Best track cars

Engaging steering and a lively chassis. I've driving the RSX-S and in my option this car has a better set-up with the double wishbone suspension up front and 5 bar arm-link setup in the back. As with every Honda gearbox, shifting is fluid/natural and never forceful. OEM brakes are tiny and shudder during hard braking. 2.4l engine output is adequate but for around 0 you can have Honda molest the ECU and various dyno results have shown gains around 220whp with the re-flash.

Lightning acceleration but watch out for the slightly twitchy handling, especially in the wet. Our favourite track weapon and almost as fast as a superbike. Good reaction speed is essential.

Super light, stiff chassis, great torque from I-5 - turbo versions are capable of 400HP

Oodles of grip, predictable understeer. Easy car to drive fast. Out-handles many more expensive sports cars (eg. 135M).

The silky smooth Vr6 has a good torque delivery throughout the rev range with lots of low down grunt.

Standard brakes are 4 pots with 345mm (front) disks which are more than adequate (need drilled or grooved disks for track use, as with any other car).

With forced induction, 450-500 hp easily achievable with standard internals.

Super light, stiff chassis, great torque from I-5, turbo versions are capable of 400HP

I currently race a 135 in time trial competitions. While the stock vehicle falls short on the track, with minor upgrades it becomes a monster: simple re-flash will get you 380BHP/400Nm, M3 control arms, track pads, coil overs, and larger tyres (I run 245s front and 275s rear on track). I easily outrun my similarly prepped 2008 Cayman S, and its a rare day ANY 911 can keep up (read GT3 / GT3 RS). An excellent-condition used vehicle plus all upgrades won't exceed $40k, and its super-fun to drive fast!

Small car, small engine, thin tyres but good cornering ability, maximum fun on track!! A great first track day car to teach you the basics.

The lightest and best handling E36 is the 318Ti - great fun and even have their own UK based one make race series that has just gone from strength to strength. The M44 16v engine is almost bullet proof with only the stock engine mounts letting it down. Simple mods can push the power up to a modest 160Bhp without the need to open the casing, but couple this with an easy achievable sub 1000kg frame once striped out and you can see the potential. On-line support is excellent and there is a very active community of trackday-ers and racers. The price? I got mine for £300 and spent another £3000 on a cage, coilovers, brakes, race seat and a couple extra bits-n-bobs. Over-all verdict? Cheap fun and miles of smiles.

Perfect package, power comfort and precise handling. The straight 6 sounds beautiful car steers exactly where you want it too. Don't be fooled by the weight. Vanos models from 93 onward have an awesome power-band as well. All in all, a no compromise car.

Cheap, easy to work on and did I mention cheap?

For how light the car is (under 2800 lbs) the stock brakes and engine coupled with a refined chassis make this a favoured track day car. Strip it down and you can get in the sub-par 2600s (track prepped).

Though it won't be as fast in the long straights, it will be sure to put a smile on your face when you're coming up on the bumper in the corners of that car that just passed you.

There is a huge cult following and a great online community for these cars for a reason.

Recommended for people who want a cheap and easy to drive car.

A forgotten classic, the E34 535i is the closest you'll ever get to the all-time legendary E34 M5. This was the last hand built BMW and last of it's big Inline 6 available. You'll only get the most out of this sleeper if equipped with a 5spd gearbox and some Dinan goodies, a certified aftermarket performance parts manufacturer exclusively for BMW,. Even though this car is on the heavy side compared to it's sub-sized competitors it does a great job on the torque department and surprisingly well on slalom roads. This is the most well balanced car of all BMW series, especially for it's time.

Standard car comes with 4l V8 from BMW but with auto gearbox and a low specific output for power. But all is not lost, with things as simple as an old gearbox from a more common 530i manual five speed, and a race chip, this beast will out corner and out run most other track cars. To take on M5s (old and new) an expensive supercharger system is the best option as well as reinforcing internals, and re-mapping, you will be looking at 500bhp and oodles of torque all over the power band. This setup will cream most road cars turn track cars any day. Brakes would be a smart option too.

3.2L I6Powerful, light, lots of fun

This car is one great package. Its brakes stop on a dime, especially with some nice stiff springs (no brake dive). The acceleration is pretty preppy, Its a bit slow off the line but BMW makes up for it by staying on the best part of power-band when you are getting on it. The best part of the car is certainly the handling. Its feels like a go-cart and it is extremely easy to control at the limit

Great engine and 7 speed DCT transmission. Balanced handling and great throttle steer. Cheap front strut suspension causes excessive tyre wear. Camber plates help but suspension is inferior to double wishbone. Worthless single piston floating caliper brakes fade and smoke, very poor cooling of brakes. Cure is a set of big brakes with fixed calipers and performance pads, as well as cooling ducts for front brakes. The new BMW M5 has real brakes and a double wishbone suspension.

The M3 GTS rivals the C63 AMG Black Series and the Legendary Porsche 911 GT3 RS. It's based on the stock M3, with modifications that make it into a very good track car. It's easy to control, drifts precisely, and most importantly, it handles around a track amazingly. It may not have air-con, or a stereo, but for a BMW M enthusiast, or a track day driver, this is an amazing car.

