The "fastest" modern slow car?

peasant

confusing title ...bear with me.

Problem with proper fast modern cars is that you can't drive them legally (on public roads) in the smile zone, they reach their full potential only way beyond driving ban territory

Bog standard modern cars are just boring. Far removed from road feel, reasonably accomplished ...but booooring.

In the old days, I would have recommended a "classic" Mini or a Peugeot 106 Rally for most fun for your money to be had on public roads and insisde legal limits.

I'm not up to date with recent cars (showing my age:D). What car (even if slow on paper in comparison with the M3's of this world) would one have to buy these days to have low budget, legal fun?

Fun as opposed to fast progress! Almost every car these days is reasonably quick, few are fun to drive though.

Ferris

Fiat 500 100hp or Abarth or Panda 100hp would be good I imagine

New Mini's give a good sensation of speed too while still being very accomplished.

The original S1 Elise was designed to break traction at low speed too.

Mr Benevolent

Clio 1.6

I think the lack of feel in 'modern' cars is down to the introduction of power steering. Same thing happened to aircraft.

EPM

OK, its slow and mundane, but i reckon a 1.4 focus for handling alone.

Otherwise, Suzuki Swift. My sisters 1.3 one is great fun...but the sport one would be fast and fun. For the price it out Mini's the Mini

The Real B-man

Seat Ibiza 1.4 Sport 100Bhp :pac:

Twin-go

BMW 316ti m-sport. 120ish bhp, rear wheel drive great on the back roads. Sweet engine that justs seems to give you more and more power without running out of steam.

stealthyspeeder

Mini Cooper S is a great fun, The Works version if you really wanna let the hair down! but their quite pricey.

My friends 172 Clio Cup is a bit cheaper, and great fun (a tad scary with no ABS though!)

Super-Rush

The new Corsa sport or an Omega Turbo

Stephen

The Fiat 500 abarth looks like immense fun to me

Drummerboy08

Kia Pro'Ceed "daysel". :pac: Best fun i've had in a while.

L-M

I was in something lately that gave me a shock, can't remember what it was though so i'll post it as i do.

One car i drove for about 40 miles was a TT 200bhp DSG. Although you get to ban territory very quickly, an absolute cracking car to drive. Great fun.(Could be a bit fast for what your on about though Peasant.)

unkel

Suzuki Cappuccino, Smart Roadster, Mazda MX-5, Lotus Elise

In order of increasing excitement

Henry Ford III

I may have a new contender for this in a few days....

Luke Crowley

I know it's not modern, but for legal fun, I still reckon you can't beat an Austin-Healy 'Frogeye' Sprite. Small, light, low and huge fun on a twisting back road; yet struggles to reach, let alone exceed, the speed limit on a motorway.

Cosmo K

+1 for the Mazda MX 5

VolvoMan

The Audi A5 2.0 TFSI is very torquey in the low rev range and delivers a very impressive 155 MPH and 0-60 in 6.5 seconds.

-Chris-

Limerick man wrote: »

One car i drove for about 40 miles was a TT 200bhp DSG....

That's what jumped to mind for me first too! Peasant, can you put a budget on your "low budget"?

unkel wrote: »

Suzuki Cappuccino, Smart Roadster, Mazda MX-5, Lotus Elise

In order of increasing excitement

+2 on the MX5 - I was window shopping for an Anniversary model last night. If my motor career takes a turn for the worst, I think I know what my first "civilian" car will be...

VolvoMan wrote: »

The Audi A5 2.0 TFSI is very torquey in the low rev range and delivers a very impressive 155 MPH and 0-60 in 6.5 seconds.

I don't agree with this one - this isn't low budget or fun (in a "wow, it drives like a go-cart" sense of fun).

peasant

peasant wrote: »

cheap as

not too far north of 25 k new -ish, just to have a number.

bazz26

Renault Clio Sport 172:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1292629

Don't get much more fun for €3k imo.

Esel

unkel wrote: »

Suzuki Cappuccino, Smart Roadster, Mazda MX-5, Lotus Elise

In order of increasing excitement

I was a passenger in a Cappucino once - definitely exhilarating! They're so small and low..... (not slow)!

peasant

I test drove a smart roadster once ...but I didn't fit in properly that kinda spoiled it for me

markos79

the misses has a suzuki swift sport quick little car and fun to drive.


its for sale btw

http://adverts.ie/95304

rabbitinlights

bazz26 wrote: »

Renault Clio Sport 172:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1292629

Don't get much more fun for €3k imo.

