Mitsubishi 3000GT Spyder VR-4 The Spyder's push-button retractable hardtop makes spontaneous open-air motoring a snap. Rear seats permit seating for four, while the Spyder's 320-horsepower twin-turbocharged V6 engine guarantees impressive performance. (For an exterior view of the 3000GT Coupe, see below.)
There are currently 27 sports car model lines for sale on the U.S. market-- all pictured and described in CarPoint.	So what exactly is a sports car, really? Is it a compact open-seater with no luggage space and a raspy exhaust note? Or is it a sleek, missile-like monster with 12 cylinders and wings at all corners? Depending on whom you ask, you may find it's both, or neither.
a passion for driving BMW's Z3 is the newest entry in a category long dominated by Mazda's venerable MX-5 Miata. The Z3 delivers the thrill of driving an open-top roadster for about $30,000.	Generally speaking, sports cars are performance-oriented cars targeted at auto enthusiasts. They're typically 2-door coupes or convertibles with more powerful engines, sport-tuned suspensions and sleeker body styles. That said, the real essence of sports cars is not a particular body style or drivetrain configuration, but what the sports car does for the driver.      Anyone who's driven a sports car can tell you--a sports car is about excitement and a passion for driving. This can come in the form of an affordable roadster like the BMW Z3 or in the formidable shape of the 492-horsepower Lamborghini Diablo--a 200-mph bullet. The basic rule in sports car design is simple: Make it fun to drive. Unlike all other vehicle categories that at least pay lip service to the notion of utility, the sports car's reason for being is pure driving enjoyment. Return to top
cutting-edge technology The Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 is a showcase of high-technology. The VR-4 features twin turbos, all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering and an "Active Aero" system that tilts the rear spoiler and lowers a front air dam at speeds over 50 mph.	Sports cars are not only fun to drive, but also fun for engineers to design and build. Unencumbered by many of the constraints of other vehicle categories, engineers use the sports car as a test bed for many of the industry's most advanced technologies.      Sports car design allows manufacturers to develop technologies that might not be practical for other vehicle categories, but that showcase the potential of cutting-edge technology. Technologies such as turbocharging, active suspension and semi-automatic transmissions all originated out of sports car and sports car racing R&D.      These technologies have not only produced exceptional sports cars, but, in many cases, have trickled down to other vehicle classes. For instance, four-wheel independent suspension, multi-valve engines, four-wheel disc brakes and extensive use of composite components are all sports car innovations. Once refined and perfected, they were then implemented on a broader scale in other vehicle types. Return to top
from exotic supercars... With production limited to around 350 units, the Ferrari F50 takes formula racing technology to the street. The lightweight body--composed primarily of composite material--is powered by a 4.7-liter V12 engine producing a whopping 513 horsepower.	Fast, expensive, and flashy. At the upper reaches of the sports car segment lurk the exotic supercars that grace the covers of motor magazines and fill the dreams of sports car enthusiasts. Priced beyond the reach of most consumers, exotics represent the technological pinnacle of a manufacturer's craft. Cars like the Ferrari F50 and the Lamborghini Diablo VT (both showcased in CarPoint) show the world just how advanced an automobile can be.      Utilizing Formula One racing and aerospace technologies, these cars feature everything from carbon composite chassis and bodies to 4- and 5-valve per cylinder V12 power plants. Capable of top speeds over 200 mph, these supercars are still street legal. The market for these engineering marvels is not big, but for those few people fortunate enough to own such machinery, they can rest assured that they possess the most advanced street cars on the planet. Return to top
...to affordable sports cars The Eagle Talon TSi Turbo delivers plenty of driving thrills at a very impressive horsepower-to-dollar ratio. Priced below $20,000, the TSi is propelled by a 210-horsepower engine that pushes the Talon to 60 mph in less than seven seconds.	While most people may associate expense and extravagance with sports cars, this is not necessarily the case. Just as the Porsche Carrera and Chevrolet Corvette are sports cars, so is the Mazda Miata and the Ford Mustang. Other more affordable sports cars include the Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, Honda del Sol, and certain models of Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird.      Equipped with powerful multi-valve engines, four-wheel disc brakes and sport-tuned suspensions, these sports cars don't have to cost a fortune to still be enjoyable. They offer drivers an exciting mix of styling, comfort and performance. In many cases, it's the lesser-priced sports cars that achieve the healthiest balance of these qualities.      More expensive sports cars may be blindingly fast and exciting, but they often lack the comfort and convenience of more moderately priced sports cars. In today's competitive sports-car market, high levels of performance and driving pleasure are both available and affordable. Return to top
a word on "sporty" cars	For some people, the idea of owning a true sports car is very appealing, but almost inconceivable--especially when considerations of price, seating capacity and cargo space are all factored into the equation. For this class of consumer the industry has developed a range of small, sporty, 2-door coupes that offer sleek lines, good performance and room in the trunk for more than a big sweater.      CarPoint users seeking to balance passenger car practicality with sports car fun might want to take a look at any of the following model lines: Ford Probe; Mazda MX-6; Toyota Celica; Nissan 200SX; Nissan 240SX; Volkswagen GTI; Chevrolet Beretta; Dodge Avenger; Honda Prelude; Saturn SC; and Toyota Paseo. Return to top
sports car news...	. . . After an absence of three years, Aston Martin has returned to North America with the introduction of the DB7 Coupe and convertible Volante. Both models are lavishly equipped and powered by a 335-horsepower 3.2-liter supercharged engine. . . . Dodge has added another Viper to its lineup--the GTS coupe. Equipped with dual airbags, real windows, and a 450-horsepower variant of the V10 engine, the GTS goes on sale this spring. . . . Mitsubishi has added another Spyder--the Eclipse Spyder convertible. Available in turbo and non-turbo models, the Spyder is also expected this spring. Return to top