Unless the goal is to create a "sleeper" vehicle, when building a sports car exterior, appearance goes hand in hand with the upgrades made under the hood. Not only do these parts look good bolted on to the car, giving it a more sporty appearance, but they often have plenty of functionality as well.

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Many of the parts available for exterior sports car mods offer assistance in the form of aerodynamics as well as usability on the road. Listed here are the ten best and most commonly found upgrades added to the exterior of sports cars.

10 Front Splitter

via Flickr

A front splitter is a cool way to give the lower end of your front bumper some extra flair. For cars with a lowered suspension, a front lip is usually added for appearances' sake and to give a new gauge of the distance the front lip of the car is from the ground.

The splitter is functional, too, as it is created to "split" the air slamming against the front of the vehicle at high speeds, aiding in aerodynamics.

9 Hood Scoop

Via: Barrett-Jackson

Whether it be a Dodge Challenger Demon or a Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro, the inclusion of hood scoops suggests an inherent sportiness to a vehicle, and the need for massive amounts of air to be fed to the engine.

Adding hood scoops to an already existing hood is complex; something to be undertaken by a body shop with the knowledge of how to maximize the functionality of the intake in that particular model. Outside of that, many sports cars have aftermarket hoods that come pre-cut with scoops and vents.

8 Canards

Canards are placed on the sides of the front fascia of the vehicle, to further help channel the air deflected and split by the front splitter and other body moldings up there.

The canards help redirect the air up to the sides of the car, where it is kept tight and flowing around the vehicle to keep it grounded. They're an understated mod, but they add a little form and function appeal regardless.

7 Wheels/Tires

Wheel upgrades are ideal for anybody putting serious time in with their vehicle. Changing up wheels from those included stock could offer weight advantages as well as handling advantages, as race-specific wheels are crafted with high-pressure scenarios in mind.

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They often accept an even better tire compound to be wrapped around them as well. Changing wheels and tires is a key upgrade for any vehicle looking to put in time at high speeds.

6 Spoiler

Although the idea of a spoiler may catch a lot of flack due to the fact that it has been used in way too many clearly unnecessary applications, it's a supplemental and cool add-on to the right vehicle.

Many could benefit from such a massive increase in downforce, after all. Modern spoilers also come in all shapes, sizes, and material configurations, so finding one that is ideal for any specific sports car model should be a breeze.

5 Side Skirts

The next step in channeling air along the side of the vehicle comes from side skirts. In conjunction with the car's molding, the side skirts aid in the flow of air around the body of the vehicle.

At the same time, they'll aid in rounding out the other supplemental body modifications on the front and back of the car. This will help to create a uniform product, for those who are serious about modding every aspect of their beloved motor.

4 Rear Diffuser

The rear diffuser is the final step in channeling air around and out the back of a moving vehicle. Aggressively diffused or not, an aftermarket diffuser performs a final cut of the air exiting out the back of the vehicle after flowing around the top, bottom, and sides.

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Air being pushed directly through pre-cut slits center mass in the vehicle, aiding in propulsion. Using all of these aerodynamic accessories in conjunction with one another is vital in ensuring maximum aero from your sports car.

3 Tow Hook

Although not a performance-aiding modification, a functioning tow hook is a key add on for any car that will be attempting sporting endeavors. Sadly, with anything automotive related, there is a possibility of something going wrong.

A frame-mounted tow hook on either the front, back, or both sides of the car will give peace of mind to an owner who needs to, say, pull his vehicle out of an enclave after overshooting the drift on a race track.

2 Front License Plate Deleter/Relocator

In states where the front license plate is not legally required to be mounted, drivers have the option to cover up the two unsightly modifications to their bodywork that are the gigantic holes drilled into the front bumper. Many aftermarket manufacturers make deletion kits that come with rubber plugs made to fit the holes, or even custom CNC engraved thin profile metal plates that bolt directly over the holes and can display a certain graphic or message on them.

However, in states where the front license plate is legally required to be mounted to the car, there are still ways to maneuver around tradition, such as a relocator kit. Often, this kit will re-purpose the frame-mounted screw point reserved off to the side of the front fascia for a tow hook and leave the license plate there, off-center so as not to affect the overall visuals of the front of the vehicle.

1 Decals

This goes without saying, but decals are the best way for an individual to express themselves on their car, as well as give hints as to what is going on underneath the hood as well. Performance manufacturer's decals can be displayed as sort of a "badge of honor" for sporting those particular parts on the vehicle, whereas decals could also simply be used to convey a personal message or just to have fun.

Of course, no decal offers a performance advantage, but despite this most high-performance vehicles are covered in them, so why not do it anyway and increase the visual appeal of the vehicle even further?

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