Published: December 01. 2009 2:00AM

By Dan Byers
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

As we make our holiday wishes this year, many sports car enthusiasts fantasize about waking up Christmas morning to find a hot new supercar under their tree — perhaps a Ferrari 458 Italia or an Aston Martin DBS. But odds are we’ll find lumps of coal, not Lamborghinis, in our stockings.

High-performance sports cars are like thoroughbreds. Sleek, sexy, expensive and exotic, they are the essence of raw power. Riding one is a once-in-a-lifetime thrill, but they can be temperamental and high-strung. You can’t wait to get your hands on one, but it takes a rare person to handle it properly once you do.

But many of today’s best sports cars aren’t judged exclusively on raw performance and sex appeal. For a sports car offering exhilarating performance with the civilized manners of a daily driver, take a closer look at one of these.

Porsche Cayman S

Cars are made to be driven. While the mechanics of driving are similar — hands on the wheel and feet on the pedals — drifting around a corner is far different from dodging potholes on the street. But for drivers looking for a car that’s as comfortable on the track as it is in traffic, the Porsche Cayman S may be the perfect choice.

Like any true thoroughbred, the Cayman is pure athlete. With sleek curves softening well-toned muscle, the Cayman has few rivals on the asphalt runway. But its beauty isn’t just skin-deep. Porsche built its legendary reputation on performance, and the Cayman doesn’t disappoint. The chassis and suspension were bred for racing, giving the mid-engine coupe uncanny balance, handling and agility.

At the heart of this thoroughbred beats a newly developed 3.4 liter, 320 horsepower six-cylinder boxer engine. The Cayman’s stellar performance can be further enhanced by selecting Porsche’s revolutionary 7-speed PDK (Porsche Doppelkupplung) double-clutch gearbox. In the time it takes to pronounce the name, the PDK will launch you out of the starting gate with lightning fast automatic shifts, hitting 0-60 in 4.9 seconds with a top speed of 172 mph. If you prefer to keep your hands in the reins, manual paddle shifters are located on the steering wheel.

But the Cayman also excels as a daily driver, offering civilized road manners, two luggage compartments and an impressive 29 miles per gallon on the highway. Luxury appointments surround the driver, and options such as a six-CD changer, Bose Surround Sound, navigation and seat heating and ventilation deliver unparalleled comfort during even the most high-spirited ride. The Cayman’s near-perfect balance of beauty, performance, power and comfort make it one of the best driver’s cars on the planet.

Nissan 370Z

Supercars share another trait with thoroughbreds — blistering performance frequently comes at a blistering price. Enter Nissan’s all-new 370Z. As they did with the launch of the original 240Z nearly forty years ago, Nissan is out to prove once again that performance can be passionate and affordable.

The new 370Z was conceived as an “everyday sports car,” and Nissan has delivered on its promise. Power-to-weight ratios are a key ingredient of performance, and the new 370Z is leaner and meaner than its predecessor. Weight has been reduced by 225 pounds, and the new 3.7-liter V6 now produces 332 horsepower.

Controlling a thoroughbred with this much power usually requires tremendous talent and a deft touch. But with the introduction of the world’s first synchronized downshift rev matching system, drivers of any skill level can experience professional-like gear shift performance. When the driver engages the clutch and makes the shift, the “SynchroRev Match” function will automatically adjust engine speed when shifting to the exact speed of the next gear position, “blipping” the throttle to smooth out up/down shifts without heel-and-toe shifting.

The interior of the new 370Z is designed with driving pleasure in mind, regardless of what you’re driving on, in, or around. Whether flying down the backstretch or slowing to a trot, the 370Z offers comfort and practicality.

With an MSRP starting at under $30,000, the 370Z lives up to its promise by delivering thoroughbred performance and supermodel style at supermarket prices.