Being scared of cars isn't unhealthy. Rather, it's a sign of respect for what four wheels, thousands of pounds of mass and gobs of power can do to yourself and others when forced to an immediate, screeching and metal-crunching stop. It's a good feeling. It makes you feel alive. Click "next" to see the cars that get our hearts racing.

Car: TVR Cerbera Speed 12

Why We're Afraid Of It: Starting with the obvious: it's a TVR. The specs almost match up with the Veyron except, you know, it's much lighter. And why is it so much lighter? No complex crumple zones, safety equipment, or electronic nannies to weight you down. But hey, you didn't buy one thinking you were going to live that long anyways.

Who Is Most Afraid Of It: Cubensis

Car: Dodge Viper SRT10

Why We're Afraid Of It: It'll burn you one way or another. It'll either leave a "Viper tatoo" of charred flesh along your calf as you exit or, if not given the proper respect, out the narrow front windshield. All power and no visibility make this a toy only for the well insured.

Who Is Most Afraid Of It: Us

Car: Caterham R500

Why We're Afraid Of It: If the Caparo T1 is like driving an F1 car, the Caterham R500 is like driving a motor and not much else. It does 0-to-60 MPH in... NOW. At a hair over 1,100 pounds it's got a power-to-weight ratio of 520 HP-per-ton. Windscreen and heart pills optional.

Who Is Most Afraid Of It: Arcsine

Car: Any Cobra Replica

Why We're Afraid Of It: Oversteer is a helluva drug. Shops like Factory Five have continued to pour more power into Cobra replicas and, in the name o fidelity to Shelby, not much else. It's basically the best way imaginable to piss your pants.

Who Is Most Afraid Of It: VeeArrrSix

Car: Porsche 930

Why We're Afraid Of It: Though it's the best sort of being scared, the original Porsche 911 Turbo was one of the earliest production vehicles to feature turbocharging. With around 400 HP coming out of an engine hanging out the back, the physics of the 930 are questionable and become that much more frightening when you throw in überturbolag. Stay on the throttle and it'll, almost magically, get you around the corner. Lift and you're toast.

Who Is Most Afraid Of It: Jeb_Hoge

Car: Wienermobile

Why We're Afraid Of It: We enjoy driving the occasional commercial truck, but when you remove the box and throw on an awkward and top-heavy dog-in-bun costume things change a bit. Based on a GMC platform, the latest big Wienermobile is powered by a 300 HP, which is completely manageable. What scares us the most about this particular vehicle is everyone else on the road swerving into us while trying to take video with their cell phone. We hear it's worse than a Bugatti.

Who Is Most Afraid Of It: PDQ2

Car: LS-Powered Cars That Aren't LS Cars

Why We're Afraid Of It: Whether LS1 or LS9 not all cars were intended for large, powerful V8 engines. And while throwing out a flat-head six in an old truck and dropping in an LSwhatever feels right, a Corvette-powered Chevy Aveo or Corvair is a proposition only for those without a history of heart problems.

Who Is Most Afraid Of It: Dmartino

Car: Dodge Caliber SRT4

Why We're Afraid Of It: Sure, 285 Horsepower isn't that much, until you consider it's been put in a vehicle barely designed to handle 100 HP. Buy hey, FWD cars with lots of power isn't necessarily bad, it's why God created differentials... except this doesn't have one. It has a "braking" diff that just hard-brakes one of the wheels on you. It's as comforting as it sounds.

Who Is Most Afraid Of It: Us one winter in Chicago.

Car: Caparo T1

Why We're Afraid Of It: It's considered the F1 car for the street. We'll reiterate: it's the F1 car for the street. Lots of power, not much weight, limited protection, and it nearly killed Jeremy Clarkson. Where do we sign up?

Who Is Most Afraid Of It: Motor_Yakuza

Car: Chrysler Sebring

Why We're Afraid Of It: The Chrysler Sebring Convertible doesn't have half the power most of the cars on this list have, but it feels like it's made of tin, drives like its tires are coated with astroturf, and is so loud with the top down that you're sure death is but a pothole away.

Who Is Most Afraid Of It: Lprice

If you drive on down to the LAX CarMax in Inglewood, California you can pick yourself up a brand new 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 for the low price of $16,769 or about $10,000 off the MSRP of a comparably-equipped SRT4. For this low price, less than the MSRP of the base model Caliber, you get a turbocharged little monster capable of an electronically (and aerodynamically) limited 155 MPH top speed, a 0-60 jog in the low 6's and a quarter-mile time of 14.5 seconds.

