If it’s refinement you seek, get a Lexus. Although be warned that they don’t offer electric lime-green paint.

BY JARED GALL

In the annals of mankind’s most pleasantly unexpected decisions, Dodge deciding to produce the Viper in 1992 ranks alongside AC/DC writing bagpipes into their 1975 hit “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll).” Like bagpipes, the Viper is polarizing, loud, and impossible to ignore—especially in Snakeskin Green.

As recent tests of the 2008 coupe and track-ready ACR have proven that the uniquely vicious Viper remains drivable with 600 horsepower, we set out to determine if there are any discernable differences between the hardtop versions of the car and the convertible. That, and any excuse to borrow a 600-hp car from an automaker is a good one.

So Much Power, but None for the Top

The Viper is a car that has to make a few excuses itself, mostly when it comes to refinement. It’s like Larry the Cable Guy: hugely entertaining to the right audience, but not really appropriate for grandma. There are a number of things about the Viper that make it not feel like an $88,125—or, in this case, $94,215—car. For example, the $3000 “painted stripes” on the nose and tail of the car show a white underside along their edges—perhaps they’re painted vinyl stickers? (The other three grand in options included $600 for the green paint, $700 for polished wheels, and a cheapie nav system that costs $1790 bundled with Sirius satellite radio.) However, most of our complaints deal with the top.

Gentlemen, start your engine-upgrade plans!

BY DAVID GLUCKMAN

As we’ve known for a while, the Hyundai Genesis coupe will have two engine options: a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a 3.8-liter V-6. Both will be available with either a manual or automatic transmission feeding power to the rear wheels. Although we haven’t yet driven the coupe, we have had a ride, and now Hyundai has released information on the level of equipment each ofseven trim levels will offer.

2.0T: The ‘T’ Might As Well Stand for Tuner

Turbo-four models will be labeled with the 2.0T moniker, and will be available in base, Premium, Track, and R-Spec trims. All will feature the same low-pressure turbocharged and intercooled mill, which Hyundai says will generate 220 horsepower on premium fuel (210 on regular) and 223 lb-ft of torque, all while returning a respectable 30 mpg on the highway. If those numbers don’t sound quite like what you’re after, there’s hope; according to Derek Joyce, Genesis coupe product manager, Hyundai “could have opted solely for big performance numbers, but our focus for the 2.0T was a more balanced package.” Translation: once tuners get their hands on the four-banger Genesis, all they need to do is turn up the boost and “unbalance” things to their heart’s content.

A Zenn Experience: A Not Quite Electrifying Electric Car

BY STEVEN COLE SMITH

In 1998, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration recognized the need for small, neighborhood-only vehicles that did not go fast enough to merit full certification as conventional automobiles. So NHTSA created a new classification called LSV, or Low Speed Vehicle, presently street legal in 44 states.

But that was 10 years ago, and gasoline was $1.10 a gallon, so no one paid attention.

Suddenly, they are. The LSV category, led by the Chrysler-owned Global Electric Motorcars, or GEM, is expanding wildly. The problem is that LSVs are limited to 25 mph, and most LSVs, like the GEM models, have more in common with golf carts than cars.

Except for one: the ZENN, which stands for Zero Emissions, No Noise. It’s the French Microcar MC-2, sold there with a gasoline or diesel engine. The ZENN is imported without a drivetrain from France to Québec, where the ZENN Motor Company, founded in 2000, installs a 30-hp electric motor and six sealed lead-acid batteries, two up front under the hood and four in the rear beneath the hatchback. At 120.8 inches, the ZENN is 14.7 inches longer than the Smart Fortwo but slightly narrower and not quite as tall.