So I bought the new Modified magazine today since they have an autocross RX8 project going on. As I flipped through the pages I saw a "10 best track cars" segment. Basically they were trying to find the 10 best cars for the track based on price, stock performance, mod friendliness, how easy it drives at the limit, and bang for the buck factor. I usually love these kind of comparisons so I read on. However the first page showed #10 and #9 to be:

Nissan GT-R R35
Honda NSX

FAIL! I thought price was a factor and the first car I see starts at $80K? WTF? NSX's aren't cheap either. Next up was the RX7 (hard to find, harder to find in good shape), 350Z, S2000, S14 240SX, STi, Evo, Intergra (...seriously?), and a Miata for #1.

I was really disappointed in the review. Great idea but not impressed at all. So I was wondering if we could make our own list of sub-$35ishK cars that are a good track/street combo while factoring in price, stock performance, aftermarket support, and how well it pulls of a good track/street ratio. My opinion:

WRX/STi
Evo X/IX
2011 Mustang GT
2010 Camaro SS
2010 RX8 R3
BMW 135i
C5 Corvette
Nissan 350Z/370Z
VW GTI
Honda S2000

In no particular order.

 

I am surprised the lotus Elise didn't make thier list...

 

Me too. Anytime I hear stuff about great track cars, Lotus is always the frst thing that comes to mind. I just wish they weren't so rare so I could actually test one out. That Exige would be one of my dream cars if I had the cash.

 

The price of a Lotus puts it into Corvette territory (Elise to base C6, Exige S to Z06). No way I'd take a Lotus over a vette. If you think a vette has a crappy interior, you should sit in a Lotus. Yuck.

 

If the point is to make it a track car, then the Lotus is dead on.
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Lotuses aren't actually that rare, you just have to look in the right places. Go to a track day and you're bound to see a handful of them. Make friends with them and maybe they'll let you drive theirs

 

Plenty of Lotus's around here. In fact I'm tacking with a friend this Friday and he has a S/C Elise

 

Some other awesome cars that have yet to be mentioned. 996 porsches are are sub 35k right now, especially a c2s and c4s. If you look hard enough, you can get a 996 GT3 for around 35k. you don't get much more bang for the buck. E36 m3's are aging, but great cars with a huge aftermarket and pretty cheap. E46 m3's are in the low 20's. I would take either of these over any mustang, camaro, gti 350z etc. You can probably get a z4m in that price range which is also a bad *** car.

 

I like these options.
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That list sucks. RX8 and elise didnt even make it on.......and since theyre listing 80-110K cars, they didnt include an R8...

Yah okay

 

Yeah that list isn't terrible, but c'mon a S14 and a Integra??? Yes the Integra was one of the best FWD handeling cars for its day, but that time for this car has came and gone. And the S14??? Maybe a good drift car , handeling wise they were always meh in stock trim.

A Corvette should definitely be on that list, it run circles around a 350/370Z and will defintely give a competent S2000 a run for its money in the cones.

Lotus Elise is a given.

Rx-8 , I guess they figured they had 1 rotary and 2 Mazdas in there , so a third Mazda might make the magazine seem bias towards Mazdas.

Oh well at least some rotary car made it in that list.

 

This list is kind of pointless unless you refine the term "track cars". For most people a track car, means something that you either tow to the track or a car that can be driven to the track but you would not drive it on a regular basis. Generally a good track car is an awful road car (there are of course some exceptions).

Alternatively a track car can mean something a manufacturer builds for the track, right out of the box: caterhams, radicals, exige, ktm crossbow, caparo etc.

I think what they are referring to are new cars that can be tracked [Edit: I see that they have older cars on there as well plus some fwd cars - so I don't really understand what they were referring to]. Most are way to heavy and complicated to have fun in.

If we are talking track cars, then the miata and e30s offer the best bang for the buck, vettes C5/c6 also pretty popular as are E36s.

 

The vette really needs to be on that list. I'm not partial to any of them myself, but every time I go to Nurburgring of Hockenheimring I always see quite a few of them.

 

Exactly. That list is garbage imo.

 

I like how you dismiss the Integra but your own list includes a GTI

 

CRX isn't on the list either.


If the list is cheap, easy to mod and maintain, I can see why the 8 isn't on the list. It really isn't easy to mod, even if you claim cheap and easy to maintain.

 

have you ever driven a GTI? Very nice car for a FWD. I definately feel like the GTI is very underrated.

 

RX8s are already well known as a well balanced very neutral car. I mean, cmon driving schools use RX8s to teach people how to drive!

I truly agree with the guy that said its because there was already two mazdas on the list. IMO, I believe the RX7 is a legend, but the RX8 shouldve been on this list.

Again, all opinions....

 

The GTI I think would be more mod friendly and for daily use there's no question which one I'd pick.

 

10 Best Track Cars

Mazda Furai
Mazda 792
Mazda 787B
Mazda RX8 SE3P
Mazda RX7 FD
Mazda RX7 FC
MazdaSpeed 6
MazdaSpeed Protege
Mazdaspeed 3
Mazda 2

 

i think the list they gave was better than the ops lol

 

I said IMO. How bout yours?

 

Lotus Elise
Mazda Miata
Mazda RX8
Chevrolet Corvette C6 Grand Sport
Dodge Viper
Porsche 968
Audi R8
Mitsubishi Evo X
Honda S2000
Nissan 370Z

This would be my list, just off the top of my head in 30 seconds at work between tasks. I would probably modify it if I had some more time.

EDIT- order doesnt matter btw, not ordered in any particular way, just my opnion of 10 good candidates.

 

^fail

 

Obviously you've never been to Wisconsin.