Of all the niche and not-so-niche trends on the global tuning scene, there’s none more gangster than the VIP look. We’re talking massive luxury saloons, exquisite stance, show-stopping rims, eyewatering camber… although there is actually a bit more to it than that. In this article, we’ll point you in the direction of some of the best project cars to use as a canvas, but before that, let’s take a deeper dive into what the VIP scene actually is…

What is a VIP style car?

Known domestically as ‘bippu’ (Japanese for ‘very important person’), VIP-style originated with the Yakuza. The bosses of organized crime syndicates wanted big flashy cars, but knew that rival gangs and the police would be immediately suspicious to see them in European luxury cruisers. So, instead of rolling in top-flight Beemers, Mercs or Rollers, they set about upgrading JDM cars like the Toyota Crown and the Nissan Gloria. As time moved on and the scene evolved, today’s bippu cars are characterized by high-end wheels with loads of dish, very low ride height, huge negative camber (not always), aggressive skirts and lips, and very glossy paint – usually in a subtle black, white or silver.

VIP, then, is a style. This means that, while it’s logically and usually applied to big luxury cars, it’s a set of values that can be affixed to any car you like. There are oodles of Kei VIP builds on the scene, and VIP minivans – you name it, it’s out there. So if you fancy rocking the scary, moody VIP style but you’ve got a supermini parked on the drive (or you feel like giving your grandad’s Previa a bit of a makeover), there’s nothing stopping you. However, if you want to go traditional bippu – and let’s face it, why the hell wouldn’t you want to? – we’ve pulled together our 10 best VIP style project cars that you can you use as a base.

The Best VIP style project cars

Toyota Crown Athlete (S170)

Kicking off our list of the 10 best VIP style project cars is the Toyota Crown Athlete. The Crown’s been on the VIP scene since its inception. Hardly surprising really, as the first-generation Crown came out in 1955, so the model’s as deeply interwoven into Japanese culture as rice wine and clichés about karaoke.

This iconic model is now running in its fifteenth generation and is showing no signs of slowing down, and the one we reckon would best suit your needs for a VIP project is the eleventh-gen Crown S170, built from 1999-2003. Why this one in particular? Well, this is the one that Toyota decided to fit with the 1JZ-GTE engine – the turbocharged 2.5-litre straight-six with BEAMS tech. The one you want is the ‘Athlete V’ spec; you’ll have to put up with an automatic gearbox, but you’ll also have close to 300hp. Brilliantly, they came with optional factory air-ride, which can presumably be fiddled with to dump the thing on the ground. (Or just rip it out and slam it on coils!) Rear sunshades and rear-mounted climate and audio controls were optional, so you’re already halfway to being a Yakuza boss.

How much?

• $10,000-$20,000 (if you can find one)
• £8,000-£15,000

BMW 760Li (E66)

If there’s one thing mob bosses really love, it’s having absolutely buttloads of legroom. Being able to put your feet up at full stretch, possibly using a bound and gagged business rival as a bloodied footstool, is an essential part of the lifestyle as your henchmen whisk you under the city streetlights. So what you really need is something impressively long – say, a long-wheelbase 7 Series.

OK, European cars aren’t in-keeping with traditional bippu culture, but the world’s moved on. And when you clock the depreciation figures of these brutes, they’ll really start to make sense to you as a used purchase. Just take a look at the E66 (2001-08) 760Li. This mile-long goliath packs a creamy-smooth 6.0-litre V12, giving you 439bhp to outrun the law – and imagine what that’d sound like on open pipes! The optional soft-close doors offer proper Rolls-Royce levels of VIP swank too.

Prefer your BMW to have a more retro look? Take some inspiration from this E38 750iL.

How much?

• $10,000-$25,000
• £6,000-£15,000

Lexus GS300 / Toyota Aristo (S160)

Remember what Alan Partridge said about Lexus? “It’s the Japanese Mercedes.” Well, it can’t possibly get any more bippu-style than that, can it? Lexus is the very definition of what VIP cars are about. It may seem more logical for us to talk about the flagship LS models, but we reckon the GS is a better shout for a VIP project. The LS is pretty polarized between knackered older ones and very pricey newer ones, but in the middle ground you’ll find oodles of GS300s, and they’re by no means a poor relation.

The second-gen GS (1997-2005) was available with the 2JZ-GTE motor, so you get hilarious amounts of power to go with your plush, opulent seats and shiny walnut burr trim. Oh, and if you can track down the obscure-but-interesting GS400, you get a 4.0-litre V8 – or a 4.3-litre in the later GS430. These slab-sided brutes look outstanding sitting super-low over posh rims.

How much?

• $5,500-$15,000
• £2,000-£5,000

Nissan President (PGF50)

A very important part of Japanese tuning culture is to do things which outrageously and unashamedly take the mick. The bōsōzoku are a keen example of this, waving two fingers at every global scene and just doing whatever the hell they want. And look at all the street-racers strapping turbos to their Civics as if to say ‘Yeah, the VTEC’s great, but you haven’t tried hard enough, Honda’. And so it is with the Nissan President. Turning one of these into a VIP project is the same as running up to a government official and planting your boot in his plums.

The Nissan President was a car aimed at ministers, royals and other posh types, and the third-generation (PGF50) car is the one you want. Sold from 2001-2010, it had a 4.5-litre V8 and, if you opt for the four-seat rather than the five-seat version, you’ll find acres of fanciness: advanced Bose audio, a central armrest that controls all sorts of devices, and a ‘relaxing seat’ – which means that the front passenger seat can be slid all the way up to the dash, so the plutocrat behind can relaaaax. Aaaaaaaaaaaah.

How much? 

• $7,000-$15,000
• £5,500-£15,000

Mercedes-Benz S600

There are no cars in the world more advanced than the Mercedes-Benz S Class, that’s just a solid-gold fact, which is why it features in our list of the 10 best VIP style project cars. Sure, there are more expensive cars, and faster cars, and cleverer cars, but the S Class has always been the model that pioneers new technology before any other manufacturer in the world has a chance to catch up. Since 1972, the S Class has been revealing world-firsts from padded steering wheels to airbags, LED lights to Magic Body Control.

Much like the BMW 760Li, the S Class depreciates like a stone through a wet paper bag. Our hot tip is the W220 – the one sold from 1998-2005. It came with a baffling range of engines – fourteen different ones! – so you might as well just say ‘sod it’ and go for the S600, because that’s got a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V12, and life’s too short to be sensible. Get the rims, get the camber, get the pipes, and throw dollar bills at the peasants as you rumble by. Or, better yet, if you really do have the money to support the lifestyle, have a chat with the folks over at Brabus.

How much?

• $10,000-$25,000
• £7,000-£15,000

Nissan Y33 Platform

If you ask a bippu connoisseur what the ideal car would be for a VIP project, there’s a pretty decent chance that they’ll suggest one of the models based on Nissan’s Y33 platform. It’s a scene icon. But which one should you choose? Well, of the Cima, Cedric, and Gloria, we’d argue that the Gloria has the most to offer. The eleventh-gen model was available with the revered RB25DET engine (coupled with AWD and ATTESA E-TS, like a stealthy Skyline!); it could also be had with the VQ30DET if you fancied getting similar power from a V6 instead of a straight-six. It’s not clear why they did this, but let’s not question it.

Whichever Y33 model you choose, you’ll be getting the archetypal VIP shape: a three-box saloon that looks like those generic unbranded cars in early versions of Grand Theft Auto, which will give you maximum scene points and knowing nods from Japanese gangsters. Oh, and it’s also probably worth noting that the Nissan Cima pictured above was also readily sold in the United States as an Infiniti Q45. So, if you’re struggling to source a true JDM model, at least you know that there’s a domestic alternative to fall back on.

How much?

• $7,000-$15,000
• £5,500-£15,000

Volkswagen Phaeton

VIP isn’t just for high-rollers. The very essence of bling is to create the appearance of wealth. If it’s all an illusion, who cares? The impact is exactly the same. So there’s nothing wrong with mapping out your project budget and diverting almost all of it to the wheels and the suspension, and leaving next to nothing with which to buy the car. Will this work? Of course it will. Because the Volkswagen Phaeton exists, and the Phaeton is a very stupid car indeed.

Alright, no, it’s not the car that’s stupid. It’s Volkswagen. Because they thought people would be prepared to pay massive amounts of money for a luxury saloon, and the sort of people who’d be happy to pay those prices took one look at it and said “Er, no thanks, it looks like a big Passat”.

Their loss is your gain. You can get a Phaeton for under three grand now, which isn’t bad for a car based on the Bentley Continental floorpan which was designed under a brief to be driven all day at 186mph, in 50-degree heat, in total comfort. Budget gangsta? Hell yeah, we’ve got time for that.

How much?

• $8,000-$20,000
• £3,000-£15,000

Honda Accord / Acura TSX

Working with a tight budget, but still want to go authentic Japanese? In that case, the Honda Accord is a car that you should definitely consider. The Accord has been around for decades in all sorts of guises. You can buy them in sedan form, as station wagons (like the one pictured), or even as coupes – most of which are very affordable if you’re picking them up off the used market, and readily available thanks to being sold worldwide. Sure, in stock form, an Accord is hardly the ultimate definition of luxury, but they are spacious, and if you’ve got some extra budget kicking around, you could kit yours out with all kinds of interior mods.

If you’re unsure where to start with the Accord family tree, we’d suggest beginning with the seventh-generation CL range. Available with either a K20 or K24 i-VTEC engine, these things aren’t especially rapid out of the box but certainly have plenty of tuning potential. In the States, they’re badged as the Mk1 Acura TSX, and are only available with the 200hp K24. However, if you’re elsewhere on the planet, keep an eye out for the Accord Euro R – that thing’s packing a K20A under the hood!

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a base car which you can find easily, buy relatively cheaply, and still get plenty out of in the long-run, you can’t go wrong with one of these.

How much?

• $4,000-$15,000
• £2,000-£5,000

Words by Dan Bevis & James Bowers.

The post Best VIP Style Project Cars appeared first on Fast Car.

To be quick on the ‘Ring, a car needs it all. The best suspension, the grippiest tires, serious engine power; it’s all got to be there. As such, you’ll only find top-tier performance cars on this shortlist.

There are a number of reasons why the Nürburgring is unusual as a racetrack. There’s the sheer length of it, of course, meaning that it’s entirely possible to experience four seasons of weather in a single lap. Then, there’s the staggering complexity, which requires years to master; true Ringmeisters know the minutiae of every curve, crest and camber, although you don’t pick up this knowledge overnight.

Can I Drive On The Nürburgring?

But what’s perhaps most noteworthy, given that it’s a circuit designed from the outset to be a formidable race venue, is that it’s arguably not best known for its racing. Sure, there’s a rich and vibrant calendar of events at the ’Ring, from touring car battles to the annual circus of the 24-hour race and beyond, but to the average person on the street, the ’Ring is a toll road. A fancy one that only goes one way, but it’s the touristenfahrten which really inspires people.

The fact that you can turn up in any car you like, pay a few Euros (well, more than a few these days…), and drive as fast as you’re physically able around an iconic and revered circuit, that’s what gets people going. The further fact that the track has a fearsome reputation as an almighty car-breaker in the wrong hands – as well as the myths, rumours and half-truths around how financially devastating it can be if you do get it wrong – means that people who are making an effort to restyle themselves as Ringmeisters enjoy a tangible halo of reverence. Because the mark of a true Nürburgring hero is the lap time. The numbers that signify just one hot jaunt around the track. And as we’re about to explore, these digits sit in some pretty esteemed company…

Fastest Nürburgring Car Lap Times

Honda Civic Type R FL5

Lap Time: 7:44:80 (2023)

In the rarefied company of the cars we’ll go on to talk about, perhaps seven minutes and forty-four seconds doesn’t sound all that mind-blowing. But this isn’t some jewel-like and highly-strung hypercar we’re looking at here, nor is it a full-blown race car. Nope, this is a Honda Civic, an everyday runabout that’s been engineered to be spacious enough for tip runs and family holidays, with baked-in reliability for road-tripping or nipping to Tesco’s. And when Honda unveiled the latest-generation Civic Type R, the FL5, and chucked it at the Eifel mountains, the results were astounding.

In fact, in the hands of Néstor Girolami, the FL5 instantly scooped the record for front-wheel-drive hot hatches, adding to a growing list of lap records it’s set at various other venues across the world. And remember: in order to hold this record, the car in question has to be essentially identical to one that you can stroll into a showroom and buy. Yes, they fitted it with Michelin Cup 2s, but your friendly Honda dealer will happily fit them to your Civic too if you ask nicely. And then you can proudly boast that you’re among the pantheon of Nürburgring record holders.

Porsche 911 Dakar

Lap Time: 7:39:40 (2023)

What makes this time so impressive is that not all of it took place on the track in the traditional sense. It’s the fastest lap that includes using all the grass!

We’ve all seen the fail compilation videos of people on the ’Ring skating the turf and ending up having a really bad time. We’ve all missed a corner on a video game lap and found ourselves in unsavable spins. But the really cool thing here is that the 911 Dakar is deliberately cutting the corners and off-roading at ludicrous speed. The concept of ‘track limits’ has gone entirely out of the window.

Driver Christian Gebhardt effortlessly transitions from tarmac to vegetation without breaking a sweat, to demonstrate just what an impressive piece of machinery the new 911 Dakar is. Putting in a hot lap of the Nürburgring is hard… but putting in a hot lap while purposefully getting it wrong and not crashing? Well, that’s pretty heroic.

Lamborghini Aventador SVJ

Lap time: 6:44.97 (2018)

It’s extremely pleasing to have a Lamborghini in this list. Naturally the company name has been synonymous with the cult of the supercar ever since the Miura broke cover, but there have always been detractors who postulated that vast swells of horsepower and Italianate theatrics were no substitute for poise and agility. Well, the Aventador SVJ has both.

With 760bhp ripping the very fabric of space-time from its shrieking nat-asp V12, intelligent aero that increases downforce by 40% over the stock Aventador SV, and the unflappable factory helmsman Marco Mapelli at the controls, the big Lambo smashed out a lap time of 6:44 back in 2018. Sure, it’s a second and a bit behind the Black Series Merc, and there was a time when such a disparity might’ve raised an eyebrow, but you can’t argue with results, and the two cars are very different entities. If you want drama, you want a Lambo – and this is just about the most dramatic there is.

Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series

Lap time: 6:43.616 (2020)

How do you define ‘production car’? Technically, the Mercedes-AMG One holds the record, but you can’t exactly walk into your local dealer and find one. Similarly, the official second place slot is held by the Porsche 911 GT2 RS, but that one was fitted with the optional Manthey Racing upgrades, so does that count? It’s open to interpretation really, but there’s no denying that the third-place car is a winner for many: the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series.

An astonishing motor car with a 720bhp flat-plane-cranked twin-turbo V8 that delivers its peak power at a howling 7,200rpm; it’s got carbon everything and oodles of downforce, and demolished the ’Ring in a staggering 6:43:616 – a near-enough identical time to the McLaren P1 XP1 LM, with the ability to carry a full suite of luggage if need be. Absolutely bonkers.

McLaren P1 XP1 LM Prototype

Lap time: 6:43.22 (2017)

The McLaren P1 is a terrifying thing in its own right, and the XP1 LM prototype amped things up to a whole other level. It’s all thanks to the adrenaline junkies at Lanzante Motorsport, who – after the production run of the P1 was complete – commissioned the Bespoke division of McLaren Special Operations to build another half-dozen P1 GTRs so that Lanzante could convert them into road-legal LM variants. The sixth car of this extra run became the XP1 LM prototype, retained as a development and test car and sporting a rolling list of mods and upgrades.

In 2016, fitted with massive aero, Lexan windows, lightweight charge-coolers and Inconel/titanium exhausts (as well as having its air jack system deleted and various other weight reductions), it recorded the fastest ever time for a road car up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, with Kenny Bräck driving. The following year it went to the Nürburgring, again with Bräck, and knocked a full four seconds off the regular P1 GTR’s time. That was on road-legal tires too, and the XP1 LM drove back to the UK on those same tires afterwards. Indeed, the only thing that made it not road-legal on its ’Ring lap was that they’d removed the front number plate!

Mercedes-AMG One

Lap time: 6:35.183 (2022)

There was a bit of a build-up to this one. When Mercedes-Benz announced that they were going to be making a road-going hypercar with an actual Formula One engine in it, everyone got very excited. The 2017 concept had us all frothing. But then, as it turned out, building a reliable road car with an F1 motor is actually quite hard, because they’re not designed to do things like pop to the shops or idle in a traffic jam. But they eventually made it work, and when the Mercedes-AMG One finally rolled up to the Nordschleife in 2022, expectations were high.

And it didn’t disappoint. DTM driver Maro Engel was the man at the helm, and the blistering pace he set chipped a full eight seconds off the production car lap record – and it’s worth remembering that the conditions were far from ideal, and he had to manage the hybrid system throughout the lap to ensure he didn’t run out of puff on the final straight. So we can take 6:35 as the One’s starting point, with more to come…

Mercedes-AMG One, again…

We said there was more to come, and well we were right. Although, it didn’t take a genius to work out that given Maro Engel had to manage the hybrid system on the first record run, then the next attempt would be different. Not only that, but during the run in 2022, the conditions weren’t optimal for the run, with some sections of the track still damp. Well, Mercedes were back at the Nurburgring in September 2024 to set it’s new time of 6:29.090. That makes it a whole 6 seconds faster than the previous record.

Porsche 956

Lap time: 6:11.13 (1983)

This is the one. The legend, the hero, the timeless classic. It may no longer stand as the fastest lap of the Nürburgring, but it’s the lap that will always be whispered about in reverential tones by seasoned racers who’ve seen a few things.

Firmly gripping the wheel of his Porsche 956, 25-year-old Stefan Bellof headed out for a quali lap for the Nürburgring 1000km in May 1983, little suspecting that the next six minutes and eleven seconds would turn him into a household name for petrolheads for decades onward. And a subsequent layout change helped to seal the deal, whereby Le Mans prototypes would stop using the Nordschleife competitively and the GP circuit would be integrated into the lap, meaning that Bellof’s record would stand for a staggering thirty-five years. It’s just a shame no-one thought to video the whole thing.

Volkswagen ID.R

Lap Time: 6:05.336 (2019)

The Green Hell hummed to the rhythm of volts as a new dawn of performance unveiled itself in 2019. Volkswagen’s imposing ID.R looked like some manner of slippery amphibian, fresh from the rainforests to come and show these fossil fuel-burning entities another way.

And the hyperintelligent VW really did put on a show. Making a sound reminiscent of your laptop’s cooling fan going into overdrive, the car boasted a 670bhp motor and 44kWh battery pack pinched from the company’s Formula E race car, and it ripped around the Nürburgring at a rate quicker than most onlookers’ eyes were able to keep pace with. Averaging 128mph around the undulating circuit, its honed aero setup and fearless pilot (Romain Dumas) ensured a lap time that would go down in the history books. It certainly gave the old guard something think about.

Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo

Lap time: 5:19.546 (2018)

This, frankly, is an eye-watering number. Watching the footage, it looks as if it’s playing back on fast-forward, it really is hard to believe it’s real. How can a machine cheat physics with such alacrity, how can a driver react so rapidly and so effectively? The 919’s 5:19 lap will undoubtedly be remembered by future generations alongside the pyramids and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, remarkable feats of creativity and endeavor by humanity that can surely never be repeated.

This all happened because Porsche, keen to mark its 70^th anniversary, wanted to do something with a bit of impact, and modified their Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid with the aim of taking lap records at circuits across Europe. This it achieved, and of course the ’Ring was always going to be the jewel in the crown. With Timo Bernhard behind the wheel, the Nürburgring lap record wasn’t just surpassed, but absolutely smashed to pieces, the Porsche beating the existing record by nearly a minute. Which is just insane.
With 1,144bhp propelling 850kg, it was always going to be quick. And with Bernhard’s healthy disdain for the concept of fear, it morphed into something iconic.

You, in a variety of cars

Lap time: sub-5:00:00 (whenever you like)

Lapping the Nordschleife in real life is scary. There’s so much potential for peril, so many opportunities to make an absolute pig’s ear of it and entomb yourself in a tangle of folded metal.

But sitting on your sofa is a lot less daunting, isn’t it? If you’re driving the track virtually, it’s rather less life-changing if you misjudge an apex or clip a bit of wet grass and spang your priceless race car into the Armco at double-ton velocity. This is where we’re all late-night heroes. We’ve all been there. It’s 1am, everyone’s gone to bed, you’re sitting there with a potent drink on one side and a bowl of salty snacks on the other, psyching yourself up for one last banzai lap of the Green Hell. You grab the controller and pick the fastest car in your garage. rit your teeth. You won’t be blinking for the next five minutes. All or nothing, hell for leather, diving for the sort of angles that even Senna would have thought twice about.

Sure, a Gran Turismo lap isn’t real. But in the dead of night, with no-one around and no jeopardy of potential damage bills to concern you, it’s more than real enough.

The post Fastest Nürburgring Car Lap Times appeared first on Fast Car.

It’s safe to say that in the car tuning scene a lot of engines are more famous than the cars. In fact, some cars are only famous thanks to their engines. But the reason for this is simple, the engines have huge tuning potential. In all honesty, most of the engines aren’t amazing performers when standard. But it’s the highly tuned ones that bring the fame. This 10 best Japanese engines to tune feature is all about these motors, and how to realize their potential…

Nissan RB Series Engines

You knew this one would appear on our list of the 10 best Japanese engines to tune, didn’t you? The engine that gave the Nissan Skyline worldwide fame, the RB is a turbo straight six, fitted to R32, R33 and R34 Skylines, as well as a few more unusual vehicles. The three main turbo versions, the RB20DET, the RB25DET, and the RB26DETT have long been known as tuners dreams.

