USED CARS - Sports Cars Reviews

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Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	USED CARS - Sports Cars Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. Car and Driver >> Details/Subscribe	2007 10 Best Cars Csaba Csere and Tony Swan Jan 2007		This article reports on Car and Driver's annual search to find the 10 best cars of the year. The editors test all new or significantly upgraded cars introduced for the current model year, as well as re-test previous winners to ensure they remain worthy. The tests judge the cars in three areas: First, how they perform their intended purpose -- in the case of sports cars, they are expected to be fast and exciting to drive. Second, they look for cars that are "engaging," be it through looks, handling and/or power. Finally, they look for value. This year's list features a number of sports cars, including the Chevrolet Corvette, Mazda MX-5 Miata and both the Boxster and Cayman from Porsche.
2. Edmunds.com	Editors' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2007 Editors of Edmunds.com Not Dated		Each year, Edmunds.com editors scour the lists of available cars to pick the ones they'd most like to see in their own garages. While the selection criteria are clearly spelled out, the site admits that sometimes their love of a particular car "overruled common sense during our selection process." Cars are grouped by type and price, and although there's no specific category for sports cars, you'll find lots of great candidates among the coupes and convertibles. Those include the Mazda MX-5 Miata, Ford Mustang and Lotus Elise, as well as Porsche's Cayman, 911 (coupe and convertible) and Boxster. The site also offers a Most Wanted Vehicle list that's voted on by consumers.
3. Motor Week >> Details/Subscribe	Drivers' Choice Awards: Winners for 2007 Staff of Motor Week Feb. 2007		Motor Week annually chooses what they believe to be the best of the best in a number of categories based on the previous year's tests. While the write-ups on the cars here are brief, longer reports can be found elsewhere on the site. The Ford Shelby GT500 takes the Best Performance Car prize for its "race-car-quality prowess." Three additional sports cars -- the Jaguar XKR, Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano and Porsche 911 Turbo -- are named Motor Week's "Best Dream Machines."

USED CARS - Sports Cars Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	USED CARS - Sports Cars Ratings Comments on Reviews

4. Forbes >> Details/Subscribe	Sports Cars We Recommend Stephan Wilkinson Feb. 2007		In the view of Forbes, "intangibles such as style, comfort, value, emotional appeal and utility" wind up meaning much more than specifications and raw numbers. With that in mind, the editors have chosen cars in this article that not only have some of the best specs in their class, but that also score in subjective appeal. The site's writers have extensively driven most of the recommended cars, but in a few cases, selections are made based on previous years' models. Best cars overall are selected in the high-end (Ferrari F430 and Porsche 911), mid-range (Porsche Cayman) and economy (Mazda MX-5 Miata) categories. The Chevrolet Corvette gets a nod as the best value. Numerous other cars are recommended for niches such as "best for weekends," "best first impression," "best looks" and more.
5. Consumer Guide.com	Consumer Guide's Best Bets and Recommendations for 2007 Staff of ConsumerGuide.com Not Dated		While we are sometimes critical of Consumer Guide's reporting in other product categories, it does a terrific job evaluating automobiles. Each car is evaluated by at least four test drivers. Although the cars are put through their paces on a test track, greater weight is given to how a car performs in more typical situations -- shopping, commuting, on long trips and in stop-and-go driving. Cars are given numerical ratings in 10 important areas ranging from Acceleration to Value within Class, and those ratings are put into context by comparing them to the average score of competing cars. The only downside is that discussion is not as meaty as that from some reviewers we rate more highly, but there's enough to get a good impression of what the editors think of each car. The Mazda MX-5 Miata scores a Best Buy rating in the Sporty/Performance Car category for delivering as much driving fun as other two-seaters costing considerably more. Among Premium Sporty/Performance Cars, Consumer Guide gives Best Buy recognition to the BMW Z4 and the Chevrolet Corvette.
6. Car and Driver >> Details/Subscribe	Four of a Kind Michael Austin June 2007		According to Car and Driver, coupes sacrifice function -- such as ease of entry and cargo room -- for style, which is why most of the best sports cars are coupes. "It's because driving fast is supposed to look good," notes Michael Austin. To prove their point, Car and Driver pits four mid-range (approximately $35,000) coupes -- the Ford Shelby GT500, Mazda RX-8, Nissan 350Z and the Audi TT 2.0T -- against each other. Road tests in and around Las Vegas were done to see how each car performed when stressed to its absolute limits and when driving in the real world. The Mazda RX-8, with its excellent handling, is judged the most pleasing overall, but it does fall short in terms of raw power and, in the words of Car and Driver, it "guzzles gas like a private jet."
7. Motor Trend >> Details/Subscribe	America's Best Handling Car Frank Markus and Kim Reynolds Not Dated		This article distills reams of test data, the impressions of a professional driver on a closed test track and the opinions of a panel of editors following a jaunt over a 15-mile circuit of typical public roads to find the "best handling car in America." Ten semifinalists covering a number of price points and drive-train configurations were selected from a list of 32 cars that previous tests showed to have great handling. In the end, the Porsche 911 GT3 is called the clear winner, although the editors recommend leaving the car at home if "actual rain is falling" when equipped with its factory stock Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires. The Porsche Cayman S just edges out the rest of the field for second place and is less "weather sensitive."
8. Automobile Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	2007 Automobile All-Stars Editors of Automobile Magazine Not Dated		Based on testing by the editors, Automobile Magazine names a Car of the Year along with "All Star" picks that just miss that coveted title. This year's car of the year is the Volkswagen GTI three-door hatchback coupe (which is also available in a five door model). Jamie Kitman says that the GTI is right for the times because it's "practical, fuel-efficient, and fast" and adds that it's "immensely fun to drive." More traditional sports cars earning "All Star" labels include the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Porsche Cayman, Aston Martin V8 Vantage and Lotus Elise.
9. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Sports/Sporty Cars Editors of Consumer Reports As of July 2007		Consumer Reports' editors test most new cars as they come to market. The reports, while reasonably complete, are not as detailed as those from some reviewers we rate more highly. On the other hand, Consumer Reports' information on reliability and resale value isn't often matched elsewhere, and those factors, along with safety, play a large role in the magazine's recommendations.