That is a lot of fun for 3k!!!! Great Spot!

SV

rabbitinlights wrote: »

That is a lot of fun for 3k!!!! Great Spot!

I've been to view that.
Not in the best of condition..

but if you don't mind giving it a bit of tlc then it's a good buy.

robtri

+ 3 can only be the mx-5
serious rear wheel fun at low speeds especially when a bit wet out and a roundabout or two to slide around ...

R.O.R

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Kia Pro'Ceed "daysel". :pac: Best fun i've had in a while.

I'll go with this based on recent experience. It's the only car that decided to wheelspin all the way through the garage (ok, it was wet but nothing else has done that) when I wasn't even trying.

Overall though, I'd say the MX5 has it. Had a 1.6 as a hire car and it was an absolute hoot to drive despite being about 130bhp down on my daily driver at the time.

S.I.R

as much as i hate to say it...


for bagin basement modern slow cars... civics ( upto 99ish ) where pretty nippy motors...


the 106 is a beast... What i would do for a gti/rallye ( despite the fact i couldn't insure one... )

the G6R corrolla is pretty fast too for a 1.6

RobAMerc

+ 5 for the MX5.

Some of the cars posted here lads would put you to sleep at anything near legal speeds.

Even in the Clio 172 ( which I am a big fan of ) you'd need to be clocking up a few mph's to get anywhere near its limit on normal roads.

I don't think OP your talking about out and out speed by the way you mentioned the speed limit are you?

Stufinnegan

It all depends on the definition of Low budget car. I drive to work every day in an RX8 and it's an absolute hoot to drive (and you can get one
relatively cheap at the moment).

Notch000

Getting on a bit now but
Honda Beat
I've never driven one but heard there an absooute looney little car, quick and go cart esq handling

HashSlinging

pug 205 Rallye 1.3 130bhp.

785 kg

Nuts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWNVl_o5B_k&feature=related

CharlieCroker

MX-5 all the way and early ones are SERIOUSLY cheap!
Seems to be the clear winner for a lot of people

HashSlinging

mx-5 is nice alright.. I've never driven one but have been a passenger..

mp22

Renault Twingo 1.2 gt tce 101 bhp 950 kgs 0 to 100kph 9.8

VolvoMan

AudiChris wrote: »

I don't agree with this one - this isn't low budget or fun (in a "wow, it drives like a go-cart" sense of fun).

Well it's not exactly the top model in the range either, is it?:rolleyes:

Cosmo K

peasant wrote: »

would one have to buy these days to have low budget, legal fun?

Nope, the 2.0 ltr A5 is not the top of the range model. But, with prices for the A5 starting from 47030€, its not exactly a low budget car.

Henry Ford III

HashSlinging wrote: »

pug 205 Rallye 1.3 130bhp.

785 kg

Nuts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWNVl_o5B_k&feature=related

The vid. clip is a 205 T16 though.

p.s. The 205 Rallye 1.3 produced 102bhp. Still a fun car though.

HashSlinging

Not according to this site.

kuro_man

Open Speedster/Vauxhall vx220
Ford Puma 1.7

Zube

HashSlinging wrote: »

Not according to this site.

Quoting from that site:

And the 205 Rallye 1.3, that came in 1987 like the 1.9, literally was a piss take! Peugeot wanted to show that group A as it was was an unfortunate top rally category. For the lowest, up to 1300cc, categories A5 & N1 they developed a 205 minus all gimmicks, super light and an engine that would have exactly 1299.9cc and with 4 huge caburettors it would deliver 100BHP already in road trim, just 30BHP down on the 1.9.

The Rallye had really, really short gears and a very lumpy cam, would be a bit of a pain as a commuting car.

vinruane

You can pick up a nice S2000 now on a relatively low budget, bit of craic!

here.from.day.1

vinruane wrote: »

You can pick up a nice S2000 now on a relatively low budget, bit of craic!

Stealing my own recommendation to you from only yesterday!!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=59098564&postcount=22

:P

vinruane

Just passing on the knowledge. You enlightened me and now I'm passing it on