Two up: The best two-seat cars

ANZAC Day is an important one every year for all Australians.

It is a time to reflect on the loss and tragedy at war, but it is also a time to celebrate all this great about the Australian spirit of mateship. And, of course, it is a day to play Two Up, the game of chance favoured by our Diggers.

So, in Drive's own unique way, here is our celebration of ANZAC Day with the best two-up cars in the world today.

Holden Commodore Ute SS-V Redline

?How could we not start with the most quintessentially Australian two-seater - the Holden Ute. It's days may be numbered but the Commodore-based tray-back is going as strong as ever, particularly in the range-topping SS-V Redline specification.

In many respect it is Australia's unique take on the two-door sports car. Under the bonnet is a 6.2-litre V8 that pumps out a meaty 304kW of power and 570Nm of torque. It also comes with Brembo brakes (usually the domain of European sports cars) and staggered width tyres for maximum grip.

With only a 603kg payload the SS-V Redline is more about speed and style than serious work. But that's ok because it is an excellent two-seat, performance car.

• Read our full review of the Holden Commodore Ute SS-V Redline.

Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Most of Porsche's iconic 911 sports cars come with a pair of pseudo seats in the back. But not the GT3 RS.

The German brand gave up any pretence of practicality with this road-going racer, ditching the back seats to make way for a bolt-in rollcage. Up front the two seats of the RS are the same carbon fibre buckets you find in the 918 Hybrid hypercar.

In the back is a finely tuned version of the firm's 4.0-litre flat-six, tuned to produce 368kW and 460Nm. While that may not sound too impressive on paper in an age of forced-induction sports cars, the GT3 RS feels as quick as anything on the road.

Porsche has made it as light as possible - even the badges are replaced by stickers to save weight - and the handling is second-to-none with the widest rubber ever fitted to a 911 and perfectly tuned steering.

This is as good as a two-seater gets.

• Read more about the 911 GT3 RS.

Audi R8 V10+

The German brand has made a successful transition from a luxury car maker to a fully-fledged sports car brand with the R8.

Now onto its second generation the two-seat coupe and convertible is a legitimate rival to the likes of the Porsche 911 and Ferrari 488 GTB, thanks in part to its shared DNA with the Lamborghini Huracan.

One key piece of shared componentry between the German and Italian machines is the engine - a magnificent 5.2-litre V10. The alliance resisted the temptation to turbocharge and stuck with old-fashioned naturally-aspirated performance. The result is 449kW and 560Nm of performance and a soundtrack few forced induction cars can match.

• Read our Audi R8 V10+ road test.

Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster

Two seats? Check. Big V8 engine? Check. Soft-top to experience machine and nature in symphony? Check.

The newest addition to the expanding AMG family has all the major bases covered. The long-expected companion to the GT coupe, this recently launched Roadster is headed to Australia later this year. 

It takes the same ingredients as the hard-top - 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and rear-wheel drive - and puts it into a sleek and stylish open-top package.

With the roof stowed the bellowing soundtrack from the big bent eight is only more prominent - which is only a good thing.

• Read our review of the new Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster.

Mazda MX-5

It's not all about expensive, European two-seaters. The MX-5 proves you don't need a lot of power or size to have fun. 

The diminutive Roadster and folding hard-top RF are both a lot of fun to drive, even with the modest 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine under the bonnet producing just 118kW and 200Nm. In fact, the Roadster with the smaller 1.5-litre engine, with 96kW and 150Nm, is equally engaging to from behind the wheel.

This is large part because the MX-5 is compact and lightweight. Even the RF only weighs 1080kg, just 47kg more than the soft-top, so it doesn't have a lot of mass to move.

The handling is also a treat. The softly sprung suspension means you can really lean on the Mazda in the corners, which makes it a smile-inducing ride for the driver and passenger.

• Read more about the Mazda MX-5.