Top 10 best sports cars 2024

Open gallery Close News 16 mins read 27 February 2024 Follow @TheDarkStormy1 There's a very obvious part of the new car market for dyed-in-the-wool petrolheads to go in search of meaningful driver entertainment: the sports car segment. And even as so many other segments undergo such rapid change, this one still deals in big power, lightweight engineering, high-revving combustion engines and outstanding handling dynamism. A genre that's almost as old as the car itself, sports cars were first developed to bring some of the speed and excitement of early motorsport machines to the everyday driver on the road. Over the decades, these cars have matured into more talented all-rounders, abandoning their direct links to racing but retaining the same remit to place the driver squarely at the centre of the action but also give him or her a product to be used ever more widely. Of course, the passage of time has meant that the definition of the sports car has been stretched in all directions, with everything from hot hatchbacks to scalpel-sharp track cars being grouped under the banner. However, for this list, we're going to limit those that qualify to the sort of full-sized and sophisticated machines that deliver deep-chested acceleration and uplifting handling but are as home on the road as the track. And while having more than two seats isn't a disqualification from consideration, we're keenest on those that place more of an emphasis on performance than practicality. Their grown-up status is cemented by pricing that falls between about £60,000 and £150,000, so we're short of supercar territory here - although in some cases with a little more breathing space that in others. Related articles However, that's not to say there isn't room for variety, which is why front, rear and mid-engined contenders make the cut here. The same goes for engine layout and cylinder count (the more the merrier in the latter's case). So read on as we run the rule over the best sports cars still on sale in 2024. 1. Porsche 911 Pros Unrivalled blend of four-seat usability, multi-faceted driver appeal, as much power and pace as you've got budget for Cons A certain sense of ubiquity next to rarer sports cars The derivative range of Porsche's latest-generation 911 (the 992) has filled out quite a bit since its introduction in 2019. The car is now available in 380bhp Carrera and Carrera T, 444bhp Carrera S and 473bhp Carrera GTS forms, all powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged flat-six engine; in coupé, cloth-top Cabriolet and folding fixed head Targa bodystyles; with rear or four-wheel drive; and with eight-speed dual-clutch PDK automatic and seven-speed manual gearboxes. There are also the extra-rapid Turbo, Turbo S, GT3 and GT3 RS versions higher up, not to mention extra-special limited-run versions like the 911 Dakar and 911 S/T. Latest Reviews Porsche Cayenne View all car reviews Read our review Car reviewPorsche 718 BoxsterEngine downsized, turbo added and chassis tuned. Has Porsche made all the right moves, or is the 718 Boxter a worthy soft-top successor?Read our review Back to top We've tested most versions of the 911 and not found much to dislike in any of them. Although the 911 has certainly become a better and more refined and sophisticated luxury operator than it ever used to be, the 992 iteration of this rear-engined sporting hero is every inch as great a driver's car as the 991 it replaced - and, if anything, stands ready to take the game further away from its rivals. For performance value, the Carrera T takes a lot of beating, its blend of pace, poise and rawness making it closest in spirit to 1960s and 1970s 911s. It's particulary pleasing with the manual gearbox (the first time the three-pedal layout has been made available with the entry-level 380bhp Carerra engine), but Porsche's dual-clutcher effortlessly mixes precise control with ease of use. The 992 grew longer and slightly wider than its predecessor, all versions using what used to be called the 911's 'widebody' shell (which has been lightened by more extensive use of aluminium in its construction), while four-wheel steering is now an option even on non-GT-level cars and mixed-width wheels and tyres come as standard. Although there's as much reason as ever for the keenest of drivers to stick with the purer rear-driven mechanical layout, the 992's wider front-axle track and quickened steering ratio seem to have sharpened its handling very effectively. Its turbocharged engine may not have the audible qualities of Porsche's old atmospheric units, but it makes for very serious real-world performance. Overall, for a car that remains without equal among direct contemporary rivals for usability, rounded sporting credibility and especially for the accessible, everyday-use, any-occasion brilliance of its driver appeal, the evergreen 9