Although we weren't exceptionally fond of the car when we reviewed it, we came away impressed with the car's gobs of available power and crisp gearbox. We called the car a "decent value" when it was above $20,000. For less than $17,000 this is an incredible amount of horsepower for incredibly little money.

CarMax currently offers new cars at five locations in the US, but this is the best deal we could find at any of the new vehicle locations. And before you ask, you can't get the cars transferred to your local CarMax. But at this price, grab a one-way ticket to LAX.

[CarMax via Motive Forums]

Suitability Parameters:

Speed Merchants: Yes
Fashion Victims: No
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: No
Tuner Crowd: Yes
Hairdressers: No
Penny Pinchers: Yes
Euro Snobs: No
Working Stiffs: No
Technogeeks: No
Poseurs: Yes
Soccer Moms: No
Nascar Dads: Yes
Golfing Grandparents: No

Also Consider:

*Mazda Mazdaspeed3
*Volkswagen GTI
*Subaru WRX
*Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X
*Toyota Matrix XRS
*Honda Civic SI
*Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V

Vitals:

Manufacturer: Dodge
Model tested: Caliber SRT4
Model year: 2008
Base Price: $22,435
Price as Tested: $26,145
Engine type: 2.4 Liter DOHC I4 Turbo
Horsepower: 285 @ 6,400 RPM
Torque: 265 @ 5,600 RPM
Red line: 8,250 RPM
Transmission: Getrag six-speed manual
Curb Weight: 2,966 lbs
LxWxH: 173.8" x 68.8" x 60.4"
Wheelbase: 103.7"
Tires: 225/45R19 BSW All-Season Performance Tires
Drive type: FWD
0 - 60 mph: 6.0 seconds (some claim 5.8 seconds)
1/4-mile: 14.5 seconds
Top speed: 155 MPH Electronically Limited
EPA Fuel economy city/highway: 21/26 MPG
NHTSA crash test rating: *****/*****

Also see:

• 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4, Part One
• 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4, Part Two

Acceleration:***
The 2.4 Liter DOHC inline-four features a small TD04 turbocharger connected to a relatively large intercooler mounted behind the grille, giving the trained eye a hint of the power lurking underneath. The little turbo spools up quickly and, given enough juice, propels the Caliber nearly as quickly as the Neon SRT4 that proceeded it, despite the addition of nearly 200 pounds.

Braking:****
Anyone who drives around Chicago can attest to the fact that, on most streets, one encounters a real-life example of every Driver's Ed video ever seen. Delivery trucks pull out of alleys you didn't notice, people on bikes zig and zag out of traffic, and pedestrians appear out of nowhere, making the brakes of utmost importance. In this case, the SRT4 was a worthy car for the Second City. The massive 13-inch vented disc brakes up front are shared with the Charger and provide serious stopping power without fail, even on snowy streets.

Ride:**
It feels as though the team behind the SRT4 was asked to set-up handling and ride in a way that would benefit both the more casual driver and the weekend racer. Unfortunately, both consumer types will be disappointed. If you don't plan on utilizing the car's MacPherson strut front suspension for spirited driving, you'll be bummed by the jolts you're going to experience on anything but smooth roads.

Handling:**
Respect should be given to whoever engineered the anti-sway bars, as the SRT4, which feels nearly as tall as it is, manages to keep the driver from feeling as the car is going to tip over when engaged in serious maneuvering. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the ESP. I was treated to an impromptu test of the car's electronics when it began to snow and found myself on the wrong side of a snow plow. The traction control light flicked on and off like it was part of a pinball machine. I never felt as though enough power was getting to the ground.

Gearbox:***
The Gertrag six-speed manual does its part in getting the hatch moving, providing crisp throws the whole way. The only complaint I have about the gearbox is its placement, neither high on the dash like the Civic SI, nor placed conventionally low. Once you get used to it isn't quite so annoying, but it's a drawback for those with long arms.

Audio:***
The audio system is routed through the navigational display, which is slightly awkward when flipping through the stations and trying to navigate at the same time. It's not a major flaw, but the new Chrysler system looks much better. Controls for the audio system are set behind the steering wheel, as opposed to integrated into it, which is something I prefer for a sports car. It suddenly takes the joy out of driving if the steering wheel is too cluttered with controls.

Toys:****
Because of the flat tire, I ended up driving two Caliber SRT4's (a pre-production and a production version). The only difference between the two was that the production model featured extra electronics, including the UConnect Hands-Free communications system and navigation. The UConnect system worked well, integrating with my bluetooth-enabled Samsung phone and providing ample sound quality (though the voice recognition, as always, left something to be desired). The nav system, on the other hand, was of the dial-and-enter variety found on other Chrysler products—not the new touch-screen version found on the new 300C. I wasn't a big fan.

