2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Interior

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Interior

The last 10 years or so have been an exciting time for the sports car buyer. Performance cars since the turn of the millennium have pushed the boundaries of what was thought possible in top speed, horsepower and all-around insanity. In a world where even the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry run more than 260 horsepower, high-end car companies have been forced to push performance to record levels just to sufficiently differentiate themselves from more mundane alternatives. So which sports cars made this best list? Read on for why each model deserves its spot.

And now, the best sports cars of the 21st century...

10.
Lotus Elise - 2005 to Present

In their every aspect the Elise and its more track-focused cousin the Exige are extreme. Lotus' design philosophy of light weight mixed with razor sharp handling warrants consideration for this top 10 list. Weighing in right around 2,000 lbs. depending on model, the Elise does not need big power to be quick off the line. With a 1.8-liter Toyota-sourced four-cylinder at the time of its introduction, the car is fast but not absurdly so. Its character lies in its precision handling and driving thrills, though as a daily driver the Elise lacks creature comforts, interior space and any real semblance of luggage capacity. This is the car for those who value driving smiles above cup holders.

9.
Subaru WRX STi/Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution - 2004 to Present

With only one spot on the top 10 best sports cars list available these rally-derived, all-wheel drive pocket rockets, the choice was impossible to make. These two cars have become such hot competitors that the very existence of the other has pushed Subaru and Mitsubishi to greater levels of excellence with each passing model year. The STi and the Evo consistently turn in lap times rivaling expensive Italian steeds, all for a tiny fraction of the price. Even better, there is nothing on this list so apt at handling itself well in dicey weather.

8.
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 - 2009 to Present

The latest iteration of the ZR1, based on Chevrolet's C6 Corvette but turned up to 11, is a true performance beast. Its supercharged LS9 V8 engine produces 638 horsepower by way of its Eaton supercharger and twin intercoolers. The true sports car is much more than just an engine and a set of wheels, as evidenced by its steller 7:26.4 lap time through the Nürburgring Nordschleife, one of the world's most difficult road courses. The ZR1's double wishbone suspension pairs with Magnetic Selective Ride Control, a shock absorbing system which adjust damping rates from one millisecond to the next. Its styling is all Corvette, though not-so-subtle exterior modifications make its performance intentions clear.

7.
Audi R8 - 2006 to Present

In releasing the beautifully styled R8, Audi was able to achieve its goal of a car with supercar-like performance in a German luxury package. The R8, powered by either a V8 or a V10 engine, shares some DNA with Lamborghini's Gallardo, though the R8 is more maturely styled. A later Spyder version sports a conventional soft top rather than the bulky hardtop units most luxury convertible makers have switched to. Missing the large color-contrasted side blades from the coupe, the Spyder is nonetheless every bit as attractive. The R8 may not have the razor edge of some of the cars on the list, but as a total package it is nothing if not desirable.

6.
BMW M3 - 2008 to Present

There is a reason why Car and Driver staffers would prefer to own a BMW M3 more often than any other new car on the market. The chassis-code E92 M3 lands on this 10 best sports cars list not because it does any one thing better than the other cars here. Rather, the M3 as a whole does all things to a very high level, while remaining a car which can be comfortably driven every day. The E92 follows a long lineage of BMW sport coupes, sedans and convertibles dating back to the famous E30 M3, one of the best sport coupes of all time and still used in racing today. Why the 2008-and-newer model over the preceding E46 M3? The introduction of V8 power and a sophisticated suite of driver-focused technologies make this the best M3 yet.

5.
Nissan GT-R - 2009 to Present

The GT-R, sold in the United States for the first time in 2009, is a marvel of Japanese engineering. With nearly 500 horsepower and a sophisticated track-focused all-wheel drive system, the GT-R is perhaps the best performance bargain on the market with a base price of $69,850 at the time of its release. American buyers had long imported gray-market Skyline GT-R cars with Nissan finally giving U.S. sales a thumbs up. Its trick interior looks like something out of a video game and its exterior styling has been polarizing. Still, the GT-R has been one of the greatest sports cars to come along in a long time.

4.
Lamborghini Murciélago - 2001 to 2010

While the legendary Italian automaker's Gallardo may be an easier-to-live-with car, the Murciélago has it outpaced in beauty and raw power. This Italian stallion is powered by a mid-mounted V12 engine, making 661 horsepower in LP 670-4 SuperVeloce trim, the most exclusive of Murciélago models. The car replaced the legendary Diablo and became an instant fixture on gearheads' wall calendars the world over. The last example rolled off the assembly lines in late 2010 with the car's successor a big secret as of the time of this writing, even from the prying eyes of the automotive media.

3.
Porsche Carrera GT - 2004 to 2006

What makes Porsche's first supercar stand out from a product portfolio filled with motoring dream machines? The Carrera GT is unlike any other Porsche ever to hit the road, running from 0 to 60 mph in only 3.6 seconds and doing so while oozing sex appeal. If lucky enough to ever see one in the flesh, you'd likely marvel at the Carrera GT's design, instantly recognizable as Porsche but sporting a horizontal hourglass shape unlike anything else to come from the folks at Stuttgart. Deciding a flat-six engine was not enough for a purebred supercar, Porsche instead chose a 5.7-liter V10 mounted aft of the driver but in front of the rear axle, creating a true mid-engined configuration.

2.
Bugatti Veyron Super Sport - 2010

The fastest production car in the world as of Jan. 2011 nearly deserves a spot on this 10 best list on this fact only, though the Veyron is built not just for top speed. Its engine is an engineering marvel, producing 1,200 horsepower from 16 cylinders and four turbochargers. The cooling system is perhaps the most complicated ever fitted to a production car Owning one would take big time connections and around $2 million, but the ultra-exclusive Super Sport's cache, amazing exterior and interior design, and jet fighter hops make it an instant classic sports car.

And now for the top sports car of the 21st century...

1.
Ferrari Enzo - 2002 to 2004

The most extreme Ferrari ever produced, the Enzo's styling is truly unique, even among a stable full of prancing horses. Like the powertrains found in the Lamborghini and Porsche, Ferrari chose a mid-mounted V12 for its F50 successor. The Enzo's V12 power matches a fierce exterior taking cues from a dedicated track car. With plenty of grunt to add go to all that show, the Enzo is capable of a ridiculous 11 seconds flat through the quarter mile. Only 400 examples were produced, all quickly spoken for among the world's rich and connected car-buying elite. Actor Eddie Griffin famously crashed one of those 400 while driving the car on a test course to promote the film Redline. The car was later restored to original showroom condition and resold.

Truth be told, there are other sports cars that deserve to be on this list, but there are only room these, arguably the 10 best. Want to chime in on your favorites? Think this list is all out of whack? Sound off in the comments section.