Let's revisit the golden era of Need For Speed. This is the definitive top 10—well, my definitive top 10—the cars that shaped the series, built reputations, and became legends.

That's because most of my friends and I picked the Chevy Cobalt SS instead. Yup, a hum-drum economy car GM lightly souped up from the factory was elevated to no end by Need for Speed's arguable ...