USED CARS - Sports Cars Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	USED CARS - Sports Cars Ratings Comments on Reviews

10. KBB.com	Recommended Shopping Lists: Convertibles Editors of Kelley Blue Book Not Dated		Though Kelley Blue Book is better known as a source for car values, their website also includes a fairly comprehensive review section and makes specific recommendations in a number of categories. Although there is no category for sports cars -- a rather surprising omission -- most of the recommended convertibles certainly earn that designation. Those cars include the Mazda MX-5 Miata, which KBB says is considered by some to be "the finest affordable roadster of all time," as well as the Pontiac Solstice/ Saturn SKY, Audi TT Roadster, BMW 335i 3-Series Convertible, Nissan 350Z and Porsche Boxster. The Volkswagen GTI three-door coupe gets a nod in the hatchbacks category.
11. CNet.com	Car Tech Editors of CNet.com As of July 2007		CNet.com might be best known for its reviews of consumer and computer technology products, but it also features a surprisingly strong section that deals with all things automotive, including cars. In keeping with CNet's pedigree, the emphasis in the reviews is on technology -- perhaps too much so -- but if the technology that helps your car go or keeps you entertained along the way is important to you, this site is certainly worth a visit. Among current year cars, the Jaguar XK coupe earns an Editors' Choice award. The Ford Shelby GT500 does not earn an Editors' Choice (CNet.com is notably stingy with those), but scores nearly as well.
12. Road and Travel.com >> Details/Subscribe	2007 International Car of the Year Awards Martha Hindes Not Dated		For the 11th straight year, Road & Travel Magazine has honored what it and a panel of distinguished judges feel are the best cars of the year in a variety of categories. The awards pay tribute to cars that combine design, appearance and performance into one compelling package. Judges are respected automotive journalists drawn from a wide cross-section of print, broadcast and on-line media. The Jaguar XK (including the supercharged XKR) earns the Sports Car of the Year award based on its "sex appeal" and performance.

USED CARS - Sports Cars Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

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13. Kiplinger.com	Kiplinger's 2007 Auto Buyer's Guide Editors of Kiplinger Jan. 5, 2007		Kiplinger's annual buyers' guide focuses on the financial side of car buying with advice on negotiating a good deal, when financing makes sense and more. Editors name their top picks in a number of areas, including sports cars, but discussion about the individual cars themselves is disappointingly sparse. The criteria for selection is not well explained, and we see no indication that any of these cars have been driven or tested in any way. The "best in class" sports car is the Chevrolet Corvette, while the Jaguar XKR wins "best new car.” The Mazda MX-5 Miata is the most fuel-efficient, and the Porsche 911 Carrera is the top choice for safety. Saturn Sky has the best resale value. Finally, the BMW M5, Nissan 350Z and Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 all receive honorable mentions.
14. IntelliChoice.com	Best Overall Values of the Year Staff of IntelliChoice Not Dated		Every year, IntelliChoice looks at over 1,700 vehicles to find those that represent the best value in their class. These vehicles are chosen on the basis of "data-driven automotive analysis" that points out what vehicles will cost significantly less to own than expected at the time of purchase, but no one has driven or otherwise tested the cars for themselves. In the sports car category, the winner is the Chevrolet Corvette. Clicking on the Corvette's name refers customers to a small overview of the vehicle.
15. Cars.com	Best Bets: New Sports Cars Joe Wiesenfelder Not Dated		In this article, Cars.com reviewer Joe Wiesenfelder names what he feels are the best 2007 models in a number of categories, including sports cars. Selections are based on factors ranging from ride quality to available safety features, but the list is lengthy -- 18 in all are named -- and no ratings or other help is offered to help readers determine which of these is best overall. One positive is that links lead to more extensive write-ups by Cars.com editors as well as other professional reviewers.
16. IFCAR.net	IFCAR's Picks for Best-in-Class Staff of IFCAR Not Dated		The Institute for Consumer Automotive Reviews, otherwise known as IFCAR, presents what they feel to be the top vehicles in a variety of classes for the current model year. While these cars are not meant to be the perfect car for everyone, the article notes that they offer a mixture of good traits without many flaws. Sports cars are selected in four categories based on price. One caveat is that most of the sports car selections don't appear to have actually been tested by IFCAR. "Best-in Class" picks include the Mazda MX-5 and RX8 and Chevrolet Corvette.

USED CARS - Sports Cars Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

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17. AskMen.com	7 All-American Sports Cars Thomas Bey Not Dated		AskMen.com attempts to create a list of the best domestic sports cars ever. All vehicles listed have to be successful, offer a street-legal model, cannot be single-year special editions and must be constructed in North America. It's an entertaining read for its historical insight on some current and discontinued sports cars, but there's not much in the way of objective information here for the prospective car shopper.