A lot of sports cars have come and gone, and all the while, industry standards have changed. From valuing power, acceleration, and top speed above all else, many sports cars are now geared more towards agility and sheer fun around the race track (or back roads). So, if you are a sports car enthusiast and would want to know which of them is better built to engage corners even at terrific speeds, you’ve come to the right page.
Although some of these cars have their design nomenclature borrowed from the likes of Formula One sports cars, the cars appearing on this list comprise modest and lightweight street rockets.
One way to set a sports car apart is with a dynamic built and by creating the perfect balance of power, weight, and size for the price, instead of making the car too powerful for its own good. And in fact, other than doing drag races with unwilling participants at the traffic light, the closest thing to "sports" you'll be enjoying in your sports car will be on curvy country roads or the race track.
So, here are 15 sports cars built for one purpose: to thrill enthusiasts by their sharp cornering abilities.
15 2015 Mazda MX-5 Miata
It's the most popular sports car in the world for a reason. At a laughable price, it offers impeccable steering aided by its playful RWD system. But what makes Miata tick when it comes to cornering fast is that it has a balanced static camber between its front wheels that keeps the car stable while taking corners even at the most ferocious speeds.
14 2015 Ariel Atom 3
After just one look at this thing, no one will need convincing that it's lightning-fast around corners. The new Atom 3 is a fascinating portrait of the original prototype launched in 1999. The sportive 2015 lightweight Atom has only inherited three components from its previous clan-mate and these are; the fuel cap, brake pedal, and the clutch.
Developed by computer engineering to make it perfectly balanced, the Atom 3 weighs a ridiculously light 1350 lbs, the Atom still develops 300 horsepower.
13 Ferrari 430 Scuderia
The Ferrari 430 Scuderia is one truly revolutionary machine whose design concept relied on the carmaker’s technical know-how of its high-end formula one monster. A remarkable range of functions coupled with the design’s weight/power ratio yields 2.45 kg/horsepower. The Scuderia tips the scales at 2800 lbs, which is 100kgs short of the ordinary F430. Cranked to the wheels is its V8(4.3 L) 4308 cc from which a whopping 510 hp output is realized at 8,500 revs/min with or without cornering.
12 2020 Toyota GT86
...and the BRZ! Haters are all over these cars for producing only 200 horsepower (205 for the new versions) and a laughable 156 lb-ft of torque. But take one of the "twins" on the back roads and they will come alive. The 2800-lb weight, paired with the 2.0l boxer engine's low center of gravity makes the GT86 (and the BRZ) a rocket around corners.
11 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C
Considering their past in motorsports, Alfa Romeo has a lot to live up to. Aside from the 4C's removable top, much emphasis was placed on the car’s ability to grip well on the track. Its 240 horsepower is enough to propel it to 60 in under 5 seconds, and its featherweight 1973-lb curb weight, paired with a RWD system, makes it a natural at taking on corners at speeds higher than virtually any other car close to its price range.
10 TVR Tuscan Speed Six
The Tuscan comes standard in a 2200-lb dry weight, a dual wishbone suspension with dampers beneath the spring coils. The transmission is manual with gear ratios at 3:73:1 in full throttle. This little monster can jet to 60 mph in under 4.5 seconds and mercilessly tear around corners.
9 2015 Honda CR-Z
The CR-Z is a new lightweight and sporty Japanese commuter made by Honda - the company behind the Civic Type R and the legendary S2000. The car is very lightweight and its suspension comes from the factory geared towards sporty handling and superb stability while engaging sharp corners.
8 2015 Porsche Cayman
Unlike its predecessor, the 2015 Cayman is powered by a four-cylinder engine with upgraded gear ratios plus enhanced torque. As with most fun cars, the power is sent to back wheels, causing fun oversteers on the driver's whim.
The Cayman boasts of excellent castor angles that allow easy steering, and coupled with chassis balance, it enjoys plenty of grip where the tire meets the track. It's one of the most exciting sports cars in its price range, and even the 275-hp base version is enough to have some serious fun.
7 2015 Lotus Elise
The Elise was primarily introduced by the carmaker as a replacement to the then aging Elan. Lotus envisioned a new lightweight (1,598) pounds, Elise, in a newly revised styling. Following successful testing on the Nurburgring racing track, it turned out that Elise’s suspension geometry could balance the car while cornering hard.
6 2020 Honda Civic Type-R
For a decade and beyond Honda has amassed a wealth of journalistic superlatives to its name. Elegant, yet so impressive a performer, Type-R has proven results and the facts undeniable. Its 306 hp potential in a 2.0 four-cylinder engine under the hood lets Type R leap 0-60 mph in less than six seconds. And when it’s time to engage corners, Type R tears them faithfully with rock-solid stability-at any speed.
5 Nissan GT-R
The best way to see how fast, easy, and powerful the new Nissan GT-R can be is to see it in action. This lightweight sports car is famed for its four-wheel-drive system and advanced software-controlled infotainment systems, all of which combine to make GT-R a pleasure and a demon that swishes around corners like nothing you know of. But unlike most other cars on this list, the GT-R’s 3.8-liter V6 is capable of 565 hp and a sub-3-second 60-mph launch.
4 Honda S2000
This little roadster is slowly becoming a legend among gearheads. Not only is it beautiful, but its VTEC engine works wonders for its performance and sound. These are becoming more valuable by the minute, having been discontinued in 2009. Before that, however, it was essentially a faster and more exciting Mazda MX-5 Miata, courtesy of the 250 horsepower under its hood.
3 2015 FIAT 500 Abarth
The Fiat 500 Abarth has had impressive sales records over its lifetime, something that can be attributed to factors unrelated to its miniature size but on what it can achieve with it. With a redesigned central console plus upgraded pieces of equipment under the hood, you got an aggressive action-oriented car that is fast to drive, and completely customizable for better handling. With a 150-hp engine, it's one of the cheapest cars you can have some serious fun in.
2 McLaren 650S
This British-made McLaren made its debut in February 2014 though its design nomenclature borrowed heavily from the running MP4-12, but with 25 percent of its entire framework being original. The turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 engine produces a ridiculous 641 horsepower and spins the wheels via a seven-speed double-clutch gearbox. With efficient cylinder heads and timed camshaft, this monocoque will operate at peak performance even at the sharpest of corners.
1 Lotus Evora
Evora (Evolution Vogue and Aura) is Lotus’ lightweight six-cylinder offering. Tucked under its hood lies Toyota’s 3.5l V6 that’s housed in an all-aluminum casing. At its best, the Evora unleashes 376 horsepower and a torque of 252 lb/ft via a six-speed manual transmission. It is sports-oriented and can scream from 0-60 mph in less than five seconds.