An enthusiast, Gearhead always wants to own and drive more cars. Or maybe a new gearhead wants to enter the world of sports cars that are cheap, easy to maintain, and fun to drive, even when driving around town.
Sports cars aren’t really what you need, but we at Gearhead love that they’re there to have fun.From classic sports cars to the latest sports cars, we love them all. Unfortunately, new cars have become so expensive and classic cars have risen in value like crazy that we have to look to the sports car middle ground of a few years ago. Nissan 370Z, Toyota GT86, old Mazda MX-5, Porsche 944 and even BMW Z4. These cars are old enough to fix the problem, or at least have a workaround, and are great for both daily driving and late afternoon drives down mountain passes.
sports car It’s something that keeps our gearheads going and there are quite a few that we wouldn’t mind owning at all. To do.
10/10 Nissan 370Z – $13,000
The Nissan 370Z is a great starting point for new gearheads looking to step into the world of sports cars. From Japanese reliability, superior power and performance enhancements to cosmetic changes, there are a number of aftermarket upgrades available both internally and externally.
The 370Z is a few years old now, but still has great potential. It’s easy to drive, so it’s a car that can be used every day as a car for chasing lap times or for commuting. The price of the 370Z has dropped a bit as the new Z is about to launch.
9/10 BMW M235i – $20,000
The BMW M235i may be a little pricey on the used car market, but it doesn’t disappoint. The M235i is powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six that directs all power exclusively to the rear wheels via either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic.
The M235i is a bargain M2 minus the wide body kit, making it a perfect little coupe or convertible for cruising down the back roads. And being a BMW product, it has class-leading handling.
8/10 Toyota GT86 – $20,000
The first-generation Toyota GT86 was a revolution in the budget sports car market, combining simplified engineering with a relatively low price tag. Today, the GT86 is still worth around $20,000, mostly because it’s a popular car among enthusiasts.
The GT86 is powered by a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-4 that produces around 200 horsepower. Power is transmitted only to the rear wheels via either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic. Many criticized the low power output, so Toyota and Subaru fixed it with their new GR86 model.
7/10 Mazda MX-5 – $10,000
The Mazda MX-5 is the last traditional sports car still on the market today. It’s small, impractical, and mostly used for weekend driving, but it’s a great car nonetheless. His original MX-5 debuted in 1989 and is still one of his best and most quirky convertibles.
Engines included 1.6, 1.8 or 2.0 liters in several different configurations, depending on trim. The car was available with either a folding soft top or a manually removable solid hard top. The MX-5 has skyrocketed in price, but is now held at around $10,000.
6/10 Porsche 944 – $10,000
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After VW withdrew its contract for a new sports car, the Porsche 944 was the German brand’s small, relatively inexpensive sports car. , and ended up with a 968.
The 944 is a great looking sports car with some strong inline fours. Higher models even had turbochargers for added boost. The 944 is a bargain retro sports car with great reliability, great handling and a Porsche badge on the front.
5/10 Opel Speedster – $15,000
The Opel Speedster is a body-modified version of the Lotus Elise, but it makes more power and is bigger in every way. The Speedster was also marketed in the UK as the Vauxhall VX220, and he got the VXR treatment when the Speedster Turbo was announced.
Since the Speedster was based on a Lotus Elise, the handling was great and hard to drive on winding roads. A 2.0-liter turbocharged in-line four engine produced his 220 horsepower, and 0-60 mph acceleration took him just 4.7 seconds.
4/10 Honda S2000 – $20,000
The Honda S2000 was the last big S car Honda produced, ignoring the recent S660. The S2000 looked very nice, but the party piece was definitely his 2.0-liter inline-four under the hood. The engine was rated at 240 hp and he revved to 8,800 rpm.
The S2000 was updated in 2004 with a longer stroke and 2.2 liter displacement. Unfortunately, the redline had him down to 7,800 rpm, but he still sounded great for a 4-cylinder. Prices for the S2000 have increased over the years, with good ones costing over $20,000.
3/10 BMW Z4 E89 – $15,000
The BMW Z4 is a car that didn’t get a lot of attention because the first generation was terrible to drive. What many people forget is E89 – This is by no means a bad car. It also has a twin turbocharged inline 6 with a special boost function.
of E89 It looks great, and even the lowest inline 4 is fun, but it’s the straight 6 that makes the car a proper sporty backroad blaster. Because many people overlook E89 The Z4 sells for just $15,000 on the used market.
2/10 Fiat 124 Spider – $15,000
The Fiat 124 Spider may be an odd choice, but it works. Built on the same platform as the Mazda MX-5, the 124 not only has a different body and interior, it also has a different engine.
Powering the Japanese-Italian roadster is a turbocharged 1.4-liter inline-four from a Fiat 500 Abarth. That means 170 horsepower and enough noise to make a Lamborghini roar. It’s a great little car.
1/10 Ford Mustang GT – $20,000
The Ford Mustang is a great choice for both sports and muscle cars. Older Stangs are a little harder to drive, but the 2015 and newer models have independent rear suspension to keep the rear from sliding around.
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Many people shy away from the Mustang because the interior looks cheap and plastic, but that’s okay. What really matters are his 5.0-liter V8 under the hood, the manual transmission in the middle, and smoke his machine tires in the rear.