One of the oldest and best known sporty / fast cars on the road, the Ford Mustang is still a major player. The 2006 Mustang features a 4.0L V6 engine with 210 horsepower. If you go for the Mustang GT, you'll get a 4.6L V8 engine with 500 horsepower.
Price is not a huge obstacle with the Mustang - MSRP is in the 19K to 32K range.
Fuel consumption is not too bad, with the mustang getting 19/28 and the GT getting 17/25 with manual transmission. Auto transmission gives you 19/25 on the Mustang, and 18/23 on the Mustang GT.
The Chevrolet Corvette
The famed Corvette is another old car that's still very popular. The 2006 model Corvette Coupe boats a 6.0L V8 that tops out at 400 horsepower. It does have a price tag to go along with it, though, at a starting price of $44,490. But then, maybe that's why Corvettes are a status symbol.
You can also go for the convertible or Z06 models, which are more expensive. The Z06 offers a 7.0L V8 engine with 505 horsepower. But once again, it's price matches it's HP with a base price of $65,690.
Pontiac G6
Pontiac's new muscle car, the G6, ranks closer to the Mustang than the Corvette. With a 3.5L V6 engine, it has 201 HP of muscle under the hood. It's price tag is also in the same class as the Ford Mustang at $21,790 base price. The label for the G6 gives it a 21/29 MPG.
You can also upgrade the G6 to the GTP trim level for a 240 HP engine.
At a quick glance, it looks like the Ford Mustang and Pontiac G6 are pretty similar. The Corvette is head and shoulders above them in both power and price. Of course, there are many others to consider, including the Ford GT, which sports a $131,000 price tag.