Personal picks: Ultra-performance cars 2
Gabe Shenhar: I know we're talking about dream cars here, but let me pretend for a moment that I can actually afford one. If that's the case, the choices become crystal clear for me. Since I have two children, I'm not in a position to have any two-seater cars, which eliminates several right off the bat. My choices are the Porsche and the Jaguar, from the luxury sport cars group. 
Overall, for pure driving fun, I'd take the Porsche 911. I can drive this car all day and have a big smile on my face. The handling is just phenomenal with telepathic steering, instant responses and constant feedback from the chassis. The engine is so tractable (every little throttle input results in forward thrust) and sounds wonderful. Unlike other sports cars, I can see out well, it's easy to get in and out, I have a reasonable trunk in the front, and my two kids can fit in the rear seat.
Jeff Bartlett: As a lifelong Corvette enthusiast, and former Corvette owner, the "Z06" designation is among a litany of endearing Chevrolet codes. And as much as the fifth-generation Z06 elevated Corvette performance, the latest rendition pushes this two-door patriotic symbol to true super car status. The modifications to the C6 are legion, with all-aluminum hydroformed frame rails, carbon-fiber bodywork, wide rear fenders, 14-inch cross-drilled brakes (front), and massive wheel/tire fitment. Among the lengthy upgrade list is one true key ingredient: a 7.0-liter V8 that peaks at 505 horsepower. Yes, that is a 427-cubic-inch, pushrod engine that produces more horses than the overly complicated, F1-inspired, BMW V10 that graces the M5 and M6.
On paper, the Z06 reads like it should be a feral beast bred for a hard-charging life of track duty. Instead, the Z06 strikes me as surprisingly domesticated, requiring only nominal sacrifice over a base C6 in regular driving. The ride, steering, handling, acceleration--really, the entire package--is amazingly livable, yet with ferocity always remaining just a tilt of an ankle away. Unleashed, the Z06 is a first-class thrill ride.
Gabe and Jim can fight over the 911 keys... The personality, performance, price, and heritage all conspire to make the latest Z06 my high-performance lust machine.
Jim Travers: The Carrera S parked outside our offices bears a stronger family resemblance to its decades-old predecessors than virtually any other vehicle on the road today can claim. If nothing else, this proves that if you stick with a bad idea long enough, you may just get it right.
Hanging the engine out behind the rear drive wheels is not the best way to achieve balanced and predictable handling, as any owner of an early 911 can tell you... especially if they've ever backed off the road at a high rate of speed and lived to tell about it. But thanks to the efforts of a half century of stubborn engineers aided by things like improved tires and electronics, the inherently unbalanced 911 has evolved into a car that handles incredibly well and is more fun to drive than anything I've been behind the wheel of lately.
It is also obscenely expensive, although the $87,500 example purchased by Consumer Reports is relatively modest as 911s go. And for that, you get a manually adjusted driver's seat. Still, I find myself making excuses for this car, justifying the price tag just because it's so much fun to drive. And it's equally civilized and behaved whether you're putting to the grocery store or blasting down your favorite two-lane stretch. Give Porsche another 50 years, and they may just achieve automotive nirvana.
Meanwhile, I'm thinking about taking another mortgage on the house, putting my Matchbox collection on eBay, getting a paper route, whatever it takes. Anybody need their lawn mowed?
