Lotus Exige

MSRP: $59,890 - $59,890
Fiorano, but for barely a quarter of the price.

The name Lotus has also had a certain cachet among automotive aficionados, and last year’s introduction of the Elise roadster put the British brand within reach of a broad audience of American sports car fans. For 2007, Lotus is adding this new fastback. At $56,990, it’ll set you back another $8000, but with its new, supercharged engine, stiffer suspension, and high-performance aerodynamics, the Exige S is likely to gain even more traction for Lotus in a market it long has coveted.

TheCarConnection.com jumped at the opportunity to test out the mid-engine sports car a few weeks back, spending a day driving it along the open roads of Nevada, as well as an afternoon on the demanding, South Road Course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.