Please help me. I can’t decide which track car to buy..

[tommy10101]

Hi all

I have been looking for a track car for some time now and I’m beginning to wonder if it even exists. I’m hoping someone can help by suggesting some cars that I have overlooked.

I will list the things that make up my perfect track car in order of priority.


1. Sub £15k purchase price. (Suggest cars up to £20k max including modifications)

2. RWD or 4WD

3. Lightweight, easy on brakes and tires (sub 1300kg)

4. Proven reliability (with and without modifications). Must be up to vigorous track work and cope with long stints

5. Resonable interior room (I am 6ft 3)

6. Preferably 250bhp per tonne or more

7. The more unique and rare the car the better


Now I will list the cars I have thought of that tick the most of these boxes


Mistubushi Evo 5-9. (Potentially too heavy and common)

Supercharged Honda S2000 (maybe not reliable with constant hotlapping)

Caterham 420R (a dream but too expensive and too tight inside cockpit, leg room etc)

Ariel atom 3/4. (As above but roomier)

Mazda mx5 bbr stage 2. (A bit small inside and potentially not reliable as dedicated track car)

Toyota mr2 mk2 turbo (tuned to 300bhp, maybe not reliable)



I have settled on the mr2 turbo as ticking most of these boxes. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

A big thing for me is it needs to be fairly cheap over all, as I said sub £20k. Otherwise I will be too scared to drive 10/10ths on track

Many thanks all

Tom

[Slow]

Elise?

[slipstream 1985]

mr2 turbo is going to be pretty long in the tooth.

[carinaman]

Last model MR2 with the 190bhp Celica T-Sport motor.

[321boost]

If you want to go down the modified route then how about an 86 with a kit from fensport?

It’s light (1275kg), stage 2 can give you 320 bhp and that fits your 250bhp per tonne criteria. It’s a rwd and somewhat rare.

Edited by 321boost on Saturday 18th May 02:10

[DanielSan]

S2000 will bang laps out all day long reliably, add some coilovers and a good geo setup plus some decent discs/pads/lines and fluid and go have some VTEC based thrills.

A rear wing isn't the worst thing to fit to once either if you're starting to get really quick on track for a bit of extra stability at high speed.

[RikJonAtk]

VX220 Turbo?
Z4M?
Wide body Westfield? (SEIW)

[Welshbeef]

There is a reason why Renault Clio Sport S we’re a racing category.

You could buy a 172Sport for so little £1k territory and then spend the extras as you progress. Why not start with it being simply a stripped 172Clio sport then upgrade suspension then brakes tyres and once you have mastered all it can give power upgrades.


You will not be on the thick end of budget so if it breaks badly you could scrap it and go again.

Or buy an ex racer Clio Sport

Have you thought about Formulae Ford /Palmer Audi single seater with3.5ltr V8

[anonymous-user]

tommy10101 said:

2. RWD or 4WD

6. Preferably 250bhp per tonne or more

Welshbeef said:

Renault Clio Sport S

You could buy a 172Sport for so little £1k territory

[Yazza54]

Have you ruled out, or considered a kit car of some description. A bike engined fury, Phoenix or 7 style car goes very very well on track for not a lot of money

[Welshbeef]

Are 4 wheel drive cars as much fun on a track for a novice?

Surely the OPs MO (1st post too) is to have fun on the track. We don’t know how much cub or how little he has done before ability frequency if he intends to enter any racing or simply turn up at tracks to race

[ecsrobin]

Whilst not fitting your RWD/4WD category you could get an FIA certified race car I. The form of an Abarth 500 assetto Corse for inside your budget (if you find one for sale a few a year change hands)

[anonymous-user]

Boxster or a Cayman? Slightly down on your power to weight requirement, but not exactly slow.

[Welshbeef]

Would OP sacrifice the chase for bhp/tonne for better balance handling ?



I’ve seen Citroen C1’s which look like a blast when fully race prepped. Cheap as chips to enter and the fun part is the key.

Most tracks even with the fastest cars within budget are not going to be getting over 120mph

[Jaybmw]

At 6ft3 you've no hope in a mx5 or mr2. Mate has a turbo here and it's tight and I'm just 511. But that's not my concern, the mr2 is a nightmare handling wise. Your best option is a e46 m3 for 10kish and throw a few k at it

[Welshbeef]

Jaybmw said:

At 6ft3 you've no hope in a mx5 or mr2. Mate has a turbo here and it's tight and I'm just 511. But that's not my concern, the mr2 is a nightmare handling wise. Your best option is a e46 m3 for 10kish and throw a few k at it

Good shout - and if he wanted big power he has plenty left in his budget to supercharge it so 600bhp is available.

I’m sure there is a YouTube of a cracking driver running a race prepped E46 M3 supercharged at the ring and does low minute time. Pound for pound you cannot get quicker


OP how about a C63/55 older ones in budget and per all the vids you’d have a ball drifting them with the reward of noise

[Contigo]

Save the cash and get an Corsa VXR or Clio 172, you will have as much fun as a 250hp RWD car for sure.

[SWoll]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E46-M3-Track-car-Ro...

What more could you want?

[Zoobeef]

VX220

[anonymous-user]

Contigo said:

Save the cash and get an Corsa VXR or Clio 172, you will have as much fun as a 250hp RWD car for sure.

He said 250bhp/ton.