Ask five people that question and you're likely to get five different answers.

Now ask them the following: Who makes the cars that dare people to be as bold as, say, a woman who flirts by paying for a man's dry-cleaning? The answer is Ford, creator of the Mustang, the trend-setting F-150, and the bold-inspired Fusion.

Ford cars appear in every major racing game on the market – Gran Turismo, Need For Speed, and Test Drive Unlimited, to name a few. Ford also has its own racing franchise, and this time it’s making its way to a handheld platform: Ford Bold Moves Street Racing.

Choices

Three vehicle classes await your selection: Classic, Performance, and High Performance. Within the High Performance category are some of Ford's best concepts, most of which have rarely been seen by the public outside of the annual auto shows. The Mustang GT-R concept, introduced at the 2004 New York International Auto Show, is an excellent mix of speed and handling. You'll be in love long before you take it for a spin – its sleek and bold, muscle car design has me salivating for an official release. (I guess the equally impressive Shelby GT500 will have to take its place.)

Players will also get behind the wheel of the futuristic Shelby GR-1 concept. Its silvery exterior is reminiscent of alien ship. The GT90, another concept, is futuristic in an entirely different way, coming across as a hungry beast that could devour a Ferrari in one big bite.

Other High Performance vehicles: SVT Adrenalin concept, Shelby GT500 concept, 2005 Ford GT, 1987 Sierra RS500, and 1985 RS200.

Fans of smaller cars will like the Fiesta ST, a 2004 performance vehicle. Control the 2004 SVT Lightning, 2000 SVT Cobra R, 2005 Mustang GT (already a classic), 2002 Focus RS, 1992 Escort RS Cosworth, 2005 Thunderbird, and best of all, the concept for a Bronco revival.

I wasn't a fan of the Bronco, not even a little. But the re-imagined design takes the thought of a simple workman's vehicle to a whole new level. It's compact, boxy, and very rugged, taking on the sharper, heavier design found in other recent Ford concepts. There's no way of knowing how the actual vehicle – if it's ever manufactured – will handle. But this virtual variation is one of the best cars in the game. It's surprisingly quick, and can turn sharp corners without ramming into walls.

Among the classic cars are the 1969 Mustang Boss 302 and 1975 Gran Torino Sport. Take control of the 1970 Capri Mk I RS2600, 1971 Mustang Mach 1, and 1970 Mustang Boss 429. The 1962 Thunderbird, the classic that inspired the recent (but sadly ill-fated) Thunderbird remake, doesn't steer as well as some of the others. Its undeniably cool appearance makes it a worthwhile choice anyway, at least for the weaker races.

Rounding out the classic selection are the 1973 Escort RS2000 and 1968 Mustang GT. All but your first car will be acquired via the showroom. Though you may be tempted to take a peak at what the game has to offer, doing so before the first race would serve no purpose. Most vehicles are locked. Only their silhouette is visible – you won't be able to see the whole thing until you've completed specific challenges. After that has been accomplished, you still have to earn enough cash (by winning other races) to be able to afford new vehicles.

Vehicle prices are relatively low. (A concept for under $100,000? Are they crazy!?) To compensate, race earnings aren't very high either. Circuit races get you cash; challenge competitions get you new courses and vehicles. Competitions are usually shorter than the circuit races (which may include three or more separate races on separate tracks).

The goals are fairly common – win a time attack race, reach a minimum speed limit at each check point, or overtake your opponents to avoid being the last racer to cross the finish line. (That last mode is known as "Elimination" for all you Burnout fans out there.)

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep, But...

Bold Moves shines in an unlikely place, sporting some of the best visuals seen in a PSP racer. During the sunset courses, the game uses a gorgeous effect to drench the city in an orange and yellow glow. It's close to the lighting effect Grand Theft Auto uses at dusk.

The city's backgrounds – streetlights and the edges of buildings – are reflected in the cars' shiny exterior. Body damage is not delivered in the most realistic way possible (a light hit to the left side of your bumper could mess up the whole back end). But the damage is still more intricately defined than the measly scrapes and shattered glass found in the next-gen racer Need For Speed Carbon.

I assume this had to be a development choice. Xbox 360 is plenty powerful enough to produce realistic crash results. For whatever the reason, EA chose not to include body damage. Meanwhile, the makers of Bold Moves pushed ahead with crumpled bodies (front and back), sides that can be dented, bumpers that will be bent, etc. Listen for the engine to be worn down as you crash. The worse it sounds, the more likely it is that your vehicle's performance has begun to drop. Not that you'll need a sound to tell you that. When your opponents start to pass with ease, it's probably a good time to have the vehicle repaired.

Team-Based Shenanigans

Bold Moves didn't want to be just another good arcade racer. It ventures off into seemingly new (but truthfully not) territory, incorporating what the game calls "Maximum Team Control." Translation: the game has point-based a team mode where both you and your AI comrade must win the race together. This does not necessarily mean crossing the finish line together. With the press of either shoulder button, players can trigger the block and draft functions of their teammate.

Neat idea, but it didn't turn out. Team races are more of an exercise than an exciting and addictive experience. You're better off sticking with the solo races.

Gameplay: 7
Priced 50% lower than the average PSP release, Bold Moves is a budget title with higher-quality gameplay. The controls are mostly tight, but some vehicles fall into that loose and out of control category. Course designs look cool and are fun to race. You won’t get much from the sound, but that’s better than getting an earful of pain.

Graphics: 8
Beauty!? From a budget racer!?!? This marks the first time I’ve played a “value” game that looked better than some of the full-price, bigger-name releases.

Sound: 7
Cool engine sounds that actually differ among vehicles. As your vehicle takes damage, listen for the engine to react accordingly. There isn’t much music, but given the history of budget games and soundtracks, that’s probably a good thing.

Difficulty: Easy
The team races pose a point challenge, but the solo races are a little on the easy side.

Concept: 6
Another racer, this time with just one auto manufacturer’s mobiles. I know that’s the point, but I’m not about to call it an “original” idea.

Maximum Team Control, this game’s way of letting you control two cars at the same time, is not as innovative as it sounds. Others have attempted to the same thing (think NASCAR 06). But on the PSP I have yet to experience a team-controlled racing aspect that worked well.

Multiplayer: 6.5
Offline-only races for up to six.

Overall: 7
The first standout budget racer for PSP. Its price wouldn’t mean a thing if the game sucked. In a rather bold move, the developers put a lot into bringing the best out of a racer that features cars from only one auto manufacturer. The body damage is cool, the courses are pretty good, the graphics are impressive (even amazing at times), and most importantly, the controls work really well.

The downside? It’s short, not overly challenging, and is a little repetitive. But you won’t find a better twenty-dollar racer for PSP.