Nissan's Sentra SE-R Spec V is predicated on the concept that you needn't have a big V-8 to have fun, and that you can have that fun without breaking the bank at the gas pump. It is the highest-performance model of the five-choice Sentra lineup.

The Spec V is a furthering of the SE-R, a sportier-than-average Sentra built around a larger engine and tires. However, the SE-R is available only with a continuously variable transmission which serious drivers don't find terribly entertaining. In reality, it comes close to dulling the entire driving experience. My advice, just bypass the SE-R and go straight to the Spec V.

For a piddling $500 extra you'll get more power, a sure-shifting six-speed manual gearbox, better tires and brakes, more crisply tuned suspension, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. And if you know how to drive a stick, you might lose one mpg over the SE-R.

Although the Spec V has the same-size 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine as the SE-R, the Spec V is tuned differently to take advantage of premium fuel and gets 200 hp (@ 6800 rpm) and 180 lb-ft (@ 5200 rpm), gains of 23 and 8 respectively on the SE-R. For comparison the high-strung 2-liter in Honda's slightly lighter Civic Si makes 197 hp (@ 7800 rpm) and just 139 lb-ft (@ 6100 rpm) while rating the same EPA figures. The Spec V's larger engine doesn't feel quite so refined, but midrange and daily drivability are better.

The Spec V pulls eagerly at any engine speed and isn't at all peaky. Sure, it does the best up high on the tach but the increase feels linear all the way to redline so there's a wider rev-band to work with. It'll get a bit raucous at high revs but you won't be there long — the Spec V reaches 60 a full second quicker than the SE-R. Only very touchy throttle tip-in takes away, as it can make takeoffs more abrupt than planned and easily gather too much speed on the freeway.

Resting in an outcropping below the radio and ventilation controls, the shifter gets the gear requested though it's a bit on the notchy side. A limited-slip differential option ($400) best gets the power to the ground and torque-steer is far better controlled than you expect with this much grunt.

Tires are the same 225/45-17 size as the SE-R but upgraded from "all-season" to "summer performance" tires — without winter here who cares. The Conti ProContacts on this car stuck quite well, wet or dry, yet the audible protests come on with plenty of grip left and they're on the noisy side over some road surfaces; ours attracted a fair amount of staples and nails too, but America's Tire in Thousand Oaks had it back on the road quickly.

Spec V suspension uses standard Sentra architecture, though set up firmer, lower and with a fatter stabilizer bar in front. Steering is quick and it goes where you point it, though steering feel falls midpoint between more precise setups and numb. Brakes are easy to modulate and can be hammered repeatedly going downhill or just brushed to shave speed gradually. It will cruise along the highway without bobbing, or you can toss the 3,000-pound Sentra around at will and it does exactly what you expect of a typically nose-heavy front-drive sedan, and the only things that might get in the way are the fairly wide windshield pillars — especially near the mirrors — and the tire groaning.

Like the SE-R the Spec V has upgraded seats and a pair of gauges on the center of the dash. Oil pressure is useful for knowing when it's really warmed up but not fast enough to use as a failure notice, and the g-meter measures acceleration fore and aft (braking) so you'll probably not be looking at it when it swings severely.

Outside, the SE-R and Spec V get more suggestive bodywork. A rear spoiler, handsome alloy wheels that appear scale versions of those on the Altima SE-R, and a single exhaust pipe that thankfully forgoes the coffee-can-under-the-bumper look. Only the optional add-on splash guards get too close to the tacked-on look some U.S. brands splurged on in the 1990s.

Apart from that the Spec V has the same stiff, tight structure of all Sentras, and the cabin space the EPA ranks as a mid-sized car. Even the trunk has useful space, although the rear seat does not fold down.

The Spec V starts at about $21,000 and it's worth every penny over the SE-R even if it adds a few percent to the fuel budget (those are served by the standard Sentra or Versa). Options are limited to a 340-watt Rockford-Fosgate sound system, XM radio, moonroof, floor mats, splash guards and the limited-slip differential so even if you get carried away and check every box it's still less than $24,000.

(Whale, a longtime Ventura County resident, has been breaking parts for 30 years and writing about it for 22.)

2008 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V

Engine: 2.5-liter DOHC I-4, 200 bhp

Length/width/height (in.): 180.1/70.5/59.1

Weight: 3,048 lbs.

MPG city/hwy/observed: 21/29/27.3

Base warranty: 3 yrs/36,000 miles

Price as tested: $21,510

Alternatives: Chevy Cobalt SS, Dodge Caliber SRT4, Honda Civic Si, Mazda3, Subaru WRX, Toyota Corolla XRS, VW GTI