This car was made for the track! It's hard for me to compare with other cars given that this and my street 335 Dinan s3 are the only cars I've driven on the track. This car with minimal modfiications, especially on technical tracks which are not biased to high horsepower cars (z06 and 911turbo), is as fast that anything else out there. Car is faster than all versions on m3 so far on the track (haven't seen F30 yet out there) with minimal modifications and stripped down weight is 3000lbs. The bmw lover's formula is simple ----> e36 wheelbase/weight/handling + e46 m3 drivetrain with s54 motor + 6speed manual - all new generation bmw electronic nonsense = maximum fun. Drawback is that since it's a rare car, it would be hard to repair chassis and body plus the ecu is not compatible with m3. Compared to driving my e90 335 dinan, the m coupe is much more fun and laps faster with 90 less horsepower.

Over 50 years of experience make this Caterham a superior lightweight track car. Rocket propelled acceleration to rival for any supercar.

With the introduction of the C7, C5 corvettes cost next to nothing. Power and braking are as good or better than anything at twice the price. Interior is still cheap and pedals are a little cramped for size 13+ feet, but the 50/50 weight distribution makes this a fantastic track toy.

For true supercar-crushing performance at an unbeatable price, look no further than Chevy's latest Z06 Corvette. Initial reports of the debut 2015 model claimed the car suffered from overheating issues at the track. However, with this 2016 model I have had ZERO issues so far after eight track sessions. On the stock Michelin ZP tires , I have recorded lateral acceleration of 1.1 Gs. Upgrade to the Z07 package with the Michelin pilot sport cup 2 tires for an astounding 1.3 lateral Gs and improved braking performance.

A poor man's corvette. Underrated horsepower numbers from the factory, this car puts out ~ 300 hp to the wheels. Shocks and springs need to be replaced before any serious driving. I'd recommend the manual 6 speed for the track. Not the world's best corner taker, but definitely a fun car. Brakes also can use an upgrade for the serious racer.

I'm a beginner and have had four different track sessions this year. The car was well beyond my skills. Top speed at first session was 85mph, last session was 135 and going solo on my last session. Learned a few things along the way but found the handling to be very predictable with no surprises. I was smooth enough to be able to drive with all of the nannies turned on, had half the straightaway left when I hit 135. Awesome car. Upgraded to the GS though didn't really need to. Wider wheels/tires and bigger brakes. I'll keep this one for a long time.

An incredible car for the money. Gobs of torque and acceleration from naturally aspirated engine. Dry sump oil system. Incredible balance and cornering. Great turn in thanks to double wishbone suspension. Brakes are fixed caliper 6 pot front and 4 pot rear. Needs track pads and slotted front rotors with directional vanes. Don't like ABS at high speed. OE run flat tyres are horrible but easy to change to R compound. I wish that GM will make a DCT transmission available. Best value there is in my opinion. The 911 GT3 RS is no longer a problem.

Fastest Corvette ever!...does 0-60 in 3.2s and has the magnetic double wishbone suspension that even Ferrari went crazy about when they bought it off of GM...it did 7:19.63 on the Nurburgring, really good for a car that doesnt have 200 electronic assists and that had 604 lb-ft and 638bhp and that is also RWD...the ZR1 also has the biggest brakes out of its competitors (ferrari 458,dodge viper gts,lamborghini aventador,ford gt,lexus lfa,mclaren mp412c...ect...) for 115k taxes included you have the best car track ready you could get for that price.

Can't beat it for bang for buck! Mine cost £400. Threw on some Mintex M1144 pads, Federal RSR tyres, Motul 660 brake fluid and this thing s**ts on things ten times the price!

Not by any means fast, but just over 2,000lbs it is fun. The engine, a 2.4 litre, revs to just over 9,000rpms. The most common application for this car is the track. BRE saw what it could do, and it is relatively cheap to fix one up.

The car has fantastic racing pedigree throughout its history, with BRE reinforcing its place in racing history. Today these cars can be purchased for relatively little money, and while technologically behind modern autos, the driving experience is like none other. The first change should be to purchase a tyre/wheel combo that is lower profile and wider, to reduce tire roll and improve steering feel. The stock suspension is tight, and has very minimal roll. With no power brakes, no power steering, no techno ABS or stability management, and a live rear axle it is just you and the car. This car will teach you how to drive, and expose your weaknesses. It is small, light, nimble and responsive. While it may not be the fastest, it sure is one of the most fun!

This is a surprise car, you would think that an economy car would be boring and slow, but the dart is a decent amount of fun around a track. One of the best qualities of this car is the small engine big turbo combo, you get lots of turbo lag which is a hassle on the road but on the track it makes for a fun toy to play with. Next is the handling, he car is based on the Alfa Romeo platform so it handles like an Italian car which makes it fun on the track.

Factory underrated at 230 hp, independent dyno tests have put it at 230 hp to the wheels. Equal-length half-shafts minimize torque steer from the FWD drivetrain. Power comes smooth and steady early on with minimal turbo lag. The power to weight ratio (roughly .092 HP/LBs) is decent for a car this inexpensive at ~21000 USD in 2005. The body rolls more than would be desired, but after initial delay, the steering is smooth and precise. Gear changes are decent, but the transmission can wear out easily with abuse. The adjustable struts are a nice touch, and good for a stock car, but the ride can be a touch harsh on the street. Stock brake rotors are too small and single-piston callipers are not up to track demands. Overall it makes a good track car with a few minor touches. I recommend a big brake kit for serious track enthusiasts as track pads will boil your fluid in one serious day's fun.

