We'd do almost anything to pocket the keys to these dream rides.
1. Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
The lowdown: With its stretched hood, Merc’s front-engined supercar boasts a phallic look but near-perfect weight balance on the track. The SLS actually looks most badass at 0 mph, when its gull-wing doors open towards the sky.
Supercar secret: If you accidentally flip it over, explosive charges hidden in the hinges will literally blow the doors off the car.
Spec check:
Price: $200,000
Engine: DOHC 32-valve V-8
Horsepower: 563
0-60 mph: 3.5
2. Porsche 911 GT2 RS
The lowdown: In October, 500 lucky assholes will drive away with the most powerful production Porsche ever made, a lighter, tighter, track-ified version of the 911 Turbo. Even God can’t figure out how they’re getting 620hp out of a six-cylinder engine.
Supercar secret: Porsche ignitions have been placed to the left of the wheel since the ‘30s so that race drivers could more quickly put the car into first gear.
Spec check:
Price: $245,000
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter six-cylinder boxer
Horsepower: 620
0-60 mph: 4.4 sec
3. Corvette ZR1
The lowdown: This is THE all-American supercar, a blunt, fire-breathing beast that boasts Ferrari-beating figures at a fraction of the price. Its supercharged V-8 emits a heavy metal soundtrack that’s damn near perfect, and at 200mph, you don’t even notice the plasticky interior.
Supercar secret: The ZR-1’s clearcoat paint finish costs nearly $2000 a gallon.
Spec check:
Price: $106,000
Engine: supercharged, pushrod 16-valve V-8
Horsepower: 638
0-60 mph: 3.4 sec
4. Lexus LFA
The lowdown: For years, Lexus has churned out ultra-quiet, conservative rides—until blowing out the garage doors with the LFA, a stratospheric ride built around a V-10 assembled in Toyota’s F1 engine plant. Instead of gauges, its dashboard uses LCD projections.
Supercar secret: Lexus got some help tuning the LFA’s exhaust note from musical engineers at Yamaha. Yeah, the same guys that made your tuba!
Spec check:
Price: $350,000
Engine: DOHC 40-valve V-10
Horsepower: 553
0-60 mph: 3.5 sec
5. Aston-Martin Rapide
The lowdown: Simply put, this is the sexiest four door ride on the planet. Since the Rapide’s backseat is actually useable, you can pack three friends inside and scare the shit out of them in a white knuckle ride at 188mph.
Supercar secret: While other Le Mans racecars have single or double digit entry numbers, Aston-Martin’s cars wear the numbers 007, 008, and 009 as an homage to James Bond.
Spec check:
Price: $200,000
Engine: DOHC 48-valve V-12
Horsepower: 470
0-60 mph: 4.7 sec
6. 2011 Ford Shelby GT500
The lowdown: This is the ultimate new-school muscle car, a tire-killing smoke machine that, thanks to a boatload of engineering upgrades, can slay ‘em in the twisties too. And that sound—we’re inclined to agree with Jeremy Clarkson, who once called the Mustang’s engine note the “roar of God.”
Supercar secret: Ford engineers dropped over a hundred pounds off the 2011 GT500’s weight by casting it in aluminum instead of iron.
Spec check:
Price: $48,175
Engine: supercharged DOHC 32-valve V-8
Horsepower: 540
0-60 mph: 4.6 sec
7. Nissan GT-R
The lowdown: Godzilla arrived on American shores in 2008, a Japanese supercar that pairs epic performance with tons of driver-friendly digital smarts. Even if you suck at the go-kart track, you can slay ‘em in the GT-R, thanks to its unfailing grip and an idiot-proof seven-speed paddle-shifted transmission.
Supercar secret: The GT-R has videogame roots: its digital interface was designed in part by Polyphony Digital, who also worked on PS3’s Gran Turismo.
Spec check:
Price: $85,060
Engine: Twin turbocharged 3.8-liter DOHC V-6
Horsepower: 480
0-60 mph: 3.2 sec
8. Audi R8 5.2
The lowdown: This stealthy supercar gets a heart transplant for 2010, as Audi is borrowing corporate partner Lamborghini’s V10 powerplant to make the R8 even super-er for those who check the “upgrade” box. Thankfully, the awesomely-named carbon fiber “sideblades” remain unchanged.
Supercar secret: What Aston-Martin is to Bond, Audi is to Tony Stark. Yep, that’s an R8 Spyder Iron Man is driving in this summer’s sequel.
Spec check:
Price: $162,500
Engine: DOHC 40-valve V-10
Horsepower: 525
0-60 mph: 3.7 sec
9. Ferrari 458 Italia
The lowdown: The latest prancing pony in the Maranello stable is a mid-engined beauty with a cabin that takes design cues from the F-16. It boasts a ton of tech smarts kicked down from Ferrari’s F1 team, including a dual-clutch automatic transmission that upshifts in an insane .4 seconds. We like.
Supercar secret: Like its rival Lamborghini, Ferrari has pretty much stopped making manual gearboxes. You can’t get one on the 458.
Spec check:
Price: $226,000
Engine: DOHC 32-valve V-8
Horsepower: 562
0-60 mph: 3.3 sec
10. Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera
The lowdown: Lambo’s new track star is a hard-handling version of the almighty Gallardo, stiffer and lighter and filled with carbon fiber everything. Superleggera means “ultra light” in Italian, and that’s what your wallet will feel like after you’ve sprung for one. You won’t care. It’s that fun.
Supercar secret: Cup holders aren’t an option for the Superleggera, and if you ask for them, armed guards will escort you out of the dealership.
Spec check:
Price: $237,600
Engine: DOHC 40-valve V-10
Horsepower: 562
0-60 mph: 3.4 sec
