CHICAGO – Even grown ups need to have fun. And many of us like to get our quota of smiles by driving a car. Trouble is, as we grow up, our needs expand as well. It’s not longer enough to drive just anything that flies, we’ve got to have comfort, don’t want to offend the neighbors, yet still want to feel alive when the light goes green and there’s open road ahead.

Plus -- cops don’t notice cars like the 2007 Galant Ralliart, for example, which was introduced at the recent 2006 Chicago Auto Show. That is a big part of the reason why such cars are popular: otherwise conservative sedans make for great sleepers, wonderful rides that fly below the radar and give our daily commute a little spice. The Galant makes for the perfect sleeper, in fact. After all, who is ever going to believe that a Galant just smoked ‘em?

They will when they get a load of the 2007 Galant Ralliart, which foreshadows the updated regular Galant in terms of styling and interior upgrades, among other improvements. The Ralliart version, however, is powered by a 258-horspower (at 5,700 rpm), 3.8-liter V-6 engine that makes 258 lb. ft. of torque at 4,500 rpm. The Galant Ralliart is equipped with a sport suspension, 18-inch wheels and a special Rockford Fosgate stereo system. Mitsubishi says that the Galant Ralliart will create 220 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,000 rpm, making life off the line quite enjoyable. The Galant Ralliart also gets special exterior styling and interior features. The Galant Ralliart, which will be priced below the Nissan Altima SE-R, will be available this summer, along with the new mainstream Mitsubishi Galants.

Photo by Ron Perry