CHICAGO, May 8 /PRNewswire/ -- While most car buyers might scoff at the notion of spending more than $100,000 on a new car, exotic cars are a rapidly growing segment. According to Cars.com the trend doesn't look to be ending anytime soon; new $100,000-plus entries from Porsche and Aston Martin are on the way, and BMW and Mercedes-Benz are expected to produce new, rarified models.

"With continued growth in the exotic cars category, Cars.com decided to compile a list of the top cars for buyers in the luxury market," said Cars.com editor David Thomas. "The selection process for these cars was fairly straightforward. Cars on the list all have a sticker price between $100,000 and $200,000 and go above and beyond pedestrian luxury cars in terms of style, performance and attitude."

1. Bentley Continental Flying Spur - The two-door Bentley Continental GT broke things open for the British coach builder with its most famous owner -- Paris Hilton -- getting them plenty of free publicity. But it's the four-door Flying Spur that is the epitome of how much exotic luxury you can get for your money -- about $170,000 of your money. Even though Bentley is churning out more Continentals than any other model, they're still hand-built and can be custom ordered, down to the wood grain and leather pigmentation

2. Aston Martin V8 Vantage/Vantage Roadster - The V8 Vantage coupe and convertible are sultry, British and fast. For a mere $110,000, the coupe is a major head-turner that will stand out in a crowd of Porsches and even Ferraris. The Aston has subtle elegance with a ton of performance squeezed out of its V-8 engine.

3. Audi R8 - This new kid on the block is Audi's first take on the semi-exotic sports car. Its modern styling and impressive performance, about on par with the Porsche 911 Turbo, make a value statement at $109,000. The huge grille, mid-engine layout and sporty cockpit scream business; the bold stripe on the side shouts eccentricity.

4. Porsche 911 Turbo - It may look like Porsches of the past, but the new 911 turbo is the highest attainment of Porsche-ness ever built. $122,000 might seem like a major investment, but a 911 Turbo never goes out of style; unless Porsche goes against almost 50 years of tradition, a 911 will look like a 911 for decades to come. Even if the next-generation Turbo outdoes this one in performance, passers-by will never know.

5. Bentley Continental GTC - The GTC's motorized canvas roof might seem like something from your grandpa's old Buick, but it's the look with the top down that seals the deal. If you think an average convertible is an impractical buy, what does that say about this one, at $189,990? How, then, did it make the list? You just can't have too many Bentleys in your stable.

6. Ferrari F430 - Yes, you too can own Ferrari's "entry-level" F430 for under $200,000. It'll probably hold its value -- it starts at $168,005 -- better than most of the cars on this list, and some say this might be the easiest Ferrari ever to drive like a pro. You can't put a price tag on that.

7. Mercedes-Benz S600 - This one almost didn't make the list, but we've seen too many of this $139,900 sedan on the streets and parked in front of fancy restaurants to let it slip out of the top 10. Plus, it has a powerful V-12 engine and a very upscale cabin, complete with mood lighting. That's why it comes in at No. 7, even if it looks like its less-stellar S550 sibling.

8. BMW M6 Convertible - Its style might not be for everyone, but the M6 convertible hits 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds. That means it'll only take a minute to dry your hair after you leave the beach. Of course, we wouldn't recommend tracking sand in a new, $104,900, V-10-powered BMW, unless your detailer is on speed dial. This is probably the least attractive car on the list, but we've run into more than one luxury owner who covets the 6 Series above all else. Loyalty -- and the engine -- put it in at No. 8.

9. Lamborghini Gallardo - Lamborghinis are brutish and powerful, and they look like nothing else. At $175,000 for the hardtop and $195,000 for the roadster, the Gallardo stretches the $200,000 budget. They're native Italians, but are most often seen in high-profile areas like South Beach and Hollywood. As those areas suggest, it's all about the looks; the cabin is sparse, the ride is harsh and the exhaust is more than boastful. Good thing it has the performance credibility, or it would be all show.

10. Maserati Quattroporte - The Quattroporte holds the No. 10 spot on the list because it was one of the first near-$100,000 cars to really sell in significant quantities, leading other automakers to believe they could get away with attaching six-figure price tags to fancy cars. It's still one of the most inexpensive Italian exotic cars you can buy, at $110,600, and this year it sports a traditional automatic transmission. Plus, you can feel like one of the guys from "Entourage."

Not sure if you can afford one of these cars? Check out Cars.com's affordability calculator and see for yourself. For more information on the top 10 cars priced more than $100,000, visit Cars.com.

About Cars.com

Cars.com is the most comprehensive destination for those looking to buy or sell a new or used car. The site lists more than 2 million vehicles from 13,000 dealer customers, classified advertisers and private parties to offer the more than 9 million unique visitors who log on to the site each month the best selection of new and used cars online, as well as the content, tools and advice to support their shopping experience. Cars.com combines powerful inventory search tools and new-car configuration with pricing information, photo galleries, buying guides, side-by-side comparison tools, original editorial content and reviews to help millions of car shoppers connect with sellers each month.

Launched in June 1998, Cars.com is a division of Classified Ventures, LLC, (http://classifiedventures.com/), which is owned by leading media companies, including Belo , Gannett Co., Inc. , The McClatchy Company , Tribune Company and The Washington Post Company .

CONTACT: Media, Steve Nolan, Public Relations Manager of Cars.com,
+1-312-601-5163, cell, +1-630-310-2468, snolan@cars.com

Web site: http://www.cars.com/
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