Consumer Guide® Automotive places each vehicle into one of 18 classes based on size, price, and market position. Offering more power and style than typical Sporty/Performance vehicles, Premium Sporty/Performance Cars usually cost much more and have more comfort and convenience equipment. Two-passenger convertibles and four-seat coupes rule the roost in this class.

Our Best Buys are the BMW Z4 and Chevrolet Corvette. Our Recommended picks are the Jaguar XK Series and Porsche Boxster, and Porsche Cayman.

New or significantly redesigned models include the Jaguar XK Series and Volkswagen Eos.

Despite General Motors' many troubles, the long-rumored high-performance Corvette has been spied in prototype testing for a reported 2009-model debut. Names being whispered include "Blue Devil" (the original project title), Stingray/Sting Ray, Z07, and simply SS. Whatever it's called, the most potent production 'Vette ever allegedly packs some 650 hp from a supercharged 6.2-liter version of the base 6.0 V8. Informants hint at a 0-60 time of just 3.5 sec, abetted by paring pounds from the current top-dog Z06 via more extensive use of carbon fiber and first-time application of polycarbonate material. Some outer body panels are sure to be unique, if only to help justify a projected price of around $100,000. Word is the engine will be handbuilt at the GM Performance Center in yearly batches of 1500-2000, making this a fairly rare road rocket. More news as it comes in, so keep checking back with us.

Of more immediate interest is the addition of two limited-edition Corvettes for 2007. The Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Champion Z06 celebrates driver Ron Fellows and his success with racing C6R Corvettes in the GT1 class of the American LeMans Series. Production will be limited to 300 for the U.S. market and 99 for the rest of the world. They wear Arctic White paint and Monterey Red Metallic front-fender stripes with Machine Silver borders. A Ron Fellows insignia with callouts of his ALMS championship years nestle within a driver-side stripe done in Victory Red. Other unique touches include a full-width rear spoiler, windshield banner, and interior trim. The Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Champion Corvette Z06 will be available this spring. Base price is $77,500, including destination. GM OnStar assistance and a navigation system, the only options, push the tab to $79,945.

A specially trimmed Corvette convertible is the Official Pace Car for this year's Indianapolis 500 race, and Chevy will follow tradition by offering 500 replicas for retail sale. Specific features include Atomic Orange paint, Indy 500 exterior graphics and fender badges, a Z06 rear spoiler, and new "split-spoke" aluminum wheels. All pace-car replicas come only with the base V8. The Z51 performance package is standard, however, so are a 6-speed manual transmission, OnStar and navigation. The 6-speed paddle-shift automatic is the only option. The replica ragtop lists for $66,995 base including destination, $68,245 with the automatic.