1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse

Now, we've tested some speedy sport coupes in our day. But when we ponder the decision made by Mitsubishi designers to drop a 210-horsepower engine into a car that weighs less than 3,000 pounds, we can only wonder: In their previous jobs, did these guys design rocket boosters for NASA? The Mitsubishi Eclipse GS-T's brawny engine muscle and relative light weight makes for such startlingly brisk out-of-the-blocks acceleration that it's somewhat akin to being hurtled from a slingshot. Clearly, Mitsubishi designed this car for hot rodders. It's a great choice for weekend warriors who once envisioned themselves strapped in a Formula 1 car, racing around Monza, but instead settled into a career in marketing--or maybe engineering.