The following story is reprinted from the Kelley Blue Book website.

There are far more onerous tasks than picking out the Top 10 luxury sports cars available in the United States. Choosing the Top 10 vacuum cleaners or pool-scum removers are two that quickly come to mind. But choosing the Top 10 luxury sports cars did offer a conundrum — what to do about grand touring cars like the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo, et al. Certainly such vehicles have impressive performance potential accompanied by stop-traffic looks. But in the end we decided that a list of “luxury sports cars” should contain only open-top vehicles to remain true to the classic definition of the sports car.

With that as the caveat, here is the Kelley Blue Book list of the Top 10 luxury sports cars. As editors and reporters who have the privilege of driving virtually all currently available vehicles, we can tell you with no equivocation that each of these cars is a thoroughbred born to run. At the drop of a string-back driving glove, we would be more than happy to put any one of these worthy vehicles through its paces.

Criteria of choice? As mentioned, all are open cars, though some have ingenious electro-hydraulic mechanisms that allow them to become hardtops when the weather threatens. Each one offers stellar design, exemplary craftsmanship and, most important, each demonstrates a commitment to very high levels of all-around performance. By this we mean not just straight-line acceleration, but also cornering, braking and overall handling.

Porsche Carrera GT
By making its debut at the Louvre in Paris in the fall of 2000, Porsche made a statement about its Carrera GT – this isn’t just a car-it’s a work of art. The production version is, head to toe, a technological stunner built around its 605-horsepower V10 engine, which Porsche racing engineers developed with the 24 hours of Le Mans in mind. While even 911 Cabriolets seem a dime-a-dozen around this town, fewer than 350 Carrera GT’s have been sold to American buyers since its introduction in 2004.

Aston Martin DB9 Volante
Those not in the know might gaze at the DB9 Volante and think it’s a Jaguar, which it decidedly is not. Yes, it does share some resemblance to its Ford Motor Company-owned sibling, but the DB9 boasts a heritage and exclusivity that differentiates its from the handsome Jag XKR. A key difference is its 6-liter, 450-horsepower V12 engine. This motive power turns the exquisitely finished Volante into a rocketship.

Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Roadster
The power-operated hardtop, which Mercedes-Benz pioneered on its SL model, is perhaps the showiest aspect of this car, but if you concentrate on that mechanical marvel you might miss all the other technical feats gathered in the SL65. In days of yore AMG was a separate company that tuned M-B products to the nth degree of performance. Now part of the Mercedes-Benz family, it still performs technical magic, including inducing the V12 to produce 604 horsepower, more than enough to blow off even the most well-anchored toupee.

Jaguar XKR Convertible
First and foremost, the XKR is a gorgeous piece of machinery echoing the peerless styling of the famed Jaguar E-Type. But its beauty doesn’t stop at its, well, beauty. No, the XKR is the most highly tuned, performance-minded version of the XK series, complete with a supercharged 390-horsepower V8 engine. At the same time its interior shows off English craftsmanship that exemplifies its heritage.

Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
The ability to attain 400 horsepower and track-ready handling for just over $50K is a special kind of luxury. The latest Corvette is the most powerful yet, but it also delivers more refined road manners than its predecessors, making it the most comfortable iteration ever.

Cadillac XLR Star Black Limited
Although Cadillac’s roadster shares its basic structure with the high-performance Corvette, the XLR delivers a more luxurious interior and a smoother ride for those that find luxury the more appealing half of the luxury-sport equation.

Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet
The 911 continues to captivate generation after generation with its now more refined brand of raw performance. Whether pulling into the pits or up to the valet stand, the 911 always commands respect.

BMW 645Cic
In the 1980s the BMW 635i was a sports coupe of the cognoscenti. Now the 6 Series is back and with a vengeance. Though the coupe is a looker, we’re especially fond of the open-air Cic convertible version that offers 325 horsepower from its sophisticated dual overhead cam V8.

Lexus SC 430
It may be the last car on our list that you’d want to take to the track, but for anyone that considers cruising a sport, the SC 430 is high performance all the way. A gorgeous interior, smooth ride and elegant, distinctive styling all combine in a vehicle with the practical luxury of Lexus quality and reliability.

BMW Z4
The least expensive car on our list, the BMW Z4 is also one of the most fun to flog on the street. Without the obscene amounts of power of some of the other vehicles on our list, you can pin the pedal to the floor longer and more readily explore the roadster’s limits — which is a luxury in itself.

—Compiled by editors at Kelley BlueBook
Photos: Top Right, Cadillac XLR Star Black; Left from top, 2006 Chevrolet Corvette, Porsche Carrera GT