The RB20 is the smallest capacity and lowest power engine of the bunch. It features just two-liters and only 210bhp. But that doesn’t mean it’s the poor relation – far from it. Put a decent size turbo on it and things really come alive. 450bhp and 8,000rpm is possible on standard internals. On the flip side, a fully built engine could achieve 600bhp-plus. And they love to rev too; a big power RB20 revving its nuts off is an incredible sounding engine.

The RB25 is the most common of the RB lumps. It’s found in countless R33 GTSTs and R34 GTTs. As it’s a 2.5-litre turbo that makes an easy 300bhp with really minor tweaks, it’s incredibly popular. It’ll even make a pretty safe 500bhp with a big turbo conversion on standard internals. Although some say the RB25 engine is almost as capable as the RB26 when fully built for mega power, most people tend to stick around the 500bhp mark. This level is achievable relatively cheaply. If done right it has tons of torque and a great powerband.

RB26DETT engine

The RB26DETT is the daddy of the RB engines. It’s the engine found only in R32-R34 GT-Rs. From the offset it was designed to win races. As the engine was designed for Group A Touring Car racing in the late ’80s, most of the standard parts, especially the head, crank, rods, manifolds and intercooler had to be awesome. This was because the race rules meant they weren’t allowed to be changed.

Because of this, these parts are rarely changed below about 650bhp. In fact, some people have even hit the magic 1,000bhp figure on engines running standard internals. While half the world likes to claim their mate has a 1,000bhp Skyline, in reality, that’s an expensive number to hit. But if you can afford it, that’s nowhere near the limit. What is the limit? Who knows.

Check out out guide on how to tune the Nissan RB26DETT engine.

RB30ET

Unusually though, there is another turbo RB, the RB30ET. This was an Aussie-only single cam turbo engine not even found in a Nissan, but in a Holden four-door saloon. Despite having 12 fewer valves and one fewer cam than the other versions, and pushing out less power than even the RB20DET as standard, with a bit of tuning it was soon realized even 1,000bhp was possible. That power also came with massive torque thanks to having the three-liter engine.

The current favored trick in RB tuning is using the RB26 cylinder head with the RB30 block, along with a huge turbo. This gives the huge power RB26s are capable of, but with big RB30 torque. Best of all, for this the RB30 block doesn’t need to come from a turbo version. Non-turbo RB30s can be found in all kinds of places, even old Nissan Patrol 4x4s in your local free ads.

Toyota 1JZ & 2JZ GTE

While the Skyline RB engine was the first turbo straight-six to attract worldwide tuning fame, it’s certainly the Toyota JZ engine that’s the current favorite of tuning fans the world over. While neither turbocharged versions of the JZ are exactly slow from the factory, it’s once you relegate the standard tiny twin turbos to the dustbin and whack on a big single turbo that things really come alive. This is why it features on our list of the 10 best Japanese engines to tune.

2JZ-GTE

The three-liter 2JZ-GTE has gained a lot of its legendary tuning status due to the well-known fact it can produce upwards of 1000bhp on completely standard engine internals. But it gets better than that. Even at the 750bhp mark, a standard 2JZ in good condition with a well specced turbo set-up, will spool up fast and give massive torque. Most importantly though, it will be reliable too.

As full-on race engines, 1,000bhp is only the halfway point for a 2JZ.  Upwards of 2,000bhp is deemed capable, and even with far less than 2,000bhp, the results can be incredible. A 2JZ Supra has hit 246mph in the standing mile, over 40mph faster than a Bugatti Veyron over the same distance.

1JZ-GTE

While people going for maximum power regardless of budget always go for the 2J, it’s the 1JZ that people go for when looking for the maximum bang for their buck. Hugely reliable even under extreme abuse, they’re able to make 500bhp-plus and similar torque on standard engine internals with ease. It’s no wonder the 1JZ is a drifters’ favorite. One reason they’re so popular is they’re cheaper and more common than you may think. They’re the engine found in most of the thousands of Toyota Soarers that were imported to the UK. They are now usually found looking pretty unloved on places like eBay and Gumtree. Although recent popularity soars into older Japanese cars has seen the availability decrease.

2JZGE

While the turbo versions are the most popular, don’t ignore the 2JZGE, the non-turbo three-liter lump. Totally unloved in the UK, almost worthless in fact, they hold a secret. One that makes them a lot more popular elsewhere in the world. It’s the fact they are insanely strong. When we say strong, we mean it. The internals are almost the same as the turbo version, and once the thicker turbo-spec head gasket has been fitted, many happily run upwards of 600bhp on turbo converted standard GE engines.

1.5J

Finally, another option is the 1.5J engine. This is a mish-mash of 1JZ head, and 2JZGE bottom end. The reason this is done is usually because somebody’s 1JZ bottom end has failed. Rather than repair it, they simply fitting a standard 2JZGE bottom end .This is cheaper, half a liter bigger capacity and just as strong. As a result, it makes a lot of sense. Contrary to popular myth, a 2JZ head flows better than a 1J, so for insane power, a 2J is still the ultimate. But if you ever blow your 1JZ bottom end up, well we know what we would do.

Fancy a Mk4 Supra? Check out our Supra buyer’s guide for tips!

Spoon Integra Type R DC2

Honda B Series

While Honda fans worship them, most people don’t understand why the little B Series is considered so special. Well let us tell you. They feature an incredible design for a production engine, both as standard, and especially when tuned.

This is the engine that introduced the world to VTEC. The first B16A pushed out 158bhp from just 1595cc without a turbo or supercharger in sight, and revving to 8,200rpm. It’s pretty amazing numbers for a standard engine even today and this was back in 1989!

As the years went on the little 1.6 got more powerful and the Type R version made a huge 185bhp and revved to 9,000rpm, all while being still just 1,595cc! The B18C is a 1.8-litre version. While not hugely more powerful as standard, ranging from 170bhp to 200bhp, the extra capacity gives a useful increase in torque, magnified once you get tuning.

So while the VTEC B Series lumps are works of art, that’s not what this feature is about. The fact they can create ridiculous amounts of power is why they’re here!

The amount of tuning parts and knowledge available on the B Series is unbelievable. While power increases are possible with N/A tuning, the fact they’re so highly tuned from the factory means when you turbocharge them they really come alive.

Upwards of 500bhp has been achieved with just bolt-on turbo kits with B18s. And as countless cars in the USA have proven, fully built engines can push out insane numbers. The fact there’s B Series front-wheel drive Civics in the USA running 8 and even 7-second quarter-miles at well over 180mph says it all!

1900hp Nissan GT-R R35

Nissan VR38DETT 

It usually takes a long time for an engine to get tuned to big power. But despite people saying it would never be as tunable as the RB26 (in GT-Rs), the VR38DETT – the 3.8-litre twin turbo V6 from the Nissan GT-R – was being tuned to four-digit power figures within a year of release, cementing its place on our list of the best Japanese engines to tune.

The VR38 is a tuner’s dream. Starting at upwards of 500bhp as standard, over 600bhp is possible on the standard turbos, 750bhp is considered safe on standard internals. And the maximum power possible? Well, upwards of 2000bhp is achievable… And just in case 3.8 liters isn’t enough for you, there are stroker kits available that can take the engine right up to 4.6 liters!

While they’re fitted as standard in the Nissan GT-R, we’ve seen them fitted to Nissan Silvias and Skylines, along with conventional manual gearboxes. It has to be up there as the ultimate engine swap. So, what are you waiting for!?

Be sure to check out our Nissan GT-R R35 tuning guide for advice.

Nissan Silvia S14a

Nissan SR20DET

The SR20DET is one of the most commonly tuned 2-litre turbo engines worldwide, with gazillions of parts available. But why is it so popular and tunable?

While it’s not groundbreaking, what it does, it does well, giving great bang for the buck. With just over 200bhp as standard, the engines aren’t anything to write home about from the factory. But even really mild tuning takes the power to around 270bhp, which totally transforms a car. And if tuned properly, 400bhp is safe on good condition standard internals.

While it’s not as common to see big power SR20s as it is some other 2ltr lumps, fully built engines fitted with the ultra high flowing VVL cylinder head from JDM-only SR16VE and SR20VE engines have pushed these engines to well over 700bhp. Some over 1,000bhp…

700bhp Mazda RX-7 FD with TCP-Magic bodykit

Mazda RX-7 Rotary

While the Mazda Rotary engine is very unusual and needs specialist experience to tune it with success, one of these engines tuned correctly is almost unbeatable, which is why it’s here on our list of the best Japanese engines to tune. They’re banned from the Le Mans 24hr because no piston engine could keep up!

Their relative tiny size means they can pack a hell of a punch in a small space, with even a quad rotor engine being no longer than a typical straight six, despite giving the kind of grunt you’d expect from a big V8.

Not only are they powerful for their small size, their design means they rev fast and hard. The free spinning feeling is like a superbike engine rather than a typical piston lump. While over 150bhp per rotor is possible naturally aspirated, which is a huge amount, once you add a turbo, it’s easily 350bhp per rotor, and more like 500bhp per rotor in full-on drag race engines.

Almost no engine lends itself to turbocharging as well as the Rotary. Their design gives very strong, and hot, exhaust pulses, so they can spool big turbos easily. A typical twin-rotor RX-7 engine can spool turbos as easy as a big 3ltr piston lump and three and four rotor engines put V8s to shame in the turbo spooling department.

Best of all, due to the modular nature of the rotary engine, if you have the money and skills, creating a bigger rotary engine just involves bolting more rotors on. This is, after all, how most quad rotors are made, we even featured a six-rotor RX-3 in FC a little while back…

1UZ-powered Toyota Celica Mk1

Toyota 1UZ

While some road car engines are turned in to race engines, the Toyota 1UZ V8, usually found plodding away in various 1990s Lexus vehicles, was designed as a race engine, and then converted to road use.

Toyota spent around $30 million in the late ’80s developing the 1UZ with the intention of using it as a race engine for Le Mans and Japanese GT racing. However, the rules of the classes they planned to run it in were changed, making the engine surplus to requirements. So it was heavily de-tuned and fitted to various low revving luxury cars instead.

The story might sound hard to believe, but once you start to take the engine apart it all makes sense. As well as being incredibly light for a V8 – less than many 2ltr engines in fact – it really does look like a race engine when you see the design of it and can happily rev to 8,000rpm on standard internals. Incredible for a production V8 lump, which is why it features in our 10 best Japanese engines to tune.

With the restrictive intake and exhaust set-up swapped for individual throttle bodies and tubular manifolds, and four lumpy cams fitted, over 400bhp naturally aspirated on the standard bottom end has been achieved. Even in endurance race spec, designed to last 24 hours flat out, they can produce well over 500bhp without a turbo in sight – and rev to over 10,000rpm too. Not too shabby.

Just like any engine, they really come alive with the addition of boost and 600bhp plus on standard internals is considered quite safe. People have run over double that on fully built engines for high miles with no problems at all.

Twin-charged Evo

Mitsubishi 4G63

Found in the first nine generations of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (the Evo X has a 4B11T engine), the 2-litre turbo 4G63 lump is considered one of the most tunable four-cylinder engines ever made. It’s deserved of its place on our list of the best Japanese engines to tune.

Designed from the outset with rallying in mind, the engine is hugely strong. It’s easily tunable using standard components to conform with Group N and Group A rally rules. This requires many standard parts, including intercooler, manifolds, general turbo size, and a lot of engine internals.

Because of this, all 4G63s came with a massive front mount intercooler from the factory and an impressively big turbo – later versions came with a ultra-trick twin scroll turbo set-up with twin wastegates, some capable of well over 400bhp.

While the standard turbo takes you a long way, there’s almost endless big turbo kits, stroker kits, dry sump conversions, even twincharger kits available, meaning you can run a supercharger and a turbo. Check out the twincharged Evo in the photo above!

Where’s the limit? Well, more power is able to be made than could realistically be put to the tarmac. But 2,000bhp has been claimed by certain methanol fueled monster 4G63s…

Bagged Subaru Impreza P1

Subaru EJ Series

The Subaru EJ series turbo engines, with their unusual flat (or boxer) four cylinder layout and distinctive exhaust note, have been hugely popular in the tuning scene for around 20 years now – and they seem to be getting more powerful all the time. It almost had to feature in our list of the 10 best Japanese engines to tune.

The flat four engine can make access to certain parts of the engine a pain at times. But the huge success of the EJ in all forms of motorsport proves its worth when tuning. With capacities from 2-litre to 2.5-litre as standard, and stroker kits allowing as much as 2.7-litre, it’s a big engine for just four cylinders. But regardless of your capacity (most of the biggest power ones are around 2.2-litre), big power is certainly possible.

While changing the exhaust manifold to fit big turbos is a difficult and expensive task on these engines, thankfully a huge range of Impreza specialists produce direct replacement hybrid turbos, some capable of upwards of 500bhp. A lot of power in anyone’s books, and a level some people have pushed standard internals too!

For a fully built engine, upwards of 800bhp has proven reliable even with hard track use, and we’ve seen claims of over 1,400bhp from EJ-powered drag monsters. There’s no doubt the Impreza lump is up there with the four cylinder greats… Looking to tune your EJ20? We’ve put together a GC8 tuning guide just for you…

Honda Civic Type R EP3 Track Car

Honda K20

The high-revving, happy-go-lucky nature of the K20, alongside its likeness for forced induction is why it had to feature on our list of the best Japanese engines to tune. Though there’s much debate in Honda circles about it, overall, the 2-litre K20 (as found in the EP3 and FN2 Civic Type Rs and the DC5 Integra Type R), is considered the best production engine Honda have made. The newer 300bhp-plus turbo FK2 and FK8 Type R comes with a K20 based engine. Again, it’s tuneable.

Surprisingly for an engine that leaves the factory in such a high state of tune, even in naturally aspirated form there’s a lot more power to be had. With the 2.4-litre K24 bottom-end bolted on, and 2.6-litre stroker kits available too, well over 300bhp, even with great torque and road manors, is perfectly possible. And this is without resorting to a turbo or supercharger.

While the standard internals are not weak, and people have still managed 500bhp-plus from stock K20s with turbo conversions, the conrods are the weak point. So for big power turbo motors, you need to delve into the internals and fit forged pistons and steel rods.

Once fully built with uprated internals, the K20 is an incredible piece of kit whether naturally aspirated, supercharged, or turbocharged. The clever VTEC head means drivability is fantastic compared to most other engines of the same capacity and state of tune.

The post Best Japanese Engines To Tune appeared first on Fast Car.

Any car can be a track car. You’ve just got to drive a car onto a track and bingo, you’ve already won. Buying a project car or something out of the showroom isn’t the hard part. The first stage, really, is to teach yourself to be a track driver. Adjust your methods of driving so that you unlearn the habits you use around town.

Late braking, wide-open throttle, taking racing lines through corners – all the things you wouldn’t do on the way to the store. As your skills grow and you start to reach the limits of the car, you can begin to refine and optimize things. Upgrading to some quality track-biased tires, fitting more aggressive brake pads and uprating your suspension is a good start. Maybe going a bit mad and throwing your rear seats in the bin in the name of weight loss will come next. At that point though, it’s time to concede that your car’s Tesco trip days are over… it’s time to build an all-out track-ready titan.

With that in mind. Some cars just aren’t as suitable as others out of the box. You have to think about cost, not only of the vehicle, but for modifications as well as replacing the consumables like pads, oil, tires etc. Below, we’ve put together a list of some of the best affordable track car projects that can help you along the journey.

But, isn’t driving on track expensive?

Now, this might sound like an expensive hobby, but it doesn’t need to be. Once you’ve budgeted for the essentials, like a quality helmet and the necessary track day entry fees, the amount you spend on your track car is totally up to you. It needn’t cost a fortune, it can be surprisingly inexpensive. Not only that, our Fast Car event series offers the perfect opportunity for those that want to dip their toes into the world of track day driving by offering 20 minute sessions at circuits like Silverstone and Goodwood. This means that even if you only own a lightly modified car, you’ll still be able to drive on track without worrying about things breaking. But if you want something more dedicated, in the name of encouraging entry-level track fun, we’ve pulled together a top-ten of our favorite affordable track-based project cars.

Naturally the concept of ‘affordable’ is entirely subjective. Some people may have earmarked a couple of grand for their next project. Others will be lucky enough to have £5k, maybe even £10k. While some (like us) will be picking the lint out of their pockets in search of an extra 50p. So we’ve tried to keep this list sensible. Some of these cars can be found for a couple of thousand if you strike lucky, and none of them will set you back more than £10,000 to buy. We’ve had a little look at the performance potential for each one, so you know what you’re getting into too. Have fun choosing, and remember – shiny-side-up, and keep out of the kitty litter. Here’s our best affordable track car projects guide.

Best Affordable Track Car Projects

Renault Clio 172/182

When it was new, the Renaultsport Clio was seen as one of the greatest hot hatches of the era. And yet the recipe was neither new nor particularly complex. Much like the Williams which had gone before; Renault wedged a 2.0 four pot from the Laguna into the nose of a small hatchback. The results were pretty astounding, from launch it featured 172hp, enough to get it from 0-62mph in the low 7s and onto 138mph top speed. But the performance figures only paint half of the picture. Renault knows a thing or two about building a hot hatch that handles well, and the Clio 172 was no different. Its chassis is praised by everyone who sits behind the wheel, applauding its agility, and puppy-like energy.

The good news for us modifiers is that there are an abundance of parts available for the Clio, whether in early 172 or later 182 guise. It’s also worth noting just how popular these Clios are as affordable track car projects. It only takes 5 minutes at a track day at any one of the great circuits in the UK to spot one.

Price today: From £4,000. (Not available in US).

Top mods: Coilovers, big brake kit, breathing mods and exhaust system.

Ford Fiesta ST150 (Mk6)

The Ford Fiesta ST150 has a hell of a lot going for it as a track project. Hence why it’s here in our affordable track car projects top 10. We’re talking about the Mk6 Fiesta ST here, the one sold between 2003-08. It’s often referred to as the ST150 because (you’ve probably guessed) it has 150bhp. This is courtesy of a 2.0-litre Duratec, a big engine to shove into a little car at the time. It’s pretty tuneable too. Check out our Mk6 Fiesta ST tuning guide.

The ST received a fresh bodykit with different bumpers and spoilers. Disc brakes at the rear (lesser models sometimes had drums) also featured, and lower and sportier suspension did the rest. The best part is that you can pick up a tidy example for about £2000. Plus there are plentiful upgraded parts available off the shelf. A set of Newman cams, a Cosworth intake manifold and a bigger throttle body will get you well over 200hp. Throw in a 3J Driveline LSD, a set of KW coilovers and some meatier brakes and you’ll be laughing. Quite literally. All the time.

Reserved solely for the European market, Stateside readers who are interested in a Blue Oval alternative to the Fiesta ST might have to do make do with a regular Mk1 Focus as their base if SVTs are out of touch. Sure, the standard Focus hatchback is by no means a performance car, but we challenge you to find any motoring journalist who won’t sing its praises for having a great handling chassis. Plus, if you buy a super cheap base car, that means more room in the budget for mods…

Price today: £2000-£7000 (not available in US).

Top mods: Newman Cams, KW Coilovers, 3J Driveline LSD.

BMW 3 Series (E46)

The E46 makes for an awesome budget track rocket these days. The prices have come way down, and they’re still plentiful enough on the used market. Despite the number of them ragged to destruction on the drift scene, it’s worth remembering that these aren’t just skidders, they make for excellent circuit toys.

Naturally you’re not going to find a cheap E46 M3. You may well find that the petrol/manual 325i options (or, if you can track one down, the 330i) are increasingly prone to scene tax. But any E46 is a fun E46. You may be lucky and get one with a big engine, but even a 318i will be a hoot once you’ve modified it. There are plentiful parts options available, and a huge number of owners groups on various social channels that can help you. Start with some HSD coilovers and we’d recommend OEM shock tower reinforcement plates to prevent ‘mushrooming’. The throw in a set of Nankang NS-2R tires, and work up from there.

Price today: £2000-£15,000 / $3500-$20,000.

Top mods: Shock lower reinforcement plates, HSD Coilovers, Nankang NS-2Rs.

Porsche Boxster (986)

How brave are you feeling? Buying a cheap early Boxster is one of those life decisions which could end up being the best choice you ever make. Or the most financially ruinous. The fun part is that there’s no way of knowing which way it’ll go. Still, it’s good to roll the dice sometimes isn’t it?

There are a few things you can look out for to help your peace of mind. Most important is a good service history, as the engine’s pretty inaccessible. Check for wet floors caused by roof leaks, as the ECU is located under that soggy carpet. Walk away from overheating cars as early ones sometimes had terminally porous engine blocks.

However, if you’ve bought a good one, you’ll find yourself with a fabulous track car right out of the box. It has awesome handling, endless grip, perfect steering, and oodles of potential for upgrades. Suspension mods can be handled in three phases if you want to spread the cost.  First upgrade the anti-roll bars to H&R items. Then whack on some Eibach springs, and finally (when you’re ready for maximum attack) swap in some Bilstein B16 coilovers. A lightweight flywheel and Quaife LSD make a massive difference. The combo of K&N induction and Milltek exhaust is a no-brainer.

Price today: £4000-£20,000 / $6500-$25,000.

Top mods: H&R anti-roll bars, Milltek exhaust, Quaife LSD, Goodridge braided hoses.

