PETROLHEADS looking for a little bit of oomph needn’t break the bank – as performance motors can easily be picked up for bargain prices.
In fact, according to motoring experts at Autocar, there’s an entire range of performance cars available second-hand – many even coming in under £5,000
These budget sports cars include some of the coolest and most iconic high-end motors of the last 20 years – with a modern classic Nissan among them.
The MG brand is perhaps best known and loved for its two-door sports cars of the 1960s and 1970s – such as the MGB and MG Midget.
And the iconic British manufacturer recaptured some of that charm in the 90s with the MG F and then the MG TF.
Built in 2002 until 2005, the lovely TF could’ve lasted longer had it not been for the demise of the MG Rover in that same year.
Today, they can be picked up for as little as £1,000 – a proper bargain.
From one super cheap two-door sports car to another, the Mazda RX-8 might just be the perfect coupe on a budget.
From its fabulous handling to brilliant stylings, the charming Japanese motor can hit up to 228 bhp, depending on the model you buy.
Speaking of which, RX-8s can be bought for just £1,000, although Autocar experts do advise to spend closer to £1,800 “to buy something that won’t expire imminently.”
Offering a mixture of pace, refinement and cost-effectiveness, the Seat Ibiza can hit 130 mph as its top speed and go to 62 mph in just over eight seconds.
Described by Autocar as “ridiculously torquey and immensely chuckable”, motorheads can pick up this supermini – first built in 2009 – from £1,600.
There’s a lot to love about little Japanese sports cars, with the 350Z a particular cult favourite among petrolheads – even, dare we say it, a modern classic.
Capable of producing 276 bhp thanks to its V6, rear-wheel drive motor, it can be found as a both a coupe and a roadster – all for around £4,000.
The motor that defined a generation of petrolheads – not least because of Subaru‘s World Rally Championship heroics – the Impreza will always turn heads.
And, so it seems, the future classic doesn’t need to break the bank, either, as Autocar suggest these can be found for as low as £5,000.
With a hearty 2.5-litre V6 engine, the ST200 is a family motor with a difference – a nod to the Sierra Cosworth thanks to its power and looks.
However, Autocar does warn that buying this fast Ford comes with some rather eye-watering running costs around both fuel and road tax bills.
This comes as a Mondeo ST220 recently went up for sale for a bargain price – as car fans were reminded of Jeremy Clarkson’s sheer love for the motor.
Meanwhile, a CEO of a major car brand has revealed they’re set to discontinue their range of performance EVs after just two years… but could rebrand an iconic model.
