Is There Room In The Market For A Mexican Sportscar?

When Mexico's first two-seat production sports car rolls out of the plant this month, at stake will be not just automotive bragging rights, but also national pride.

There have been plenty of naysayers. Automotive commentators in England were so derisive of the idea of a Mexican sports car earlier this year that they set off a diplomatic fracas. Mexico demanded an apology, and got it.

The Mastretta MXT, a Mexican-designed high-performance sports car, is being produced at a factory 30 miles west of Mexico City. Owners are promised an exhilarating experience when they hammer the accelerator.

The hand-built, rear-engine MXT accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. Its designers say it's built for people who itch to get onto the track.