Affordable High Performance Cars
Who wouldn't want to own a Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini or Bugatti? I think most of the people would love to have one of those super cars. But not many people have money to buy them. Thanks to some of the car makers, we can buy cars which are inexpensive(less than $50,000) but powerful. It is very common to see in the streets and race tracks, those inexpensive cars owning the super cars. Let's have a look which cars can raise our adrenaline level to its limit and not hurt our budget.
Audi was very famous during 1980s because of the Quattro rally car. It was basically the first car that brought 4WD to the WRC. The sale numbers dropped during 1990s but with the support of Volkswagen, Audi has been producing very nice sports cars. TT is the best known model. 3.2 VR6 engine produces 250 hp and can reach to 60mph in 5.9 seconds. The sale price in the U.S. is $42,000. A very comfortable car with a 265 hp engine, Audi A5 is an amazing sports coupe. It is a coupe but 5 people can fit in this roomy car. You can have this car for only $40,000.
There are some European brands that are not sold in the U.S.A. Alfa Romeo is one of them. Alfa Romeo Brera is a very nice designed and powerful coupe. V6 Alfa engine produces 250 hp and accelerates the car from 0 to 60 in 6.8 seconds.
Unfortunately, BMW M series cars are very expensive. But you can still buy 330 hp Z4 M for $50,400 and it will take you to 60mph in 5.0 seconds. The car is very small and you will enjoy cornering.
Some say Chevrolet Corvette is overrated. Overrated or underrated, the Chevy V8 engine produces 430hp and you can buy the LT1 version for $48,000. Cobalt SS Turbocharged is only $23,000 and 260hp is enough to make you sit tight in the driver's seat. However, the interior quality is very low and the design is very ordinary. GM will stop building Cobalt in 2009 but get ready for the new Camaro. The price range will be between $20,000 and $27,000.
Dodge Charger SRT8 (Street Racing Technology) has a 425 hp Hemi engine under its hood. Challenger SRT8 is also powered with the same engine. Both cars can reach 60 mph in 5 seconds. Equipped with Brembo brakes and Goodyear Supercar F1 tires, Challenger and Charger are race cars you can drive legally in the streets. Charger costs $35,000 and Challenger costs $37,000.
Ford Mustang GT is fast and reliable. For $33,000, you can have a 300hp car. In 2009, Ford Focus RS will be available in Europe. RS will have a 280 hp engine. Till RS is released, you can still buy a Focus ST. Find a suitable track and you can speed up to 150 mph with the ST. The racing stripes look very nice and sporty.
VTEC and Type-R sounds familiar? I can hear you saying Honda. The 2.0 liter 198 hp I-VTEC engine accelerates this hot hatch from 0 to 60 in 6.6 seconds. The new Civic Type-R has been criticized a lot but it is still a fast and aggressive car. The Civic Type-R won't be available in the U.S.A. There is a car crowned as the asphalt monster, the S2000. If you have $37000, you can own this powerful and noisy monster.
If you buy an Infiniti G37, you get two cars; a luxury sedan and a sports car. AWD, 328 hp V6 engine and all kinds of luxury equipment; what else you can demand from a car?
Lotus cars are best known by their handling. Lotus Elise is a small, fast and exciting car but it is a gas guzzler. The car has 2 passenger seats and not very comfortable.
Mazda is one of the best known Japanese car makers. The legendary RX-7 will make its return in 2011 according to the rumors but you can buy a used one. The sport cars in the Mazda's current lineup are Mazdaspeed3 and RX-8. In 2004, RX-8 won the U.S. Best Sports Car award. Powered by a Wankel (Rotary) engine, the car can reach 146 mph. If you are looking for a fast family car, you can buy the Mazdaspeed 3.
BMW acquired Mini in 1994 and reintroduced this brand to U.S. As soon as you sit in the driver seat, you can feel the touch of the BMW engineers. The most distinctive feature of Mini is its excellent handling. Mini Cooper John Cooper costs $28,000 and offers 208hp.
About the same size of a 2 liter coke bottle and produces 280hp. Yes, that is the engine of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The Evo X is out and it looks better than ever. 4G63 engine is replaced with the newly designed 4B11 engine. RISE safety body offers increased passenger safety. Eclipse GT is the other sports car available in the Mitsubishi lineup.
Nissan 350Z is not produced anymore and GT-R is Nissan's only sports car now. 350Z is fast and is one of the best drift cars in the world. 350Z became more famous after The Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift movie. Nissan Altima 3.5 SE is a family coupe and offers 270 hp. The 370Z will be released in 2009.
Saab cars are safe, quiet and powerful. Saab is actually an aerospace company but no one can deny that they produce amazing cars. Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan offers 280hp and looks very sporty.
Winning 3 Constructors' Titles in WRC, Impreza is the best known model of Subaru. As soon as you hear the sound of the Boxer engine, you will fall in love with that. Subaru changed the Impreza body style from a sedan to a hatchback and this change increased the sales of the Impreza in Europe. The new Impreza looks aggressive and have high quality interior. Getting 5 stars from the crash tests, it is safer than ever. You can try a real rally experience if you take your 305hp WRX STI off the road.
Volkswagen introduced the GTI to the world in 1974. GTI refers to a hatchback with a powerful engine. R32 is a 4WD and GTI is a FWD. GTI offers 200hp with its turbocharged 2.0 liters engine. The 250 hp R32 reaches to 60 mph in 6 seconds.
