The world of compact performance cars is, at the moment, as good as it has ever been. Think about it. Five years ago, when this magazine initiated its annual Eight Great Rides award (April '02), there were hardly enough good cars to fill the pages. What's more, most were based on economy car platforms and left plenty to be desired when it came to engine performance.
Those days are over. Welcome to 2002, the year of compact performance. Despite a downturn in the American economy, the world of small, relatively inexpensive performance cars has gone ballistic.
Manufacturers have come full circle in the last few years. Not long ago, the mere mention of a limited-slip differential was enough to make you the laughing stock of product planners everywhere. Today, there are at least five cars fitted with limited-slip differentials from the factory, all for less than $25 large, and there are more on the way.
Look carefully at the road tests in this issue and you'll see what I mean. Nissan's 350Z is a perfect example. Nissan asked $43,979 for the now infamous twin-turbo 300ZX in 1996, its final year of production. With 300 hp from its pressurized 3.0-liter V6, four-wheel steering and timeless styling, it was probably worth it. However, even zealous Nissan geeks couldn't justify shelling out that kind of cash.
Now Nissan is selling a true Enthusiast Model 350Z for as little as $28,000. In stock form, its performance is equal to-or beyond that-of the old turbo model. It's hard to argue with this kind of value.
Mazda is on board, too. Look no further than this month's road test of the Mazdaspeed Proteg (page 124) to see how seriously Mazda is taking this market. For $20,000, you get a turbo, limited-slip differential and one of the most highly developed, best-handling chassis this market has ever seen.
By January of next year, there will be at least 14 cars in the compact market that offer a serious performance value for less than $30,000. Some of them, like Mitsubishi's Lancer Evolution, will have the potential to challenge the best performing cars in the world.
Nissan's Sentra SE-R Spec V, Hyundai's V6-powered Tiburon, Ford's Focus SVT, Dodge's new Neon SRT-4 (due early next year) and, of course, the Mazdaspeed Proteg are left to battle for low-budget bragging rights. Anyone else smell a comparison test?
Buy these cars now to ensure their continued existence in years to come. Give the manufacturers a reason to take this market seriously and be an influence on friends and family. Tell people what works, what cars have the best value, and help them make buying decisions. It's your duty as an enthusiast
These are good days. Enjoy them. Buy a good car. Brag about it. Race it. Show it off. Take long road trips and make ridiculous time. Give yourself a reason to remember the glory days of compact performance. I know I will