Toyota Celica (Mk7)

The next entry from Japan onto our affordable track car projects list is the Toyota Celica. The Mk7 generation was very few people’s favorite Celica. But that’s their loss and your gain, because these peachy little coupes start at just a few grand. For that money you’re buying a whole lot of performance potential.

The most important thing is to make sure you buy the right one to start with; you see, they all came with 1.8-litre engines, but confusingly there were two different ones sold at the same time. The 1ZZ-FE motor served up 140hp which was perfectly OK, but the 2ZZ-GE is the one you want; co-developed by Yamaha and sporting variable valve timing and two-step variable valve lift control (which is sort of Toyota’s version of VTEC), it gives you more revs and 188hp, which is much more like it. How can you tell if you’ve got the right one? Helpfully, it’s written on the engine cover: the 140hp motor is badged VVT-I, while the 188hp one says VVTL-I – that little L makes all the difference. Also, depending on the region you’re in, these more powerful cars will carry either the GT-S (North America) or T Sport (UK) trim level moniker.

Upgrade Ideas

The stock brakes are a weakness on this car, so the first mods on your list should be along the lines of Goodridge braided lines, grooved discs and Orange Stuff pads from EBC. Or, if you want to save a bit of cash to spend elsewhere, OEM Avensis brakes will be cheaper, but still bigger and compatible. Next, consider some TEIN or BC Racing coilovers. The 2ZZ-GE engines love being cammed too, Cat Cams can help you with that.

Price today: £2000-£7000 / $4000-$12,000

Top mods: EBC discs/pads/lines, TEIN or BC Racing coilovers, uprated Cams.

Fancy something a little more retro? How about the second-gen Toyota MR2 instead?

Honda Civic Type R (EP3)

The EP3 is one of those cars that you can buy for under a couple of grand, but you probably shouldn’t. There’s a fair few of them about still, and a lot of them have been thrashed mercilessly, so the sub-two-grand cars are always a bit baggy – cheap to buy, but you’ll spend a fortune fixing it up. If you’re after a tidy road car for daily use you can budget up to £7k, although good usable ones for track purposes will be between £3-5k. The most important things to check for are a) a good service history and b) a sympathetic owner – because the K20 motor uses a surprising amount of oil, and its sky-high redline and VTEC lunacy encourage drivers to push it hard… if it hasn’t had its oil checked and topped up regularly, it’ll be eating itself.

Upgrade Ideas

Find a good one and you’ll be very happy. These things are simply phenomenal on track! Start with the chassis mods: Hardrace rear camber arms and lower control arms, Eibach front camber bolts, JDM rear anti-roll bar and Eibach Pro Kit springs will get you cornering like a champ. If you’ve got cash to splurge, an LSD is a strong option (although with your chassis mods and a decent alignment setup, by no means essential). Exhaust upgrades are more for noise than actual power unless you swap the manifold too– Tegiwa can help with a full system, and a carbon-boxed ITG Maxogen induction kit is a great addition. And bear in mind that if you want to map it, you’ll need to physically open up the ECU and get a Hondata piggyback chip fitted.

The EP3 Type R was restricted to the Asian and European markets, but if you’re based Stateside, keep an eye out for any examples of the Acura RSX Type S that come into budget as these cars share similar underpinnings and powertrains. Alternatively, the regular RSX or Civic Si represent less powerful but more easily attainable options.

Price today: £3500-£10,000 (Not available in the US).

Top mods: JDM anti-roll bar, Hardrace camber arms, ITG Maxogen induction.

Mazda MX-5 Miata (NA)

Amazingly, it’s still possible to pick up a solid and MOT’d Mk1 (NA) MX-5 for cheap, despite how much of a cult following its got. Aside from the fact that it’s got pop-up headlights, it’s got a sweet manual gearshift, a super-playful chassis, and an eager little twin-cam that wants to rev for days. Believe the hype, these cars are fabulous, which is why it placed on our list of the best affordable track car projects.

Look out for rust in the sills and rear arches, and avoid any car that has ‘DETUNED’ stamped on the V5 (these UKDM-only 1.6s only had 88bhp for some reason), and you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. The mechanicals are bombproof, and there are plenty of tuning options whether you go for the 1.6 or the 1.8. A Japspeed short-ram intake is a good start, along with a Racing Beat exhaust.

With the 1.6, a set of Kent Cams ‘SportsR’ camshafts eliminate the flat-spot at the top of the rev range. It’s also worth bearing in mind that while there was never a factory turbo MX-5,these engines were designed with forced induction in mind as they also appeared in the 323 Turbo – so there’s a lot of aftermarket turbocharging options. BBR are the experts to talk to there. Whiteline ARBS are well regarded, and if you’re getting really serious then Öhlins Road and Track coilovers are the way to go. Goodridge braided brake lines are a must and try some EBC Yellow Stuff pads too.

Price today: £2000-£12,500 / $6000-$18,000.

Top mods: Racing Beat exhaust, Whiteline anti-roll bars, Japspeed short-ram induction.

Mini Cooper S (R53)

Much like the EP3 Civic, the R53 Cooper S is a car that you can very easily pick up for peanuts, but it might not be a great idea. Yes, you can buy one for way under three grand, but buying one that’s priced a little higher with a decent history will be less painful in the long run.

These cars are an absolute blast on track even in standard form, and the thing we’d recommend first of all is to downsize the supercharger pulley. There are various percentage options but there’s no point mucking about – go for the full-on 17% pulley, combine it with an Airtec top-mount intercooler and your stock 170hp will suddenly rise to around 200hp. Plus, the blower will be wailing like a banshee!

It’s not cheap, but the next step for the serious track fan is to swap in a full Eibach chassis makeover. We’re talking coilovers, top-mounts, anti-roll bars, the lot. It makes a world of difference, and turns a really good car into a great one. And one of the things R53s are known for is the pops and crackles from the exhaust. This is particularly true of facelift models, which had more of this stuff mapped in from the factory! There’s a lot of exhaust options out there, but our extensive research found that the Scorpion system sounds the best – as well as adding a few horses, of course. An LSD makes a huge difference to these cars too: some models had them fitted as factory-standard (like the Checkmate edition, for instance), but otherwise get yourself a Quaife ATB.

Price today: £2500-£8000 / $4500-$10,000.

Top mods: 17% pulley, Airtec intercooler, Scorpion exhaust.

Audi TT 225 (Mk1)

The Mk1 Audi TT is another of those cars that’s so good to drive, it amazes us that they can still be bought so inexpensively, which is exactly why its on our affordable track car projects list. When Audi saw fit to bolt in a quattro system underneath, they created a chuckable coupe that would just grip and grip and grip until the tarmac itself started rucking up like a hallway carpet.

Combine this with the crazy BAM engine (which involved so much more than bolting a big turbo to a 1.8T; it also had upgraded pistons and rods, juicier fueling and bigger intercoolers), and you’ve got the recipe for something truly special. About half of our budget buys a tidy runner, and the tuning world’s your oyster. We’d start with a Milltek cat-back and RamAir induction. Then, combine it with a set of Goodridge braided lines, EBC grooved discs and Red Stuff ceramic pads. Upgrade to a Forge front-mount intercooler, and a Revo Stage2 map will catapult you up to about 275hp. Some Toyo R888Rs will help you deploy this effectively. While a Haldex controller can send more torque to the rear wheels for fruitier handling.

Price today: £3500-£15,000 / $5000-$20,000.

Top mods: Milltek exhaust, Forge intercooler, Revo remap, Goodridge braided hoses.

Honda CR-Z

The spiritual successor to the retro CR-X, this little hatchback/coupe was designed with the intention of being the world’s first affordable hybrid-engined sports car. Unfortunately, it fell short of the kind of plaudits that Honda envisaged as although it handled well, its engine lacked outright power and it was irredeemably impractical. But hey, if you’re buying this car for track use, who cares about a lack of rear seats or minimal boot space? In fact, when it comes to building a track car, less really is more in those departments. And as for the power issue? Well, that’s where the aftermarket comes in…

As standard, these cars produce just over 120hp (2013+ models make a bit more, but they’re less likely to be in budget) so to give it a bit of extra oomph, we’d suggest starting with freer flowing airways. By that, we mean a new cold air intake, intake manifold, and exhaust.

Upgrade Ideas

One cheap option is to swap the stock manifold out for the one that comes in the GE8-gen Honda Fit – some owners have dyno charts claiming an extra 5hp or so straight out the box with that simple mod. A GE8 camshaft swap (ECU remap required to support) is another known OEM upgrade, as is the throttle body from an 8th-gen Civic (which is 55mm in diameter compared to 50mm stock). As for performance exhausts, there’s plenty to choose from, with brands like HKS, J’s Racing and 5Zigen all offering performance exhausts for the CR-Z, amongst others. Later down the line, if you fancy pushing 200hp or maybe a little more, you could invest in the Mugen supercharger kit, but that’s a very pricey route to take.

Aside from under the hood, other early mods you should consider include the $350 Spoon front anti-roll bar (aka sway bar), which sharpens up the front end significantly. Cusco and Progress can hook you up with an upgraded rear ARB too if you wish. Furthermore, a good set of summer performance tires will make a huge difference in the handling department as well. From there, you’re ready to tear up the autocross scene.

Price today: £3000-£10,000 / $5000-$18,000.

Top Mods: GE8 Fit manifold, Spoon front ARB, Yokohama Advan Neova AD08 tires.

The post Best Affordable Track Car Projects appeared first on Fast Car.

The motoring world as we know it is changing. Turbos and mild hybrid systems are now the norm, manufacturers are downsizing engines and switching to electric, and governments collectively around the world are introducing polices to end the sale of new internal combustion-engined cars in the near future. Now seems a good a time as any to celebrate the almighty V8, because this is an engine that is quickly being killed off. Thankfully, BMW has provided so many V8s over the years that some of them make the best used cars to buy today.

The V8 is something truly special and while it’s not always the most powerful engine option and certainly not the most economical, it always sounds amazing and delivers an old-school muscle car feel that no other engine can match.

If you’ve ever been tempted by something with a great V8 under the bonnet, this is your lucky day. We’ve picked our top 5 BMW V8 cars to suit (just about) every budget, and they’re all guaranteed to put a huge smile on your face. Also note that used car prices are ever-changing, so always do your research before buying.

BMW E9x M3

Engine: 4.0-liter S65B40
Max power: 420hp
Max torque: 295lb ft

Why would you want one?

The first – and only – road-going V8-powered M3 (aside from the E46 M3 GTR, but good luck buying one of those…), the E9x remains every bit as awesome today as it was when it was first launched back in 2007. It combines aggressive, muscular styling with a razor-sharp chassis and that magnificent S65 that revs like nothing else, making this an intoxicating performance machine.

Our pick

Our personal preference would be the coupé as you get that carbon roof, we’d pick DCT over the manual gearbox as it really suits the S65 so well, while EDC is nice to have but not essential, especially if you’re looking to upgrade the suspension anyway. The Comp pack, with its M359 19s, lower suspension and tweaked EDC is tempting but, again, only if you’re not looking to mod the car much in these areas.

The special editions, meanwhile, can be appealing if you like a certain color or the trim, or just fancy something a little more individual, but they are a chunk more expensive than the regular models.

Pros

The E9x M3 is an absolutely awesome machine to drive and it’s a car that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face. The S65 is simply sensational and the way it revs all the way to 8300rpm, feeling the way the power just keeps on building, all overlaid by that howling V8 symphony is something truly special and this car is an event.

It’s not too big, meaning it fits comfortably on B roads, but still has loads of space inside and is a genuinely usable everyday proposition. The chassis is sharp and the handling is exceptional, and this is a machine that can really deliver next-level driving thrills.

Cons

There’s really not too much to worry about on the E9x M3 in general, more ammunition for justifying it’s position on this top 5 BMW V8 cars to buy list. The main issues to be aware of are both engine-related; the first is rod bearing wear, similar to that on the S62 in the E39 M5. The cause is the same, owners thrashing the engine from cold before the oil is hot enough, and excessive wear will eventually lead you to spin a bearing which is obviously very bad news.

As before, keep the revs low (2-3k rpm) and throttle inputs gentle before the oil gauge reaches around 100°C and if the bearings haven’t been changed budget to get them done ($/£1500) as a precautionary measure. There’s no set mileage at which they fail and the oil analysis tests you can do aren’t foolproof. The other issue is electronic throttle actuator failure, but they can be rebuilt for around $/£500 for the pair, which really isn’t bad at all.

Other negatives are the small fuel tank which, combined with the thirsty S65, means a small range, and the engine does really need to be revved to get the most from it and can feel a little flat before it really gets going.

Modding potential

With a car as popular as the M3, it’s no surprise that the aftermarket is absolutely brimming with mods and there’s so much you can do. For styling, you can have anything and everything in carbon, from the smallest vents to a whole vented bonnet, there are splitters, side skirt extensions, diffusers, CSL boot lids, the works. There are loads of lowering springs to choose from as well as a lot of excellent coilover kits available for the car, some with electronic damping, and there are numerous big brake kits to choose from, meaning you’re fully sorted on the chassis front.

As for power, NA tuning is a little limited, but a primary de-cat and remap to go with it can net you an additional 20-30hp, and PSDesigns’ awesome velocity stack kit not only looks and sounds incredible but will also get you around 475hp.

If you want more then supercharging is the best option, with centrifugal kits available from infinitas, ESS and VF Engineering, and each company has something to suit most budgets, and around $6500/£6000 will get you near to 600hp.

There’s also the positive displacement supercharger kit available from Harrop; it’s a lot more expensive, costing between $/£10,000-15,000 depending on retailer, but adds huge low-end torque along with impressive power gains. Check out this bagged E92 M3 for some modding inspiration. Feeling wild? How about you create your own E9x M3 Touring like Paul has done?

Verdict

The S65 is a sensational engine and the E9x M3 is an absolutely spectacular all-round package. Problems are few so it won’t be too expensive to look after, there’s a near-limitless selection of mods to choose from and huge horsepower is easily attainable, and while the S65 does make you work for the power, that just makes it all the more satisfying when you really open it up. For the money, the E9x M3 is an absolute steal, which is why it features on list of the best BMW V8 cars you can buy.

BMW E31 840Ci

Engine: 4.0-liter M60B40/4.4-liter M62B44
Max power: 286hp
Max torque: 295/310lb ft

Why do you want one?

Up until the last few years, there was only one 8 Series and the original is still a unique and special machine. It looks quite unlike anything else BMW has ever produced and still turns heads today, and will get you attention wherever you go. If you’re looking for a unique V8 experience, this is it.

Our pick

If we can stretch to it we’d go for an 840Ci Sport – the 4.4-liter M62 is the better and more reliable engine and the Sport looks that much sexier. There are a handful of manual cars out there but we wouldn’t bother holding out for one, the auto suits the character of the car just fine.

Pros

It’s got pop-up headlights, which are an instant win, and it’s also a pillarless design, which just ramps up the cool factor. It looks stunning and it’s an absolutely superb GT, comfy, wafty, able to effortlessly eat up miles and look cool while doing it. Also, you probably won’t see another one so the exclusivity is a big part of the appeal.

Cons

It’s heavy, it’s slow and it’s not entertaining to drive. If you’re looking for something fun, this isn’t it. The M60 suffers from the Nikasil bore-wear issue, while the M62 is sturdy but check for leaking rocker cover gasket and failing timing chain tensioners which can lead to the plastic timing chain guides breaking, which will leave you with a large bill.

Expect a lot of electrical niggles at this age. It has a complicated suspension setup with a lot of components and the weight really takes its toll on all those arms and bushes. If you get one with EDC it’s going to break and will be expensive to repair. Age and mileage are this car’s greatest enemy and can land you with some serious bills.

Modding potential

Wheels and suspension options are decent, styling less so with the Sport pretty much the best-looking setup for this car, and you can supercharge the M62, while the M60 perks up with an eBay chip (old-school tuning). Don’t forget an exhaust as it’s easy to get it sounding glorious. Beyond that, there’s not really much on offer, but lowered on the right wheels an 8 Series will look a million dollars. Check out this bagged BMW E31 8 Series for some inspiration.

Verdict

Far from the last word in driving dynamics and capable of crippling your wallet and your bank account in one fell swoop, the 8 Series is, nevertheless, hugely charming and still a sexy-looking beast. If you want to stand out from the crowd in something a bit special and can stomach some potentially costly repairs, it’s definitely worth a look.

Supercharged BMW E38 740i.

BMW E38 740i

Engine: 4.0-litre M60B40/4.4-litre M62B44
Max power: 286hp
Max torque: 295/310/325lb ft

Why would you want one?

If you want to be a baller on a budget the E38 7 Series is where it’s at. It still looks money and is arguably a far more classy prospect than the E65 Seven that followed it. It’s one of those cars that needs almost nothing to look good and it’s great value for money when you’re hunting for a V8.

Our pick

We’d love a Sport for the M paras and the slightly meatier styling as well as the improved seats, but we wouldn’t pay over the odds for one as the basic car captures the essence of the 7 Series experience perfectly, and with some mods you’ll be able to spice it up anyway.

Pros

Every time you drive your 7 Series you will feel like you’ve made it. It’s comfy, sumptuous, built like a bank vault and so incredibly cosseting. This is the sort of classic luxury, refinement and ride quality that is timeless. Pull up somewhere in your Seven and you will always feel like a big deal.

Cons

The M60 suffers from the Nikasil bore-wear issue, while on the M62 you need to be aware of the chain tensioners and plastic guides, and also the cooling circuit on both, including the water pump. Fuel tanks rust and leak and a clogged charcoal canister/vent will lead to the fuel tank imploding.

Rust isn’t too big of an issue, but check the bottoms of the doors and the metal sunroof panel. The suspension and bushes also take some punishment due to the car’s weight so expect to have to spend some money there. Inside expect some electrical issues like the pixels disappearing on the OBC display.

Modding potential

Not huge, but you don’t need a lot to make an E38 stand out. Drop it on air, add some deep-dish splits and you’re basically there; you can get the Alpina-look front spoiler that does a good job of enhancing the front end, you might want to add the facelift rear lights, and, naturally, we’d add an exhaust to enjoy that BMW V8 but, otherwise, the best builds keep it simple and let the car’s natural class shine through. Check out this supercharged E38 740i for some inspiration.

Verdict

For the money, the E38 7 Series is an exceptional buy and one of the cheapest ways into BMW V8 ownership. The third-gen Seven has aged incredibly well and still looks smart and sharp, delivers exceptional levels of comfort and refinement, and just a few mods will make it look absolutely awesome. Balling on a budget has never been easier.

625whp Supercharged E39 M5 Touring.

BMW E39 M5

Engine: 4.9-liter S62B50
Max power: 400hp
Max torque: 369lb ft

Why would you want one?

You can’t possibly have a top 5 BMW V8 cars list without including the OG V8 M machine, the E39 M5. A legend in its own lifetime, the E39 M5 remains an incredible car to this day and delivers the perfect blend of everyday comfort with monster performance and sublime handling.

Our pick

We’d forego fancy options and concentrate on getting the best car we can – BMW was pretty stingy with standard spec so you could really go nuts with the options when the M5 was new. But, to be honest, the sat nav is going to feel very old by now, and while things like Heritage leather and Extended leather are nice it’s not as if the M5 feels cheap and low-rent on the inside anyway, and besides, it’s really all about the driving experience.

Pros

The S62 is a monster engine that delivers huge mid-range torque but also loves to rev, which is exactly why it’s on our list of the top 5 BMW V8 cars to buy. It makes the M5 an awesome machine, and it’s still seriously fast even by today’s standards. Then you have that chassis, which manages to deliver the perfect blend of ride comfort and absolutely superb handling, and it makes the M5 feel superb on just about any road. The steering is faster than that of a standard E39 and offers more feel and the whole package is just absolutely sublime. The E39 M5 won every group test it was in back in the day – with good reason – and it has lost none of its sparkle today.

Cons

General stuff will be age- and mileage-related so expect failing pixels on the OBC display, the heater resistor playing up, and look out for rust, especially on the sills around the jacking points, around the fuel filler cap and along the boot lid edge. The various suspension components will also have taken a beating over the years so budget to have to replace arms and bushes. The S62 does suffer from several problems that you need to be aware of, the major one being rod bearings.

These wear prematurely when owners don’t allow the engine oil to fully warm up before driving the car hard, and if they fail then you’re looking at a hefty bill for some substantial engine repairs, if not a new engine. The best thing to do is to drive the car slowly and gently, keeping the revs low until the oil temperature gets close to 100°C, but with no idea of how the car’s been driven it’s definitely worth getting the bearings changed as a precautionary measure, especially at high miles. The timing chain tensioners can fail, which in turn will damage the chain guides, and the VANOS can also be problematic but it can be rebuilt and isn’t too expensive to fix these days.

Modding potential

The modding potential is huge and there’s an awful lot you can do to an M5, but styling isn’t one of them. Splitters and diffusers you can add, and if you have a pre-facelift car it’s easy enough to fit the facelift front and rear lights. Mechanically, however, you can go wild. You have loads of suspension options with some excellent coilovers to suit all budgets, plenty of wheel options and big brake upgrades as well.

In terms of performance, there are a few NA mods you can do, like fitting a set of free-flowing tubular exhaust manifolds, and the obligatory exhaust is, of course, a must, but if you want some real power then it’s all about supercharging. There are a few kits available, with the most affordable of these being the ESS VT1-560 kit at around $/£5000, with other options available from Evolve and RMS. Check out this supercharged E39 M5 Touring for some tuning inspiration.

Verdict

Prices may have been rising but the E39 M5 remains an affordable proposition, especially for such an iconic machine. Delivering the perfect blend of handling and performance with those timeless good looks, it’s an awesome package and a real driver’s car that shouldn’t be too ruinous to run and offers plenty of modding options. A true M icon that remains every bit as desirable today as it was back in the day.

