As happy as we were to see a smorgasbord of automotive selections at the Detroit Auto Show this year, our pulses raced especially fast for the sexiest, sleekest, fastest set. But even the definition of a sports car has changed. They don’t always have two doors anymore, and they may never even set tire on a track. But some things never change; what a sports car can still can do (at least the good ones) is perform — and put a crick in your neck from looking too hard. Here are some of our favorites from NAIAS 2013.
Acura NSX Concept
Though the second coming of the “Poor Man’s Ferrari” is a few years from hitting showrooms, the concept has been updated with an actual interior. None of the exterior appears to have been changed, as the crazy carbon fiber wheels and small side mirrors are still present. As much as we still love the original, it really is high time a new one emerged. This Acura appears worthy, modern and even more eye-catching than the first. We’ll take ours in black.
Audi RS7
Okay, so it’s not so much a sports car as it is a completely bonkers sports sedan. We’re not counting doors, only performance and panache, and the RS7 has those in droves. Never has a trip out with friends been as neck-snapping as this, delivered by way of a 560 horsepower twin-turbo V8 that rips to 60 in under 4 seconds and tops out at 189 mph (with Dynamic Package Plus, which removes the pointless speed governor). Don’t worry, fuel misers. The cylinder deactivation kicks in when the driving becomes more tame, but you can always get the fully monty by goosing the throttle if needed (and wanted). The hatchback part lends to more practicality and a pretty sweet profile.
