Premium Sports Cars

Runner-up sports cars for $115,000 or less

New supercars, including the top-rated 2010 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (*Est. $108,880) and 2010 Nissan GT-R (*Est. $80,790 to $83,040), are stealing all of the attention in reviews.

But the 2010 Porsche 911 (*Est. $77,800 to $143,800) is a living classic, reviews say. It's sleek, it's fast, and -- possibly more than any other brand -- it responds like an extension of the driver's will. Its highway manners and build quality are impeccable, and experts say its decently kid-sized backseat and good trunk space make it surprisingly versatile as a daily driver. Edmunds.com and Automobile Magazine both say the Porsche 911 is still the best sports car you can buy.

The 2010 Audi R8 (*Est. $114,200 to $123,300) gets less media attention than when it was introduced in 2008, but experts still rave about the all-wheel-drive sports car. Car and Driver repeatedly calls it "stunning," both in looks and performance. Testers can't get over how easy yet fun the R8 is to drive. With its all-day comfortable cabin, experts say it's a supercar you could really drive every day -- as long as you can afford the sticker price. The R8 is blisteringly fast, but the less expensive Nissan GT-R and Chevrolet Corvette Z06 are still faster, Edmunds.com points out.

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 was the fastest Corvette you could buy, before the Corvette ZR1 hit the streets in 2009. Now, few reviewers pay any attention to the hardcore Z06, except to note that it's the choppiest, hardest-to-drive version of the Corvette. It's still impressively fast, hitting 60 in 3.6 seconds, but it now lags behind the similarly priced Nissan GT-R in speed tests. The Z06 also suffers from the same disappointing reliability and interior as other lower-trim-level Corvettes, reviews say.

The brutish 2009 Dodge Viper (*Est. $88,590 to $89,340) is too raw to earn top honors from many reviewers, but that doesn't mean it's not a thrilling performer. It places an extremely close second to the $216,000 Lamborghini Gallardo in a 10-supercar shootout at Road & Track. Just prepare for a bare-bones racecar experience; the Viper has no side airbags, no traction or stability control, and Edmunds.com advises novices never to drive the 600-horsepower Viper fast in anything but a straight line.

The 2009 Tesla Roadster (*Est. $109,000 to $128,500) runs entirely on electricity -- and it's just as exhilarating as anything with a gasoline engine, reviews say. With no gear shifting to slow it down, this lightweight, targa-topped two-seater zooms from zero to 60 in about four seconds, and testers say it handles just as nimbly as the Lotus Elise on which it's based. Even the battery's 240-mile range isn't a problem in most real-life situations, reviews say -- but the Tesla's inflated price is, and company turmoil leads critics to question whether Tesla will even be around in a few years.