Mazda RX-8
-Rear-wheel drive, four proper seats, suicide doors, and a very small rotary engine that spins to 9000 rpm. No doubt about it, the RX-8 is a little bit different.
Honda S2000
-Another screamer. Not quite as unique as the RX-8 but a car we're glad Honda offers.
Dodge Viper ACR
-600 hp, 8.4 liters, giant rear wing, and it smokes a 911 GT2 at the racetrack.
Lamborghini Murcielago LP640
-One of the only true Italian exotics left. Still available with a proper manual gearbox and that 640-hp V-12 is fabulously manly and has a thirst for fuel like an offshore powerboat.
Lotus Elise/Exige
-Small, 2000 pounds, difficult to enter and exit, but handles like a proper British sportscar. Fantastic.
Maserati Quattroporte
-You can keep your Mercedes S-class, I'll take a Quattroporte. Gorgeous looking and sounding. Updates for 2009 make it even better. Just make sure you live near a gas station.
Mitsubishi Evo/Subaru WRX STI
-Do we really need 300-hp, all-wheel-drive vehicles that guzzle fuel and are based on economy cars? Well, no, but they are just so much fun.
Pontiac G8
-A cheap, rear-wheel-drive muscle sedan. The G8 drives great, looks decent, and costs about the same as a loaded Camry.
Smart ForTwo
-It doesn't drive that great, the transmission is horrible, and the fuel economy isn't spectacular considering its size. Who cares? It's easy to park, fun to look at, and very different.