Unexpectedly fast cars 20k, no big barges

[torqueofthedevil]

Would like a car that feels properly fast for <20k. <10k even better. I don't mean some big m5 / S8 / supercharged merc.

Evos and scoobies too obvious.

I'm thinking smaller cars probably but unexpectedly quick.

[Codswallop]

Vauxhall VX220 Turbo.

Low, light and turbo power delivery all add up to making a fast car feel very fast.

Lotus Europa would be a good option if you want a tiny bit more refinement (good potential to become a future classic too imo).

[Ali_T]

torqueofthedevil said:

Evos and scoobies too obvious

There's a reason they're popular though they need modded to be truly fast. You can get a DB7 Vantage, XKR or Maserati 4200 for £20kish.

[sparks_E39]

I couldn't look past a DB7 Vantage.

[Tickle]

600bhp per tonne and 0-60 under 3 seconds for <£16k....certainly not a barge either!

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/w...

[Ali_T]

torqueofthedevil said:

Evos and scoobies too obvious

There's a reason they're popular though they need modded to be truly fast. You can get a DB7 Vantage, XKR or Maserati 4200 for £20kish.

[aeropilot]

torqueofthedevil said:

I'm thinking smaller cars probably but unexpectedly quick.

If you are excluding Evo's and Scoob's, then what about a BMW 135i....?

[Tuvra]

Remapped BMW Z4 35i. No one expects them to be fast

If you wanted seriously quick, a fettled one of these should fit the bill:

[redtwin]

Tuvra said:

Remapped BMW Z4 35i. No one expects them to be fast

If you wanted seriously quick, a fettled one of these should fit the bill:

Pretty sure the £20K budget was for the purchase of the car, not for running costs and repairs.

[CO2000]

Tickle said:

600bhp per tonne and 0-60 under 3 seconds for <£16k....certainly not a barge either!

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/w...

Can be "ohh my giddy Aunt fast"! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvZtFUJHFV0
I'd budget for changing from invalid scooter maroon though

[s m]

aeropilot said:

torqueofthedevil said:

I'm thinking smaller cars probably but unexpectedly quick.

If you are excluding Evo's and Scoob's, then what about a BMW 135i....?

Especially with 400bhp engine

[Level 7 Boss]

I know the OP doesn't want big barges, but the XKR is truly beautiful.

I'm guessing a Noble is too obvious?

RS4
Monaro

A quick sleeper, which isn't a barge and not an obvious sports car is really tricky.

[Bennet]

You can get horribly bog standard looking Volvo S40s with the same 2.5 turbo as the focus ST, I think.

Subaru legacy saloon 3.0 looks very innoccuous and isn't that big but you'd need to put up with idiotic fuel consumption.

Perhaps something enthusiast owned with a well sorted engine conversion. I can't think of much that is small and comes as standard with a lot of power that doesn't shout about it.

Edited by Bennet on Wednesday 2nd July 10:20

[fcuk1_6]

There's a few B8 Audi S4s coming under the £20k mark now and with a remap, uprated air intake and uprated supercharger pulley your looking at 480bhp with pretty much the looks of a standard A4, a proper Q car. The BM 135 and 335 are a good shout too.

[ConorE]

C32/55 AMG? Change the badges and it could be mistaken for any other C class.

[blade7]

996 turbo.

[alangla]

Mk2 Focus RS? Should be about the £20k mark & will hold its value, so basically running cost only motoring for the next few years.
Not really unexpected though.
As someone else said, investigate the Volvos that share/have more powerful versions of the Fast Ford engines.

[skyrover]

Cheap as chips and easily tuned.

And no... they are not a big barge (same size as focus saloon)

[amstrange1]

fk1_6 said:

There's a few B8 Audi S4s coming under the £20k mark now and with a remap, uprated air intake and uprated supercharger pulley your looking at 480bhp with pretty much the looks of a standard A4, a proper Q car.

This. They're also hugely tractable, so a remapped one is quicker in real-life conditions than the ~12s 1/4 mile time would suggest.

[P-Jay]

No big bargaes, no M5/AMG/RS or sports cars or Rally Reps.

You're looking at Hot Hatches really then I guess - S3, RS3's 135i, Golf R or R32, Focus RS - but personally I'd look a little bigger at an B8 S4, or some sort of Alpina based on a 3-series.

Not that I have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the price of these things.