800whp F10 M5.

BMW F10 M5

Engine: 4.4-liter twin-turbo S63B44
Max power: 560hp
Max torque: 502lb ft

Why would you want one?

After the V10-powered E60 M5 we all wondered where BMW could take the M5 next and the answer to that question was back to a V8, but with a pair of turbos strapped to it, and the result was explosive. The S63 made an eye-watering 560hp with a monster 502lb ft of torque and fed all that through an M DCT seven-speed ‘box; this was the quickest M5 we’d ever seen at the time and, in terms of performance and tuning potential, this V8 monster can’t be beaten, which is why it’s here on our list of the top 5 BMW V8 cars to buy.

Our pick

There’s no such thing as a bad F10 M5 and we’d be happy with whatever we bought, which is why it’s here in our shortlist of top 5 BMW V8 cars. The LCI changes were minor and you can retrofit the later, smaller steering wheel so that’s no big deal. At $30k / £20k for an M5 you really can’t go wrong and while the Competition pack is tempting, if you’re planning on modding then the additions it brings won’t be worth the extra $/£5000 or so to you.

While the options list was extensive, there are only a few things we’d have on our wish list: extended leather is nice and makes the interior feel that bit more special, the 20s are definitely a must-have as the 19s look way too small, and we’d also try to find a car with the M Sport multi-function seats as they look and feel even better than the standard seats and offer more support and adjustment.

Pros

The most impressive part of the F10 M5 package is without a doubt the performance because it is truly otherworldly. 560hp is a lot, and a 0-62 time of 4.3 seconds is not but on-paper figures really can’t convey how insanely fast this car is in the real world. Seriously, we can’t tell you how quick this car really is. Beyond the performance, you’ve got the extremely impressive handling, and you won’t believe how light on its feet the M5 feels. It’s a truly exceptional package on every level.

Cons

There’s actually very little to worry about on the F10 M5 and, apart from oil pump failures on early cars and a small number of owners experience engine problems, it’s been holding up extremely well so far, with owners proclaiming it the most reliable M5 yet. Some cars suffer from high oil consumption and there are occasional problems with injectors and airflow meters, but that’s about it, really.

There were some air-con failure-based recalls for the F10 platform and some cars suffer from rattles around the B-pillars and door trims, but if that’s all you have to worry about we’d say you’ve ended up with a really good car.

The only other downside is the F10 M5’s sheer size – yes, it handles exceptionally well and feels light on its feet, but it never feels small and never shrinks around you and this is a car that is definitely best suited to fast, open roads rather than twisting B roads.

Modding potential

Really huge and the F10 M5 might be the best-supported M5 yet when it comes to mods. Browse any BM tuning site and you will see countless options when it comes to splitters, skirt extensions and diffusers, so you’re covered there. You’re spoilt for choice as far as wheels are concerned and there’s a decent selection of suspension upgrades available too.

Of course, it’s really all about performance with the F10 M5 and huge horsepower gains are so easy to get – just a tuning box or a map will get you an increase of around 100hp and if you pair that with a set of catless downpipes you’ll have around 700hp to enjoy. Beyond that you’ll need some uprated turbos – plus the supporting mods to go with them – at which point you’ll be hitting 800hp+ without your S63 even breaking a sweat. Check out this 800whp F10 M5 for some inspiration.

Verdict

The most powerful car on our top 5 BMW V8 cars to buy list, the F10 is a monumental machine and the fact that you can buy a healthy one for just $30,000 / £20,000 is incredible. Modding potential is vast, huge horsepower gains are incredibly easy to achieve, it’s proving reliable and it’s an astonishingly accomplished car all-round. If you want to go fast, this is the V8 to throw your money at and you will not be disappointed with an F10 M5 in your life.

Photos: Marcus Lundell, BMW, Rich Pearce, Patrik Karlsson, Matt Richardson, Matt Woods.

If you’ve landed on this page then the chances are that you love German cars. The good news for you is that we’re hosting the German Car Festival this October 5th at Goodwood Motor Circuit. Head over to the German Car Festival event website for more info on the event and to secure your ticket today. 

The post Best BMW V8 Cars To Buy In 2024 appeared first on Fast Car.

When you look at what hot hatchbacks offer; daily driver practicality, cool looks, great performance and amazing value for money, it’s pretty obvious why they’re so good. They really do it all. Yeah, we all love other cars too, but when most rusty 20 year-old sports cars cost more than a ten year-old, great condition, and far more practical, hot hatch; it’s no surprise they’re so popular.

There are no end of great hot hatches out there, but for this feature, we’ve chosen five that you can easily pick up in the £4000-£5000 price range, with less than 120,000 miles on the clock. And, of course, while they’re fun as standard, we’ve also taken a look at how to tune them to make them even better! Here’s our pick of the best cheap hot hatches you can buy.

1. Vauxhall Corsa D VXR

The Corsa VXR is one of the most underrated hot hatches and often lives in the shadow of its big brother, the Astra VXR. However, if you can look past its McDonalds car park image issues, the little 1.6 turbo is actually a damn good vehicle. It offers fun, ‘chuckable’ handling; great acceleration, and is very small and light compared to most modern alternatives. When used to their full potential they’re like a present-day version of the original turbo hot-hatches of the 1980s.

Although they have a reputation for having a weak engine, when done properly up to about 240bhp and over 250lb/ft is achievable. This isn’t only reliable, but lag free. In a little car like a Corsa, it feels quick.

Removing restrictions by fitting a front mount intercooler, a freer-flowing exhaust, and bigger injectors, as well as a suitable remap is the way forward for reliable power. If you want to take things further, forged engine rebuilds are surprisingly well priced compared to many other cars. Well over 400bhp is possible if you want to go chasing down supercars.

When it comes to handling, the VXR’s main downside is that it feels far too high when you’re behind the wheel. The seating position isn’t low enough and the ride height is too high. Thankfully almost every suspension manufacturer produces coilover kits for the VXR, making for an easy handling upgrade. Even on the standard wheels, a VXR looks fantastic once lowered to a level we’d all approve of.

2. VW Golf GTI Mk5

The Golf may be one of the most restrained looking hot hatches around, but it’s hard to argue against the fact that they’re one of the best all-rounders for the money. With great VW build quality, the Mk5 GTI feels like a lot of car for the money, which it is. Not only can it do the day to day business better than anything else on this list, it also has enough power to keep up with the best. Not to mention a chassis that’s capable of delivering good handling, only improved when adding in some light modifications. As a result, at under £5,000 for good examples, it makes it one of the best cheap hot hatches money can buy.

Modifications

From a tuning point of view, the direct injection 2.0 TFSI engine in the Mk5 GTI is not only easy to get big gains from, but very strong too, with over 500bhp achievable (with the right supporting upgrades). And that’s truly, ridiculously fast! Thanks to the worldwide popularity of the GTI, there are set stages right up to and beyond the mighty 500bhp level. As a result, you don’t need any custom parts made. Going for big power has never been easier.

Away from engine tuning, the Mk5’s sensible nature means that while it handles well, the suspension is a bit soft and fairly high riding. But a set of good quality coilovers and uprated anti-roll bars will make a big improvement on the road, without making it uncomfortably stiff.

3. Honda Civic Type R FN2

Honda Civic Type Rs have always been stalwarts of the hot hatch scene. This is mostly thanks to their super-high-revving engines and the serious power they produce without (until the FK2 model at least), a turbo in sight.

The EP3 Civic Type-R became the darling of the tuner world almost immediately upon its launch. That meant that the newer FN2 had a big set of boots to fill. Initial reception was less than positive, and that’s reflected in the comparative values of the two cars even today. However, in its own context, the FN2 is still a highly capable hot hatch.

With almost 200bhp and an engine happy to rev over 8,000rpm all day, it’s a car that loves being driven on the limit. Though despite this, FN2s are more drivable at lower revs than previous Type Rs. Therefore, they make a better all-rounder than most would think. With prices creeping under £5,000 for tidy examples, it makes it one of the best cheap hot hatches you can buy.

Modifications

When it comes to engine tuning, there’s the usual exhaust and induction upgrades available. Once they’ve been taken care of, we’d choose to save our pennies a little longer and get a supercharger conversion from TTS Performance. Their Supersport conversion doubles the standard power of the 2.0 VTEC unit, and while it’s not cheap, it’s amazingly well priced for such a transformation of performance. However, we’d highly recommend fitting an LSD at the same time to help get the power down. Note, post March-2010 cars came with one as standard. Some bigger brakes wouldn’t hurt either, especially if you head out on track. Want more tips on modifying one? Check out our Civic Type R FN2 tuning guide.

Make sure you check out our guide on what to look out for when buying the FN2 Civic Type R.

4. Ford Focus ST Mk2

Packing a big, 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine, the Focus ST has the kind of powerplant you’d expect to find in a rear-drive performance car. But this is a front-drive hatch that you can pick up for not far north of £4k!

When you’re used to smaller-engined hot hatches, the big lump in the ST feels very strange, as the turbo spools almost off idle. So you’ve got serious torque, right from around 1,500rpm, like you’re driving a turbo diesel. But then it revs as high as a typical petrol car, making it very easy to drive fast.

Modifications

The ST isn’t slow as standard, but they’re ripe for tuning. As much as 320bhp and 400lb/ft is achievable with an uprated exhaust system, a front mount intercooler, an induction kit, and a remap. This will make for a very quick car considering the minor upgrades. As well as the extra power, these mods allow the awesome, warbly, five-cylinder soundtrack to be heard; which is a major plus point on these cars. Check out our Focus ST Mk2 tuning guide for more modifying tips.

The ST is a heavy car with huge torque, so to help it handle like it should, a set of coilovers is a very wise move. To make the most of all that grunt, some sticky tyres like the Toyo R888R can put the power down no problem at all on road and track.

Make sure you check out our guide on what to look out for when buying the Ford Focus ST Mk2.

5. Renaultsport Clio 197

Renaultsport have made great hot hatches since the 1990s; but the Clio 172 and 182 are still two of the most popular cars to use as track day weapons. Although the 197 is a bigger, heavier car than its predecessors, it’s more powerful. It’s also still a relative lightweight compared to most modern alternatives.

With approaching 200bhp, an 8,000rpm red line, and a close-ratio six-speed box, the 197 is faster than previous models in a straight line. But it also packs big Brembo brake; a much more refined interior, and despite it being a noticeably bigger car, it’s still nimble. Although improper maintenance can hinder the reliability, it’s still one of the best cheap hot hatches you can buy.

Modifications

While the common induction/exhaust/remap combo improves drivability and midrange torque, it only adds a small amount of extra top end power. Your tuning money is best spent making this already great handling car even better. Gaz, KW, Eibach and Bilstein uprated suspension is all highly recommended for the car. And even with standard power levels, a Quaife ATB differential can knock seconds off lap times when fitted to 197s.

If you’re serious about using a 197 on track, despite coming with big brakes as standard, the pads are easily cooked when used hard continuously. A set of heavy duty track pads from EBC or Ferodo are a wise move, along with some road-legal semi slick tyres.

The post Best Cheap Hot Hatches For Under £5K appeared first on Fast Car.

Over the years, there has been much debate over what was the first true hot hatch. For certain diehard fans, it all began with the VW Golf GTI, or the Peugeot 205 GTI.

Let’s not get bogged down in semantics though. These everyday pocket rockets have become a vital ingredient in the motoring stew, the idea of shoving a load of horsepower and agility into a sensible shopping car having grabbed the buying public’s attention and affection for generations. And so we’ve pulled together the top-ten hot hatches you can buy today, from the aspirational retro to the on-trend new-wave. It’s a list that’s bound to annoy some people but we’ve thought about the models that we feel best represent the modifying scene, both yesterday and today.

Subaru Impreza WRX STi

When you think of fast Subarus – and in particular, of Imprezas wearing WRX and/or STI badges – it’s natural to conjure up images of three-box saloons hooning through forests. Usually blue ones, with gold wheels and voluminous mudflaps. But Subaru were clearly gagging to get onto this hot hatch list of ours, as in 2008 they made the radical move of throwing all of their hard-won rally heritage in the back of a cupboard and instead gluing the treasured Impreza badge to a hatchback, of all things.

And, unsurprisingly, it turned out to be an amazing little car; alright, the looks were polarizing (particularly to a hardcore of somewhat annoyed die-hard fans who were adamant that Imprezas should always be sedans [or, at a push, station wagons]), but people who saw past that found themselves tearing up the country lanes in something splendid: four-wheel-drive, easily tuneable turbo engine, and an eager aftermarket ready to shower them in go-faster parts.

You rarely see standard ones today, because they’re so easy to get hilarious power out of. And even in stock form they’re pretty ballistic – JDM models had the 2.0-litre EJ motor with a twin-scroll turbo, whereas export ones had the 2.5-litre boxer with a single-scroll snail, and either way you’re looking at the thick end of 300bhp+. Lovely stuff.

US price: $12,000-$25,000
UK price: £14,000-£30,000

Interested in purchasing one? Make sure to read our dedicated Impreza hatch buyer’s guide first.

Volkswagen Golf GTI 16v (Mk2)

Here’s one for the old-school. And, since fashions always go in circles and 1990s culture is bang on-trend right now, it’s really one for the new-school too. Heck, Mk2 Golfs are for everyone – they’re just really, really cool.

The Mk1 Golf GTI may be the archetypal hot hatch for many, but it’s the Mk2 GTI 16v that really characterized the Fast Car generation back in those analogue days. The original Mk2 GTI 8v carried over similar performance figures from the Mk1 but in a slightly bigger and heavier shell, but don’t think of this as a retrograde step – more as simply paving the way for the bombastic icon that the later 16v would become. A peak power figure of 137bhp doesn’t tell the full story, as these cars delivered blistering acceleration and heavenly handling in stock factory form, and the aftermarket swooped on the valver like vultures on a freshly stunned zebra.

Sure, there were other arguably spicier Golfs in the range, and the Rallye had wide box-arches and the G60 had a supercharger, but the GTI 16v was the affordable-ish bruiser you saw racing away from every set of traffic lights back in the day, usually rocking 17” Momo Arrows, a hot TSR motor and brightly-colored Hella clusters. We’ll take ours in Oak Green please.

US price: $6,000-$28,000
UK price: £5,000-£25,000

2017 Honda Civic Type R (FK8)

Honda Civic Type R (FK8)

The legend of the Civic Type R has been rolling on since 1997, but it was 2017 when the model went truly global, with the FK8 being the first CTR to officially go on sale in the USA.

Built from 2017-2021, the FK8 was all about the numbers. Before it even hit the showrooms, Honda was boasting of its benchmark-setting Nordschleife time – a frankly unbelievable 7:43.8. For a smidge over thirty-grand, buyers were furnished with a tasty platter of figures – 316bhp, 169mph, 0-62mph in 5.7s, 1,380kg. And yes, we can assure you that the bonkers 169mph top speed is genuine… we tried it out on the autobahn, and it sits quite happily at that speed! You can really hear the aero working too, there’s a terrific sucking noise from the rear wing when you get past about 140mph.

The transition from the outgoing FK2 to the FK8 saw the existing turbocharged K20C1 engine being carried over to the new model, with torque remaining the same and horsepower increased by 10bhp – but the chassis was entirely reimagined to create something a lot more cosseting and friendly than the often harsh-riding FK2. Standard trim was impressive too, with carbon fiber sideskirts and rear diffuser, and a distinctive triple-exit exhaust. A hot hatch hero, with genuine sports car performance coupled with proper usability and practicality.

US price: $32,000-$45,000
UK price: £19,000-£35,000

Be sure to check out our Honda Civic Type R FK8 buying guide.

Toyota Corolla GT (AE86)

This mightn’t be the first car that springs to mind when people reel off lists of legendary hot hatches – but look, it’s got a hatchback and it’s oodles of fun to drive, so it’s on the list of the best hot hatches to buy.

The iconic and legendary hachi-roku is a classic example of a car that wasn’t overly appreciated in its time, and now everybody wants one. The AE86 has become a darling of the stance scene as well as the modern poster boy for the retro drift scene, as people have realized that what the twin-cam Corolla basically represented was the Japanese Mk2 Escort. It boasted a revvy and highly tuneable engine, rear-wheel-drive, light weight, effortless folded-paper style, and it was just buckets of fun. People turned them into rally cars and circuit racers in period, but nowadays they’re largely seen going sideways, quite quickly, billowing tire-smoke, as people live out their Initial D fantasies with shouty vibrancy. You’ll pay a handsome sum for a good one, and rightly so. The only question is – do you want the fixed-headlight Levin model, or the Trueno with the pop-ups?

US price: $10,000-$40,000
UK price: £11,000-£30,000

For more buying advice, check out our Toyota Corolla AE86 buying guide. 

Mini Cooper S (R53)

Deleted: The R53 Cooper S is a car that enjoys widespread perennial appeal, for good reason: it’s the classic hot hatch formula, a little point-and-squirt pocket rocket, and it’s got a supercharger. Why wouldn’t you want that? Precisely why it sits on our list of the best used hot hatches to buy right now.

As with so many cars approaching (or passing) their 20^th birthday, the R53 is a car that you can very easily pick up for not a lot of money… but you probably shouldn’t. Yes, it is easily possible to find one for a couple of thousand, but buying one for closer to double that figure with a decent history will be less painful in the long run. And once you’ve found a good base, you’re free to go crazy with the mods. The R53s really loves modifications, they respond so well to upgrades.

These cars are an absolute blast on road and track even in standard form, and the thing we’d recommend first of all is to downsize the supercharger pulley. There are various percentage options but there’s no point mucking about – go for the full-on 17% pulley, combine it with an Airtec top-mount intercooler and some colder spark plugs, and your stock 170bhp will suddenly rise to around 200bhp. Plus the blower will be wailing like a banshee! It’s not cheap, but the next step for the serious track fan is to swap in a full Eibach chassis makeover – coilovers, top-mounts, anti-roll bars, the lot. It makes a world of difference, and turns a really good car into a great one. Hot hatch heaven, right there.

How much?

• $4,000-$10,000
• £4,000-£9,000

Be sure to check out our Mini Cooper S R53 buyer’s guide for advice on what to look our for when buying one.

Toyota Starlet Glanza V

In the 1970s, Toyota Starlets were rear-wheel drive. When the company saw fit to switch the third-gen to a simpler and cheaper FWD package in the mid-’80s, a lot of people saw this as a backward step… but these people were forced to eat their bitter words when the 4^th-generation ushered in the slightly bonkers Starlet GT Turbo. This rabid model set a precedent for sporting FWD Starlets that really came to a head in 1996, when Toyota brought us this little marvel: the Glanza V.

This is a rather appropriate name for the model – Starlet itself, of course, denotes a small star that shines brightly, and Glanza is derived from the German word ‘glanz’ which means ‘brilliance’ or ‘sparkle’. The name alone suggests an effort to apply even more lustre to an already sparkling base, and the spec backs this up with a brilliant-cut glimmer. The Glanza S is an interesting curio, with its naturally-aspirated 1.3-litre 4E-FE engine producing 84bhp, but the real jewel is the highly-regarded Glanza V – this threw a turbo into the mix, the 4E-FTE creating a robust 138bhp.

There were also some interesting options: as well as the dual-boost settings (where you could switch between 115bhp low-boost or 138bhp high-boost), you could specify an LSD, Recaro seats, ABS, and a rear strut brace. These were all JDM cars so if you want to find one you’ll be looking at an import – but there’s quite a few of them outside of Japan now, and they’re becoming properly collectible.

US price: $5,000-$13,000
UK price: £5,000-£14,000

Fiat 500 Abarth Esseesse

The nostalgia-tastic 500 has been a vital thread in the worldwide automotive fabric for quite a while now, but you know how the old saying goes: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Of course, there have been loads of hot versions of the 500 over the years that deserve a place in this list. The frankly insane 695 Biposto is an astonishing little thing, with 190bhp, a 997kg kerb weight, buckets, harnesses and a Bacci Romano dog ring gearbox. The 500 Tributo Maserati had posh leather and Maser-style wheels, and the 500 Tributo Ferrari was like a scaled-down F430 Scuderia. But the real everyman hero for our money is the 500 Abarth SS (or ‘Esseesse’, to be proper).

Achingly cool retro styling and 160bhp for an affordable price, in a car that makes all the right noises and loves being thrown down winding country lanes and mountain passes. It’s the sort of readily accessible performance that really characterizes the hot hatch genre, and that’s why this peppy little hatchback proves to be so popular even after all these years. Quite simply, Fiat got it right.

US price: $5,000-$16,000
UK price: £4,000-£18,000

Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk5)

Hey look, it’s another Golf! We had to include this one because the Mk5 was the car that heralded a return to 1970s form: a proper hot hatch, with ample exploitable power and a hilarious chassis. It even had the retro tartan seat fabric. The previous Mk4 has a keen following and there were many desirable versions offered over its lengthy lifespan (long story short: don’t buy the 115bhp nat-asp 2.0-litre GTI, it’s not a proper GTI), but the Mk5 has earned itself a place in the pantheon of proper modern classics.

Now, you’ll know what happened to most of the Mk5s on the modding scene: ‘The Treatment’. Posh rims and air-ride. It was everywhere, and still is. But while the naysayers will tell you that this ruins a focused performance car, they clearly haven’t been paying attention: modern air-ride systems can be every bit as good as (or even better than) traditional spring/damper setups, and quality forged wheels are strong and light. A stanced Mk5, then, can be seen as the ultimate fusion of form and function. And with oodles of Mk5s out there to choose from, you can be properly picky about the spec.

