GETTING in tune; It's all about looking cool and going faster.

Ever since cars became mainstream rather than a novelty, a certain kind of owner has wanted something a bit different from what the car manufacturers offer. The base car can be pretty good, but lower the suspension, add bigger wheels and tires, install a flow-through muffler, pump up the horsepower and well, now you're talking. Call it tuning or customizing, it's a big business and only your imagination and your wallet limit the options.

While the platform of choice for the hot rods of yesterday was the '32 Ford, many of today's hot rods begin life in a category generically known as sport compacts. Japanese brands Honda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Toyota have dominated the sport compact market, with a few Volkswagens sprinkled in, and now some heavy competition is coming from the domestic manufacturers.

Not wanting to be left out, the sometimes slow-to-react Detroit is starting to build cars these people want to drive. While there is still a segment hung up on a specific import brand, most of the tuner crowd just wants to go fast and look cool doing it. ...