With largest production vehicle engine producing 600 hp, the Viper ACR delivers lightning fast acceleration. However, the aerodynamic and suspension enhancements make this a super track day car. The front splitter and rear spoiler produce amazing downforce and Brembo brakes with Stoptech rotors give exceptional braking. Although weighing 3400 pounds, the car feels very nimble with precise turn in and steering feel. The 295/30 R 18 and 345/30 R 19 tires front and rear produce prodigious grip to keep the Viper firmly planted. The end result is a track ready factory car holding many track records world wide at an affordable price.

F1 shifters are quick to engage, The BHP and torque are well managed at mid RPM. Great braking attitude. Stable corner handling. Strong acceleration. Stock tyre upgrade is a must.

The LaFerrari has everything you need on track its light has got great breaks is good in corners and its super fast it has even got a KERS system!!

Ultimate track sleeper...standard 238 brake tuned 300+. Nice set of Toyo R888 track day tyres and you can stay will all supercars on the track days 911s 360s 458s etc. Parts cheap and still available. Standard brakes are Brembo front callipers with discs front and back. Only 1300kg, can get down to 1000kgs with a strip down with alloy cage. Where else can you get a 155mph car for £3000. Watch how people are forced to respect this car at the end of an event. Watch out for low oil pressure on tick over. It might be the gauge so check it with Fiat workshop mechanical gauge before you do anything. Removing cat can cause turbo oil seal to leak so get advice before doing so.

Best fun for £3000 budget you can get.

Handles great and responds well to tuning with lots of aftermarket parts available.

Absolute sleeper for track days and autocross events. These Mazda BG chassis based Escorts corner well however ford modified the rear strut towers calling it the CT120. Best handling FWD car I have ever driven.
Aftermarket LSD, tires, rear disk swap from a ZX2 SR, basic bolt on and a Ecu from a ZX2 SR and you have a great little car that weighs under 2400 lbs in stock form and can be under 1750lbs with enough done to it. The motor is very reliable but also lacks top end power being a 2.0 NA non interference engine with a lot of torque for a four cylinder. Oh and did I mention you can have one of these gets 50 mpg, run a 14 second 1/4 mile, and get hated on by every amateur car enthusiast and because it's a Escort. Parts are everywhere, easy to find, and you can buy these things from 500 bucks to about 4,000 for a nice one. ZX2 SR is hard to find as there were only 2,110 made total in 99 and 2000.

Exceptionally well on acceleration for its size, as well as superb braking for a vehicle of its class. Has a better ratio of vehicle size to turning circle than that of a Mini Cooper at just 19.4' its turning circle can bring a smile to your face at higher cornering speeds. And with a 0-60mph time of just 9.74 seconds on 87 Ethanol fuel, you won't have any problem getting it where it needs to go. But if you want to raise the fuel grade to 89 Ethanol, it'll perform much better than the lower Ethanol. Even though it may have only 260hp@4,500rpms, you'll be pushing out 350lb-ft@2,500rpm, which is just plenty of torque to feel that lead foot of yours, as well as being capable of towing 8,950Lbs, and a payload of 1,485Lbs. It may look like its a heavy vehicle, but that's because it is, it weights in at 5,416Lbs but with a wheelbase of 119.0" you'll be feeling like your in a Rolls Royce going down the road with the Michelin LTX M/S2 All Season Tires. Overall, I would recommend this vehicle as either a track vehicle, and a daily driver, if your not worried about the gas consumption.

The best track FWD car by some margin. Brutal midrange torque, well balanced chassis and well judged steering. Excellent traction out of corners (for FWD) and relative absence of torque steer. Playful lift off oversteer. If abused with power and understeer in slow corners, eats front tyres quickly. Gorgeous off-beat, 5-cylinder, rally inspired engine note.

It corners better than any muscle car that I have driven before and it brakes much better than any other also. The car is very responsive but it does understeer slightly.

It may not be the fastest Mustang, but it has a lot of potential with its nearly bullet proof engine. The suspension is surprisingly good stock but tends to have body roll and nose dives a good amount under hard braking. The steering is amazing and is very sharp but under steers a little in the corners, and when the back end does come loose it is easily predicted. It has a good amount of acceleration off the line and has a higher torque rating than horsepower, sitting in at just 260 HP and 305 torque but is easily modified and takes to the modifications well. It has some of the best aftermarket support I've ever seen and there is a wealth of knowledge out there for them. I thoroughly enjoy driving mine and it is one of the best cars I've ever owned.plus its super reliable. The brakes need some attention though.

On the street the car is easy to live with. On the track the car is pretty good but begin to feel the 3600 lbs of mass push the tires to the limits. The car is pretty neutral with only a little push which really keeps the car stable. Performance package is a must as you get better brakes, front springs, rear sway bar, larger radiator, and track apps. Brakes are quite good for such a heavy car. Power is adequate but leaves you longing for the V8 once you get used to the car.

In its stock form, this is not a great track car. It understeers and transitions into snap oversteer. However, with minor modifications, this car can dominate most others within its price point. With the addition of better dampeners, stiffer springs, and a decent summer tire, this car can hang with and even surpass the performance of BMWs an Porsches that are double the price. Also, 420 hp for around k is nothing to scoff at. Because the modifications listed above are very inexpensive and common for any track day enthusiast, I am going to rate is with such included.

