#511962-'73 Lotus Elan The prototype for the Miata. It set standards for light, stiff structures.
#501985-'87 Honda CRX SiLight, cheap and easy to tweak.
#491989-'93 Nissan 240SXThe "S13" Silvia was sold mostly as a cheap, girl-friendly commuter. Now it's recognized as a great drifting machine.
#481971-'74 BMW 2002 TIIThe Tii established fuel injection as a performance strategy for small cars.
#471987-'92 Toyota Supra TurboBuilt like a tank, big as a ship and one of the quickest cars of its time.
#462002-'04 Ford SVT FocusIt died too young, but it will be fondly remembered for its agile chassis, its refined manners and its willing 170-hp Zetec four.
#451970-'72 Mazda R100 If it were any smaller, it would be a Schwinn. But it was Mazda's first rotary-powered car for sale in America.
#441991-'95 Toyota MR2 TurboIt could be evil at the cornering limit, but evil can be fun.
#432004-present Volkswagen R32If it were any better, it would be an Audi.
#421992-'94 Volkswagen Corrado SLCVW's innovative VR6 narrow-angle V6 replaces the misbegotten supercharged four to produce a torque-rich coupe.
#412003-present Infiniti G35 Coupe Finally, a reason to buy an Infiniti. And that reason? It's a 350Z 2+2.
#401993-'96 Honda Prelude VTECOne hundred ninety horsepower from a 2.2-liter four? Bitchin'. So what if the styling was bizarre and the dash was stupid.
#391997-2001 Honda Prelude Type SHEverything that was good about the previous Prelude in a prettier package.Handled great.
#381987-'93 Volkswagen Golf GTIThe second-generation GTI didn't come into its own until it got a 16-valve engine.
#371999-'01 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34)Bigger, heavier than its predecessors, it was also faster and had a six speed.
#361988-'91 BMW M3The O.G. M3 packs a unique 192-hp, 2.3-liter, DOHC, normally aspirated four.
#351974-'75 Lancia StratosOne of the great rally cars of all time (1974, 1975 and 1976 World Rally Champion), one of the best-looking mid-engine cars of all time and about the size of a thumbnail.
#341990 Mazda Miata MX-5 It's a British idea with Japanese execution. Basically the opposite of "The Bridge on the River Kwai."
#332004-present Lotus EliseToyota power in an eensy teensy car with massive charisma and stunning ability. It's like being stitch-welded to the road.
#322000-present Honda S2000Proof that 240 hp, a 9000-rpm redline and a responsive chassis are as addictive as nicotine.
#311978-'85 Mazda RX-7 Nothing less than a revolution as the affordable sports car is revived with the Wankel-powered RX-7.
#301992-'93 Acura Integra GS-RGod gives unto the Integra a 160-hp VTEC four and interchangeable parts with the cheaper Civic.
#292002-present Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec VThe musclecar formula comes to the sport compact world with the insertion of the big 2.5-liter, 170-hp four from the Altima into the Sentra.
#281991-'94 Nissan Sentra SE-RBoring on the outside, but with a heart of 140-hp gold on the inside. Still a great car to buy dirt cheap and make fast.
#271988-'91 Honda CRX SiTake the Civic, hack out the rear seat and some wheelbase, tack on a swoopy body and the result is a sportier car. The second-generation Si was the best CRX.
#261982-'85 Toyota Celica SupraThe second-gen. Supra was the first that really mattered to enthusiasts with its DOHC, 2.8-liter straight six and all-independent suspension.
#251971-'77 Toyota Celica The shrunken head version of the Ford Mustang that sustained the small car crowd during the fuel crisis in the '70s.
#241988-'89 Toyota CelicaAll-Trac all-wheel drive and a turbo on the DOHC four undeniably make this the greatest Celica of all time.
#231988-'89 Mazda 323 GTXThe car to buy if you wanted an EVO VIII but were stuck living in the '80s.
#221999-'03 Nissan Silvia (S15)After the 240SX was euthanized in America, the Silvia continued on in Japan in S15 form. It's best.
#211999-'00 Honda Civic SiEverything enthusiasts ever wanted in a Civic, including VTEC, a short-throw five-speed and a tuned suspension.
#201967-'69 Toyota 2000GTQuite simply the only true Japanese-built classic car. Only 337 were built and they change hands only when a billionaire collector dies. Convertible used in the James Bond film "You Only Live Twice."
#191993-'96 Mazda RX-7 TurboReduced mass, extreme agility and a ride that kept chiropractors busy.
#181990-'94 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSXTurbo power and all-wheel drive at a reasonable price.
#172004-present Mazda RX-8Mazda reinvents the rotary-powered sports car with a stunning engine, a rear seat and extra doors.
#162003-present Dodge Neon SRT-4It's still a shock that this turbocharged twerp is a Dodge.
#151990-present Acura NSXIt was the best car in the world when it was introduced and it's still spectacular. Also, the first car to bring high-performance VTEC to America.
#141970-'73 Datsun 240ZThe car that proved Japanese sports cars could be dynamically better than English ones. Fewer electrical glitches, better protection against rust and a lack of oil leaks were just bonuses.
#131990-'96 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo Fiendishly complex, heavier than a Corvette and one of the best cars ever to come out of Japan.
#122003-present Subaru WRX STIAlmost enough to make you forget that just a few years ago, Subaru was selling slow all-wheel-drive wagons to Vermont maple tappers.
#112003-present Nissan 350Z Just when it seemed the Z-car was dead, it roared back, better than ever.
#101985-'87 Toyota Corolla GT-SAlmost forgotten, the AE86 has slid back to prominence as the preferred car for the new drifting culture. Cheap, light and easier to toss than a mixed green salad.
#91968-'73 Datsun 510 The first Japanese car to hit America that was worth being enthusiastic about. The first to race successfully. The first to rally successfully. And the first to develop a significant aftermarket support system. More than three decades after the last 510 was built, it's still the standard by which all sport compacts are judged.
#81962-'03 Austin Mini Cooper The original Mini Cooper S won the Monte Carlo Rally for four straight years, from 1964 to 1967. Suddenly, it seemed a car didn't have to be as expensive as a Ferrari to be quick, as nasty as a Shelby to win races, or as primitive as a Mustang to be cheap.
#71990-'94 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32)With all-wheel drive and a turbocharged 2.6-liter, DOHC straight six, this is still one of the most utterly capable performance cars ever built. Various flavors available included NISMO, N1, V-Spec and V-Spec II. All were delicious.
#61994-'98 Toyota Supra Turbo The car that has been the backbone of import drag racing. Apparently capable of withstanding infinite turbo boost and launches so hard, they could crack open a bank vault.
#51975-'85 Volkswagen GTIThe first of the modern "hot hatches" was supposed to be limited to 5,000 units. VW sold a couple million despite the fact the GTI didn't make it over here until 1983.
#41997-'01 Acura Integra Type RThe best-handling front-drive car ever built powered by one of the greatest naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines.
#32002-present Subaru WRXProved to the American auto industry that turbo cars and fast sedans are what the kids want. Its success is why we can buy #1.
#21992-'95 Honda CivicNot the quickest, best-handling, or best-looking sport compact, but definitely the most popular. Easy to make it go fast, this Civic was the standard platform upon which the sport compact phenomenon was built. This car has been butchered more ways than prime rib.