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These sedans will help you go fast in comfort, but owning them is a different kettle of fish.

Want to go fast in comfort, and have some fun at the same time? Well, now you can. Actually its sports sedans have been a winning combination since the early '80s. But, what if the thrill ride turns into a horror story?

The 1990s teemed with fast sedans that either wonder over gearheads or alienated them. Lotus/GM gave us the storming Carlton while Jaguar unleashed the ugly S-Type. The recipe was simple, take a cheap every day sedan and give it the sports car makeover. The same basic idea still exists today with mixed results. You only have to look at Maserati to see how the best ingredients don't always deliver.

For every horror ride there are dozens of success stories. The sports sedan market likely wouldn't exit if not for the efforts of BMW and Mercedes. Ask any gearhead to name a fast sedan, and you'll get countless BMW M's and Mercedes-AMG's suggestions.

RELATED: 10 Things We Love About The Jaguar XJR

Yes, the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio is a hot-blooded Italian sports sedan high on thrills. And yes, it will go wrong at some point. As far as the more exciting driving experience goes the Quadrifoglio is a flawed gem of a scorcher. Under the hood of this rocket-fast sedan, you get a 2.9-liter V6 turbo unit cranking out 505 hp.

As fast as the Quadrifoglio is, it's in the corners where the most fun is to be had. A stab on the throttle mid-corner unsticks the rear followed by a fun, but controllable slide. Yet, niggling doubts about the Alfas build will always be present. Drive one for sure, but owning one is a no-go.

Gone, but not forgotten, Jaguar's XJ proved a luxury sedan could be fast and furious. Luxury barge aesthetics side, the big Jag was a dragster at heart thanks to some nifty weight savings. An all aluminum body helped save 245 lbs that would have otherwise made the Jag slower.

Reaching for the ultimate sedan title, the XJ-R ships with a revised V8 putting down 550 hp. The cat had some serious muscle, and could hit 60 mph in 3.9-seconds. The bad news for owners is that like all Jaguars, the XJ-R sheds value faster than a gambler's anonymous outing.

We're big fans of Subaru's bonkers mud-plugging super sedan. But, despite a pedigree built on the WRC monsters of yesteryear the WRX isn't as dependable as you'd expect. While the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine is crazy powerful for its size, the turbo is a touch fragile.

Yet, nothing puts a grin on your face like a Subaru at full throttle off-road where fun comes with a face full of dirt. The Subaru delivers fun like few other cars, but it feels agricultural and cheap. Perfect for fun in the dirt, less so on everyday roads the WRX will soon become tiresome.

On first impressions the Quattroporte is everything you'd expect from an Italian thoroughbred. That presence continues under the hood with a 4.7-liter 444 hp turbocharged V8 able to push the Maserati to 180 mph. Once on the move It's hard not to fall in love with the Maserati despite its six figure asking price.

But, as rewarding as the V8 engine is, the trident badge reminds you Maseratis are not dependable. Nor do they hold their value. Owning one would be a similar experience to playing poker with a stacked deck. You know you're going to lose, it's more a case of when.

For one year only Fisker had the hybrid sports sedan market to itself. Failing to capitalize on the niche resulted in bankruptcy, and the Karma ceased to exist. Looking back at the Karma It's easy to see the fun but quirky appeal of a greener sports sedan. Unlike other more famous hybrids the Fisker was pretty handy in the twisty stuff and quick too.

Hybrids either succeed or flop on their drivetrain. The Karma with a combined ICE and twin motor set-up failed to deliver on its green promise returning 26 MPG. But, for true gearheads the biggest disappointment came with a limited top speed of 125 mph

RELATED: This Is Why Fisker Never Became As Popular As Tesla

At 5000+ lbs the Bentley Flying Spur isn't most gearheads idea of athletic. Yet, with the newer and more frugal V8 turbocharged engine under the hood the Flying Spur is no slouch. We're not suggesting the Bentley can tackle a twisty track like a proper sports car. But, between corners you'll be riding a wave of torque.

The big scare story as you'd expect doesn't come at the pump, the Bentley with a little care will achieve 22 MPG. But, come service time a basic oil and lube starts at $1500 before you add in tires, brakes and other consumables.

Big, brash, and American muscle car down to the last nut and bolt. The Dodge Charger often gets overshadowed by its cooler two-door cousin the Challenger. But, for all its more practical aspects it delivers as much fun. Gearheads with an environmental conscience can opt for the V6 turbo. But, that's a compromise you'll regret.

Plumping for the Charger R/T is where the fun beings with a 5.7-liter V8 putting down 370 hp and 395 ft-lbs of torque. Drive one for the thrills of hitting 60 mph in under 5-seconds. Borrow one if you're unhappy with the low quality ride and build.

The buzz of blitzing other road users in near silence is part of what makes Tesla owners so vocal about their cars. Powered by twin electric motors the Model Y has all-wheel drive and enough torque to reach 60 mph in 3.5-seconds. On a good day we'd forgo the noise of a combustion engine for supercar acceleration.

On a bad day with no juice left in the 75 kWh battery pack, waiting to recharge is not our idea of fun. Even the promise of a supercharger takes longer than it does to pump gas.

RELATED: Here Are The Drawbacks You Don't Hear About The Tesla Model Y

Make no mistake the BMW M5 is all the sports sedan you could ever need. Under the hood you get a 4.4-liter V8 twin turbocharged V8 sending 600 hp hurtling to the rear axle. The chassis too is near perfection, some might say too good that it blunts the M5's athleticism. In our book anything capable of 60 mph in 3.2-seconds is a must-have.

Once you're done with posting fast laps around a suitable track comes the big question. Is it worth the extra $40k over the more agile and as quick BMW M3 Competition? As good as the M5 is you know coming across a M3 on the streets is going to make you that little sadder inside.

As cheap sports sedans go the Kia Stinger is in a class of its own. The 2022 Stinger GT1 starts the ball rolling with a sticker price of $45k for all the fun thrills you could wish for. Kia's revised 3.3-liter turbo now cranks out 368 hp pushing the Stinger to 60 mph in 4.6-seconds maxing out at 149 mph.

Driven hard and fast you won't have time to notice the cabin's cheaper materials. To be fair Kia succeeded in its design remit of fast, fun and affordable. If only it came with a more upmarket premium badge.

Raised in a car-obsessed environment from an early age ensured a keen interest in anything car-related. first and foremost an F1 fan, but also an avid follower of other motorsports. Professional background working closely with a well established UK based Supercar manufacturer in recent years.