Best handling mustang Roush has ever built. No understeer, like the Cobra is famous for - it tracks true. With the Roush 6-piston brakes front brakes and racing pads all around, it has great stopping power (though I'd like more than single piston calipers on the rear!). If you nail the accelerator in 4th gear, it will break the back end lose with traction control on. It drifts predictably. Competes favorably with the super cars, though it is a good bit heavier. For the money, I don't think you can beat the price/performance (it cost less than 60K with all the mods).

Running r-compound tires, it pulled 1.38 lateral g's at Virginia International Raceway (using a Racelogix GPS lap timer). 675 hp with 585 ft. lbs. of torque. And it has the coolest exhaust sound of any car I've ever hear - even the neighbours love it! ;-).

Looking just at the numbers, there is nothing about this vehicle that would make one consider it for performance driving of any sort. Acceleration is decent at best in first gear and nigh-on terrible any other time, you can get the choice of an automatic or a broken automatic (the latter being the more common), it's got drums in the rear, weighs as much as an aircraft carrier and body-rolls more than the aircraft it carries. But surprisingly, this minivan's redeeming quality, is the fact that it is a minivan. Driving a Windstar at speed makes the driver feel like he's playing a guitar that's strung with shoelaces. The music isn't great, but the fact that you can play at all provides an addictive novelty-factor. Passing another driver in a Windstar is like winning a gunfight with a spork. It's not a track-car by any stretch of the imagination, and that's precisely what makes it so entertaining.

Surprisingly responsive cornering, predictable braking, and decent acceleration in first & second. Needs more power at higher revs. Much better handling than you'd expect from a front engine FWD.

I looked at this car and thought that the only resemblance it had to a family car was its roomy interior (It's usually not easy to find a car that comfortably accommodates my 6'4" frame.) So I was surprised that this Accord felt like a sports car on the track. Its relatively low centre of gravity and responsive steering provide more than enough control and stability in tight turns. And while it may only have 4 cylinders, there's more than enough power to get off the line, enough for this car to go from 0 to 60 in a little less than 10 seconds. Braking is also good, but braking at 110 mph while screaming towards a routine chicane seemed a little too shaky for my taste. But this minor shortcoming is easily forgotten when you notice its quick gear transitions and its ability to downshift when you need it to. This car may not be a super car, but this economy car posted lap times that I would expect to do in a car worth twice as much.

The most basic of basic civics. 143 horsies pulling 1230kg makes for an awfully slow car. However, the handling of this sedan is a joy. The stock brakes won't handle repetitive braking without getting dangerously soft. The lack of rear discs doesn't help. All that said, a/m discs and rotors, and a bit of time and investment (relatively cheap) can turn this car from a commuter into a competitor. All that said, the Si version is a little pricier, but worth every penny. 4 wheel disc, V-Tec, 200+ horsies. I used to ridicule the Civic nation. I stand corrected.

I'm a race car driver and instructor for the last 25 years. I just bought a Civic EG with the K20 swap. This car has to be in the top three cars I have ever driven. This, including GT cars with tubular chassis. The fun factor and the racy feeling is unbelievable. I even baptise the car with the name Type R Viagra. The first time I drove it in the track couldn't take my smile away and kt was difficult to keep quiet. The second part is to go to a PCA event and doing the third best time of the day behind only to an Atom and a 600+ Evo with the oldest car in the track!!!

Come on now, this has to be the best bang for the buck! Transform your parents grocery shopper into a highly competitive race car for as little as £5000, it's light weight, easy maintenance, low-cost, unlimited parts option, all the right ingredient for an ultimate affordable track car. With the right setup this car should be one of the top contenders on tight tracks!

Very fast for a FWD car, the four wheel Adaptive Damper System (ADS) is the key to success maybe.

0-62mph - 5.7 seconds.

Wheels should be fitted with Yokohama Advan Neova 235/35R19 87W

The 350mm Brembo brakes have good stopping power and very nice feel.
Very good gearbox and clutch, steering is spot on.

The best front wheel drive car in the world

The S2000 is an amazing handling car that is a reliable performer. Turn in is as close to perfect as you can get. The power on the straights is where the S2000 is lacking.

Great for a small track and you can really throw the car around. Highly recommend wider tires in the rear, 245/40/17 at minimum. Unfortunately at a bigger track the S2000 lacks the speed to keep up on the straights which holds the car back from being even better than what it already is. That can be fixed easily with a turbo kit & tuned around 400bhp. As for stock its a great car for small tracks.

Great balance in power and handling. Braking is adequate. Rear wheel drive makes it easy to attack the corners. Does not lack the juice for the straights either. High revving engine sounds great and the best part is that you can find them at affordable prices in some cases.

Great cornering ability even for an SUV. Can predict when it will under/oversteer and its very forgiving(No snap over/understeer). Great for learning weight distribution. Awd isn't as intelligent as I would like, but its great in any condition. Slower acceleration at typical speeds, yet once you open up to about 75+MPH you unleash a real beast.

This car is a great car and it is better all around than the Caterham Superlight R500.

It's the four door Supra!

The ultimate mob or gangster car. With 4 doors and a sleek body style this car is comparable to any four door Beamer or Mercedes. The car is Heavy weighing on at about 3800 lbs but with it's 0-60 time averaging 5.7 seconds it's a beast. Over steer is very likely while turning so much so that you can drift. Very cool car for the style and unique.

A masterpiece from Lotus. Quite happy to be driven on the road, but lives for the track. Steering is without rival.

Balance is near perfect. Brakes untested over the long haul but so far so good. Understeer could be in play. Top end is excellent. It makes me smile.