The most unique feature on the SRT4, and the one worth the actual money (skip the navigation system if you want to save some scratch) is the performance display. Using a button next to the right reconfigurable display, the driver can switch from showing the temperature to screens that measure acceleration (0-60 mph, 1/8 mile and 1/4 mile) G-force and braking distance. I wouldn't bet my life on these numbers, but it helps when bragging to friends. Why isn't this feature on more cars in this class?

Value:***
With a price of $22,435 the SRT4 is a decent value, providing a lot of power and a fair amount of space. Nevertheless, there are better cars available at a similar or even lower price. For example, the Mazdaspeed3 comes in at about $200 cheaper and offers a slightly higher level of refinement. If you can do without the extra doors, the VW GTI starts with a base that's $400 less expensive.

Overall: **
The SRT4 never quite achieves what it's going for in terms of style or performance. Look at it straight ahead and there's something bold about the style, but step back and you'll notice the lines that still make it a Caliber. Open it up on the highway and there's enough power to get you smiling, but drive it on less-than-stellar roads and there's enough uncertainty to get you to slow down. I don't see it gaining the same following as the original Neon SRT4.

Part One of the Dodge Caliber SRT4 review appeared yesterday, Part Three will appear tomorrow.

For example, I've heard that adults love to parallel park. I'm barely an adult—I'm just turning 25. But when I got behind the wheel of the Caliber, I figured I should experience the car through adult eyes. And that meant I had to try to parallel park the SRT4.

If parallel parking is an aspect of your grown-up life, I'm here to tell you that you're not going to want the SRT4. The greenhouse slopes downward at the back, leaving a small rear window. The tiny window between the C and D pillars is completely useless. Bad-weather parallel parking is especially dicey. There's so much power flowing to the front wheels that it's hard not to spin them when trying to drive off of a small block of ice to realign the sporty hatch.

Once I got the SRT4 parked, I did a walk-around to assess the vehicle's visual impact—once again, through adult eyes. You know what hurts adult eyes? Non-functional scoops and vents. The stock Caliber hood gets three big holes and only one of them, the center hood scoop, actually does anything. The wannabe adult in me also didn't particularly care for the illuminated cup holders. They look pretty but are too large to fit my coffee.

Taking the car to Target made me feel better. Adults love Target. The SRT4 carries over a reasonable amount of storage from the base Caliber, including the Chill Zone storage above the glove compartment. This feature can keep water bottles cool—perfect for 14-degree Chicago weather. The interior contains the cheapest cut plastics I've seen in a long time, but at least it has a built-in iPod dock for when the kids want to play their spiffy tunes.

Wait, what the hell? I don't have kids. What am I thinking? It wasn't until I pulled into my local mall's parking lot for coffee that it hit me: I was taking the wrong approach to the SRT4. I have Nate to thank for setting me straight. Nate's responsible for making sure people don't park their cars at the mall and walk somewhere else. It's the kind of adolescent job that requires an adolescent mindset. He heard the turbo whirring from down the street and was there to greet me with his camera phone when I shut the door. He was pumped.

Nate loves to talk about cars and, specifically, about his early '90s CRX. At least I suspect it's an early 90's CRX, but neither the paint nor the body panels match. Though slightly older than 17, Nate possesses the spirit of a driver unrestrained by the concepts of ergonomics, mileage or contemporary trends in automotive design.

Talking it over with him, something in me changed. Remember I'm not yet 25, I'm 24. I could suddenly see the SRT4's appeal. The designers manage to take the not-quite-SUV looks of the Caliber and transform them into not-quite-sports-hatch. If you're into the import scene, the four-banger with that little turbo manages to produce an exhaust note both loud and, dare I say, somewhat more refined than the coffee can hanging off of Nate's Honda.

When I started driving the SRT4 like a teenager, it was a much better experience. Take off at every stoplight? Why not. Like the original SRT4, this version lacks the reassuring handling dynamics of its European competitors. But it doesn't make any promises in that area. It goes fast in a straight line, which is exactly what it's supposed to do.

There was only one problem. When you drive like a kid, you're only looking to avoid cops. When you drive like an adult, you look out for things like potholes. One of my driving companions during the week I had the SRT4 claims he saw the pothole that destroyed the front right tire, but I'm convinced it materialized only microseconds before we merged onto the freeway.

By the time we pulled into the gas station, you could hear the air escaping the tire at maximum velocity. My adult self really started to kick in and was understandably disappointed when I discovered that the car didn't have a spare tire. Adult self did like Chrysler Roadside Assistance, which sent over a flatbed truck promptly.

Youth, apparently, does have its drawbacks.