It's Friday evening, and you're painfully aware that there's no "special someone" to meet for drinks and dinner or to share your free time with. Wallowing in self-pity, you wonder how you'll ever get through the weekend alone. Fortunately, you might not have to. That is, if you like to drive. We asked our staff of driving enthusiasts which cars they'd most want to drive if they were going solo on a star-filled summer's night in town or a gorgeous Sunday morning in spring. We're talking about cars that are so entertaining that you'll forget all about the empty seat next to you.
Responses ran the gamut from obvious choices like the Corvette and Mercedes SL65 to oddball picks like the "Wienermobile" and "Grave Digger" the monster truck. "Nobody likes to be stuck in traffic, especially if you're riding solo," said the editor who insisted on the enormous pickup. "In Grave Digger you can just drive over the traffic, crushing all those lovey-dovey, hand-holding couples in the process." To keep things simple, and legal, for those of you reading this, we pared down our final list to those cars that you can actually walk into a dealership and buy (or at least get on the waiting list). And who knows? Some of them just might be flashy enough to get you a last-minute date.
"I think I'd be very happy to cozy up with the new Corvette," said our managing editor. And why not? There's nothing like good old American muscle (six liters' worth) wrapped in a classic body. Find an empty back road with a few curves along the way, and your latest heartbreaker will be a distant memory.
2. Mazda Miata
Described by one of our editors as "a good friend," the Miata has long been the best-priced package of top-down fun. Drive a Miata and others will know you're spontaneous and adventurous as you veer onto all the two-lane roads. Get the Mazdaspeed version and you'll enjoy a few more thrills along the way.
The new Mustang will still get you plenty of looks from potential dates, especially if you order a topless version in bright yellow. And with its reasonable price, you can save up for your next relationship with a real human being.
4. Mazda RX-8
"It's weird, but I've never felt lonely in the RX-8," said our new vehicle reviews editor. Could it be the expert chassis tuning that makes the car feel like an extension of your body? Could it be the free-revving rotary engine and its unique sound? Try one and find out.
Just when you think you'll never forget your ex, along comes a roadster with a 604-horsepower twin-turbo V12 and handling so predictable that you can carve up an unfamiliar back road with virtually no guesswork. This would be the SL65 AMG, the über Mercedes drop top. Fortunately, the "lesser" SL500 and SL55 are around for those who can't drop $180K.
Like the Mustang, the Cooper drop top is a good choice if you want prospective dates to know you're on the cutting edge. But forget about other people for the moment. Who wouldn't want to drive a sweet-faced car with adroit reflexes? Just try to say no to this car. Go ahead. You'll fail.
7. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
The Evo may not win you the affection of others, especially if you go for the obnoxiously large spoiler, but once you're sitting in its Recaro driver seat, you probably won't care. The fervor with which the turbo four revs will take the place of any beating heart, and the razor-sharp handling will have your own pulse racing.
If your goal is to woo a truck lover, you'd be hard-pressed to find better bait than the SRT-10. Mat the throttle in this 500-horse pickup and it jets forth like it's been shot out of a catapult, shoving you back in its cushy sport seats.
9. Ferrari F430
"Unlike the 360 before it, this one's got enough low-end grunt to readily spin the tires and rocket out of low-speed turns," writes our editor in chief. "But it's the sensual sounds and intuitive steering that really pull at your heart strings. It may not cuddle in front of a fire, but it has mastered the art of communication and definitely makes for a perfect dance partner."
10. Lotus Elise
Drive a racecar or go on a date? For a few of our editors, that's not even a choice. The Elise is about the closest you can get to driving an open-wheel car on public roads, and with a price tag in the 40s, it's not the financial stretch you might expect.
