Reviewing the latest sports car options (page 1 of 5)

Looks aren't everything. And neither is sheer power. When it comes to successfully making - and marketing - a sports car, there is a nearly limitless list of intangibles that separates the winners from the losers.

Consider the Porsche 911, the bestselling model in its category since the category was born. What sets it apart from the competition? With a base price of just over $90,000, the newest 911 can fairly be called a mid-range luxury sports car. (The company's new Boxster lists at about $44,000, while the top-end Carrera GT will set you back about 10 times as much.)

By all accounts, the 911 is simply a great automobile: fast, dependable, easy on the eye. But the same can be said of many of the also-rans in the same category. What sets Porsche apart is what defines success in the category: great branding. Porsche had the good fortune to be one of the first in the sector - the 911 is more than 40 years old - and its unique lines quickly came to define a certain kind of aspirational lifestyle.

Unlike some other brands - notably Jaguar, which Ford, so far, has failed to turn into a consistent moneymaker - Porsche has kept its eyes on the prize and its message consistent. (And ensuring quality hasn't hurt, either.)

Sports cars, of course, aren't one of life's necessities. They're impractical, gas-guzzling and expensive. They make no sense for families, and can almost never legally be pushed to their limits. Some dismiss the sports car as the manifestation of a midlife crisis; an oversized ego; as little more than a child's toy at very adult prices.

But that's exactly the point, and explains at least partly why Porsche is set to exceed 1 billion euros in profit for the first time in its history. Great sports cars, like the Porsche 911, are thrilling to drive, and to admire. When the world is replete with worry, they are the ultimate escape.

Traditionally, a sports car is regarded as a two-seater, two-door vehicle designed for performance - a mix of speed, manoeuvrability and acceleration, with responsive handling that provides a rewarding challenge for a skilled driver.

Today, the boundaries of what constitutes a sports car have stretched. Sports drivers still expect speed, a thrilling ride and great handling - but they also demand comfort and practicality.

Trickle down

Whereas sports cars once awarded drivers for skill and ability, modern sports cars are more forgiving with technologies that overcome driver inadequacies and mistakes. Sports models have also grown in importance, acting as ambassadors for the values at the heart of a car manufacturer's brand.

Sports cars introduce new engine technologies, suspension tricks or breaking novelties that in time trickle down into other models. Many of the technologies that appear in sports models are derived from race roots, and racing heritage is something that manufacturers strive to communicate in marketing efforts and build into sports model design.

Andy Gawthorpe, Middle East managing director for Jaguar and Land Rover, says Jaguar has been defined by its sports cars throughout its history - in 1948 when the original XK was launched, then in 1961 with the E-type (or XKE), and then in 1996 with the current XK8 and XKR range. He hails the current Jaguar model lineup: X-Type, S-Type, XK Coupe and the flagship XJ model.

Performance options enable S-Type, XJ and XK model customers to have dynamic engine, exterior and interior enhancements that give Jaguar vehicles a sportier look and a supercharged 400 bhp engine.