There seem to be a lot of new and recent supercars that should be affordable. Don’t think we don’t appreciate what it takes to produce the finer things, but this economy has us rethinking what's necessary in ways we never imagined. Cars that command six figures based on name and/or outright speed are tougher sells.

The cars that follow are viewed in a slightly different way. They’re still great. We’d take any or all of them in a heartbeat, given the chance. However, the highlighted traits we’ve classified as character in the past are beginning to appear as flaws -- or if you like, opportunities for more market-agreeable pricing.

No.10 - Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster

Price: $495,000

Of the supercars that should be affordable (or in this case, should have been), a no-brainer is the lame-duck Mercedes SLR McLaren. Fine, so McLaren and AMG collaborated on the development (not so peacefully, as we recall). The end result seemed too much like an SL with the nose of a proboscis monkey. The SLR was also a rare case of the brakes being too good. Once they were warm, they’d do well enough to decelerate the car from its 205-mph top end, but hauling it down from 25 mph was an embarrassing, herky-jerky affair.

No.9 - Ariel Atom 3

Price: $65,000

Track driving is the second most enjoyable thing you can do while wearing protective gear, and this toy is pure auto erotica. The Ariel Atom 3 easily zips from 0-60 mph in about three seconds, and an even more potent variant is coming with a V8. Great, but this is a car you have to drive wearing a helmet. There are no interior accoutrements to speak of; hell, there really isn’t an interior at all. It’s a lot to spend on a track toy, and regular road use will have you longing for more protection.

No.8 - Porsche 911 GT2

Price: $194,000

Including Porsche’s 911 GT2 among supercars that should be affordable is as much about greed as it is about the integrity of the Porsche brand. There truly need to be fewer Cayennes (and soon, Panameras) making their way into everyday lives, reminding the world that Porsche doesn’t make appliances. This edition of the 911 is just the opposite, ditching a lot of unsprung weight and stiffening the ride for the purists’ sakes. Less is more, and in the case of the GT3, less costs more; much more than most other 911s.

No.7 - Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SV

Price: $450,000

If there are any supercars that should be affordable, it’s Italian exotics. A good example is the new, limited-run Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SV. It’s going to take an extra $96 grand to get minor body tweaks, 30 more horsepower, a little less weight (220 pounds), and a little extra speed. When you can already intimidate and outgun most every other car around you with a “normal” Murciélago, the premium commanded by the SV is better saved for bail money.

No.6 - Koenigsegg CCXR

Price: Approximately $2 million

Your girlfriend suddenly loves the Volvo C30 because of its screen time in Twilight (even if she really only digs the car because of Robert Pattinson). She doesn’t even know what a cool Swedish car is. The carbon-fiber Koenigsegg CCXR is the answer. It’s also the problem. This E85-capable supercar, of which there are six examples, represents a million-odd dollar jump over other models. For half the price, the performance is nearly as brilliant and she’ll probably be just as impressed -- or petrified.

No.5 - Aston Martin One-77

Price: Approximately $1.75 million

Why try to be like Bond with an Aston Martin DBS when you can better him in a One-77? It could add even more 007-like charm, sophistication and excessive carnal activity to your life -- areas you want to improve anyhow. One-upmanship comes at a stiff cost, though, and the One-77 drops in among supercars that should be affordable. All the exclusivity and bespoke fiddling by Aston can’t fill the $1.5 million or so gap between the One-77 and the $266,350 DBS. Maybe being just like Bond isn’t so bad after all.

No.4 - SSC Ultimate Aero

Price: Approximately $600,000

So you long for a supercar, yet your patriotism demands your dollars stay here in the U.S. of A? We’ll bet you wish you could try a Shelby, as in Shelby Super Cars. Their SSC Ultimate Aero snagged the Guinness World Record for top production car speed (255.83 mph), which appeals to both the patriot and velocity junkie in us all. Fit, finish and interior appointments are not yet record-setting, but we have high hopes, especially with an electric version of the Aero said to be on the way.

No.3 - Ferrari 612 Scaglietti

Price: $315,000

To answer your first question: Why not the Enzo? Simple: Eddie Griffin has inadvertently adjusted supply and demand, further skewing prices. The 612 Scaglietti is our Ferrari supercar that should be affordable. Every halfway decent guy deserves to experience a V12 Ferrari sometime, and the 612 means he can bring his wife and two kids along. But look at the thing: not a stunner, to say it diplomatically. Based on looks alone, this Ferrari should have its price adjusted accordingly.

No.2 - Bentley Continental Supersports

Price: $250,000 (est.)

We’ve always liked green cars in theory, less so with their packaging and the trade-offs. Suddenly, there’s one that makes us want to hug trees until we're riddled with splinters: the Bentley Continental Supersports. So like the aforementioned Koenigsegg CCXR, the green aspect here is limited to the ability to burn E85 ethanol. Still, it’s a start. It’s also another of the supercars that should be affordable. While the enhancements are commendable, the price of going environmentally friendly in your Bentley is expected to be about $70,000 over a standard Continental GT.

No.1 - Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Fbg par Hermés

Price: $2,465,430

If the volume of air travel is any indication, people want and need to travel at speeds above 250 mph. While the SSC Ultimate Aero does this, it can’t match the luxury of the world’s most expensive Volkswagen: the Bugatti Veyron 16.4. At around $1.6 million, it only seems reasonably priced against the Fbg par Hermés edition, where special paint and Hermés touches are supposedly worth the nearly $1 million upgrade. At these prices, it seems blasphemous, but this overblown Veyron is king of the supercars that should be affordable.