US price: $4,000-$12,000
UK price: £3,000-£11,000

Looking to buy one? Visit our VW Golf GTI Mk5 buying guide. 

Nissan Sunny/Pulsar GTI-R

Well now, this was a surprise. While European manufacturers were dabbling in high-revving 1.6-litre motors and front-wheel-drive in the early 1990s, Nissan had other ideas. They stood back, biding their time with a smirk on their face, then barreled in with the Pulsar (Sunny) GTI-R and basically smeared egg all over everybody’s faces. Here was a hot hatch boasting a 2.0-litre turbo motor and four-wheel-drive, with attitude in spades and a bonnet vent that every aftermarket bodykit manufacturer wanted to copy. It was a homologation car for Group A rallying, offering 227bhp as standard, and the presence of an SR20DET naturally meant that it was easy enough to see 400bhp+ without anything going pop. Bit of a game-changer, this one. People often refer to it as ‘the baby GT-R’, and you can see why.

US price: $8,000-$20,000
UK price: £12,000-£30,000

Toyota Sera

OK, perhaps we’re stretching the boundaries of the term ‘hot hatch’ a little here. The Sera was never particularly quick. But what it lacks in speed, it makes up for in visual drama. While too big to be a Kei car, the Sera is still a pretty compact proposition, and its main hook is the fact that its huge glasshouse all hinges upwards from the middle to give you a really widescreen view of the interior. Admittedly it’s not a particularly exciting interior, but the doors themselves are pretty amazing.

And while the only engine on offer was a 1.5-litre offering around 110bhp, it is easy enough (relatively speaking) to swap in the engine from a Starlet Turbo, which gives you 135bhp right out of the box, and then uprating the turbo, intercooler, and fueling can get you up to 250bhp, which would be very entertaining in a car that only weighs 930kg.

This car’s coolest boast? Gordon Murray himself cites the Sera’s door design as his inspiration for the doors on the McLaren F1. Genuine supercar design for hatchback money? That’s why the Sera’s on the list.

US price: $4,000-$18,000
UK price: £4,000-£10,000

Need something a bit bigger, a bit more luxurious? Here are the best used sedans instead. Or, why not check out the best fun cars we could think of for less than 10 grand?

The post Best Used Hot Hatches To Buy In 2024 appeared first on Fast Car.

Car wraps have become synonymous in the modified car scene. Thanks to its quick installation and lower cost, wrapping has become the preferred method of changing your car’s appearance without painting it. It also allows for you to turn your wildest creations to real life, with many companies offering custom wrap printing. That means you can bring race liveries to life, or even full on art cars that change appearance every few months. It helps to keep builds fresh.

Below, we’ve pulled out some of our favorite wrapped cars from over the years.

Art car wraps

We’re kicking things off in style with these two E36 Beemers! You have to take a rewind to 2014 and the August issue of Fast Car when Carl Taylor and Brian Henderson broke the internet with their BMW Art Car-inspired Wörthersee builds…

Brian’s BMW – Inspired by Lichtenstein’s 320i

American Pop artist and icon of the modern art movement, Roy Lichtenstein was most famous for his large-scale comic book-style compositions but he too was commissioned to create a car for the BMW Art Car Programme. The year was 1977 and the motor in question was a E21 Group 5 Race Car, again for the Le Mans 24-Hour (it finished 9th overall and first in its class). This time around the car is said to reflect all the experiences that a car will go through, from the sweeping painted lines symbolizing motion and the road, to the blurred scenery rapidly passing by. Lovely stuff.

Carl’s BMW- Inspired by Koons’ M3 GT2

The most recent official BMW Art Car, and the one most of us can actually remember, is the 500bhp M3 GT2 that competed at Le Mans in 2010.

Designed by contemporary American artist Jeff Koons over a two-month period, the idea of all the colors and streaming lines was to be evocative of raw power, motion and bursting energy. And, in case you were wondering, yes this one is all about new technology, it was applied as vinyl wrap too.

Kiran Halsey’s 2JZ-powered GT86

Who remembers this from the July 2019 cover of Fast Car? Well, we certainly do as there’s not many air-bagged, Rocket Bunny-kitted GT86s out there with 1000bhp 2JZ engines!  The crazy thing is, even with a spec sheet like that, the defining mod on Kiran Halsey’s ride is the custom wrap by Fleet Livery Solutions Ltd. Which is exactly why we’ve listed it on our list of the best car wraps.

Read the full feature here: 2JZ GT86

Sam Eaton’s VW Polo

We couldn’t do a best car wraps piece without mentioning 3M’s now legendary matte green. This color has adorned many a Fast Car feature car over the years, but our current favorite is Sam Eaton’s tough-looking Polo 6R. We think this color suits the aggressive styling of this baby VW and works perfectly with those matt black Fifteen52 Tarmac wheels.

Read the full feature here: VW Polo

Fast Car’s 350Z Dream Build

Blimey, 2014 was a good year for 3M, as we decided to blow our whole budget on our biggest build ever. The Fast Car 350Z had everything, 3SDM wheels, air suspension, top audio, carbon fiber, aero, posh seats and of course, a stunning Pearl White color change courtesy of 3M and JD Wraps. Pearl White is still one of our favorite vinyls, mainly because of the satin-style finish that looks even better under streetlights. More than worthy of a position on our list of the best car wraps.

Baggsy’s GT-R

This has got to be one of the most famous GT-Rs in the world, why? Because of the nutter who drives it, the legendary drifter Baggsy! Hit YouTube and type in Baggsy’s GT-R and you’ll see this thing smoking its rear tires on some seriously famous tarmac! This car was built for demo purposes, so it needs a car wrap that can deliver the wow factor and we think it certainly does that! The best bit is, Baggsy isn’t scared of changing things up, and we reckon it’s the best yet and deserved of a position on list of the best car wraps!

Read the full feature here: Baggsy’s GT-R

JVC GT86

If you’re an internationally recognized audio brand with great heritage and you decide to build a demo vehicle, that vehicle must be perfect and that’s exactly what the JVC GT86 is. There was a lot of time and effort put into this build, which explains why it’s wearing a custom wrap designed by none other than Khyzyl Saleem, otherwise known as The Kyza. That’s right, this car went from render to reality and we’re very grateful it did!

Read the feature here: JVC GT86.

Harvey Howe’s 1 Series

To date this is one of our all-time favorite 3M hues. The 1080 Series Black Rose vinyl looks so different in high and low light situations that you have to question it’s the same color. It’s proved to be an extremely popular color and we’ve seen it transform everything from Audi R8s to Honda Accords, but one of our favorite examples is Harvey Howe’s bagged E82 120D. When I first saw this car shinning away at Players Classic, I couldn’t believe it was a wrap! Awesome color on an awesome build, worthy of a place on our list of the best car wraps.

Read the full feature here: Tuned BMW E82

Wrap Kings Scooby

The guys at 3M decided TRAX 2018 would be the perfect place to wrap-up (sorry, not sorry) their Wrap Tour, which saw 14 of 3M’s best Authorized Vehicle Wrappers tour the UK in vehicles wrapped specially to highlight the best that modern vehicle wrapping has to offer.

On the final day of the event-filled, 665-mile trip, nine of the vehicles joined us on the Fast Car stand before the public voted for their favorite. The winner was Ben Hamblin, owner of Wrap Kings and this crazy Scooby. He was presented with a trophy and crowned the 3M Wrap Tour Champion 2018 for his car’s wrap, which used products from the IJ180mC series of print wrap films by 3M.

Midge’s Audi TT

Why’s this in here? Is it because it’s who you know and not what you know? Well, maybe a little bit but the main reason this car is in here is because it has lasted the test of time, it’s been on the car for almost a decade, which is way more than the average wrap tends to stick around – true testament to the quality of the work. And the fun part is that this was essentially 3M’s original wrap color, the genesis of the oeuvre that has since snowballed into a whole scene within itself.

“They developed it for taxis in Berlin, because they’re all this sort of beige color,” Midge explains. “The guys at 3M figured it’d be more cost-effective for taxi drivers to wrap their cars rather than paint them. When I heard about that I thought it’d be cool to give my TT a Berlin taxi vibe – it’s a nice German connection, innit?” Explains Midge.

Read the full feature here: Bagged Audi TT

Anyway, if you’re looking for some inspiration for your own ride and none of these quite float your boat, check out our run-down of the latest current car wrap trends.

The post Best Car Wraps: From Art Cars To Racers appeared first on Fast Car.

Not all engines are brilliant to tune. Often, manufacturers fit cost-effective parts that are usually very restrictive. Furthermore, the car’s themselves are often tuned within a very safe limit for reliability. As a result, replacing the restrictive parts can be hugely expensive on certain cars. However, some engines are so over-engineered, that extracting power is the least of your concerns. Below, we’ve pulled out 10 of the best engines across the last few decades, all of which thrive with a bit of tuning.

510bhp VW Golf GTI Mk7.

VAG EA888 Engine (Numerous Vehicles)

Now on its fourth iteration, the Volkswagen Group’s EA888 four-cylinder engine is a mighty thing. Nearly 400hp can be achieved from remapping alone, but with engine internal changes you can see that figure double! What’s more, add in some supporting fueling and exhaust changes and you’ll deliver that power time and time again, reliably. As a result, it deserves its place in our 10 best engines to tune. While you are here, why not check out our how to tune VW’s EA888 engine for advice on extracting more performance.

Nissan RB26DETT Engine (Skyline GT-R)

650whp R32 Skyline GT-R

It couldn’t be a best 10 engines to tune list without the legendary Skyline GT-R engine. The Nissan RB26DETT engine was designed for racing and therefore has many standard components capable of huge power levels. Believe it or not, seeing 1000bhp+ builds isn’t uncommon in today’s world. Coupled with this, its star appearance in the Fast & Furious franchise has seen the RB26-powered Skyline GT-Rs become some of the most sought after JDM classics today. In fact, the blue GT-R R34 that featured in the fourth movie recently sold at auction for a whopping $1.35million!

790bhp Twin-charged Evo

Mitsubishi 4G63 (Evo)

Generally regarded as one of the most tuneable four cylinder engines of all time, the turbocharged Mitsubishi 4G63 is capable of incredible power levels. As a result, it’s the driving force behind many supercar-killing Evos the world over. While we’ve got you, check out this twin-charged Evo we featured.

765bhp Turbocharged Honda Civic Type R FN2.

Honda K20A/K20Z/K20C 

Honda’s K-series engines were given the almighty task of succeeding the renowned B16B unit. But, as the new century drew further on, people began to realize that the K20 lineage was special in its own right.

Early K20A and K20Z examples offer the naturally aspirated, high-revving VTEC fun that the Type R badge is now synonymous with. Furthermore, they’re pretty damn reliable too.

The modern turbocharged K20Cs found in FK2 and FK8 Civics came packed with more than 300hp from the factory. In addition to this, if you want to take things further, the most serious builds can reach beyond the 700hp-mark. As a result, it rightfully takes a spot in our 10 best engines to tune guide.

VAG 1.8T Engine (Various VW, Audi, Seat, Skoda)

Common to find, cheap to buy, and fantastic to tune, the 1.8T BAM engine is the mainstay of VW tuning for good reason. The unique five valve per cylinder setup gives great tuning potential and like most VAG products, it is very reliable. Don’t believe us? Check out this Mk1 Golf complete with a 225hp 1.8T BAM engine.

8-second Impreza STI drag car

Subaru EJ20 Engine (Impreza STI)

The EJ20 from Subaru is legendary, and as such, it had to feature in our best engines to tune list. Powering eight second drag cars and Time Attack drag monsters, the 2-litre Subaru flat four can do it all. In addition, the unusual engine configuration gives the engine a superbly low center of gravity, too, perfect for track day use.

Made famous in the early-generation Impreza STIs, we’ve put together a GC8 tuning guide to help you get the most from your EJ20 and the excellent chassis on the classic Impreza.

603whp BMW E92 335i

BMW N54 (E82 1M, 135i, E90/92 335i)

Referred to as the modern-day 2JZ engine, the N54 was BMW’s first foray into turbocharged power for an M car, the BMW 1M. Producing 340bhp in stock form, it was known for having strong internals from factory, allowing tuners to obtain upwards of 700bhp without having to opt for forged internals. We’ve put together an N54 tuning guide, along with its closely related N55 brother, to help you get the most from your engine.

400bhp Mazda RX-7 FC

Mazda 13B Engine (RX-7)

Powering the Mazda RX-7 with just 1308cc, the rotary engine is the smallest of our 10 best engines to tune. However, in fully tuned form, it can produce around 1000bhp and a 10,000rpm+ rev limit. While it’s a little temperamental, it is a unique tuning monster and one that sounds incredible. Thankfully, optimistic tuners have upped the ante and increased the engine from 3-rotors, to 4-rotors for a more unique, higher pitch tone and sharper throttle response. You can also see power easily climb to over 1500bhp with the right build, as this quad-rotor RX-7 feature car proves…

Be sure to check out our Wankel Rotary engine guide to fully understand how it works.

1000bhp Toyota Supra Mk4

Toyota 2JZ-GTE Engine (Supra)

Like the RB26, the Toyota 2JZ-GTE engine had its entry into this list of the 10 best engines to tune from the off. Believe it or not, this was the engine that made 1000bhp on standard internals a reality, the 2JZ is a six cylinder heavyweight. Any engine that can power a road going Supra to over 240mph within one mile gets our vote. Thankfully, if you’re looking for your own Mk4 Supra, we ‘ve put together a Mk4 Supra buying and tuning guide just for you.

500hp LS-swapped BMW E30

GM LS Series 

This big capacity V8 has 1500bhp potential when forced induction is added. But, this all alloy engine is also surprisingly light and is capable of revving to over 7000rpm reliably. With so many opting for LS engine swaps, it was guaranteed on our list of the 10 best engines to tune.

Baggsy dropped the VR38DETT from his R35 GT-R drift car in favor of an LSX motor…

The post Best Engines To Tune appeared first on Fast Car.

With Halloween right around the corner, you’ll have no doubt spotted pumpkins popping up outside of houses of owners who get into the spooky spirit. For some, they want to show off their artistic side by carving something into the pumpkin. Usually, these are related to Halloween, but the following car-inspired pumpkin carvings can be just as scary…

If you love Halloween and are into your cars, there is no limit to where your creativity can take you. We spotted these awesome pumpkin carvings online and feel inspired to create our own!

How to carve a pumpkin

Thankfully, everything you need to carve a pumpkin you should be able to find in your house. You’ll need a sharp knife (possibly of varying sizes) and a spoon to remove the inside of the pumpkins. Want to add lights? You can either add battery-operated lights or you can place a small candle in the center so the light flickers.

You can get dedicated pumpkin carving kits which may make the job easier, but you could save your money and use household items instead.

Car Pumpkin Ideas

Check Engine Light

Nissan GT-R

VW Camper

Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Mazda 3 MPS

Dodge Challenger

Nissan Silvia

Mitsubishi Evo

Scion FR-S / Subaru BRZ / Toyota GT86

VW Beetle

The post Best Car Pumpkin Carvings appeared first on Fast Car.

There’s something special about the Nissan GT-R; whether that’s in Skyline form or the newest R35 generation. It’s success on track, in Hollywood and on the streets has meant its become an icon, and one that will live down in motoring history. And with their hunger for more power, modifying them over the years has become obsessive for tuning fans the world-over, as the first to break 1000bhp from the legendary RB26DETT made headlines. Then it was 1500bhp. Then 2000bhp. You get the picture.

We’ve been featuring modified cars and covering all aspects of car culture for a good few decades now. In that time, we’ve seen some incredible, unique builds that highlight the best of the modified Nissan GT-R and Skyline scene. Below, we’ve picked out some of our favorites over those years.

Mine’s Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 demo car

If you’re a fan of Japanese car culture, Mine’s is a name that should ring a bell. One of the key ’90s tuning houses, the Yokosuka-based firm is well known for its range of aftermarket parts, presence in Gran Turismo, and modified Nissan Skyline GT-R demo cars… like this one.

Mine’s only ever built three R34 demo cars, and just one is street legal. That unicorn now lives in Australia with a company called V-Spec Performance, which is where we were lucky enough to set our eyes upon it.

Simon Ong is the manager there, meaning that he’s driven a fair few JDM classics in his time – particularly of the Skyline variety. So, when he claims that he “hasn’t driven anything (street-legal) that’s better than the Mine’s Skyline GT-R R34,” you know that this car is a serious bit of kit.

What is it that makes the Mine’s R34 such a desirable vehicle, then? Well, true to the Mine’s philosophy, the sum of this Skyline’s parts is far greater than what its restrained exterior may lead you to believe.

The trick here isn’t so much about bolting on as many new upgrades as possible, but instead working with what Nissan blessed the R34 with at birth. Mine’s has overhauled every element of the RB26DETT that sits in the car’s engine bay: everything from cylinder boring, to block, head & cam lobe shaving, and whatever else their engineers could think of. There’s not an inch of this power unit that Mine’s left untouched, and as a result, it now outputs 600PS and 433lb ft of torque!

Check-out this must-see feature in its full glory by clicking here. Or, if you fancy finding out what a stock R34 is like to drive to begin with, head over to our hands-on review.

Pandem-kitted Nissan Skyline GT-R R32

All-wheel drive is something that’s synonymous with the Skyline GT-R. After all, it’s that party trick which allowed the car to dominate as it did in world motorsport, sparking its mythical ‘Godzilla’ status.

However, Finnish car modifier Tony Hakku decided that the R32’s drivetrain still had room for improvement. “How?”, you may ask. Well, as the smoky burnout shot above suggests, this R32 can switch between rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. So, when you want to tackle backroads at pace you can still depend on the GT-R’s four wheels to grip their way around the bends. But, when things are a bit less serious, and when grip is the enemy rather than an ally, that switchable rear-wheel drive opens up a whole new world of fun.

As you can see through the smoke, Tony has made plenty of modifications to the outside of this car, as well as the inside. In fact, the first thing on his to-do-list when he bought the car was the exterior.

Rust in the arches served as the best possible justification for a widebody, but at the time, there was little choice when it came to affordable off-the-shelf R32 kits. Instead, Tony wrestled Pandem S13 arches into place. As you can imagine, that was a rather nerve-wracking process, but we think it paid off well in the end!

For the full run-down of the work Tony has put into his modified Nissan Skyline GT-R R32, give the full feature a read here. Or, if an R32 happens to be on your shopping list, be sure to read our dedicated buying and tuning guides.

Father & Son’s Nissan Skyline GT-R R33

Leon Chan’s love for Japanese performance cars is something which has stood the test of decades. Back in 2004, he left the comfort of working for his family’s restaurant to set up EP Racing – an independent aftermarket parts supplier, designed to cater to all the cars that Leon aspired to own himself.

Happily, the car-loving genes passed down to Leon’s son, Cody. Whether that was nature, nurture, or something in between, we’ll let you decide for yourself. Either way, fast-forward 20-odd years, and Cody is now at an age where he can get stuck into project cars too, much to his dad’s delight.

The initial plan was for the pair of them to build an S13 together – Cody is an S-Chassis fan at heart. However, when that didn’t pan out, they ended up with an R34 GT-T. Long story short, they traded that R34 for a friend’s R33 GT-R – which is the car you see here.

When they picked it up, the poor thing was in need of a bit of TLC. It had spent the past nine years off the road, but after a full service, it wasn’t long before the Chan family began to work their magic on it.

Carbon body styling is obviously a big new feature of the car. Its current look includes a set of custom-fabricated front wings, inspired by the Nismo R34 Z-Tune. The Chans have also added 18-inch Work alloys, TEIN Flex Z coilovers, and a load of goodies under the hood. However, if you want to read more about that, you’ll have to check out the full feature…

Feeling inspired? Give our R33 buying and tuning guides a read.

Tuned R34 GT-R by ATTKD

Albeit still road legal, this Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 is one of the fastest GT-Rs to have ever competed at Japan’s Tsukuba circuit.

Hardcore JDM tuning shop, Autech Tsukada (or ‘ATTKD’), built the car originally. Now though, it resides in the UK with Harlow Jap Autos.

ATTKD is well known throughout Japanese racing circles as a firm focused on setting super-quick lap times with every car they build. However, whereas previous outlandish projects targeted pace at the high-speed Fuji Raceway, ATTKD built this Skyline to tackle shorter, twistier tracks – like Tsukuba.

Regardless of whichever circuit’s lap record you’re hunting down, you’re always going to need plenty of power and torque on tap. Naturally, this ATTKD GT-R has both, thanks to its HKS 2.8-litre stroker kit. Reworked forged pistons, con rods, and a lightweight counter crank help to increase engine displacement over the regular RB26 block.

Track time attacks require more than just sheer grunt though. So, on top of its 650hp, this GT-R is also 100kg lighter than a standard R34 GT-R, while traction off the line is greatly improved thanks to a carbon-formed twin-plate clutch, propshaft, and 1.5-way limited-slip diff.

Impressively, that’s not the full extent of this car’s mods list. So, if you want to read more about it, check out the full feature here. Or, if your pockets are deep enough to afford your own R34, have a glance at our buying and tuning guides.

Modified Nissan Skyline GT-R R33

There’s nothing retrospective about this modified Nissan Skyline GT-R R33. Built in period at around the turn of the century when Japanese tuning culture was at its peak, this R33 is a mash-up of old-school tuning techniques, complete with a spec-sheet that reads like a ‘who’s who’ of ’90s aftermarket tuning houses.

Truth be told, despite its somewhat unassuming exterior, this R33 is a brute to drive. That’s largely down to its triple-plate clutch, forming part of a hardcore six-speed transmission that slots into gear with a satisfying ‘clunk’.

