2008 Lotus Elise

The engine improves the car's handling, too, because there's more torque at all engine speeds and greater linearity. The switch to the high-output cam profile happens almost imperceptibly at 4000 rpm in hard running (or as high as 6200 rpm under lighter load), and-if you resist the limited slip-there's enough power to spin one tire in many corners provoking a nice gentle slide that points the car.

The Elise Supercharged isn't perfect. The shifter occasionally hangs up in the narrow gate during 3-2 downshifts, the horn button placement (outboard on the Momo wheel's spokes) provokes unintended mid-corner toots, the Alpine radio sounds tinny and cheap (the brilliant engine note is vastly preferable), the A/C isn't strong enough to cool the driver with the windows up and top off, and the $55,425 price of entry seems dear for such a minimalist vehicle.

The mid-engine sportster is a bravura engineering performance that reprises the truest Lotus virtues, namely light weight (1984 pounds) and fealty to handling excellence. These endearing traits profit from the car's technically elegant bonded-aluminum chassis. Add reliability, courtesy of a Toyota/Yamaha engine good for 190 rev-happy horsepower, and you have a for-real, serious machine.

At $46,270, the Elise might seem expensive for a fiberglass car that has two seats and a tiny trunk. But for the best-handling sports car we know, an audacious-looking thing that goes from 0 to 60 mph in less than five seconds, we think it's not, really. The Lotus Elise is a commitment worth committing to.

Luckily for enthusiasts everywhere, Lotus is still building products that deserve the term sports car. The new Elise SC is basically the definition of the term. Lightweight, the perfect amount of power, responsive and focused. Essentially a supercharged Elise, the SC isn't so much about the extra peak power as it is expanding the powerband. The car never feels like you're in the wrong gear. New wheels, seats and interior trim round out the upgrades.

Visually, the SC gets new wheels, a rear spoiler and center-exit exhaust. All 2008 cars also get standard airbags, a revised instrument cluster and anatomical ProBax seats. And in keeping with the Lotus ethos, the seats weigh nothing and are designed for maximum comfort by tipping your hips forward slightly to increase bloodflow to your legs. They're also incredibly supportive.

Let's get the dislikes out of the way - it was sometimes tricky to find gears changing down (although probably due to lack of familiarity) and I couldn't find a clock. Everything else is freakin' awesome. I love this car. The extra power actually makes it easier to drive than the regular Elise. The increased torque (peaking at 153 lb/ft at 5500rpm) makes the engine more flexible and means you don't have to work the gearbox as hard.

The 2014 lb Elise is all about weight, or the lack of it. Being light, it doesn't need a big engine (0-60mph 4.4sec), so it's economical (20mpg city, 26mpg highway) and emissions-friendly. It also means the steering is sharper, the brakes are better and the suspension is surprisingly absorbent because it's not supporting tons of steel.