Acceleration is quite decent, can extract more power with a slight tweak. Handles unbelievably sharp around corners, especially with uprated tyres and suspension. Still using drum brakes on the rear but compared to its 1045kg weight, its enough for both track and road use. Exhaust sounds really good even in standard piping.

This is one potent car, after one year with several track days I'm heavily pleased. Some minor flaws such as lack of a really good brake feeling and a risk of hitting temperatures which reduce the available power. My machine with non OEM brakes matches many other more expensive cars on the track and I can still go to work every day with this little sleeper.

Great cornering ability. You can take corners like an exotic car, and with 50/50 distribution, the rear can go out but you can control it back with ease. It lacks in power but makes up in cornering fun. This is a great track starter car for the inexperienced, very forgiving, and absolute fun on the turns. I've seen pros take this car on the track and destroy many other cars with ease.

It's fast. And takes corners like a formula one car. I have seen pros take it out on the track and destroy all the more powerful competition.

1.8L 140hp, Full independent Suspension, Very Slow 4th to 5th acceleration, surprisingly great 1st to 3rd acceleration, Very Nimble, Cheap, Super Easy Maintenance, Very Tight interior legroom i'm 5'11 too small had to get rid of the car

I think Mazda MX-5 Miata his little brother has to be mentioned as well. The overshadowed Mazda MX-3, especially the 1.8 v6 is a blast to drive when revs are between 4000 to 7800 rpm. Very smooth and stable engine, resembles rotary power, but without rotary special and higher maintenance. Although a bit nose heavy, once stripped and suspension tuned, the track is where this little pocket rocket truly belongs! With its TTL rear wheels steering, taking corners inspires confidence and very stable. I find MX-3 also a very good daily driver compared to the Miata, real 2+2 adult seats, hatchback, big trunk and rear seats fold down, this sleeper is truly versatile!

Great fun to drive!

For the price you can find these for now, I'm quite shocked I do not see more of them out on the track with young drivers behind the wheel...and young drivers will benefit most from this car.

The balance is about as perfect as you could ask for. It has slight (very predictable) understeer at the limit, and the suspension is a little soft for aggressive track days, but it gives the driver a ton of confidence when aiming for the apex. It feels light and planted through every corner. With very good, strong brakes, and exceptional steering feel and chassis characteristics.

The engine is wonderful, smooth, and its wide torque band lets you keep the power down without worrying about the rear end swinging around on you. Its negative is the lack of raw power, which will have the 350z's and s2000's leaving you behind on the straights. Also rotaries require more attention to maintenance, and suffer from worse fuel economy than other cars in its class with more power.

I've driven many cars, a

Great Car, easy to modify, perfectly balanced, great handling, affordable, and overall just a fun car to own!

Can't believers people don't have these.

Properly fast great handling and a host of after market upgrades make for a car you can set up for your own driving style.

The 1.3 rotary engine coupled to the great Mazda gearbox make this car easy to drive both on track and on the standard roads

The hardest part of ownership is finding a car which has been looked after but be patient and the rewards and brilliant

250 bhp standard
0-60 <5sec What's not to like?

Lovely handling ability thanks to its 50/50 weight distribution and smooth braking. Light weight for its class and quite fast.

The McLaren MP412C is a wonderful car. On the track its engine produces 616bhp which makes the accelerate from 0-60mph in only 3.1 seconds and a top speed of 207mph (333 km/h).The transmission is a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox made in Italy by Graziano. The car can brake from 124mph (200 km/h) to a complete stop in less than five seconds.

You can take this car straight off the road and immediately cane it around the track. No prep necessary, just take it out of the box and it's ready to go.... it is an AMG after all.. The car is heavy, so the light weights will whip it on the corners but the acceleration is awe inspiring and the sound is so good you will want to have its babies. Be prepared to spend a lot on tyres due to the weight and power along with regular fuel top ups and the cabin is cramped when wearing a helmet, but these are insignificant compared to the wide grin on your face as it emits its beastly roar and devours everything in its path on the straight bits.

Beware of this car as it can get very expensive to maintain and the security on it is a mess. But the moment you turn on traction control, It turns into an insatiable monster. Drag racing it beats BMW Z4's, but doesn't do as well on the track. Quite top heavy as stock, so make sure to lower it. Amazing acceleration for first two gears, average for the rest. This is a car you want if you want to go for a track day or drag race in comfort. With traction control on, you will never spin your tires by accident, (almost like launch control) and it's decently fuel efficient. Amazing car, for starters who want to learn how to rear wheel drive drift with an automatic, but that's about it.

Cheap mid engine rear wheel drive FUN!

For stock tires it handles and brakes really well

Primarily the 2nd and 3rd gens due to a more reliable transmission and drivetrain. But they can be found decently cheap for what you get. AWD and AWS makes these cars handle like a dream. As well as tons of upgrades available to make these cars push 50bhp fairly easy on stock internals. Stock brakes are wonderful but could also be upgraded if so choose. As well as weight reduction. Weighing 3800ib is fairly beefy for a GT car. Great looks, amazing handling, and just a blast to drive, and you can get one for under k for the time being.

