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10 Hottest Sports Cars

CR
by Colin Ryan
December 3, 2017
4 min. Reading Time
2018 Mercedes AMG GT R hero ・  Photo by Mercedes-Benz

2018 Mercedes AMG GT R hero ・ Photo by Mercedes-Benz

When describing a sports car as "hot," you may be thinking of any number of factors. There's style and power, but also sales success and newsworthiness. In compiling our list of the 10 hottest sports cars, we're using all of those definitions. Naturally, styling will be subjective — but our choices will have more going for them than mere prettiness. The main thing these cars, whatever form their hotness might take, is that they all inspire desire and curiosity. We all wonder what life might be like if we had just one of these magnificent machines in our garage, to jump into on a crisp day or balmy night, to rev the engine and throw ourselves open to the thrill of driving. It’s like reality, only better.

2018 Acura NSX

The words “hot” and “Acura” are not usually found in the same sentence. The last time might have been with the original NSX back in the 1990s. But now they belong together once again when describing the sum of the following parts.

There’s a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine, one electric motor up front, two electric motors at the back, a total output of 573 hp and 476 lb-ft of torque, top speed is 191 mph, and acceleration from standstill to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. But that’s not all. The way it holds a tight, fast cornering line is borderline ferocious. Yet in Quiet mode, driven slowly through town, the NSX is a genuinely pleasant user-friendly hybrid.

 Photo by Acura

Photo by Acura

2018 Audi R8

In the beginning was the Porsche 911. Most other manufacturers rightly surmised that they didn’t have the abilities to make a rival. But years pass, races are run and expertise gained. The street car to come out of Audi’s many triumphs in the 24-hour Le Mans race is the R8.

We’re now just into the R8’s second generation. It’s still a mid-engined machine with standard all-wheel drive, and it remains one of the most benign supercars. That’s quite a feat considering that its gorgeous 5.2-liter V10 engine pushes out a breathtaking 610 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque in the sizzling hot Plus version; the regular model still manages 540 hp/398 lb-ft.

 Photo by Audi

Photo by Audi

2018 BMW M2

There’s something about the M2 that reminds us of the original BMW M3. Remember, that was a small coupe. It was built to comply with homologation requirements for German touring car racing and has since gone on to become a dream car for many enthusiasts.

The M3 has grown bigger and heavier, though, so the smaller and lighter M2 starts to appeal even more. It dashes and darts, springs and sprints. It has a turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine set into a smooth-running inline configuration. Output is 365 hp with 369 lb-ft of torque, going just the rear wheels (the way it should be). That’s enough power to count as hot, incidentally. Or we might prefer the word “glorious.”

 Photo by BMW

Photo by BMW

2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

This car hits the “hot” button in so many ways. Not only is it the newest Corvette version, due in spring 2018, but it’s also the most powerful. More like insanely powerful, as in the most extreme Corvette ever.

The ZR1’s 6.2-liter V8 engine is supercharged to develop 755 hp and 715 lb-ft of torque, to reach 60 mph in under three seconds and hit 212 mph. No wonder there’s an optional High Wing at the rear that can provide 950 pounds of downforce — this thing looks like it could achieve escape velocity without it. Buyers may also select a steering wheel made from carbon fiber and a performance data recorder.

 Photo by General Motors

Photo by General Motors

2018 Ferrari 488 GTB

Cars don’t get much hotter than Ferrari. This particular model is particularly desirable because of its traditional mid-engined layout. No folding hard tops or other concessions to the poser posse. Instead, there’s the application of innovations and developments originally baptized in the fire of top-level motorsport: a turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 emits 661 hp and 560 lb-ft of torque, driving just the rear wheels.

Of course the 488 GTB can hit 60 mph under three seconds and break the 200-mph barrier — it’s the product of a passionate operation based in one of the most car-obsessed countries in the world. Need proof? The local church rings its bells whenever Ferrari wins a Formula One race.

 Photo by Ferrari

Photo by Ferrari

2018 Jaguar F-Type SVR

The F-Type in general is a hot sports car — just look at those sleek lines. And the SVR is the hottest F-Type. This is the version with a supercharged 5.0-liter V8. Its extra aerodynamic appendages (like the carbon fiber rear wing) and huge air intakes tell parts of the story, but the crucial aspects are the 200-mph top speed and 3.5-second sprint to 70 mph.

Beyond the big numbers, though, there’s a tactile dimension. The whole F-Type range feels great from the driver’s seat, even the hard-to-get-right electrically assisted steering; the dynamics are absolutely world-class. The F-Type has a pretty face, but it’s always been much more than that.

 Photo by Jaguar Land Rover

Photo by Jaguar Land Rover

2018 Lamborghini Aventador S

The mere existence of Lamborghini is cause for celebration. A company making cars that look, sound and move the way Lamborghinis do is surely one of the great human endeavors.

For maximum hotness, we’ve chosen the Aventador S, with 730 hp and 507 lb-ft of torque from a 6.5-liter V12 stashed behind the two seats, and set into a lightweight yet dramatic-looking carbon fiber-intensive body. Top speed is 217 mph, and the Aventador S can sprint from standstill to 60 mph in under 2.9 seconds. It starts at around $450,000 for the coupe version — there’s also a roadster variant — but being this blazing hot never comes cheap.

 Photo by Lamborghini

Photo by Lamborghini

2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Don’t for one second fall back on the stereotype that MX-5 owners are more familiar with hair product than engine oil. On summer weekends, there are more MX-5s participating in grassroots motorsport events than any other type of car. More than one million have been sold.

So if anyone is thinking that the current generation with only 155 hp doesn’t belong among such illustrious company as the Lamborghini Aventador and McLaren 570S, just take one for a fast scoot down a twisting road and then come back and tell us it’s not hot. The MX-5 also puts accessible rear-wheel drive fun into the hands of more people, because it’s way more affordable than, say, a Porsche.

 Photo by Mazda

Photo by Mazda

2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R

There are several variants of the AMG GT, Mercedes-Benz’s rival to the Porsche 911. But since we're picking the hottest sports cars, we’re going for the most heat. That's the coupe-only R, which brings a massive 577 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque into play from a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, an engine that is still hand-assembled by one technician in the traditional AMG way.

The R is a rear-drive, track-ready rocket with a manually adjustable transmission, wider tires at the back and a nine-setting traction control system. There was a time when AMG just tuned regular Mercedes-Benz vehicles, but now it’s producing its own specialist cars.

 Photo by Mercedes-Benz

Photo by Mercedes-Benz

2018 Porsche 911 GT3

The 911 has traditionally been the hottest of hot sports cars. There’s truly nothing else like it, and it’s a perfect example of how the more you put into something, the more you get out of it. Find the right rhythm and this rear-engined creation becomes joyful.

Of the many 911 permutations, we’re loving the 2018 GT3 right now. One reason is that it makes 500 hp from a 4.0-liter flat-six engine without the aid of turbochargers or superchargers. That’s impressive. Peak power comes in at a screaming 8,250 rpm, by which time the exhaust is singing, the hairs on the back of your neck are standing and suddenly you believe that Porsche engineers are the best people in the world.

 Photo by Porsche

Photo by Porsche


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