Mitsubishi 3000GT (1997)
This is another car that's not made for an old, fat person. It is a royal pain to get in and out of this car. Furthermore, no matter your weight and size, you'll never be able to get in and out of this car with your winter coat on. Then again, you would never drive this car in the winter. Why? Because with all that power, it wouldn't go anywhere.
But this car sure loves dry pavement! It goes like a demon. Our only objection to it (besides the $46,000 price tag) is that the suspension and steering are so tight that you really have to hold onto the wheel firmly with two hands. There ain't no relaxin' while driving this baby. If you're driving on the highway at high speed and you hit a pothole or some little imperfection in the road, in the blink of an eye this car changes lanes on you. That was a little disconcerting.
This car is intended for someone with really good reflexes--for someone who's really tuned into his driving and really wants to feel the road--every single minute. (I say "his"--not "his or her"--and this is not a sexist comment. No female would ever buy this car. See additional sexist comments below.) And you DO feel the road with this car. You can corner like mad with this 3000 GT--it was really remarkable.
Our test car came with a twin turbocharger and six-speed manual transmission. Who wants a car like this? Obviously, any red-blooded, testosterone-crazed, American boy would give his left butt-cheek for this car. But it's more within the reach of older, single stockbrokersor married guys with lots of money who are going through a midlife crisis. But, be warned: We noticed that babes didn't look at this car at all. This is one of those cars that guys THINK attract babes, but the truth is that women are intimidated by cars like this. This car attracts GUYS. All the looks we got were from other guys--who, we assume, were interested in the car, not us. So, if it's babes you want, I'd spend the money on a BMW Z3--and an extra-large bottle of Rogaine.
Babe-magnet issues aside, the Mitsubishi 3000 GT is a very exciting car to drive. A car like this used to be out of reach for just about everybody. Fifteen years ago, the only way you could approach this type of performance and styling was to buy something really stupid, like a Ferrari. But this is a Japanese knockoff of the Ferrari--and a good one. It allows the words "exotic" and "reliable" to be used in the same sentence. But, even with Mitsubishi's decent reputation for reliability, don't expect the 3000 GT to be cheap to own. The motor is absolutely shoehorned into the engine compartment, and it's not a car that your average neighborhood mechanic is going to work on.
To own this car, you really have to want something exotic. You have to be willing to attract attention everywhere you go. And you have to enjoy the thrill of G-forces so much that you don't mind trying to fold yourself in and out of this car. If you meet those criteria (and have the 46K), well, step right up.
View cars.com model report on this vehicle.