Auto Review: Dear Santa: I’ve got a need for speed …

By Ron Amadon, MarketWatch

DAMASCUS, MD. (MarketWatch) — What would I pick if Santa would drop off any car in the world?

First, I’d postpone a decision until I signed up the old boy’s investment adviser. If Santa can make that kind of offer, I want a piece of the action to make sure that I had the dough set aside to cushion the shock of the maintenance and insurance bills.

Number three on my list would be the Corvette ZR1 — for a good reason: I have always wanted to own one. Maybe spend an afternoon down in Bowling Green, Ky., and order the exact car and watch it created.

My first exposure to the Corvette

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came during the “Route 66” that was a prime-time TV hit during the 1960s. Martin Milner and George Maharis toured the country righting wrongs in sparking black and white. Then came my stepfather’s purchase of a white ’63 split window. By that time, the ‘Vette was the only lust object of every high school student in the land. It had a black interior and went like stink except when it snowed. That was its ultimate downfall with my stepdad, and it soon was replaced by something that did not get bogged down in a few inches of the white stuff.

Corvette ZR1

Over the past few yew years, I have able to drive one more frequently and always get excited when a ‘Vette is dropped off in the driveway. I would want a blue ZR-1, Santa, that goes for about $121,000.

Second on my list would be the Porsche

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911 Twin TurboS. It is propelled by an engine producing 530 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, enough to hit 60 mph from a standing start in just 2.6 seconds and 195 mph at top speed. Porsche now not only offers world-class performance, but the luxury touches that I and the makers agree is necessary these days. What you would have is a very fast luxury auto that’s a thrill to drive, just as always.

Just $162,460 at your dealer.

And the prancing horse from Italy simply has to be on any such Santa list. The older F430 remains my favorite Ferrari

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. Again, as perfect a blend of performance and luxury as one could hope for. That sets it aside from the fire-breathing Lamborghini

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Mounted amidships in the F430 was an engine that produced 483-horsepower at 8,500 rpm. Ferrari says 80% of the peak torque (343 pound-feet at 5,250 rpm) is available at 3,500 rpm. Put the pedal to the metal and it just blasts you back into your seat. The car is so good that zero-to-60 times (four seconds or less) are almost irrelevant. The quarter-mile is reached in 11.7 seconds at just a bit over 120 miles per hour. Top speed is about 186 miles an hour.

The pricetag for all this good stuff is stiff: An F430 can easily top the $200,000 mark. Step up to the carbon ceramic brakes (an extra $14,300) and the sport seats ($4,567) and you soon are in some handsome territory dollar-wise

Yet out on the road, there is nothing like it. Owners told me they got compliments from the local and state cops on their cars’ good looks — as well they should.

Other sports cars you can’t ignore are the Lamborghini Aventador, McLaren MP4-12C, Mazda MX 5

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and the Mercedes-Benz SLK

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.