To put it in a few words, sports cars are performance-oriented cars targeted at auto enthusiasts. Typically sports cars are two-door coupes or convertibles that have powerful engines, sport-tuned suspensions and sleeker body styles. A sports car's principal features are: advanced road handling, braking, maneuverability, low weight, and high power, rather than passenger space, comfort, and fuel economy.

When choosing a sport car, drivers usually consider brand name and the subsequent racing reputation and history – for instance, names like Ferrari, Porsche, or Lotus speak for themselves.

A sports car doesn’t necessarily require a large, powerful engine, though many do have them. Thus, some of the classic British sports cars lacked powerful engines, but were well known for exceptional handling due to light weight, a well-engineered chassis, and modern suspension. On tight, twisting roads, such an automobile performs more effectively than a weighty, more powerful car with less maneuverability.

For a long time, some manufacturers of sports cars intended to improve the practicality of their cars by increasing the seating room. Some Matra sports cars even had three seats tightly set next to each other.

Exotic Sports Cars

Flashy, fast, and extremely expensive – they are exotic sports cars, the definite symbols of style, speed and wealth. Exotic sports cars are built using forward-looking technology and designed from aesthetic point of view. For this reason, they often overlook considerations of fuel economy and practicality in what concerns storage, seating and their design and operations. As a result, they are either custom-made, or manufactured in restricted editions. Only a few can afford buying these exotic cars.

While exotic cars and chic sports cars are at the very pinnacle of the auto upper classes, they should only be bought after careful consideration. These super cars not only burn a hole in your pocket when you buy them, they are evenly expensive to maintain, requiring specially trained mechanics for repairs, custom-ordered spare parts and gallons of fuel for the best performance. They are delicate, and can cause troubles when even the smallest part goes down. These beauties require special care, but drivers know they are worth it.