Hairy-chested Neanderthals favoring gold chains and Best of the Bee Gees CDs no longer need apply for Corvette ownership. With the stronger, lighter, smaller, and faster 2005 Chevrolet Corvette, General Motors has firmly brought America's sports car into the ranks of world-class exotics in terms of both performance and sophistication, and at a price that is almost too good to be true.

Rapid travel is the primary purpose of the Chevrolet Corvette, and this road rocket delivers plenty of pleasure when pushed to the extremes. Acceleration, braking, and handling are all on par with similar vehicles commanding twice the price.

But, unlike many of its competitors, today's stunningly competent Corvette is also easy to drive during the daily commute, with a surprisingly smooth ride and a character bordering on docile during low-speed travel. Plus, it's quite comfortable for a variety of people, and has a trunk large enough to make it useful for more than just weekend canyon carving.

Ultimately, bang-for-the-buck is what won the Chevrolet Corvette our Autobytel Editors' Choice award for Best New Sports Car of 2005, but significant improvements in refinement and civility combined with beautiful design and real-world utility cement the sixth-generation of this performance icon as one of the greatest cars of all time.

- Christian J. Wardlaw