It has a pretty menacing engine too. The RB26 under its hood is hugely modified and based upon the block found in the R33 ‘N1’ editions. Much of the HKS parts catalogue features in the mix too, ranging from aftermarket pistons and rods, to a new head gasket and crankshaft. GReddy, meanwhile, is the source of this R33’s beefy twin-turbo and revised fueling system.

If it’s numbers that you’re interested in, then we’ll gladly inform you that this handful of a car outputs around 630hp at 1.4bar of boost, though the GTR Shop reckons that the car’s pumped-up internals could potentially handle as much as 1.8bar instead. At that point though, drivability would undoubtedly be put into question.

While not intended as a daily driver, the suspension, braking, and powertrain mods make this R33 a joy to wrestle on a closed circuit – so long as you handle it with care!

Top Secret Nissan GT-R R35

Those of you well-versed in aftermarket tuning companies will have immediately clocked that iconic gold livery – paintwork which denotes this as a car built by the near-mythical Top Secret crew.

Even if you haven’t heard of Top Secret, you might have heard of their head honcho – Smokey Nagata. He’s the guy that attempted to do 200mph on the A1 in a modified Supra, earning him a visit to one of Britain’s murky jail cells. Happily, they didn’t lock Smokey up for long, meaning he could return to Japan to create more modified masterpieces such as this high-velocity GT-R.

These days, a British bloke called Lewis Petrie owns the car. However, getting his hands on Smokey’s R35 wasn’t as simple as just offering the right amount of cash. Instead, he had to prove his worth, which he did by paying multiple personal visits to Japan and building a highly modified R34 GT-R (complete with Top Secret parts).

Of course, being a Top Secret car, we aren’t privy to its full specs – even now it’s long since left home. What we can tell you though is that prior to being *detuned* to 900hp, this wild GT-R hit speeds of more than 230mph!

Naturally, that suggests some pretty major engine upgrades, and a completely overhauled transmission to go with them. Aesthetically speaking, the aero changes that Top Secret made to the car are contrastingly understated, and it’s got an unexpectedly comfortable cabin.

Check out the full feature here, and while you’re at it, have a read of our R35 buying and tuning guides incase you fancy unleashing your inner Smokey.

The World’s Fastest Nissan GT-R

The headline speaks for itself. This bright green dragster, built by Severn Valley Motorsport (SVM), is the fastest Nissan GT-R on official record.

Appropriately nicknamed ‘The Hulk’, this 2500-horsepower beast registered an astonishing top speed of 259.42mph, back in 2019. SVM increased the capacity of the VR38 up to 4.0 liters, and in the process, forged all of its internals too. There’s a billet block and crank, as well as ported race-spec cylinder heads. The turbos are massively pumped up as well, both capable of running at 60psi/4.1 bar.

The fueling and cooling demands of the engine are naturally sky high. As such, SVM has added a 6-inch thick intercooler, while gas channels through via a carbon-fiber inlet and set of 12 injectors. Even the gas itself is a specialized blend of petrol and methanol. A Syvecs S8 ECU makes sure that all of those components run smoothly, and in fact, it even has the ability to raise the Hulk’s power output up to 3000PS! Though, we’re not sure what sort of situation requires that much oomph!

The list of work done to this R35 is seriously extensive. So, if you want to get the full picture, be sure to read our full-length feature on the car, here.

800bhp Liberty Walk R35 GT-R

Next up, we’re turning the clocks back to 2017 when we met up with Brad – the owner of this epic R35. A regular drifter of Mazda RX7s and RX8s, he initially intended to convert this AWD Godzilla to RWD for some more sideways action. However, after living with it for a while, Brad decided that the R35 was simply too nice to gut and convert to a track monster.

Instead, he chose to transform into it a beast for the streets, often see prowling South-West England adorned in its authentic Liberty Walk body kit. Happily, this car can talk the talk as well as walk the walk, as Brad has kitted it out with an array of internal mods designed to extract more power from within. Prepared by DY Engine Services, this R35’s VR38 features HKS forged pistons and H-section conrods; Dragon Performance uprated turbos and big bore downpipes, on top of 1000cc injectors and a GTC 4in titanium drag exhaust.

The car’s fueling and cooling systems have also received attention, and naturally there’s an ECU remap thrown into the mix too. All in all, this thing is churning out around 800bhp as a result! To read more about how it handles all that power, make sure you check out the full feature article.

Other relevant articles:

• Best wheels for a GT-R
• Best suspension for a GT-R
• Best exhaust for a GT-R
• Best air filter for a GT-R

The post Best Modified Nissan GT-R appeared first on Fast Car.

The Mazda RX-7 is legendary. Producing one of the finest exhaust tones ever to feature on a production car thanks to its unique rotary engine, it’s peaked the interest of many a petrol head since its launch in the late 1970s. Despite a reputation for unreliability, when modified correctly and maintained often, a modified Mazda RX-7 can be a brilliant project.

Naturally, we’ve featured many a special RX-7 build over the years. As a result, we’ve put together a list of the best examples we’ve ever featured in one simple place. If you like modified Mazda RX-7s, you’re in the right place.

Modified Mazda RX-7 FC by GReddy

Designed to be a SEMA showstopper, this RX-7 FC is the creation of renowned aftermarket specialist, GReddy.

Owner Kei Miura’s initial plan was to take the Pandem-kitted car back to Japan with him from America. Later, he decided to simply commission a second build for the Tokyo Auto Salon instead.

That means that this Sublime FC remains Stateside with the group of people that put the hard work into building it. Alongside GReddy’s core team members, some Mazda marque specialists were also enlisted to work on the rotary powertrain.

With the core internals and wiring restored to a top level, GReddy then set about making upgrades. In came a turbocharger, as well as a new intercooler, exhaust, and fueling system. The ECU was also fettled with to make sure that every component could work together in harmony. The end result was a peak power figure of 356hp; an 159hp increase over standard! These days that might not sound like huge numbers, but bear in mind that this thing weighs little more than a ton.

To go along with the brawn under the bonnet, the car also has a brilliant Pandem widebody kit. It’s finished in the same shade of white that this FC rolled off the Mazda production line in. The ducktail rear wing and retro TRA Kyoto 6666 alloys complete the stance.

Check out the full feature, or head over to our Mazda RX-7 FC buying and tuning guide if you’re looking for inspiration and advice.

1500hp Quad-Rotor RX-7 FD

Sometimes you see a power figure attached to a car and just think, “do you really need all that?”. This is one of those occasions. Well, the owner of this wildly modified Mazda RX-7 FD – David Mazzei – does compete with it at serious time attack events. So, we’ll let him off.

It’s hard to know where exactly to start with a build as impressive as this one. The headline is the car’s 4-rotor engine. As standard, RX-7s came out the factory with just two. However, by doubling the number of rotors involved, you get twice the engine capacity and twice the airflow. Both of which are great things if you’re looking for more power. In this case, the end tuning result is more than 1000hp at 20psi of boost. It’s not been dyno-tested beyond that, but the maths indicates that 1500hp wouldn’t be out of this car’s reach.

It’s fair to say though that this build was anything but straightforward. Before the current set-up, David had attempted to make a different quad-rotor engine work but it just didn’t. Oil starvation, rubbish exhaust note, and imbalanced rotors were just some of the things he had to contend with; some of which, obviously more important than others.

What’s a project car without its ups and downs though? And besides, that learning process was all worth it in the end for the car that David’s ended up with.

Get the full low-down on all the ins and outs of this FD by checking out the full feature. We’ve got a specific buying and tuning guide for this model too, in case you’re planning on scratching that rotary itch…

Jonny Grunewald’s Modified Mazda RX-7 FD

“I’ve always liked to do things differently,” says Jonny Grunewald. It’s easy to see then, where his attraction to the RX-7 stems from.

After a visit to the Tokyo Auto Salon, his ambitions were set in stone. For this project, Jonny would use only the highest-quality, or rarest, aftermarket parts. This is his dream modified Mazda RX-7 build, after all.

The first thing you notice about this FD is the way it looks. The rare TCP-Magic bodykit supplies the car with stacks of aggression. Rather than coming across as obnoxious, the whole image takes on a very purposeful feel. That’s helped by the fitment of its 18-inch Volk Racing VR21C wheels.

Then there’s the internals. We winced when we heard that Jonny was on his fourth engine. However, that’s the risk you take when sticking with rotaries. When things are working as they should, however, this FD’s powertrain is really something to behold. Thanks to some clever porting, it’ll rev all the way up to 10,000rpm. Also, thanks to a number of other mods, you’ll find around 700hp at the disposal of your right foot.

True to his original plan, practically no part of the car has been left untouched. The transmission, for instance, has been reworked in order to cope with the strain of the beefed-up engine. Meanwhile, the brakes are a bespoke Brembo-sourced system, designed specifically for this build!

You truly won’t want to miss out on all the details of this stellar creation, so make sure to read the full feature. Or, if you fancy hearing our thoughts on what a regular FD RX-7 is like to drive, you can check out our hands-on review.

Kohei Miyata’s Modified Mazda RX-7 FC

Sometimes you don’t need extreme aero packages and astronomical power figures to create an ultra-desirable build. Take Kohei Miyata’s modified Mazda RX-7 FC, for example.

Designed to be the ultimate blend of show car, track weapon, and daily driver, Kohei set himself quite the task. It’s not easy to create a car that can competently tick so many boxes, but with the help of Yokohama-based tuning house N-Stage, he reckons he’s managed it.

The key was making sure that every adventurous modification was balanced out by a mod to improve functionality. Take the car’s stance; in order to avoid tire rubbing, the wheel arches were reconstructed to achieve that slammed look.

The stock engine also got a full tear down and overhaul, and during the process an aftermarket turbo and fueling system were plumbed in. At the same time, N-Stage also came up with a completely bespoke cooling set-up. Apexi-sourced mapping was also installed to replace the old eighties electronics, arming the car with a reliable 350hp and 253lb ft of torque.

Aesthetically speaking, there’s no widebody in sight. Instead, a mixture of rare aftermarket and imported USDM parts make up the car’s outward appearance. The 17-inch AutoStrada Modena five-spokes it sits on are the perfect icing for this FC cake. Oh, and if you think that body color looks familiar, you might recognize it as Millennium Jade – the shade that Nissan used on the Nur versions of the R34 Skyline.

On the inside meanwhile, once again, there’s an element of balance. The half roll cage gives the car the sort of rigidity and safety you’d want when driving aggressively, however plush seats lifted from the JDM Efini RX-7 model ensure no loss in comfort.

Take a closer look at this FC all-rounder by viewing the full feature here.

700hp Naturally-Aspirated FD RX-7 Track Car

After a serious accident destroyed his modified Mazda RX-7 and left him hospitalized, you could’ve forgiven Logan Carswell for not wanting anything else to do with these cars. However, it’s worth pointing out that Logan is the boss of US rotary specialists Defined Autoworks, so his passion runs deep.

“I’d been playing a lot of Gran Turismo 4 (well, that dates this story rather well) while I was resting up and the RX-7 in the game inspired my plan for my ultimate RX-7,” Logan explained. “It didn’t happen right away, and was a slow process, but that plan and the level of specification that I had in my head is identical to how the car is today.”

Starting off with a $2000 rolling chassis, Logan has transformed this FD into a Japanese GT300-inspired track car. The exterior speaks for itself, and actually required some chassis modifications in order to fit properly! The team had to extend not only the car’s track, but also its driveshafts and suspension control arms.

The suspension itself also had to be switched out, with Logan opting for a Penske set-up, and anti-roll bars straight from a Daytona prototype. That’s not the only motorsport-derived component of this FD either. Its brake calipers are off a genuine NASCAR!

The car’s party piece, however, has to be its engine. Logan is running a quad-rotor power unit in this beast, good enough for 700hp. Apparently its 11,000rpm redline provides the closest sound you can get to Mazda’s legendary 787B Le Mans racer. Read the full piece on this monstrous build here.

Stanced Mazda RX-7 FD on Air

This purist-angering stanced FD has given its owner Jordan Saunders plenty of trouble over the years. It started with some temperamental twin-turbos, and culminated in a sudden crash…

Happily though, instead of giving up on it, Jordan found a donor car, and set about bringing his FD back to life. After months of surgery on his nan’s driveway, the results proved to be worth all the pain.

While making all the necessary repairs, Jordan took the opportunity to rid himself of the car’s dodgy turbo set-up that got him into this trouble to begin with. In its place, he set about converting the car to a big single turbo set-up, namely a GReddy TD04, for some added responsiveness. The big metal snail works in tandem with a custom exhaust system and HKS intercooler, while the fueling has also been massively improved. The car’s yet to be dyno’d, but it’s safe to assume that it’s making somewhere in the region of 400PS.

With the powertrain taken care of, Jordan then turned his attention to the car’s style. It now sits on 18-inch SSR SP1 rims, while a set of AirREX struts with an Air Lift management kit provides it with that super-low stance.

To find out what else this rescued FD has up its sleeve, be sure to read the full feature!

Sim Harratt’s Salvaged RX-7 FC

Owning an old modified car isn’t always the fun experience we imagine it to be. In fact, sometimes it can be downright stressful, as Sim Harratt found out when he first took ownership of his beloved FC.

“I purchased the car on a bit of a whim,” he says. “When it came up for sale, I hadn’t seen one for such a long time I jumped straight in.” Ah, the classic impulse purchase – that’s where he went wrong, or maybe right, considering the end result…

Still, before the FC would reach its super-clean status as pictured above, it certainly gave Sim plenty of grief. “The advert stated that it was a runner but was overheating and had no MOT. So, the plan was to get it back on the road as soon as possible and just enjoy it.”

Simple enough, right? Well, when Sim discovered swathes of rust hidden away, things suddenly looked much more difficult. Impressively though, after taking some time to regroup, Sim and one of his closest mates set about putting in the hard graft to weld and restore the FC, bringing it back to an MOT-approved condition. Nice work, lads!

If you want to learn more about what’s going on under the hood of this FC, you’ll have to check out the full feature, here.

Beautifully Brown Mazda RX-7 FD

Brown isn’t a color that many of us would immediately opt for when building a modified JDM car (unless you’re the Hollywood designer that created Slap Jack’s Supra, or Tej’s NSX). But, Sean Malone was adamant that when creating his own epic RX-7, he’d do things his own way. That sort of individuality is the type of approach we can certainly get behind. And, by refusing to create a car defined by the tastes of other people, we reckon he’s (ironically) come up with a real show-stopper.

Truth be told, this Marrakesh Brown-wrapped version of the RX-7 is actually the second iteration of the car that Sean has overseen. A scroll through its history will tell you that this car’s seen its fair share of different body kits and bolt-ons. However, to get it to its current state, Sean has done all the bodywork himself. That has involved blending a variety of different kits together to get a truly unique silhouette. Look closely and you’ll spot parts from Rocket Bunny, Vertex, and DMAX, all harmoniously joined as one.

At this stage, we’d forgive you for thinking that this car might be a bit of a show queen. And sure, it certainly makes an appearance at events like Japfest from time to time, but that doesn’t mean Sean has overlooked performance mods. Under the hood, you’ll find a street-ported 13B rotary with an uprated induction kit, while the exhaust is also a little fruitier than stock.

Want to take a closer look? Read the full feature here.

Fast and Furious Mazda RX-7 FD

This car should already be familiar to plenty of you. First used as Dom Toretto’s car in the original Fast and Furious movie, it was then redesigned as Orange Julius’ car for 2 Fast 2 Furious. As such, it was front and center during the arguable heyday of Japanese car tuning.

However, things aren’t quite as they seem. Despite its movie depiction as a highly modified racer, this FD RX-7 is actually running a stock 13B twin-turbo rotary power unit, meaning it kicks out around 255hp. Quick, for sure, but definitely not a “ten-second car”.

The 5-speed manual transmission is stock too, but one thing that definitely isn’t factory-spec is the flamethrower exhaust. As with most of the stunt cars used in the Fast and Furious franchise, the majority of mods on this RX-7’s spec sheet are cosmetic only. The exterior aesthetics comprise a Versus body kit and J-Spec hood, while the rims are 18-inch Ro_Ja five-spokes. On the inside, you’ll find a pair of Sparco seats and custom upholstery from House of Kolor.

If you want the full story, be sure to check out the original article. Or, if you’re a fan of this movie franchise, see what you make of our list of the best Fast and Furious cars of all time.

If you’re starting your own build, make sure to check out our Mazda RX-7 buying and tuning guides beforehand!

The post Best Modified Mazda RX-7 Builds appeared first on Fast Car.

Every car nerd has heard about the GT-R’s ATESSA-ETS, RB266DETT engine, or even the origins of its Godzilla nickname. Let’s take a look at some other Nissan Skyline GT-R trivia that you might not have come across before.

The Death of Leon’s R33

Despite its relative lack of screen time, Leon’s R33 Skyline GT-R is one of the best remembered early ‘Fast & Furious’ hero cars. It was only briefly featured in the first film of the nine-strong franchise, and yet, ‘Big Bird’ – as it was affectionately known – holds a place in many car enthusiast’s hearts. Unfortunately, that only makes its grizzly end even sadder. Here’s the full story…

Life before Fast & Furious

A now-notorious company called MotoRex (learn more about them here) imported this R33 GT-R to the States. As Nissan didn’t sell the car there directly, MotoRex intended to ship some examples across from Japan and legalize them for the American market. This car was one of the first that MotoRex ever imported, so naturally it got up to all sorts of adventures even before Fast & Furious was a consideration. For instance, Rhys Millen competed with it at the legendary Pikes Peak hillclimb event – yes, that white car pictured above on gravel is the same one that would appear in the film with a yellow livery.

Life after Fast & Furious

After production of the first Fast & Furious movie concluded, Sean Morris, who at the time was an employee at MotoRex, took custodianship of it. Once the Skyline was back in his hands, Sean naturally decided to take it onto the circuit. Eventually though, the movie star-turned-drag strip weapon blew its engine.

MotoRex sold the car on to someone new as spares or repairs. Then, after spending some time as their unrealized project car, Big Bird moved into the hands of a driver in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, the police charged that driver with several offences, including tampering with the GT-R’s VIN plate. In the end, it came down to a plea deal. If the owner wanted to avoid felony charges, he’d have to allow law enforcement to crush his car. So, he did. And there we have it, yet another sad and undignified end for a former Hollywood movie star.

If you’ve got an R33 project car of your own, be sure to check out our tuning guide!

Four Of Nissan’s Finest

The most recent iteration of the ‘GT-R’ model line, the R35, is a masterclass of engineering. When it was first unveiled to the public, it was billed as one of the most technologically advanced performance cars on the market, and impressively it had the underpinnings to back that statement up!

From its carbon composite crossmembers, to its nitrogen-filled tires, the Nissan GT-R R35 was a meteoric leap for the Japanese sports car industry. Rather than being based upon the regular Skyline saloon like the GT-Rs of yesteryear, the R35 was an entirely bespoke, ground-up design, breaching the gap between tuner coupe and all-out supercar. Its new image meant a new identity, with the Skyline moniker being dropped for this iteration of GT-R. Meanwhile, under the hood, Nissan swapped out the iconic RB26 engine for something new as well.

In its place, came the VR38 – an all-aluminum twin-turbo V6 engine, which produced 485hp upon launch, but has been beefed up to 565hp in the years since. Remarkably, every single block is hand-built in one of Nissan’s sealed labs. What’s more, Nissan only trusts four of its finest engineers – Izumi Shioya, Nobumitsu Gozu, Tsunemi Oyama, and team leader Takumi Kurosawa – to get the job done! If you take a peek under the bonnet of any given R35 GT-R, you should be able to spot a small plaque, listing the name of the man who built that particular engine.

Locals refer to the quartet as ‘takumi’, which must get a bit confusing given Kurosawa’s first name. However, in Japanese, takumi translates to ‘master craftsmen, high in both skill and spirit’. A fitting description, if you ask me.

The Rarest GT-R Of Them All

Over the years, there’s been countless ‘halo cars’ within the Nissan Skyline GT-R stable. What I mean by that is cars that have garnered more prestige, and more desirability, than your average common or garden V-Spec. I’m talking about cars such as the R33-based Nismo 400R, or the R34-based Nismo Z-Tune. Even iconic tuning house creations like the Mine’s R34 demo car. In fact, everyone reading this right now probably has a specific halo car in mind when someone mentions the phrase, ‘Nissan Skyline GT-R’.

However, I’d be willing to bet that very few people – in fact, maybe none at all – would first think of the 1995 GT-R LM. On paper, that’s a bit strange. You’d think that, being the rarest special Skyline of them all, this car would enjoy a near-mythical status. But it doesn’t. Instead, it tends to quietly sit in the background of people’s minds, no matter how hardcore your JDM passion is.

Perhaps it’s down to relatability. Even though they’re a scarce breed, enthusiasts can still harbour hope of spotting (or potentially even owning) a 400R or a Z-Tune in the wild. However, that’s not possible with the GT-R LM. Only one of these road-legal Le Mans racers was ever built, and it currently lives in Yokohama at Nissan’s HQ. On the circuit meanwhile, the race version of the GT-R LM placed 10th overall in the 1995 Le Mans 24 Hours, and returned again the following year albeit with less success.

Still, it’s a shame that people don’t speak about a car like this – a factory built, 300PS, widebody coupe – more often.

Ken & Mary’s American Dream

Over its many generations, the Nissan Skyline GT-R has picked up a few nicknames. In the modern era, ‘Godzilla’ has been the car’s go-to alter-ego, ever since the disgruntled Australian press brandished it with that image after it trounced their domestic Fords and Holdens at Bathurst. However, if you turn the clock back a little bit further, the earliest GT-Rs have interesting nicknames of their own.

