Small sports cars that have the lowest curb weight

Lightweight Small Sports Cars

Amanda Hart

Low weight small sports cars

Any race car driver worth their salt will be able to tell you that to get the fastest cars possible, it's about more than just pure horsepower and engine size. After all, if all of that horsepower is being used to power a super heavy car, it won't be going very fast.

Small sports cars with light curb weight and high power output are the best bets for your need for speed. Curb weight is the total weight measurement for a vehicle with full fluids, but no passengers or cargo inside.

Finding cheap sports cars is the most affordable way to get the best performance. Not only are lightweight, smaller, sportier vehicles easier to accelerate and reach high top speeds, they also get considerably better gas mileage than their heavier counterparts.

Here are ten of the smallest new sports cars for 2012, and some of them are very affordable new car deals on a budget:

	2012 Model Name	MSRP	Curb Weight
	Mazda MX-5 Miata	$23,470	2480 lbs
	Hyundai Veloster	$17,300	2584 lbs
	Honda CR-Z	$19,695	2657 lbs
	Porsche Boxster	$65,200	2855 lbs
	Volkswagen GTI	$23,995	3034 lbs
	Lamborghini Gallardo	$187,900	3042 lbs
	Porsche 911	$79,000	3075 lbs
	Chevy Corvette	$49,600	3208 lbs
	Nissan 370Z	$32,280	3245 lbs
	BMW Z4	$48,650	3263 lbs

Which is best for you?

The lightest of all the small sports cars is the 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata, coming in at just under 2500 lbs. It is only powered by a 2.0L 4-cyl engine however, so if the reason you want such a small car is to be as fast as possible, there are better options. Still, this is a very affordable and sporty two seater car.

The Chevy Corvette is the lightest of the sports cars from America, and with its base 6.2L V8 engine that turns out a monstrous 430 horsepower and 424 lbs-ft of torque, this car can really get moving in a hurry.

The Honda CR-Z is not a typical sports car. It's a sporty hybrid hatchback. It may not be nearly as fast as the others on this list, but its sporty design, light weight and super efficient engine make this worth a look.

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