The underdog from the Japanese sports car era makes a great track car after a little bit of prep work. whats not to like it came with a twin turbo v6, 5or6 speed manual transmission, AWD, massive brakes, and a wide wheel base right out of the box. The draw back of these as a track car is that they came from the factory loaded with almost every gizmo and piece of tech the automotive world had to offer at the time and consequently rolled out of the factory tipping the scales at a little over 3600lbs. After you've done basic track prep work with proper seats, harnesses, cage, wheels/tires, and done some interior strip work your left with a much leaner 2800-3200lb car equipped with an engine that in good health can see more the 500bhp on a stock block with nothing more then a bolt on turbo upgrade and some fuel.

The car is an absolute beast on most road courses, in OEM form it will still beat many cars twice its price tag. With decent tires, this car will go wherever you point. Unlike the FR, RR, FF setup, the control is much more predictable.

Most bang for your buck. Supercar acceleration at 4.5 secs, stock.

New S-AWC system provides forgiving handling at speeds.

With a few modifications (which I did), you'll be chasing Lambo's on the track.

The bad part is that it's only a in-line 4 engine with a large turbo, so there is a limit to how many horses you can squeeze out of it. With slight mods, 500bhp is no problem, with lightning fast handling.

Brakes needs help, OEM brake do not provide sufficient braking, and boils easily, for safety sake, change ASAP if you're planning to be at the track regularly.

Mods are a must to unleash the true potential of this monster

Insane. This is terror on three wheels. It has only 80 bhp but is extremely light. So it feels super quick, though it isn't. It costs 30K. Don't try to drift. Also watch out for bending roads, and heart patients.

A great sports coupe from Nissan that has great potential. Not the best track car but does everything well. With inexpensive and minor mods this car can be very enjoyable track car for almost anyone.

Stock power is decent but can definitely be awakened via a few mods and a reflash. Realatively light weight (3100lbs) given the size. The VQ can easily be boosted to 450Bhp on a stock block. Stock braking is decent (non Brembo), the Brembos being a slight advantage. Next to no understeer. Oversteer can be corrected easily with a 305 or 315 wide tire when using significant power levels. For a modest investment the Z can compete with most the heavy hitters for around half the cost.

Car has exceptional grip. Feels a little heavy compared to a 911 etc. Accelerates out of corners like nothing I have driven before. Brakes hard and is very forgiving.

As far as a budget race cars go, this is a great starting platform. Add some good quality (over the counter) brake pads, heavy duty springs, a good set of struts then some heavy duty sway bars and an after-market exhaust. This will give you a reasonably competitive road/track car. The straight line speed isn't that stunning but it sure does make it up under brakes and cornering. I have won championships with mine and I constantly get trophies. Fun to drive and very forgiving if you do make a mistake. If you add performance cams and a decent computer it would be un-catchable in the up to 1600cc class.

I was actually surprised this one isn't on the list production years is 2002-2006 and known as the B15 series car model and 2007 went to a different body style, I bought a 06 spec v with the brembo package and was surprised at how quick it was for a 4 door car. When I test drove it I knew I had to have it. It has a 5 or 6 speed transmission and stock hp is between 170 and 180 and the torque is around 175lb ft depending what year you get, the only downside is the precat failure 02-06 and the 04-06 butterfly valve screws coming loose and going into the combustion chamber and messing up the pistons and piston walls. stock for stock this car is a fun car, light and compact yet it allows you to have 4 passengers in the car 5 including the driver. with a few upgrades (intake, header, and catback) it will surprise you. or if you want to go full race car then take the seats out, put a full roll cage and put a turbo on it with a tune and a few other upgrades and you'll be surprised at how well the car will perform on the track and off.

This model was light years ahead of its time. The best looking Nissan in my opinion in the 90s. Its wide wheels and 4 wheel steering and advanced suspension geometry makes even a novice driver look good. It's a little heavy, but its easy to get 450hp with a standard block and standard turbos. Has won so many awards for both styling and racetrack competitions. Bang for your buck, very hard to beat although you will need a good mechanic who knows what he is doing to keep these running well - it is a specialist machine.

Arguably one of the best super mini produced in Europe. Great acceleration, speed and has earned a high reputation among car lovers.

I brought this car for £800 with 89k on the clock as I lost my salesman job where I had a company car. I then got another job with a company car again, leaving the 206 not being used at all, I then did my first track day in it and I was so impressed with how well the car did as I thought it would be left behind...

I have now since done many track days, and I have done many upgrades to the car, and now not much can keep up with it.

I've put track tyres on it along with new suspension lightened flywheel and a limited slip diff along with new cams and a re-map, all that cost me approx. £2500 but I now have a brilliant track car and very quick road car, its much quicker than a stock M3 in and out of the corners and by the time the next corner comes up the M3 is still nowhere near getting past me. You can enter corners at stupid speeds and still come out with your pride intact.

This car allways amazes me every time I take it out, the braking needs to be upgraded if you are going to do lots of track days though.

For the cost of this car you will have great fun, if you do crash it you will only waste £800 not thousands, I'll be honest I didn't think it would be as good as it is on a track, my friends have a 350Z and a RX8 and they can't keep up with me in my £800 Peugeot! ;-)

Best hot-hatch of its time. 116kW/990kg. Easy to work on, lots of spare parts available in every scrapyard (EU). Great steering response due to lighweight engine, fun to drive. Great sleeper for everyday use. GTI16 version itself becomes very rare nowadays.

Awesome value for money.. V8 350 or 400HP stock. I drive the 4-speed auto and love that it has aggressive shift patterns and allows manual shifting without second guessing the driver. This is a big heavy car and needs upgraded brakes for track use (the bigger the better) and good tires are necessary to avoid understeer and power oversteer.

