Fastest cars with the cheapest insurance

This post comes from Emmet Pierce at partner site Insure.com.

I guess we should have known by the way you parked your car sideways that you like to drive fast (as Prince famously said). So we performed a review of high-performance cars and the cost of auto insurance. Insure.com has found some insurance bargains among cars that deliver quick acceleration.

And you say, "What have I got to lose?" Not much -- you can drive a powerful auto without paying top dollar for your coverage.

A variety of factors are used to calculate insurance rates. Insurance companies base their premiums on the perceived risk of paying out injury and damage claims. They consider safety features that protect drivers, the likelihood of vehicle theft, and the cost of repairing and replacing parts.

Believe it or not, we started to worry, wondering if we had enough data -- but we've found some choices that deliver speed and a relatively lower insurance bill. (How does your vehicle compare on insurance rates?) Post continues after video.

You need a love that's going to last

The Chevrolet Corvette GS two-door convertible, for example, has a national average annual insurance premium of $1,802. When you factor in the car's 0-to-60 mph acceleration rate of 4 seconds, you have an average premium cost of $450.50 per second.

In comparison, the Mercedes SL65 AMG has a 0-to-60 acceleration rate of 4.5 seconds and an average annual premium of $3,544. That gives the slower-accelerating vehicle an average premium cost of $787.56 per second, nearly 75% more than the Corvette GS.  (Insure.com's average rates are based on what a 40-year-old male with a good driving record would pay.)

Among the 44 automobiles Insure.com reviewed that travel from 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds or less, the best car insurance bargain -- as calculated by cost per second -- was the Chevrolet Camaro SS. While not the quickest car in the group, the Camaro SS still has a relatively fast acceleration rate of 5 seconds. But the Camaro SS has a cost-per-second insurance rate of $324, compared with $687.35 for the ZR1. That means you'll pay 112% more for car insurance to shave 1.6 seconds off your acceleration time with the ZR1. That's on the verge of being obscene!

You're moving much too fast

Our study found that the Ford Mustang GT two-door coupe and the Mercedes C63 AMG each have a 0-to-60 acceleration rate of 4.3 seconds. The Mustang GT has an average cost-per-second insurance premium of $401.40 compared with $633.02 for the C63. That means the Mercedes owner pays 58% more per second of acceleration time.

Whichever speedy car you choose, honey, you've got to slow down, because if you don't you're going to run your little car right in the ground.

Fast cars with cheap auto insurance

Here are the top 10 for the 2011 model year, followed by the average national premium, acceleration from 0 to 60 mph, and the insurance cost per second of acceleration time:

• Chevrolet Camaro 22 -- $1,620, 5 seconds, $324 per second.
• Dodge Challenger R/T -- $1,757, 5 seconds, $351.40 per second.
• Ford Mustang GT convertible -- $1,696, 4.7 seconds, $360.85 per second.
• Ford Mustang GT coupe -- $1,726, 4.3 seconds, $401.40 per second.
• Chevrolet Corvette coupe -- $1,741, 4.2 seconds, $414.52 per second.
• Audi S5 4.2 Quattro -- $1,995, 4.8 seconds, $415.63 per second.
• Chevrolet Corvette convertible -- $1,782, 4.2 seconds, $424.29 per second.
• BMW M3 -- $2,013, 4.7 seconds, $428.30 per second.
• Lexus IS F -- $1,979, 4.6 seconds, $430.22 per second.
• Chevrolet Corvette GS convertible -- $1,802, 4 seconds, $450.50 per second.

You can find the entire list of 20 cars and the rankings methodology here.

More on Insure.com and MSN Money:

• How to cut your car insurance bill in half
• 12 ways to save money on car insurance
• 6 ways to make sure your car gets stolen
• Pay-as-you-go insurance on the rise
• Best safety advance since seat belts
• Why you're a bad driver and I'm not