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Chevrolet Corvette

This much is inarguable: In terms of pure performance, there's no better bang for your buck than this Bowling Green, Kentucky–built Chevy. As it has done every year since the C5 was introduced in 1997, the 2008 Corvette—especially in its 505-horsepower, Z06 designation—continues to offer supercar acceleration and handling for the price of a mid-level Mercedes. Of course, that doesn't factor in the hidden costs of ownership: namely, being seen driving around in a Corvette. If you can get past that, however, here's what you'll get: A surprisingly high-quality interior (which is a far cry from the plastic-fantastic nightmares of years past), a new six-speed Tremac tranny that fixes the car's infamously balky second- to third-gear shift, and, with the Z06, anyway, zero-to-60 times of 3.7 seconds. (The base model takes all of 4.3 seconds.) Maybe no one will see you driving around in a Corvette, after all.
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Base price: $45,995; $71,000 for the Z06
Configuration: Two-door, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive coupe
Engine: 6.2-liter pushrod 16-valve V-8 (7.0 liter for the Z06)
Power and torque: 436 hp at 6000 rpm, 428 lb-ft at 4400 rpm (base model); 505 hp at 6300 rpm, 470 lb-ft at 4800 rpm (Z06)
Curb weight: 3,217 lb