Overall, you will have a LOT of fun with stock + tight front-end suspension (no loose bushings etc) + good tyres + track/race pads.

I use BF Goodrich Z-rated tyres and drilled stock-size rotors. I'm planning EBC blue stuff pads to avoid brake fade on hard stops (stock setup will not cope with repeated 130-60mph braking).

The best track car in my opinion. They car may be 9 years old, runs like a champ, doesn't feel old. It still can keep up with brand new 911s. Brakes are not the best, but are fine. I can honestly compare it to my previous BMW E46 M3 (that car was a always great) but every time I would chose the Porsche over the BMW. This car is user-friendly, is a great car for the week and even better on the track during weekends.

Best track car ever made period

Very capable track car with adequate brakes, exceptional grip and acceleration out of the turns. Car is slightly under-powered relative to the newer cars @ 247 hp and a bit on the heavy side with stock components. Add some R-compound tires, improved suspension (PSS-10), track pads and it makes for a very reliable, fun car you can drive to the track, on the track and home again.

Amazing acceleration, under 3 seconds. It has huge carbon circa mic brakes and has the downforce of an F1 car!

Front engined and rear transaxle layout gives Porsche's 944 near perfect 50-50 weight distribution. Excellent balance and handling makes the 944 a popular track day toy for those on a budget.

Handling like no other, the Boxster is pure sports car thrill everyday and there are more affordable earlier model Boxsters on the market everyday. If you do your homework and learn about the superior German engineering, along with finding a good independent shop, and search for gods parts at affordable prices the Boxster can be arguably the most fun machine you could possibly drive. More power would be nice but why disrupt the balance. Learn to drive it well and the rewards never seem to stop. Road or track, there is no substitute.

I spent one day on the track with my Martini Racing Livery adorned family car and shredded some very respectable track stars. Obviously I'm bias, but she turned heads and shocked everyone who came to the track that day. Made Corvette guy furious.

The GT4 is the best track car I have ever driven. It has excellent handling and almost enough power. I put the Fabspeed GT450 kit and a GT3 throttle body on and I can hang with almost any car on the track.

Due to its perfect rear mid-engine balance, low center of gravity, and light weight, the Cayman S is an all-around great track performer. It has the handling characteristics of a lighter track-only car with the acceleration of a much higher horsepower car. Its neutral handling is very forgiving and it really shows off on the more technical tracks. With the Cayman I can carry more momentum through the turns and begin my acceleration sooner than many of the cars on the track with me.

However, given it's fantastic handling characteristics, it could effectively use more power than the stock 295 ponies. With a little more grunt it would be a real force to be reckoned with.

absolute brilliant car, reliable, cheap and forgiving. does 0-60 in 10 seconds flat944 Turbo S is the best track car by far. Fifth fastest car in the world, Fastest 4 cyl. car, Best handling car in America, Best Handling Porsche, Best Porsche and the best race car are all titles this car posses, A stock 944 turbo won the Nelson Ledges 24 hour race by 42 laps! Second was a non-turbo 944, beating Mazda RX7, Chevrolet Corvette, and other cars. 7th at Le Mans, (least time spent in the pits of any car), winner SSGT, GT, Firestone Firehawk series winner, Trans Am Winner, and on and on... Owner/drivers include Derek Bell, Innes Ireland, Ron Fellows, Freddie Baker, Scott Goodyear, and more. 50/50 % weight distribution, 0-60 = 5.5 sec, 162 mph, easy 400 hp chipped, great brakes, great handling, strong, cheap, durable. Porsche!

A hardcore racer with all the trimings and frightening Nurburgring times.

Acceleration starts out kind of rough, but then dominates in the corners and braking.

Probably the most fun you can have in a front wheel drive car. A serious pocket sized machine.

Great car on Track even with cheap tires. perfect balance for drifting, or every day driving. Surprisingly good on snow with good winter tires. A little bit short room for your girl when your kid is at the back.

This car is great in stock trim and only gets better with upgrades. Very composed through high speed turns and can dominate the technical sections as well. I love catching the high horsepower cars. Very forgiving. I can't imagine there is a better car out there for beginners, or someone who appreciates a well balanced car with fantastic handling.

This car has also has potential like the Impreza line and has 4WD transmission. It looks like a city car but has a racing inner potential.

Excellent car, fantastic acceleration, superb braking, handles like it's on rails. Feels like a thoroughbred race car.

Car corners very well, feels light, turns in okay, is fast between and out of the corners!
brakes are great, cornering is great, the main advantage to his car is the explosive corner exit due to the powertrain & drivetrain

steering is a bit loose but it gets the job done

will do 0 - 100 in 4.5 - 5 seconds depending on launch..... you may want to get straight cut 1st/2nd gears

1,250kg, 206Kw, AWD, 5 speed manual

Super light, stiff chassis, great torque from I-5, turbo versions are capable of 400HP

An underrated performance car that is reliable, is not bad on the eyes, and is affordable. With a few TRD mods and a skilled driver the Celica GT-S can perform as well as an Integra Type-R. Note that 2000, 2001 and 2005 models with the 6spd gearbox have the rev limiter at 8350 RPM instead of 7800. The VVTL-I engine was also used on the 2005 Lotus Elise showing that Toyota exceeds the expectations of performance oriented European car manufacturer demonstrating incredible track results in combination of it's lightweight chassis.