Hakosuka & Kenmeri

The 1969-1972 C10 GT-R’s is the simplest. Often referred to as the ‘Hakosuka’, this term of endearment quite literally translates to ‘boxy Skyline’. Now, if we’re judging these on creativity, it’s certainly no Godzilla, but Hakosuka is pretty fun to say out loud, which I guess makes up for it.

After the C10, the C110 arrived in 1973, and you’ll be glad to hear that the nickname the world gave this car is far more imaginative than that of its predecessor. You’ll often hear them referred to as ‘Kenmeri’ Skylines, and when I first heard this, I wrongly assumed that kenmeri was some sort of Japanese phrase I didn’t understand. But actually, that’s not quite the case…

Marketing vs The Oil Crisis

Back when Nissan first launched the C110, the company wanted to conquer America with its Skyline and Skyline GT-R models. In fact, it’s almost blindingly obvious when you look at the C110’s fastback, muscle car-esque styling. So, to further help sell it to a Western audience, Nissan decided to frame the car’s advertising campaign around a young, fictional Western couple called Ken and Mary, who get to experience the Skyline while on a trip to Hokkaido.

The TV ads gained such traction that the Japanese public blended the names of the Ken and Mary characters into one word – kenmeri – which became the C110’s alternative identity forever more.

Sadly though, regardless of Ken & Mary’s marketing success, Nissan’s American Dream wouldn’t truly come to fruition until a decade or so later. The ’70s oil crisis meant that there was no place for a car like the Kenmeri GT-R, and so it was canned after just 197 examples left the factory floor…

Skyline Lives On

The modern-day GT-R may have ditched the Skyline nameplate, but that’s not to say that the Skyline doesn’t still exist.

Over in Japan, the Skyline is still alive and well, positioned in the market as a luxury sports-sedan. Despite its absence from our dealerships though, the car’s silhouette may look quite familiar to Western audiences. Over in the UK and the United States, the same core vehicle flies under the Infiniti Q50 banner, but the Japanese Nissan variant features a few key differences – largely in the styling.

First, you’ll notice that the grille is more akin to that of a current Nissan GT-R, meanwhile the rear lights feature rounded clusters which look reminiscent of ’90s Skylines in the dark.

It isn’t just a branding exercise either. In ‘400R’ spec (there’s another throwback for you), the new Skyline comes equipped with a 400PS 3.0-litre twin turbo V6, adaptive steering & suspension, and big performance brakes. So, we reckon it’d be quite a thing to drive. Even better, Nissan recently unveiled a full-on Nismo version.

Looking at Infiniti’s pitiful sales record in the UK, you can’t help but feel that Nissan might have missed a trick. Surely if the car simply had the Skyline name and image like it does in Japan, it would’ve sold much better. What do you think?

Drifting Into The Record Books

Our final piece of Nissan Skyline GT-R trivia is quite a fun one.

How fast do you reckon you could go while still maintaining a perfect drift? Well, whatever number springs to mind, I’m pretty sure it won’t match the speed attained by Masato Kawabata back in 2016.

If you aren’t familiar with him, Kawabata is a professional drifter and multiple D1 GP champion. Despite recently switching to Toyota machinery, he has a long, storied history with Nissan drift cars, making him a natural choice when the Yokohama marque decided that they wanted to enter the Guinness World Record Books.

The record that they decided to target was that of ‘world’s fastest drift’ – a title previously held by Jakub Przygonski who achieved 135mph while sideways in a tuned Toyota GT86.

Nismo and GReddy prepared a 1380PS Nissan GT-R R35 drift car for the stunt, which took place at an airport in the United Arab Emirates. Amazingly, Kawabata managed to lay down a 30-degree drift at 304.96kmh – around 189mph! I think it’s fair to say that this record will stand for quite a long time indeed…

Want to see some of the best modified Nissan Skyline GT-Rs on our site? Check out our this article next!

The post Nissan Skyline GT-R Trivia: Things You Didn’t Know appeared first on Fast Car.

Now, before we begin, we need to cover some ground rules. To be ULEZ compliant, petrol cars must comply to ‘Euro 4’ emissions standards, while diesels must have a rating of ‘Euro 6’ or higher. We won’t get into the complexities of that here, but ultimately those international regulations have been in place since 2005 and 2015 respectively, meaning that every new performance car on sale today will have no trouble passing through London legally.

However, it would make for a bit of a rubbish read if we simply just reeled off all the latest performance models on the market. So, we’re going to do things a little bit differently. For the purpose of this article, we’re interested in the older, cheaper, more surprising ULEZ heroes floating about on the secondhand market. So, if you’re based in the capital but still want a characterful old motor to be proud of, then look no further. Here’s our rundown of the top 10 best ULEZ compliant cars that might surprise you.

Top 10 Best ULEZ Compliant Cars

Ford Focus ST170

Nothing says ‘fun’ more than a hot hatch, and thankfully there’s still plenty of early-to-mid-noughties gems out there that comply with ULEZ standards and won’t blow your budget either. On this occasion, we’ve opted for a potential future classic – the Ford Focus ST170.

Even in its common or garden grocery-getter guise, the Mk1 Focus was a brilliantly capable little car. As a result, when Ford decided to throw several engine upgrades at it, including forged pistons and a new cylinder head, it responded very well to its new 170PS (168hp) power output and 144lb ft of torque. Offering precise, well-weighted steering and a genuinely rewarding chassis, the ST170 is a relatively cost-effective route into fun ULEZ-friendly motoring – if you can find a decent one for sale these days.

That said, the ST170 perhaps lacks the outright punch that you’d expect from other full-fat hot hatches. The Mk1 RS is the answer to that particular problem, though prices for those are already on the up. Happily though, if 170PS just simply isn’t enough oomph for you, there’s a number of alternatives out there that still creep under the ULEZ threshold. The Honda Civic Type R EP3 is perhaps the most obvious choice, while the Mk5 Golf GTI, R53 MINI Cooper S, and Renaultsport cars of the same era are all still deemed eco-friendly enough to avoid the ULEZ charge. Hooray!

Alfa Romeo 156 GTA

As a general rule, it’s often said that petrol cars built after 2005 will meet the ULEZ threshold, as that’s when those golden Euro 4 standards came into law. However, as this borderline retro Alfa Romeo – and the Focus above – point out, sometimes you can get away with going older.

Cars with Euro 4-compliant emissions tech have been around since 2001, so if you’re willing to do the relevant checks, you can unearth some pleasant surprises. The 156 GTA is one of those. As a fun quirk, the only ULEZ compliant variant of the 156 is the top-of-the-line GTA sports saloon, and by association, the same goes for the 147 hatch that it shares its powertrain with.

Admittedly, we all know that these cars have flaws, and therefore have the potential to burn a pretty sizeable hole into your wallet. But come on, can you really say that you aren’t charmed by the exhaust note of Alfa’s busso V6?

Oh, and if the 156 and 147 GTAs don’t float your boat, perhaps consider the slightly newer Brera, or GT, which offer a bit more sporting flair alongside that tree-hugging 3.2-litre V6.

Audi RS4

The B7 generation Audi RS4 is *the* fast Audi saloon in most people’s eyes – though, there are estate and cabriolet variants that you can choose from as well.

Over the past few decades, the Ingolstadt marque has sought to rival its Bavarian neighbours in the sporty executive sector, but for the most part, has come up just a little bit short. However, if there was ever going to be a time when Audi trumped BMW, it would’ve been when they released the B7-generation RS4. Its soulful 4.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8 matched up beautifully to a very un-Audi like, engaging set of handling traits.

Unfortunately for Audi, they reached their arguable peak during a time when everybody was still drooling over the near-perfect E46 M3, which, by the way, is also ULEZ compliant. So, take your pick, I guess…

Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Yeah, we’re really beginning to push the boundaries of what you might consider to be an environmentally responsible car now. But, as the ULEZ standards only take NOx emissions into account, rather than carbon dioxide, there are plenty of unexpected models that slip through the cracks.

As far as its looks go, I really do think that the Aston Martin V8 Vantage is getting better with age. Compared to the modern stuff, it’s unfussy and elegant in a way that won’t impress influencers or crypto-bros, but for those of us with a better grasp of taste, it does the trick rather nicely indeed.

By most accounts, that V8 powertrain is just as addictive as you’d imagine it to be, and if you’re worried about reliability concerns – don’t be. Well, not too much, anyway. Astons that came before it such as the DB7 did have a habit of devolving into utter dogs as time passed by, but for the most part, similar grumbles about the V8 Vantage have so far been the exception, rather than the rule. There’s more good news too. These days, a V8 Vantage will cost you roughly the same amount of money as the B7 RS4/E46 M3 duo mentioned above, which is a bit mental when you think about it. In fact, occasionally we’ve spotted clean ones go for lesser sums, even with lower mileage!

Honda S2000

If you want a convertible that’s a genuinely competent sports car, the Honda S2000 is a brilliant shout. From the offset, Honda’s engineers designed this car as a soft top, and that means it lacks the performance-sapping compromises that you get with coupe-derived convertibles.

We could rave about the way it handles all day, but let’s be real, the S2000’s party piece is its engine. Honda’s F20C naturally aspirated inline 4-cylinder was bespoke to this car, but it wasn’t just its exclusivity that made it special. Instead, it’s the 9000rpm redline that sets it apart from its rivals. What’s more, this engine wasn’t just all noise either. In fact, European market examples produce 237PS from the 2.0-litre block, and JDM-spec S2000s even managed to crack 250PS. In other words, at one point the F20C had the highest power output per litre of any engine in the world, until the Ferrari 458 came along at the start of the 2010s.

Prices for these cars are beginning to climb as they enter ‘modern classic’ status, and rightfully so to be honest. So, if you want to pick one up now as a fun ULEZ compliant runabout, you’ll have to strike fast. You’ll need to be careful which example you choose as well. Earlier models will fall foul of the ULEZ requirements, but examples built in 2002 or later will avoid the charge.

Lexus IS200

Let’s lower the budget again for a moment though, because there’s lots of ULEZ-friendly gems out there that won’t cost you five figures to buy. A great example of that is the Lexus IS200 – a semi-executive saloon that just seems to get more desirable with age.

Effectively a rebadged Toyota Altezza, the IS200 offers rear-wheel drive and a 150PS straight-six motor in a super affordable package, making them popular with drifters. You can pick up rougher examples for about £2500 or less, but a really nice one shouldn’t set you back more than £4000-£6000 in the current market. Sure, that’s more than they were worth a few years ago, but you could say that about pretty much every used car at the moment.

Manual IS200s are rarer, and dearer, but those are the ones you’ll want if you to plan to go skidding in it. If not, we’d suggest that the more common auto ‘box is actually the spec to go for, as the IS200 is really a cruiser at heart. So, if you’re looking amongst the pool of fun ULEZ compliant cars for your next cheap daily driver, this could well be it. Be attentive though, as like the Honda S2000, the earliest IS200s won’t pass ULEZ standards. In this case, you’ll want a post-2000 car to avoid paying the charge.

Toyota Celica or Toyota MR2

Sticking with the theme of low-budget motoring, Lexus’ parent brand Toyota is a great place to look for cheap, ULEZ-friendly sports cars. The final generation of Toyota Celica admittedly isn’t all that heralded in the grand scheme of Japanese hero cars, but that’s not to say it isn’t a worthy entry-level option.

With front-wheel drive, the Mk7 Celica provides hot hatch-esque handling in a sleeker package. And, while it won’t be the fastest car on your block, it does come with an interesting choice of engines. The standard 140PS VVTi model will perhaps feel a little uninspiring to those seeking the biggest thrills, but in 190PS VVTLi form, the Celica springs into life thanks to a power delivery spike around the 6500rpm-mark. In fact, Lotus even deemed the 2ZZ-GE block good enough for its Elise.

However, if the Celica platform just doesn’t interest you, the Mk3 MR2 roadster might. Like the Celica, it too is arguably the relative runt of its lineage, but, unlike its larger coupe counterpart, the Mk3 MR2 offers rear-wheel drive, a soft top, and even a mid-engined layout. On paper, that’s a brilliant recipe for a driver’s car – it’s just a shame the MR2 only got the 140PS 1ZZ motor, rather than the full fat 190. Anyway, good examples of both of these cars can be picked up today for as little as £3000. So, if you’re working with a tight budget, these are amongst some of the best fun ULEZ compliant cars around.

Any Vehicle Built More Than 40 Years Ago

Another quirk of the ULEZ regulations is that if your car is deemed ‘historic’, it’s exempt from the charge, no matter what its emission levels are. TfL deem ‘historic vehicles’ to be any car, van, or truck built more than 40 years ago, so by the time London’s ULEZ expands in August, your car will be completely exempt to charges if it was built in 1982 or earlier. Then, obviously, as every year passes, that threshold raises by a year to 1983 and so on…

So, if you’re after fun ULEZ compliant cars, the classic motoring scene is – weirdly – full of them! For some inspiration, head over to our sister site, Classics World.

Subaru Impreza WRX STI

The Subaru Impreza WRX STI seems to be going out of fashion these days. Perhaps due to concerns about the reliability of the EJ engines, perhaps just because car culture has moved on. Either way, I think that’s a bit of a shame, because there’s no doubting the fact that there’s bundles of character bursting out of these cars.

The blue paint/gold rim combo and burbly boxer exhaust note is one of the things that drew me into the automotive world in the first place, and no doubt, the rally-bred variants of Impreza will go down in history as some of the most iconic cars of the 2000s. So, if you find yourself compelled to recapture your love for Subaru, you’ll be glad to hear that every single generation of WRX STI – and WRX, for that matter – complies with ULEZ regulations.

The news isn’t quite so good though, if your heart lies with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo instead. The Impreza’s age-old rallying rival doesn’t fare quite so well in this regard. Only the Evo 9 and Evo X fully pass ULEZ standards, though you could also nab an Evo 8, so long as it’s a lesser 260 or 280 model, rather than any of the FQs.

Vauxhall Monaro

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the phrase, ‘Ultra Low Emissions Zone’? Chances are, it won’t be a maniacal V8 muscle car, yet, if you’re intent on commuting around London in one – you can!

The muscle car genre never really took off here in the UK, but the Holden-based Vauxhall Monaro has retained a corner of niche prestige ever since its arrival on our shores in 2004. After all, it’s hard to dislike a brutishly styled coupe that comes packing a 5.7-litre Corvette engine. As you’d expect from any car brandished with the ‘muscle’ banner, it’s not exactly the sharpest vehicle around a track. But, for simply getting from A to B, it performs well in the smiles per mile department.

Of course, there were no shortage of slightly insane Vauxhall models in the 2000s. Pretty much everything got a VXR badge slapped onto it at some point, and all of those boisterous creations meet ULEZ standards. So, whether you want to tackle B-roads with an Astra VXR, or scare the kids with a Zafira VXR, you can do so without having to worry about the wrath of TfL.

Want to learn more about London’s ULEZ? Read our comprehensive guide.

The post Best ULEZ Compliant Cars appeared first on Fast Car.

The Honda Civic Type R is one of the most popular entry-level performance cars to drive, tune & modify. As a result, there’s plenty of common knowledge about these vehicles, which often culminates online in the form of slightly cringy VTEC memes.

However, we’re not here to explain Honda’s high-revving variable valve timing & cam lift technology to you. Instead, here’s a few bits of Honda Civic Type R trivia that you might not be aware of…

Sporting Pedigree

We all know that the Honda Civic Type R is a formidable sporting platform, but to put things into perspective, let’s take a look at what the model has achieved on track in recent years.

For a start, the outgoing FK8 generation of the car stamped its authority on the FWD hot hatch market by clocking lap records all around the globe. From the Nürburgring to Magny Cours, from Silverstone to Tailem Bend. It even held the Suzuka lap record for FWD production cars too, until recently, when the new FL5 Civic Type R outgunned it.

As a full-on race car, the Civic is just as potent. In the UK, the FK2-generation Civic stands as the most successful vehicle to ever compete under the current British Touring Car Championship ruleset. Before teams phased it out, it picked up an impressive 66 race victories and 4 overall championship titles.

Not-so JDM

Honda afficionados will often suggest that the Japanese-market version of the EP3-gen Civic Type R was a much better vehicle than the version we got over here in Europe. And with good reason, too. Make no mistake, the UK & EU market EP3 is still a wonderful hot hatch, but the JDM car had all sorts of extra goodies.

Those extras included the classic Championship White paintwork, matched with white alloys. The red Recaro bucket seats were also for Japan only, as was the EK9-esque standard helical LSD. In fact, the JDM-spec EP3 even had a more track-oriented chassis set-up, and more power too: 212hp, compared to the UKDM car’s 197hp!

However, the mystique of this supposed ‘Japanese Special’ fades somewhat when you learn that the Japanese had no hand in actually building it. Rather than being constructed at the hallowed turf of Suzuka like the EK9 was, the all-singing-and-dancing JDM EP3 was built in Swindon. How exotic…

Still, those added performance and styling extras definitely make importing a JDM-spec car worthwhile. Just be aware that this won’t be its first trip along the Suez Canal…

The FK8 Pick-Up Truck

If I was to say the phrase, ‘Honda Civic Type R pickup truck’, you’d be forgiven for thinking I was referencing a crazy grassroots project built in the back of someone’s shed. However, this FK8 pickup, or ‘ute’ if your rather, is a lot more official than you might imagine.

This skunkworks project is the brainchild of 12 engineers from Honda’s UK division, who decided to get a little creative. The FK8’s powertrain remains the same, however there are several other modifications, besides the obvious flat bed in the back.

The rear wing is different to that of a regular FK8, designed to give better access to the bed. Meanwhile, there’s also an upwards-opening tailgate in place of the old trunk, allowing entry into the metal-plastered loading bay. The anti-roll bars are also stiffer than normal in a bid to combat the dynamic drawbacks of chopping off the rear section of the car’s roof.

As you might imagine, this Frankenstein’s monster of a pickup is purely a one-off, never intended for production. So, why build it then? Well, when that question was posed to a Honda spokesman, he simply said, “Because it’s fun and because we like a challenge.”

If only more car companies had that kind of attitude…

Spoon & The Todo School

Aside from perhaps Mugen, Spoon Sports is the most well-renowned Honda tuner. Formed in 1988, Spoon has always had strong ties with the original Honda family, which undoubtedly will have helped them to become the tuning titans that they are today.

Specializing in engine and handling enhancements, every Spoon Sports aftermarket part is rigorously tested, usually through the realm of motorsport. Over the years, Spoon has competed all over the world, in series including the domestic Japanese Super Taikyu Championship, German VLN Endurance Series, and (now-defunct) United States Touring Car Championship. It is these testing and development ventures which spawned Spoons’ iconic bright yellow & blue racing liveries.

As a testament to Spoon’s prowess in the Honda tuning sphere, one of their demonstration cars is featured in hit Japanese anime series, Initial D. As the storyline goes, the show’s protagonist street racer Takumi comes up against challengers from a prestigious group called ‘The Todo School’. The School’s secret weapon is a Sunlight Yellow Honda Civic Type R EK9, that looks suspiciously similar to the Spoon demonstrator pictured above. The unofficial-but-obvious Spoon EK9 gives Takumi one of his closest battles in the entire show; a fitting and intentional decision by the writers, given Spoon’s stature in the world of modified cars.

Looking for more Honda Civic Type R content? Check out this compilation of our best modified CTR feature cars!

The post Honda Civic Type R Trivia: Things You Didn’t Know appeared first on Fast Car.

V-engines have been around for as long as the car itself. Way back in 1889 Daimler were nailing together pop-popping V-twins, and the first V8s arrived on the scene not long after in 1903.

In simple terms, a V-engine is so called because if you crack it open, crouch down and peer along the crank, you’ll see the pistons being pushed diagonally up in two banks, forming a V shape.

See, it’s not a clever name, just logic. An engine in this configuration can be less lengthy and less tall, which means that they tick a lot of boxes when it comes to packaging, but we love them because they invariably make awesome noises.

Trouble is, because there are so many fantastic V8s out there, it’s hard to narrow it down to a handful of superstars. Nevertheless, we’ve given it a go anyway. Here’s our shortlist of the best V8 engined cars around.

Best V8 engined cars

Dodge Demon

The V8 is such an apple-pie icon of Americana that we could have easily filled this list with Detroit muscle and nothing else. However, the Dodge Demon is one particular example which stands out above the rest.

If you thought the Hellcat was nuts, this is just on another level. The ultimate version of the new-wave Challenger, the Demon is basically a road-legal dragster that you can buy from a dealership with a warranty. Its 6.2-litre Hemi has a sodding great 2.7-litre supercharger added on top, giving it peak power figures of 840hp and 770lb ft of torque. On a drag strip, that translates into 60mph after just 2.1 seconds, while the quarter-mile flies by in just 9.7.

If it wasn’t already abundantly clear what sort of personality this car has, the development team actually designed it to pull wheelies from a standing start. There’s only one seat too – unless you pay a dollar to add the others back in. Quite possibly the angriest car ever built.

Ferrari 458 Italia

Going from the Dodge Demon to a Ferrari 458 Italia is like being flung from a Slipknot concert into a Milanese opera house. Whereas the American dragster is an all-out assault on the senses, this Italian supercar is a much more refined experience. That said, when it reaches the high notes, it’ll still leave you with goosebumps.

Indeed, the sound of the Ferrari’s 4.5-litre F136 V8 is a much higher pitched affair, thanks to its flat-plane crank and 9000rpm redline. The way the car actually performs couldn’t be more different to the Dodge either. Sure, its 562 horses will get you to 60mph in just 3.4 seconds, but the 458 is more of a precision tool with which to tackle apexes, not drag strips.

