The Phaser is a front-wheel-drive sports coupe in the mould of an early-90s Honda Prelude. Its weight sits well forward (roughly 62/38) and its engine is a peaky, high-revving four — nothing like a low-down V8. It is a nimble corner-carver, but the same nose weight makes it understeer-limited, and the light FWD rear can bite when the track gets rough.
How it drives
The engine defines the rhythm. It makes its power up high and won’t lug like a torque-rich muscle car, so you gear it short and keep the revs up — drop out of the powerband on exit and there is nothing there. Keep it singing and the Phaser is genuinely quick.
Handling-wise it is a classic nose-heavy FWD: the front pushes into understeer if you get on power too early, so you rotate on entry and drive out straight. Lift off or trail a little brake and the light rear will come round to point the nose, letting you get back to power sooner. The catch is that same light rear — over kerbs and jumps it can snap loose unexpectedly, so on rough tracks you want a touch more rear stability to stop it from stepping out when the car is unsettled.
In a pack the Phaser trades on agility rather than mass. It changes direction quickly, but it is not heavy enough to win a shoving match, and a hard hit while it’s already light at the rear can spin it. Use its turn-in to stay clean.