both of which will debut this year. Toyota and Subaru co-developed the nearly-identical cars that share almost everything but badges and pricing which are defined by precise handling.
Both cars can be had for less than $30,000, but people who want more power might do better to look at a Ford Mustang GT or Chevrolet Camaro SS, though the Mustang is probably the best bet with a lower price tag and comparable horsepower.
Discerning drivers with a bigger budget might not be happy with the Mustang’s live rear axel and relatively unrefined power. Depending on how much you can spend, one of the several choices from BMW’s M Division might be a good fit.

The M3 offers a mix of luxury and track-stomping performance and the X6 M crossover that beat the M3’s lap times on the legendary Nurburgring circuit in Germany. Of course those cars start around $60,000 and $90,000 respectively, which could buy several “lower brow” options.
At that price level, you could also start thinking about the legendary Porsche 911, which starts around the same as the X6 M, but can’t stack up in practicality.
With so many options in the sports car segment, your best bet is to prioritize a few factors: initial cost, power, refinement and practicality. A Chevrolet Corvette can be a great value, but it only has two seats. It also drinks gas, but something with a four cylinder like the FR-S will be a blast to drive and easier at the pump.
If cost isn’t such an object, start looking at which car offers comfort and performance in one package. Mercedes’ AMGs, the BMW M Division and Audi’s RS variants all offer fantastic combinations of both.
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Recent Sports Cars Reviews
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2013 Nissan Altima Review
Redesigned Altima delivers all that you love about Nissan’s mid-size sedan plus class leading fuel economy and plenty of unique features.
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2013 Scion FR-S Review: Road Test - Video
The affordable driver’s car has returned and AutoGuide is back behind the wheel for a more thorough test. Scion’s FR-S might just be the best performance bargain around.
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2013 Ford Mustang GT Review
Ford continues its ongoing improvements to the Mustang to deliver an even more exciting sports car, with new toys and even more options.
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2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Review - Video
The team behind the Camaro ZL1 deserves a serious pat on the back, because they’ve clearly listened closely to their critics when refining the SS into this surprisingly high-tech and hugely capable sports car.
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2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe Review - Video
Hyundai continues making bold steps, adding more excitement to the most dramatic model in its lineup.
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2012 Porsche Boxster S Review - Video
AutoGuide asks the question: can a mid-engine rear-drive convertible be an all-weather daily driver?
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View All Videos Recent Sports Cars Videos
Porsche 911 GT3 Video Highlights Technical Specifications
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Most Watched Videos of the Week: May 12 – May 19, 2013
Each week, we recap the most popular videos from AutoGuide‘s YouTube channel just in case all seven days passed you by and you missed out. This past week, AutoGuide had a little fun putting two hot hatches in a shootout – the Ford Focus ST and the Mazdaspeed3. Which...
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HSV Gen-F GTS is a Supercharged Holden Commodore with 577 HP Video
Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) has revealed its Gen-F model lineup, based on the VF Commodore but packing plenty more power under the hood. The lineup consists of the Clubsport sedan, Maloo pickup, Clubsport R8, Maloo R8, Senator Signature, and the ZL1-powered GTS. The Clubsport...
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Jaguar F-Type US Commercials Released Video
The Jaguar F-Type is hitting dealerships in America this month with a starting price of $69,000, so the British automaker is launching an advertising and marketing campaign to promote its convertible sports car. The campaign, titled “Your Turn” will shine the...
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BMW M5 Sets Guinness World Record for Longest Drift Video
BMW Performance Driving School instructor Johan Schwartz has set a new world record for drifting 51.278 miles in a new M5. Of course the term “drifting” should be used loosely here, since competitive drifters would argue that this isn’t exactly drifting....
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Recent Sports Cars News
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Porsche 911 GT3 Video Highlights Technical Specifications
The new Porsche 911 GT3 isn’t just another generation in the German automaker’s GT3 lineup; it’s packed with next-generation technology that makes it a true track monster. To show off some of the technical highlights on the new GT3, Porsche has released a video...
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Toyota, BMW Sports Car Concept to Make Tokyo Motor Show Debut
The joint sports car project between Toyota and BMW is moving right along with a concept model expected to be shown at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show. According to sources close to the project, GT86 (Scion FR-S) chief engineer Tetsuya Tada is also heading up the new jointly developed...
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Ferrari 458 Scuderia Expected at Frankfurt Motor Show
Ferrari is expected to unveil a hardcore version of its 458 Italia (above), likely the Scuderia version, at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Four years ago the brand unveiled the 430 Scuderia during the show, and at the time it was a significant improvement over the 430...
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Maserati, Alfa Romeo Models Recalled for Possible Tie Rod Failure
Maserati North America is issuing out a recall for 2005-2008 Quattroporte, 2008 Granturismo, and 2008 Alfa Romeo 8C vehicles for a possible rear tie rod failure. According to the Italian automaker, the affected models were manufactured with rear tie rod assemblies that may not...
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A couple of months ago, SRT President and CEO Ralph Gilles promised that the brand would have “an answer to the Z/28″ Camaro, and it looks like that’ll come in the form of an exciting new powerplant for the Challenger SRT8 model. Rumor has it that Chrysler is...
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