Ford Fiesta ST, 2020, 28k, £18,295
Perhaps because it boasts such a multitude of talents (and since the arrival of a certain Toyota), it can be easy to forget just how much the Fiesta ST squeezed out of very little engine. It was down 100cc and a cylinder on its 1.6-litre, four-pot predecessor, yet it boasted increased power, improved efficiency and perhaps an even more engaging character - nothing quite eggs you on like a three-cylinder thrum. Companies like Mountune can make the 140mph 1.5 even faster if required. You’ll probably not need it any more entertaining than this one, though, the Performance Edition that introduced coilovers and flow-formed wheels to ramp up the fun even further. It was so good, in fact, and so popular, that Ford followed up with another Edition in Azura Blue. They’re definitely the variant that will be most sought after in years to come. This one has fewer than 30,000 miles, and is £18k.
Z Car Mini Classic, 1980, TBC, £49,980
Every Mini ever made is proof that tiny cars can be enormous fun, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to push that belief to its extremes. Because it has a superbike engine in the middle of it. And not just any superbike, either, but the fabled Suzuki Hayabusa - so that means 1.3-litres and 200hp at 10,100rpm, but also revving all the way to 11,000rpm. Through a sequential gearbox and Quaife LSD to the rear wheels. It doesn’t promise fun so much as total sensory overload and exhilaration every single second it’s running. But with something like £65k spent making this one, it’s about far more than just the engine, with coilover suspension, variable traction control, big brakes, a redone (and very nice) ‘taller driver’ interior plus a respray in Volvo’s very fetching Rebel Blue. There are mad Minis, and then there are bike-engined Minis with sequential ‘boxes. £50k surely isn’t going to buy a greater thrill on four wheels.
Abarth 124 Spider, 2018, 5k, £19,995
Just 1,368 cubic centimetres powers the Abarth 124, with a turbocharger ensuring a healthy 170hp and 168lb ft - it was actually the most powerful of the MX-5/124 collaboration from the factory. And as with every Abarth powered by this 1.4 turbo, it was brimming with personality, as much speedboat as it was a sports car with its gurgles, rumbles and roars. And while we’d never deny the appeal of the MX-5’s rev-happy 2.0-litre, there was most certainly fun to be had in the turbo twin - more easily accessible torque meant more easily accessible skids, for starters. Great manual gearbox, too, of course. The Abarth cosmetic overhaul made for a less gawky 124 as well, so it isn’t hard to see the attraction. There are MX-5s everywhere, which is one of the reasons why the same can’t be said for Abarths. This one is barely run in at 5,000 miles, and is yours for £20k.
Lotus Elise S3, 2010, 18k, £24,000
Think of the Toyota-engined Lotuses and it’s easy to recall the screaming 1.8-litre Exiges - or even the V6 that’s still howling away in the middle of an Emira - but don’t forget the 1.6 as well. The built-in-Britain 1ZR-FAE was introduced in 2010 for the S3 Elise, bringing the same 136hp as the 1.8 it replaced yet improving efficiency: official scores of 149g/km and 45mpg combined were very impressive indeed. All while retaining everything that made the Elise such a joy for so long: it was a light, delicate, absorbing sports car to drive in any and every situation. This example is said to have originally been owned by a member of the Lotus management, and looks superb in Motorsport Green, of which this is believed to be just one of seven. There will be many larger engined sports cars to be bought for £24k, though very few will be more likeable.
Honda Civic Type R (EK9), 1998, 93k, £26,995
It can be easy to forget just how extreme the early Honda Type Rs were, a situation never better exemplified than with the first Civic to receive the red H. A stripped-out NSX was easy to understand, ditto the Integra coupe, but Civics really weren’t very interesting in the 1990s - and of course the Type R changed all that. Naturally, the chassis was uprated (double wishbones at every corner, no less) and weight removed from an already light car (to just 1,073kg), yet it was the engine that ensured the EK9 stood apart. The B16 1.6 was already a familiar unit by the time of the Type R’s introduction, but a larger throttle body, new pistons, lighter rods, upgraded injectors and more ensured legend status: 185hp at 8,200rpm from just 1,595cc was an almost unbelievable specific output. The engine’s rep means the best Type R’s are now hot property - this one is as much as another Japanese hero more than 20 years newer…
Toyota GR Yaris, 2021, 32k, £26,980
While it can feel like there’s not much left to say about the first GR Yaris, there’s no way we could talk about small engines and big fun without bringing it up again. Toyota’s G16E-GTS would have been a mini marvel in any era; that it can deliver so much power and personality in the 2020s is almost miraculous. The 261hp 1.6 was the most powerful three-cylinder engine in the world until Toyota beat its own claim to fame with the more potent Corolla version. For so much performance to come from just three combustion chambers is obviously impressive. But it's the insatiable nature of the triple that makes it the perfect match for a chassis that always has something left to give. No wonder we still love them. This white Circuit Pack car has a full Toyota service history and is one of the more affordable out there, at £27k.
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