2.0 flat fourOne of the most fun cars to take to the track. Its not crazy fast but it is a ready made drift car. Stickier tyres will make it faster but it wont be as much fun!

The car I have is equipped with power steering, no ABS, 91 rear, 95 front tension rod brackets, ultra racing bracing, megan racing suspension pieces, and tien coilovers. The rest of the car is stock with a fresh engine overhaul about 1000 miles ago. The car handles well almost to the extent of a go-cart. The searing is snappy and responsive. Engine is responsive has great torque, but tends to rev slowly in the upper RPM range and redlines at 7000 rpm. The car is made for the track as its lack of an overdrive gear makes it painful to drive long distances. The car does have a nice amount of trunk space for a daily driver. A problem I tend to find is that it's hard and almost next to impossible to fit a pair of tyres for the track in the car, but it's to be expected with a mid-engine. The cars weight distribution feels spot on with the roll centre right at the back of the driver and toward the centre of the car. Most people tend to find the car hard to drive, but it comes with experience

One of the most affordable and lightest mid engine cars available. Has an acceptable amount of power with the same engine as the Toyota Sprinter and the optional supercharged 4AGZE. Downside is the lack of recognition and aftermarket support. The car also has no ABS and likes to lock the front brakes up on hard stops unless modified. Properly setup his car is a blast to drive and is a great car to learn how to race with. Gets great gas mileage and has a small tank positioned in the center of the car for optimal weight balance.

Possibly the most fun you can have in a rear wheel drive car. Slightly twitchy handling on the rear. Needs more power though!

Perfect agility and cornering ability. Easy to upgrade, very light and reliable car. One of the best sport car I've ever owned ( BMW 635CSI; Lancia Delta HF Turbo; Alfa 75 Turbo; Toyota Celica RWD; and many other "French GTi cars" are far behind this MR.

Thanks to TOYOTA for this simple, funny and efficient car!

Suffers from understeer. Really light and a near 50/50 weight balance. Very reliable. I love this car, I have owned a US spec GTS model. Amazing control, steering and engine. Did I mention a fantastic T-50 transmission?

The Mk3 Supra is a great car all around well other than the main problem of blowing head gaskets. The NA model came equipped with a TEMS system in the car to change suspension settings from normal to sport to race. The 7MGE and 7MGTE motors could be built to over 600 HP on stock bottom ends and Pistons. They came stock with viscous LSD and a transmission that was passed on to the next gen MK4 models. I picked mine up with a blown head gasket for 0 bought a low mileage motor from Canada for 0 and dropped it in. Still running strong 8 years later.

Pickup trucks don't belong on a circuit... unless their recovering a down-and-out vehicle. The Toyota Tacoma X-Runner on the other hand, does. It isn't as poised as your average hot hatch and its rear drive chassis won't corner in and out like a two-dour coupe, but for a truck it's an absolute blast. The 4.0-liter Toyota V6 pulls hard on the throttle and the lowered ride height helps the Taco cling to the asphalt better than its high-riding cousins. My only complaint? Put your foot down too hard and you'll find a bit of axle hop. Otherwise, it's quite the speedy truck.

With the quickest 0-100-0 of all time, one of the fastest quarter miles times of any production car, and a 0-60 time of only 2.6 seconds, this kit car is one of the most phenomenal cars ever built. The cornering is great the braking is great, however this car is not especially cheap with prices varying (because you buy the engine yourself from American Speed Engines) from 40,000 USD to 70,000+ USD. Although it isnt cheap it is one of the best deals you can get on a performance car. Its 0-60 and 0-100 rival great cars such as the Bugatti Veyron, Hennesy Venom Gt, Lamborghini Aventador, and Konieggsegg Agera R. All the cars I mentioned above are prices at 500k to 5 Million USD. These prices are 10-100 times more expensive than the Ultima. Not only is the Ultima GTR insanely fast, but the cornering is fantastic too. It holds the skidpad world record with 1.176gs of lateral grip. Also when unofficially tested around the Top Gear Test track it scored a time of 1min 9.9 seconds faster than any other street legal car ever tested on the track, and also fastest than the not street legal Ferrari FXX and Caparo T1. If you want Veyron class performance for one hundredth of the the price; go no farther than the amazing Ultima GTR.

If you don't want to go as extreme as a Caterham/Atom/Radical and can get beyond badge snobbery then the VX ticks all the boxes. 4.7 to 60 as standard. Great handling as standard with divine steering feel. Great power to weight ratio. Brakes are ok as standard but need the abs turned off and better pads to make them great. Respected by people in the know who have driven them. A very credible alternative to the Elise to the open minded.

Relatively low running costs. It's a real drivers car that is possible to run as an everyday car as long as you accept there are some compromises. For the money I struggle to think of a car that can deliver so much performance, tactility and fun.

The GTI is an impressive application of FWD. With minor upgrades it it capable of 300+ HP, chassis reacts well to corners, it also has minimal amounts of understeer, and torque-steer. Count on upgrading the clutch and tires sooner than later out of the box, but add a big turbo to that list and reach power levels that will out class 99% of FWD cars out there. Easily the best FWD bang for your buck.

It's goood!!!

I find the Golf R an amazing track car due to its superb acceleration, superb big brakes, AWD handling and its ability to get the power down in all situations. With a Stage 1 ECU Flash with 240kW it is a very competitive track day car.