Must See Sports Cars at the 2016 New York Auto Show

Audi R8 Spyder ・ Photo by TJ Keon

Nothing gets the heart going like a good, old fashioned sports car. The thoroughbreds of the automotive industry are still among the most coveted and thrilling items you can own, and the 2016 New York International Auto Show churned out a whole new batch this past week. Scroll through our gallery here to see the exciting sports cars that will be making hairs stand up on end for years to come.

2017 Audi R8 Spyder

The 2017 Audi R8 Spyder offers fun-in-the-sun at an extremely high rate of speed. The roadster slices open the R8 coupe's elegant lines and creates a convertible that sacrifices almost none of the performance embodied by its luxurious sibling. A 5.2-liter V-10 engine that's good for 540 horsepower is located aft of the driver in the Audi, and a seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission and quattro all-wheel drive are standard with the car. The Audi R8 Spyder can accelerate to 60-mph from a standing start in a mere 3.6 seconds, which places it in the upper echelon of the sports car set.

The 2017 Audi R8 Spyder is a convertible version of the R8 coupe.

Still waiting for an on-sale date for the Audi.

Pricing is not currently available for the R8 Spyder.

Photo by TJ Keon

2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Available in both coupe and convertible form, the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 provides muscle car enthusiasts with one of the most potent performance packages in its class. Based on the 2016 Camaro's all-new platform, the ZL1 introduces 640 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque from a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 (and engine shared with the Cadillac CTS-V super sedan). Transmission choices include a six-speed manual and a novel 10-speed automatic, and the car also features an adaptive suspension system and an aggressive aero package.

The 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 continues in its role as one of the quickest street muscle machines available from General Motors.

Still waiting on when the ZL1 will hit showrooms.

Pricing for the Camaro ZL1 has yet to be disclosed.

Photo by TJ Keon

2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth

The Fiat 124 Spider Abarth offers an unusual compromise for North American buyers seeking additional performance from the Miata-based roadster. Unlike its European counterpart, the Abarth model offers no power increase: it's got the same 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine pushing out 160 horses and 184 lb-ft of twist as the base model. You do get a limited-slip rear differential as part of the package, as well as spicier styling and the choice between a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with the car. Upgraded suspension components and the option of Brembo brakes are on the table as well.

The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth enhances handling and styling over the base 124.

No word yet on an on-sale date for the Abarth.

Fiat has not released Abarth pricing info.

Photo by TJ Keon

2017 Jaguar F-Type SVR

Jaguar's F-Type coupe and convertible keep getting quicker. Their latest iteration—the 2017 Jaguar F-TYPE SVR—features a 575 horsepower, 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 engine that's also good for 516 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission is on hand to manage this prodigious output, as is an all-wheel drive system that offers torque-vectoring capability. With a top speed of 200-mph, the F-Type SVR is not only the fastest Jaguar ever built, it's also one of the most stable thanks to the extreme aerodynamic and suspension enhancements that have been baked into its platform.

The 2017 Jaguar F-Type SVR is the most powerful edition of the car to date.

There's no on-sale date yet for the new Jaguar.

Starting MSTP for the fixed-roof F-Type SVR is $125,950.

Photo by TJ Keon

2016 Koenigsegg Regera

Speed, style, and cutting-edge technology are catchwords for the 2016 Koenigsegg Regera, a supercar that leverages a hybrid drivetrain to generate a truly ludicrous amount of power. 1,489 ponies can be unleashed under your right foot when piloting the Regera, made possible by a 5.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8 that's hitched up to a trio of electric motors and an unusual single-speed transmission. With a ceiling of 249-mph, this latest Koenigsegg effort is one of the fastest cars in the world.

The Koenigsegg Regera is a brand new model.

You'll have to act fast, because only 80 of these vehicles will ever be hand-built by the Swedish company, and the order book is already open.

The Regera comes with a price tag of $1.9 million.

Photo by TJ Keon

2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF

The 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF is the closest we will ever come to a coupe version of the popular roadster. Space considerations (there's no room to store a traditional hardtop at the rear of the new Miata) led to the design of the RF, or 'retractable fastback,' which removes the center section of the top panel, stows it in the trunk, and leaves the buttresses flying behind the passenger compartment. It's an elegant design with the top either raised or lowered, and while it might add a bit more than 100 lbs. to the design of the car it opens up a fresh market for enthusiasts who need a year-round driving solution. Mechanically, there have been no changes made to the Miata RF, which means it still enjoys 155 horsepower from a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine.

The 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF introduces a novel 'retractable fastback' feature.

The on-sale date has yet to be discussed, but late 2016 is a possibility.

Pricing information is not available for the Miata RF.

Photo by TJ Keon

2017 Mercedes-AMG C63 Cabriolet

What's better than screaming down the highway in a high performance coupe? Doing the same thing in a convertible. The 2016 Mercedes-AMG C63 Cabriolet continues the German brand's tradition of crushing performance by way of its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, a unit that can be had in 469 horsepower and 503 horsepower (C63 S) editions. Control is maintained via an adaptive suspension system and a comprehensive list of electronic systems, and a seven-speed automatic transmission is also along for the ride.

The 2017 Mercedes-AMG C63 Cabriolet drops the top on the C63 coupe.

Third quarter of 2016.

No word yet on pricing for the C63 Cabriolet.

Photo by TJ Keon

2017 MINI John Cooper Works Convertible

The 2017 MINI John Cooper Works convertible is the quickest drop-top you can buy from the British builder. Featuring a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the JCW convertible delivers 228 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque, matched with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission plus a sport suspension system. Although theoretically you could stuff four people into the MINI JCW convertible, you'll most likely want to restrict your human cargo to just a single passenger when enjoying this pint-size performer.

The 2017 MINI John Cooper Works convertible adds open-air performance to the MINI line-up.

April 2016.

$36,450 will land you the JCW convertible.

2017 Nissan GT-R

Although it's still riding on the same basic platform as when it debuted in 2008, the 2017 Nissan GT-R receives the latest in a series of incremental updates that have kept the brand's halo sports car current over the past several years. The biggest changes are visual, with a new front end softening the GT-R's scowl somewhat, and inside there have been a host of measures taken that are intended to up the luxury quotient of the supercar. Horsepower has been boosted to 565 ponies and 467 lb-ft of twist from the same 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine, while all-wheel drive and a six-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission remain standard.

The 2017 Nissan GT-R features a more powerful engine, a quieter cabin, and a few styling tweaks.

This coming summer.

Still waiting on a price for the new GT-R.

Photo by TJ Keon

2017 Porsche 718 Boxster

The Porsche Boxster is no more, and in its place is the 2017 Porsche 718 Boxster. Aside from the name change, the Porsche 718 also makes a more dramatic transition from naturally-aspirated six-cylinder power to turbocharged four-cylinder motivation. This means base models feature 300 horses from a 2.0-liter four-banger, while the 718 Boxster S gains an extra 50 ponies thanks to a jump to 2.5-liters of displacement. Styling is more butch than ever before with the new Porsche roadster, and transmission choices include a six-speed manual and a seven-speed, dual-clutch automated manual. Suspension and steering upgrades round out what's new with the 718.

The 2017 Porsche 718 Boxster is a deeply revised version of the Boxster roadster that switches to turbocharged power.

June of 2016.

The 718 Boxster will start at $56,000.