the straight-GOODS/Sports Coupes

2010 BMW 135i Coupé

Base Price: $42,900 Driver Must Haves: "NOT A CHICK CAR" bumper sticker. Let’s pretend the secretary special 128i doesn’t exist, OK? And if BMW makes a convertible 1 Series, I’m drawing a blank. That leaves the 135i Coupe for car zealots, stuffed to its firewall with the same twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six found in the 335i. Except for a tighter body, the 135i is basically a more nimble 3 Series, with a standard sport package that includes a firmer suspension, grippier tires and BMW’s class-leading sports seats. If not the match of an E46 M3 in on-track performance (BMW’s dialed in too much understeer for that), the 135i offers a nice blend of ride and handling for on-road fun. S-S.com Choice: Space Grey Metallic $800 Cudda Hadda: 2005 BMW M3/Competition Package, under-$45,000 Why Buy?: Sweet, torquey straight-six; slick shifting stick; doesn't beat you up on the road. Read More: Comparo: 2009 Audi A3 2.0T, BMW 135i Coupe Comparo: 2009 Audi A3 2.0T, BMW 135i Coupe, Mitsubishi Evolution, Subaru WRX STi Road Test: 2009 BMW 135i Cabriolet 2009 CCOTY: Sports & Performance under $50k Unrequited Love: 2005 BMW 120i

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

Base Price: $41,430 Driver Must Haves: Elastic for the mullet. Within the context of a born again muscle car, the new Camaro SS offers a lot for the money. Borrowing from GM’s Aussie brain trust, the 2+2 coupe returns with tire-scorching acceleration from its 426 hp, 6.2-litre V8. There’s plenty of mechanical grip, and its brakes don’t go on holiday when being asked to haul in its generous avoirdupois. If you’re smitten by its showcar looks or straight-line punch, you’ll probably put up with the Camaro’s flat seats, lack of headroom and visibility, over-boosted and slow steering, and less than nimble handling. We’d still take a Mustang. S-S.com Choice: Cyber Grey Metallic Cudda Hadda: 2008 Chevrolet Corvette under-$40,000 Why Buy?: Showcar looks; mucho grande mill; dazed and confused flashbacks guaranteed. Read More: 2010 CCOTY Sports & Performance under $50k Video: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS, lapping 2010 CCOTY

2010 Ford Mustang GT Coupé

Base Price: $36,999 Driver Must Haves: GT Track Package II ($2,100) We all know that a 400 hp (or thereabouts) 5.0-litre V8 Mustang GT is on the way. Until then, the 2010 suspension upgrades (from the last Bullitt) make Ford’s venerable pony car much more road worthy this year. Even with the current 315 hp eight, the lighter Mustang GT is only a few tenths behind the monster Camaro SS in a straight-line. As soon as the road (or track) turns, though, the Ford leaps ahead. The ride may be firm, but it doesn’t dance around on a bumpy road like a Camaro or Challenger. And you actually get a sense the tires are connected to the road via its fast and direct steering. S-S.com Choice: Sterling Grey Cudda Hadda: 2007 Mustang Shelby KR, under $33,000 Why Buy?: Civilized-for-a-dinosaur road manners; relatively nimble handling. Read More: Road Test: 2010 Ford Mustang GT

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupé 2.0T GT

Base Price: $30,795 Driver Must Haves: Witty retorts for the inevitable Pony jokes. With memories of Corolla SR5s and Nissan 240Zs from yore, leave it to Hyundai to bring back the affordable REAR-WHEEL-FRIKKEN-DRIVE sports coupe. We prefer the lighter (and cheaper) 2.0T GT. Standard kit includes a stiffer suspension, Brembo brakes, and a limited-slip diff. With ESC switched off, the Coupe is a drift meister, hanging its tail out at will. While Hyundai nailed the car’s steering feel. Look, 210 hp isn’t going to blow anyone away. But the Gen Coupe’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four is the same unit that powers the 291 hp Mitsu Evolution. The aftermarket awaits your call. S-S.com Choice: Silverstone Cudda Hadda: 2005 Nissan 350Z, under $25,000 Why Buy?: Communicative steering; easy-to-drift handling; value, value, value. Read More: 2010 CCOTY Sports & Performance under $50k Video: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 GT, lapping at 2010 CCOTY First Drive: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupé

2010 Mazda RX-8 R3

Base Price: $41,995 Driver Must Haves: An extra can of 10W30 in the trunk. Despite fresher metal getting headlines, yes Virginia, Mazda still makes the RX-8. And yes, we still love it. The must have R3 model adds goodies like Recaros, traction and stability control, a stiffened front suspension cross-member, higher spring rates, firmer damping via Bilstein shocks, and 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels wearing Bridgestone Potenza RE050A 225/40-19 tires, and like, other stuff. Sure, the Wankel engine still drinks fuel and oil like a sailor on leave. And you don’t want to be racing against the Camaro SS for pink slips with the RX-8's  teensy-weensy rotary. But the Mazda’s balanced chassis could drive across a tightrope. And its steering is as communicative as a chatty sister-in-law. S-S.com Choice: Metropolitan Grey Mica Cudda Hadda: 1992 Acura NSX, under $36,000 Why Buy?: Racecar rigid chassis; racecar suspension; really seats 4—really.

2010 Nissan GT-R

Base Price: $98,900 Driver Must Haves: Big cojones For those who only judge Nissan’s AWD supercar on its road merits, shame on you. Sure, it’s loud, rough riding, and its dual-clutch autobox clonks like bolts in a tin can at low speeds. But on a closed circuit—like Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife track where its 7’:26” 70 lap time is one of the fastest for a production car ever—nothing can touch the 2+2 GT-R for the money. Now almost $100,000 for 2010, at least Godzilla is a bit more monstrous. There’s now 485 hp—5 more than the 2009 model—from its hand-built 3.8-litre twin turbo V6. S-S.com Choice: New, race sponsor-ready Hakone White Cudda Hadda: 2008 Porsche 911 Carerra 4S, under $98,000 Why Buy?: Ferrari and Porsche-baiting performance, for half the money. Read More: First Drive: 2009 Nissan GT-R Comparo: 2009 Nissan GT-R vs. Porsche 911 Turbo Video: 2009 Nissan GT-R vs. Porsche 911 Turbo

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