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Sports Cars
Now close to becoming a teenager, the Mazda MX-5 (still just called the Miata by purists) is in its third edition as the best-selling sports car in history. Since its debut in 1989, more than 850,000 Miatas have sold, and a lot more will likely sell considering the upgrades — some substantial, some subtle — for the 2010 model. The new edition is available with a manual-folding soft top with a heated-glass rear window or a power-folding hardtop and it's available in 10 trims. It all ups up to a sure-thing to continue the sports car's legacy.
Last year, Infiniti changed its coupe's name to G37, a reflection of the car's newly powered 3.7-liter engine. Now the brand's sedan and convertible share the same title, and all three have a lot to offer. But it's the coupe, which was on several top-10 lists in 2008, that stands out again in 2009. And how classy! My Weekly Driver G37 had a great exterior color (Amethyst Graphite) great interior color (Graphite), beautiful body design and great dark wood interior trim. It looked proud and elegant in the driveway and everywhere else for that matter.
Mini keeps innovating. One year it's the Clubman, the uber-cool “storm” door model. The next time around it's the John Cooper Works model named after the deceased famous racing car guru who with his father founded the Cooper Car Company in the 1946. Available in the hardtop, convertible and Clubman models, the 2009 John Cooper Works further advances the Mini, now owned and marketed by BMW. It's compact driving machine features a 208-horsepower, turbocharged engine and six-speed manual transmission with larger, now standard 17-inch wheels.
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR, often called the Lancer Evo or just Evo, is now in its 10th version with the 2008 model. Prior to the seventh edition, all Lancer Evolutionmodels were designed for Mitsubishi's participation in the World Rally Championship. Originally intended only for Japanese markets, beginning with the eighth edition in 2003, the Lancer Evolution was exported to the United States. The vehicle is extraordinarily popular with younger drivers who thrive on speed and follow the daredevil ways of drivers in the World Rally Championship. It's arguably the best place for the car.
Die-hard fans will find the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer MR Evolution is among the best-performing cars for less than $40,000. It's the 10th generation of Mitsubishi's iconic all-wheel-drive,
rally-inspired sport compact sedan. The “Evo” however has only been available
in the United States since 2003 with a year hiatus in 2007.
I first saw a Volvo up close when I spent a year one winter in Buffalo, NY. A Volvo sedan in front of a dealer was completely mangled. Smushed. Ready for the scrap heap. There was a sign next to it, "The Driver Walked Away From This Crash Without A Scratch."
Sports cars are rarely known for comfort or convenience. But Mazda does a good job of overcoming the stigma with the RX-8. It's a coupe with four doors (sort of) and it's about as comfortable as sports cars get.
Nissan redesigned the Altima sedan last year and it received a good share of praise from buyers who liked its new sportier approach and improved comfort.
In recent years, Mitsubishi has touted its sports cars with a series of overproduced television commercials. In one spot, several pretty young women are singing and smiling and zipping around under flashing city lights and through tunnels somehow equipped with multicolored lasers.
If there's one sure thing about the Saturn Sky, it's the new sports car's attention-grabbing appearance. Passersby stopped me at traffic signals and asked questions. Restaurant patrons came to my table and inquired. Neighbors wanted to know about the Sky, and even friends who care little about cars were interested.
Copyright 2009 The Weekly Driver. All rights reserved.
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