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Coupe love: 10 two-door cars

Car Tech editor Wayne Cunningham shows why the coupe is the best car style ever, with examples of 10 current production cars.

Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
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1 of 10 Corinne Schulze/CNET

Maserati GranTurismo

The GranTurismo is the real head-turner in this group, an Italian beauty with curvy front fenders, a long nose, and a graceful roofline. It has some power and a high-tech suspension system, but it doesn't feel like a hard-core sports car.

Rear seats: Adequate for children or the tiny dogs that passengers in this car might carry in their purses.

Maserati GranTurismo review

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2 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

Mercedes-Benz E550 Coupe

Stylish and powerful, the E550 Coupe is as modern as they come, with the latest Mercedes-Benz gadgets of convenience in the cabin. 5.5-liters of V-8 power help it step off with some liveliness, but this big car shows a little roll in the turns.

Rear seats: The front seat belts stow neatly in the B pillars to provide easy access to these adult-size seats.

Mercedes-Benz E550 Coupe review

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3 of 10 Corinne Schulze/CNET

BMW M6 Coupe

A brute, plain and simple. The BMW M6 requires more than a public road to really appreciate its estimable handling and power. Most BMWs let their backs swing out for a nice pivot in the turns, something the M6 will do only at ungodly speeds.

Rear seats: There is space for legs and butts, but the roof comes down to abruptly to accommodate any but the headless.

BMW M6 Coupe review

4 of 10 Corinne Schulze/CNET

Audi A5

The most perfectly proportioned coupe in this line-up, the A5's cabin sits neatly between front and rear axle. It's not the most powerful car, look to the S5 for that, but its 3.2-liter V-6 and Quattro all-wheel-drive offer a satisfying driving experience.

Rear seats: Getting cramped back here, legroom is only available if the front passengers are kind enough to move their seats up. Audi is coming out with a touring version, but it completely ruins the proportions.

Audi A5 review

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5 of 10 Corinne Schulze/CNET

Infiniti G37 Coupe

The Infiniti G37 is an excellent all-around car, with plenty of power, decent handling, and drivability suitable for the weekly commute or pounding down some winding roads on weekends. Unfortunately, its body style might get it confused with the Honda Accord Coupe.

Rear seats: A sharply dropping roofline means suitable space for infants or grocery bags, or people you don't really like.

Infiniti G37 Coupe review

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6 of 10 Corinne Schulze/CNET

Nissan 370Z

The most fun coupe of this lot, the 370Z is pure sports car. A lot of engine on a short wheelbase encourages pushing it in the turns. The six-speed manual trasmission's SynchroRev Match makes every shift a good one.

Rear seats: More people means more weight. True to its sports car mission, the 370Z doesn't even have rear seats so you won't be tempted to overload the car.

Nissan 370Z review

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7 of 10 Corinne Schulze/CNET

Hyundai Genesis Coupe

With its swoopy curving lines, the Genesis Coupe is a little too ostentatious. But you can't argue with solid feeling of shifter and suspension from behind the wheel. A little unrefined, this coupe has serious track ambitions, and could also work as a daily commuter.

Rear seats: Some padded areas behind the front seats resemble a place to sit down, but you'll have to be a child or a jockey to fit with any sense of comfort.

Hyundai Genesis Coupe review

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8 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

Chevrolet Camaro

The new Camaro has a look that will cause heads to turn for about three months, but at their ridiculously low price, they are about to become as commonplace as shoes. The crushed greenhouse looks good, but it seriously compromises the view out.

Rear seats: Almost roomy compared with other coupes, it is possible for adults to sit back here. But the narrow windows and massive C pillars make the rear seats a cave.

Chevrolet Camaro review

9 of 10 Corinne Schulze/CNET

Dodge Challenger SRT8

Very stylish retro take on the old Challenger, and they haven't saturated the streets, so still an eye-catching sight. A big car like this doesn't look like it handles well, but it really does, while feeding enough power to the rear wheels for shenanigans like burn-outs.

Rear seats: Legroom can get a little tight in back with taller occupants in the front seats. But the Challenger actually has room for adults in the rear seats.

Dodge Challenger SRT8 review

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10 of 10 Corinne Schulze/CNET

Nissan GT-R

A pure weapon, the GT-R may have some odd lines, but they are all to the purpose of helping the car go fast. And indeed it does, complementing its twin turbo V-6 with all-wheel-drive and a dual-clutch gearbox. The GT-R makes you feel like a superhero.

Rear seats: The padded areas in back will make your groceries comfortable, but that's about it. The rear seats mainly serve as bookends for the two big speakers on the pillar between them.

Nissan GT-R review

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