There is a class of bikes that I think is called performance-oriented hybrid. My wife recently bought a used Trek FX 7.3 on craigslist. It weighs only 24 lbs with pedals. It has flat handlebars with trigger shifters and a 3x8 drivetrain. I see it now comes with a 3x9. She hasn't decided whether to outfit it as a commuter bike or to keep it stripped down as a weekend go-fast bike. It could go either way, which is what we love about it.

Here's a picture from their current web site.