Stylish, sexy, sleek, streamlined, spirited and speed demon are all words used to describe sports cars, which are essentially two-door automobiles that are designed for high speeds, great power and smashing good looks. The manufacture of the modern-day sports car began only after 1945, when the economy started booming, technology developed dramatically and better roads were being built. They came in various shapes like convertibles, roadsters, coupes, grand tourers and sedans. Sports-car lovers are either devoted to timeless classics that have been souped up for current times, or are trendsetters looking for the latest kind of exotic car.
From powerful purring beauties like the Mercedes Benz SLK 350 to thundering thrillers like the Ford Mustang V-8, you can choose a sports car that matches your personality. In fact, sports cars are as much about personality as they are about performance – smooth aerodynamic bodies of carbon fiber, chrome pipes and fittings, rich leather upholstery, wide wheels, shiny wooden panels and snazzy paint jobs.
Different brands of sports cars adopt different principles of design. Some cars may be light in order to achieve greater acceleration, others may boast of extremely powerful engines for better car handling and performance, while still others may stress safety and comfort rather than style. The majority of contemporary sports cars have front-wheel drives as opposed to rear-wheel drives, which were more common in the earlier generation of sports cars. Many cars also have the engine in the center, driving the rear wheels, which is unique to sports cars. In these cars, the engine is placed behind the driver, at the middle of the chassis. Porsche is the only sports car that has the engine mounted at the rear, driving the rear wheels. This aspect is a crucial part of car design, as it affects the maneuverability or handling of the car, which is critical at high speeds.
The most well known brands today are Ferrari, Porsche, Lotus, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Triumph. Companies which manufacture other cars also make some sports models; prominent among these are Ford, Toyota, Honda, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi, Mazda, and Nissan. Today, the design and manufacture of sports cars is becoming more specialized and competitive, with newer, more attractive designs and a higher degree of technical sophistication being utilized.
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Classic Sports Cars
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Why do so many people spend so much of their time and money buying old sports cars, and restoring and taking care of them? Because a classic sports car is like an old tune, a vintage wine or a black-and-white photograph–timeless, priceless and nostalgic. A...
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Exotic Sports Cars
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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They are flashy. They are fast. And they are very, very expensive. They are the exotic sports cars, the ultimate icons of speed, style and money. Exotic sports cars are built using cutting-edge technology and designed from a purely aesthetic point of view. Hence, they...
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10 Best Used Cars
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Used cars can prove to be great investments provided potential clients conduct sufficient research prior to finalizing a deal. This is a prerequisite or else the gamble could prove to be costly. The demand for used cars is increasing for the simple reason that showroom...
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Sports Cars for Sale
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Sports cars are available for sale through dealers and auctions, and on the Internet. Auctions often advertise bargain prices, which they call wholesale rates. Many such prices are bait to attract unsuspecting customers, who end up paying extras like taxes, money for the fuel already...
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Car Rims
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Car rims are also called wheel rims. The different types of rims are spinning rims, chrome rimes, truck rims, American racing rims or custom rims. These differ in design, price, size, weight and mounting options. When the rims are lighter in weight, the overall road...
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4X4 Trucks
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Four-wheel drive, 4WD, 4×4, all wheel drive, and AWD are different phrases used for describing a four-wheeled vehicle with a powertrain that allows all four wheels to receive power from an engine at the same time. Powering all four wheels gives better control on smooth...
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Collectible Cars
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Collectible cars top the list of collectibles. Ever since the advent of cars, there has been a craving in many a heart to own a cool, fast, trendy, classic or sporty car. Cars speak a language of their own and its owner needn’t speak a...
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Sports Car Insurance Rates
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Sports car insurance rates can vary based on several factors. Some companies who have taken the direct approach to the customers instead of reaching them through agents are able to offer lower rates. Some companies have taken sports car insurance as a special area, and...
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Exotic Sports Car Insurance
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Although all sports cars are exotic, many consider cars such as Jaguars and Ferraris to be truly exotic. They are considerably expensive and the insurance too can be very high compared to other cars. Exotic sports cars will have to be insured to a higher...
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Sports Car Insurance
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Many motorists wish to save enough to buy sports car at least once in a lifetime, even though they might not be able to afford the maintenance of the car for a long time later. This is because owning a sports car can be an...