Strange but true: while workaday Mazda6s come with a 3.0-litre V6, the hi-po 'Speed6 is motorvated by a mere 2.3-litre four-banger. What gives? Direct injection, intercooling, and a big fat turbo, that's what. This little four-banger delivers 274 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. Those outputs reach the pavement through a 6-speed manual tranny and sophisticated all-wheel drive. The result: 0-100 km/h in a startling 5.8 seconds. Perhaps even more surprising, this is not some brash boy-racer-mobile. The 'Speed6 is refined and controlled -- dare we say mature? -- in its road manners. Arguably, it even looks tamer than some dressier versions of the regular Mazda6. Like the idea of a sleeper? Your ride is here.

Much more refined than price suggests

Maybe too refined for some boy-racer types