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

[tommy10101]

Slow said:

Elise?

i dont think i would fit :/

[tommy10101]

slipstream 1985 said:

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

i have heard they are bullet proof reliable. I wouldnt mind maintaining it

[tommy10101]

321boost said:

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

what is an 86?

[tommy10101]

Welshbeef said:

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

I have done many track days in lots of different front wheel drive cars i have owned so feel i have done that now.
(focus rs mk2 MP350, clio 200RS)

I sold my golf 7R daily last year and am now in an M140i. I would like the track car to be at least as fast as this hence the 250bhp per tonne needed

[tommy10101]

RikJonAtk said:

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

i have heard the Z4Ms engine would not be up to it. I had considered them and sat in one once, it was lovely

[tommy10101]

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

I used to Own an mr2 mk2 turbo and they are surprisingly roomy inside. I had inches of headroom to spare even wearing a helmet

[tommy10101]

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.

I plan on keeping the track car long term so want it to be a bit more exiting and rare than the corsa/clio

[tommy10101]

drgoatboy said:

how about buying a Mk3 MX5 for and supercharging it and fitting different seats.

You will pick up a nice facelift car for under £8k (or an earlier car for £3k), £5k on a corten miller supercharger. £1k on a nice Tillet B5 seat, £1k on some coilovers (although you can probably get a car with them on already), and £500 on a gcfabrications roll bar.

£12-16k should get you all you want with scope for more improvements...

i did think very hard about the Mx5. But in the end i decided it was too common and not special enough

[tommy10101]

Zoobeef said:

Half that bhp/ton in a lotus variant or caterfield would destroy a m140i

My local race track is Castle Combe. It is one of the fastest in the country and needs decent power to be fast.

A 200bhp per tonne caterham would be running out of puff quite early down the main straight

I am really leaning towards the Mr2 or a Norris designs evo. Its really interesting reading all the suggestions. TY!

[tommy10101]

Also track days are more fun with more bhp imo

I have found in lower powered cars that make their laptime in corners and under braking, you end up getting stuck behind cars that pull away on the straights