When you ask someone if they had an open checkbook to buy any vehicle they wanted just about every serious car lover will choose a high quality sports car. Many people may debate what exactly encompasses the term of "high quality" but all will agree that when it comes to a sports car what matters the most is speed.

In sports car circles the car that is known as the fastest is the '94 Dauer 962 LeMans which blasts from zero to sixty miles per hour in only 2.6 seconds. Compare this to the Ferrari ENZO which is not only Ferraria's fastest car but also the one that most novices think of as the fastest at 3.5 seconds in the zero to sixty time. There are actually numerous other sports cars like the Corvette, Viper, and cars from Audi and Renault that are all at under 3.0 in the 0-60 testing.

So, the question for the car enthusiast is, "what is it that makes these fast cars so fast?"

The aerodynamic sleek styling that makes true sports cars so appealing to sports car lovers contributes much more than mere looks. This is also one of the primary reasons why these high performance cars are so fast, they are simply slippery against the wind resistance as they speed down the highway. This is why the designs of sports cars are tested in wind tunnels, so that the best possible drag coefficient can be achieved.

The weight of a car is another major factor in the speed of a sports car. This is the reason why race cars as well as high end sports cars are made of lightweight composite materials that help reduce the overall weight of a vehicle. Another thing that you will notice with sports cars is that they do not have large trunks or storage compartments. In fact, you are lucky to be able to fit a bag of golf clubs in the trunk or hatchback of a true sports car, in addition they usually only have two seats and have much firmer and tighter suspensions.

Lastly, the way a vehicle handles when cornering or going around curves is crucial as well. A true sports car must be able to keep up its straight-line speed when taking tight curves at high speeds. This is why the best of the high performance sports cars in the world are also rear wheel drive, the rear wheel drive set up makes for better weight distribution as the car is making turns.

All of the styling in the world won't matter if your car isn't fast, nothing is worse than a car that looks fast that isn't. To take a word from my son, they are posers.

BlueWaterArticles.com: - Do You Know The Factors That Make Fast Cars Fast

About the Author

Gregg Hall is an author living with his beautiful wife and family in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about sports cars as well as car care products at http://www.5starshine.com