The Prancing Horse has plenty of V8 engined cars in its back catalogue though, so why this one? Well, to put it simply, the 458 raised the bar for the whole supercar genre. A marked improvement on the already commendable F430, the 458 won group test after group test.

Since then, nobody has really been able to knock Ferrari off their throne. Truly, a supercar for the ages.

Ariel Atom 500

The Ariel Atom is a hilarious creation. Whoever thought of bolting the engine from a Honda Civic Type R onto the back of a tangle of scaffolding to form an ultralight road-legal track car was some kind of twisted genius.

But even more ingenious than that, and far more twisted, is the Atom 500. This features a bespoke 3.0-litre V8 which is basically two Suzuki superbike engines running off a common crank (sort of – it’s fiendishly complicated), and this gives it 475hp. In a car that weighs 550kg. How bonkers is that?

It’s got a power-to-weight ratio of 864bhp-per-tonne, which is double that of a Bugatti Veyron, and it’ll do 0-62mph in 2.2 seconds. It’s basically a GP2 race car with number plates. Though, whether it’s got the plates or not, there probably aren’t many public roads where you wouldn’t feel at least a little bit exposed. Definitely one for the adrenaline junkies amongst you.

AMG Hammer

Before every street in average suburbia had an AMG of some sort on its corner, those three letters stood for something quite special.

The German tuning house has been around since 1967, but in the late eighties it brought us the ‘Hammers’. Based on the W124 saloon, coupe or estate, these cars earned the nickname for their blunt power, which was provided by a 6.0-litre V8. 385hp maybe doesn’t sound like much today, but it was enough for drivers to hit speeds of 188mph on the Autobahn. In an eighties saloon!

And then there’s the way it looks. There’s a plethora of modern V8 AMGs that undoubtedly perform better than this one, but none of them look as menacingly desirable as the Hammer (to our eyes at least).

Shelby Cobra 427

It would be wrong to craft a list celebrating the best V8s without picking something from the ’60s – the dawn, and arguably the golden age, of classic V8 muscle cars.

However, instead of going down the Mustang route, or the Camaro one, we’ve opted for this: The Shelby Cobra. Ok, so in the eyes of some it might not be a ‘true’ muscle car. After all, it’s effectively a British AC roadster that’s been given a heart transplant. But in a way, that’s part of the appeal.

Under the bonnet, its 7.0-liter (427 cubic-inch) V8 propelled the Cobra to 160mph, or around 185 in S/C ‘semi-competition’ spec. Meanwhile, its European underpinnings ensured it could make good use of all that American power when the roads got twisty. So, while it wasn’t as accessible pricewise, the Cobra would have all of its muscular rivals beat on track.

For that reason, the regular Cobra is dream car material. In fact, it’s the most replicated model amongst kit car manufacturers, and as they say, imitation is the highest form of flattery.

Jaguar XE SV Project 8

The Jaguar XE SV Project 8 is a car which doesn’t make sense. Even with the support from Tata, and the success of its sister company Land Rover to lean on, Jaguar is a company which constantly seems to sway in and out of financial security. Yet, even in that context, they manage to build a special car every so often that triggers stress amongst the company accountants, but sparks joy in enthusiastic drivers. This limited-edition hyper sedan is exactly the sort of car I’m on about, and its unlikely existence should be celebrated.

To give you an idea of just how mad this project is, despite looking very similar to a regular XE sedan, the only significant common parts between the two are the front doors and the roof! So much for cost saving, eh. For example, at the front of the car, Jag planted a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 under the hood (which goes and sounds just as well as you’d imagine). Then, to counteract the increased weigth at the front, Jaguar redesigned the entire front body panels – hood, arches, bumper; the lot – in carbon fiber, so that the big engine wouldn’t be a detriment to the car’s handling.

Everywhere you look around this vehicle, you’ll find similar stories, and when you add all those stories together, what you’re left with is arguably one of the best performance sedans of the century. And yet, if Jaguar weren’t so silly with their finances, it probably would never have existed. Let’s just hope that Jaguar itself continues to exist, so it can keep giving us gems like the Project 8.

McLaren 720S

If unbeatable performance and everyday usability is what you’re after from your supercar, then the only answer is the McLaren 720S. The Woking-based company’s top-of-the-range mass product spent the latter half of the 2010s enjoying never-ending praise from motoring journalists all around the globe, and unusually, that nerdy forensic-level opinion was matched by consumer behavior. This isn’t a media-only darling like the Alpine A110, the 720S was a car that the rich actually went out and bought in their droves. In fact, the McLaren market is so saturated, that if you’re hunting for a used supercar right now, you should definitely check out how much these have depreciated.

It’s not hard to see why these cars rode on a wave of popularity though. It looks exotic without being inelegant, it’s surprisingly comfortable, it hugs apexes like a clingy toddler, and as for the performance, well, that’s otherworldly. Having driven one, I can confidently say that to feel its full power, you’ll need your own private airfield – when it picks up and goes, it REALLY goes. And yet, on the road, it also feels at home. Sure, you won’t have foot to the floor everywhere, but the 720S still makes for a wonderful spirited back-road car, if you use its power sparingly. The one downside? Well, for a V8, the 720S’ 4.0-liter twin-turbo unit just doesn’t sound as magical as it ought to.

Overall though, the McLaren 720S isn’t just one of the best V8 engined cars of recent times, it’s one of the best cars of recent times, period.

Enjoyed this shortlist? Why not check out our favorite V6 engined cars while you’re at it!

Words by Dan Bevis & James Bowers

The post Best V8 Engined Cars appeared first on Fast Car.

With the pressure to downsize and hybridize looming over most performance marques, the V6 engine configuration has gained a lot of popularity recently. However, despite what muscle car fanboys might tell you, six cylinders ain’t no bad thing. Here are ten cars which prove that V6s can be a riot to drive.

Best V6 engined cars

Nissan GT-R

When whittling down our longlist, there was one car that we knew we simply had to feature: the R35; the most advanced of Nissan’s iconic six-cylinder sports cars.

The Nissan GT-R, to give it its proper name, came equipped with one of the most eyebrow-raising engines ever crafted. The VR38DETT is a twin-turbo 3.8-litre V6 which is hand-built in a hermetically-sealed, dustproof lab – it’s pure sci-fi, made by nerds for nerds. The aluminum block has plasma-coated cylinder liners to reduce friction, while the IHI turbo housings are integrated neatly into the exhaust manifolds and the motor has a thermostatically pressurized lubrication system. All of this adds up to somewhere between 472-550bhp, depending which year of GT-R you buy, and they’re absurdly tunable. 1,000bhp+ is easy peasy.

It’s not just about the engine, of course – the GT-R is an improbably capable car: video-game handling, supernatural feel and, yes, it looks pretty damn aggressive too. We’ve seen some crazy things done to them within the modifying landscape, enough to shame any supercar. Naturally, that meant that for a long time they were the darling of the most annoying inhabitants of social media. Happily though, the hype crowd seems to have largely migrated to blindly defending Teslas instead, leaving the rest of us to appreciate this epic motor without so much tribal discourse in the background. So there you have it, car number one on our list: the Nissan GT-R.

Ford GT

It’s one thing putting a V6 in a sports car, but putting one in a supercar is a whole different kettle of fish. The demands are far greater, so until the recent wave of turbocharged hybrids like the Ferrari 296 and McLaren Artura, you probably could’ve counted the number of V6 engined supercars on one hand.

That said, they weren’t totally unheard of. In the early nineties, for instance, Jaguar planted the V6 from an MG Metro 6R4 into the back of its XJ220. A 212mph top speed meant that it was, briefly, the fastest car in the world, thus proving the performance potential of six cylinders. But, if we’re being honest, other aspects of the car slightly missed the mark.

You can’t say the same about the reborn 2016 Ford GT though. It was a car shrouded in secrecy during its development phase, designed to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans – which it did. However, there wasn’t a thunderous American V8 or exotic roaring V10 cradled within its LMP1-inspired bodywork. Instead, Ford used an Ecoboost V6 with core parts that could be traced back to their F-150 pickup.

On paper, that might sound like an odd concoction. But bigger turbos, a custom camshaft, and a new aluminum intake manifold (amongst other mods) ensured that the 3.5-litre block could churn out 647hp.

The Ford GT was quietly one of the landmark vehicles to emerge from the 2010s, and if anything, it was probably a little bit ahead of its time.

As such, buying one is near-impossible. Happily though, there are other rare V6 Fords that you can get your hands on for much, much less cash…

Honda NSX

If you turn the clock back to the eighties, Ferrari was a bit different to the version of itself that we know today. Sure, it was still the dominant presence in the world of performance cars, but its success had made it complacent. Sub-par efforts like the 328 and Mondial suggested that the Prancing Horse needed a kick up the backside, and eventually that kick did come. However, few predicted it would be Honda’s foot that’d be the one dishing it out.

The Japanese marque had a rich history in racing, but as far as road cars go, they were much better known for little city runabouts. That changed in 1990 when they launched the NSX (New Sportscar eXperimental).

From an aesthetic perspective, it certainly hit the mark. And as for the car’s dynamics? It blew Ferrari away. Honda’s engineers had struck a balance between ferocity and usability, meaning that it was not only a competent apex weapon, but an approachable one too.

Firepower came from a 3.0-litre V6 which redlined at a glorious 8000rpm, thanks to lightweight (but resilient) titanium alloy parts and an early iteration of Honda’s VTEC variable valve timing.

If you haven’t seen the video of Ayrton Senna wrestling one of these things around Suzuka, we’d encourage you to seek it out.

Renaultsport Clio V6

There’s something in the water at Renaultsport. They’ve churned out some brilliantly odd cars over the years, but few quite reach the daft-as-a-brush lunacy of the Clio V6. What manner of madman could take a few steps back from a Mk2 Clio, do that finger-and-thumbs-at-right-angles thing that artists do, and say ‘You know what? I reckon we should shove a V6 in the middle of that…’

But that’s exactly what they did. Instead of rear seats, it had a 227bhp 24v 3.0-litre V6 back there, while the bodywork was absurdly ballooned to accommodate a much wider track and a chassis that shared very little with its FWD counterpart. And what happens when you stick a big engine in the middle of a car with a very short wheelbase? It spins. Constantly. All the time.

Objectively then, is it a great car? Well, no. It isn’t. But frankly, it’s far too much fun not to have a place on his list.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

Oh Alfa. After decades of false dawns, it looked as though they might have cracked the code. For years, the Germans have laid claim to the executive car segment, and if you wanted something different, you’d probably opt for a Lexus, or maybe a Jag. That had left Alfa Romeo firmly entrenched in ‘left-field’ status, but the Giulia looked like it might finally be the car to turn the Italians’ fortunes around.

In Quadrifoglio form it is simply stunning, and the striking looks are backed up by class-leading handling. As for the engine, you get a 2.9-litre V6 which rockets the car to 60mph in just 3.8 seconds, and if you take it off the leash, it’ll climb all the way up to 191. In a family saloon! Then there’s sound, which is suitably vicious out the back of the Giulia’s quad-pipe exhaust.

Sadly for Alfa’s sales department though, one good car doesn’t make up for decades of reputational damage, and whether or not it’s as reliable as an F80 M3 is also up for debate. However, we know which one we’d choose if we had the money…

Nissan 370Z Nismo

There’s been surprisingly little talk amongst enthusiasts about the new Nissan “400” Z, and in this case the silence is damning. Compared to its rivals, the new Z just doesn’t quite stack up. It’s heavier than a GR Supra, less powerful than the American muscle coupes, and the Nismo version is automatic-only. However, the new car’s tricky start to life has put the old 370Z Nismo into a new context.

Now, let’s get one thing straight, when we talk about the 370Z Nismo as a car worthy of admiration, we’re referring to the 2014+ updated version. In reality, the 2009-2013 cars are also a little on on the lukewarm side of things, but with later examples Nissan made marked improvements. In that fresher guise, the 370Z Nismo is a manual-equipped, RWD coupe with LSD, that handles well on fast flowing back roads. Really tight twisty stuff still isn’t it’s forte, mind. Then, when you add its circa-350hp 3.7-liter VQ into the mix, you end up with a sports car that’ll offer you bundles of fun every time you get behind the wheel. Often overlooked, perhaps the 370Z Nismo deserves more recognition.

Jaguar F-Type

The Jaguar F-Type is everything you would expect of a modern British sports car. It’s suave on the outside, luxurious on the inside, and when push comes to shove, it can really hustle on the road. When it was launched, Jaguar advertised the F-Type as the car of Hollywood villains, and when you hear its low-pitch growls and view its aggressive beauty, you can see why – it fits the role perfectly. However, we would dare to suggest that the V6 sounds just as good – perhaps even better – than the V8 variant which stars in that award-winning commercial.

See, whereas with many cars (particularly American marques), ‘V6’ is a bit of a dirty word if there is a V8 option available, owners of the mid-range F-Type will hardly envy the range-topper’s two extra cylinders. Well, I say extra, but in reality the V6 found in this F-Type is actually Jag’s AJV8 motor with the rear two cylinders blanked off. So, they’re there… but they’re not. Anyway, the resulting 3.0-liter supercharged engine is capable of 375hp, though there was also a special edition which produced just shy of 400hp. On the road, the standard ‘S Coupe’ V6 model gets from 0-60mph in less than 4.5 seconds, and feels planted through the bends.

Overall, you just get the sense that this car is incredibly well balanced. So, if you do want an F-Type, do yourself a favor – save some cash and buy the V6.

Lotus Exige

The purest example of a sports car this side of a Caterham, if you really want to know what driving is all about, try a Lotus. The Exige is a raw, performance-hungry coupe that doesn’t care much about frivolous things like ‘refinement’. Instead, all it wants to do is unleash its Toyota-derived 3.5-liter supercharged V6 on the nearest race track.

Once you’re on the circuit, the car comes alive. It tips the scales at just over a ton, making it featherweight by today’s standards. As such, when you supply it with a V6 that churns out 300-430hp (depending on spec) as Lotus have done, it will show you lap times that you never thought possible in your previous car.

Matt managed to get his hands on the high-end 430 Cup edition, so make sure to read his review of it for a more in-depth explanation as to why this car deserves its place on this list.

Ferrari 296 GTB

Turbochargers and hybridization have well and truly arrived in the supercar sector, not only in the name of reduced emissions, but also in the name of better performance. With these added extras, the need for displacement isn’t what it used to be, and that’s led a lot of marques to swap their V8s for V6s.

The king of the current crop of V6 hybrid supercars is the Ferrari 296 GTB. Ever since the 458 Italia, Ferrari has been largely untouchable in this market segment, and despite the switch in technology, it remains on the top of the pile with the 296.

The way the car handles is nothing short of sublime, as was the case with its recent predecessors, and the V6 powertrain certainly brings enough kick to the table to take the place of the much-loved F8 block. Its fresh combination of six cylinders, electricity, and forced induction results in an output of 819hp. 62mph, meanwhile, arrives in just 2.9 seconds. If there was ever any concern about the immediate future direction of the supercar industry, Ferrari has quashed it with the 296 GTB.

Mercedes-AMG One

It’s only right that we end on something special. Despite its magnificence though, we get the impression that AMG’s team of engineers will be glad to see the back of this project. You see, it turns out that building a road-legal hypercar becomes much more difficult when you insist on putting an F1 engine in it. Yes, the 1.6-liter (!) turbocharged V6 hybrid in the back of this spaceship is directly related to the power unit that propelled Lewis Hamilton to the majority of his seven Formula One World Championships.

The public has known about this project since 2017, but it’s taken until late 2023 (and a change of management) for customers to finally start receiving their cars. Unfortunately, many will find that even when it arrives, the fabled AMG One is a bit of a heroic disaster. When the automotive press got their hands on Merc’s demo car, they found it to be unreliable, uncomfortable, and deafening. Still, a lot can change in a year, so maybe AMG has ironed out those final blips…

It might be a head-scratcher, but at the very least, we should surely celebrate the sheer amount of effort that’s gone into creating this car. It should be impossible for a modern F1 engine to work in a road car, and some might argue that that’s still the case. But whatever, the AMG One is actually here in the flesh, and for that, we should doff our caps to the lads and ladies from Stuttgart.

If you enjoyed this rundown of our favorite V6 engined cars, why not check out our V8, V10, and V12 shortlists too!

Words by James Bowers & Dan Bevis

The post Best V6 Engined Cars appeared first on Fast Car.

The Mazda RX-7 gets an unfair reputation. Yes its rotary engine can have reliability issues; but if they’re looked after and not thrashed all day long, they aren’t the party pooper many make them out to be. Plus, with the right upgrades, a 10,000rpm rev limit is achievable. Couple that with one of the greatest noises ever produced from an engine, and it’s no wonder the RX-7 is revered so much in the tuning scene.

Mazda RX-7 Trivia

Turbocharging The Masses

Turbochargers have been used in the car industry for more than fifty years now, but sometimes one turbo just isn’t enough. In that scenario, manufacturers tend to deploy a twin-turbo system. This utilizes a pair of turbochargers, rather than just one. There are a few ways to go about doing this, including the sequential method.

A sequential set-up means that one turbo is used at lower RPMs. At a mid-range point, the second turbocharger kicks in to aid the first one. The ultra-exotic Porsche 959 was the first production car to make use of such technology. However, it was Mazda who introduced it within a package that regular people could aspire to own. The third and final generation of RX-7 (the FD) debuted in 1992 with sequential turbos. It was the most powerful Mazda RX-7 that the company had ever built – and by a significant margin, too.

The FD wasn’t the only Mazda to get the sequential turbo treatment either. Two years prior, the obscure Eunos Cosmo coupe also got handed an extra injection of boost. So, while the 959 might have been the trailblazer, Mazda brought sequential turbos to the masses.

Family Tradition

Those of you that aren’t a fan of nepotism, look away now! Back in 1976, a man named Matasaburo Maeda was tasked with designing the very first Mazda RX-7. Often referred to as the SA22, the Mk1 RX-7 had a discreetly svelte silhouette. It was pretty without shouting about it; a car styled by function. At the time, Maeda-san’s son Ikuo would’ve been 17 years old; 19 when the car finally launched. During his adolescence, the younger of the two Maedas says that he remembers frequent visits to his family home from the likes of Giorgetto Giugiaro and Nuccio Bertone. Inevitably, there was only one career path that Ikuo Maeda was ever going to find himself on.

Fast forward a couple of decades, and naturally, Ikuo had become a key member of Mazda’s design team. One day, he came home from work and showed a photograph to his now-retired father. Framed within it was the final concept design of the upcoming Mazda RX-8.

“Oh, it’s rather good,” Matasaburo replied. It was only then that Ikuo revealed to his dad that he had been the one overseeing the RX-8 project from the outset. However you feel about family succession in the workplace, you’ve got to admit that there’s a nice symmetry about this story. Ikuo Maeda remains key to Mazda’s design philosophy in the present day. However, he has a far more ‘emotive’ approach to styling compared to his function-focused father.

Inspired By The Porsche 924

It’s easy to see the design lineage between the Mk1 and Mk2 (FC) RX-7s. At the end of the day, both are wedge-shaped, two-door coupes. However, Mazda themselves admit that the inspiration for the FC’s new look didn’t just come from its predecessor.

At the time, every foreign marque was attempting to crack the American market. One brand that had been doing so with great success was Porsche. As a result, Mazda took many core aesthetic elements of the Porsche 924 and put their own twist on them to create the FC RX-7.

Unfortunately, the US-focused approach didn’t help the car from a dynamic point of view. Of the three Mazda RX-7 generations to be built over the years, the FC is easily the ‘softest’ due to it being marketed as more of a GT cruiser than an outright sports car. Thankfully, that identity crisis was put right when the FD came around.

Drifting Beyond Tokyo

Anyone with a love for modified cars will be familiar with the Fast & Furious franchise. That also means you’ll be familiar with Han’s Mazda RX-7 from Tokyo Drift. It wasn’t the first FD to be featured in the film series – remember Dom Toretto’s red one in the opening movie? However, the orange and black RX-7 in Tokyo Drift is the one that we all remember.  Whether it be for its crazy Veilside body kit, or deep-rooted connection to one of the series’ most adored characters.

However, the FD RX-7 wasn’t just a drifting icon on the silver screen. As it turns out, it was also a pretty formidable sideways weapon in reality.

Three years before Tokyo Drift was shown in cinemas around the world, a driver named Youichi Imamura claimed the prestigious D1 GP championship behind the wheel of an FD. That title would be the first of four for Imamura. It made him the most successful drifter in D1 GP history.

If you’re unfamiliar with D1 GP, it’s best described as the Japanese tournament which turned drifting into not only a professional sport, but also an internationally recognised ‘subculture’ within the modified car scene. It’s still going today, but championships such as Formula Drift often get more attention from Western audiences.

Anyway, the point is that the Mazda RX-7’s reputation as a solid drift car isn’t just based around a work of fiction. Like the Nissan Silvia S15, the FD RX-7 was also front and center when drifting began to boom in popularity. In fact, it’s still prominent today.

Ruling The World

On top of the drifting antics, the Mazda RX-7 also happened to be pretty good at gripping its way around the world’s race circuits. Starting with the SA22, the Mk1 RX-7 did a lot of work to solidify the car’s international sporting reputation. Its accolades are numerous, however some stand out more than others.

Percy’s brace of British Touring Car Championship titles in 1980 & 1981 spring to mind. So does the car’s outright victory at the 1981 24 Hours of Spa. Tom Walkinshaw Racing prepared the cars on all instances. Pierre Dieudonne and Walkinshaw himself took the famous endurance win in Belgium. Not only were these feats impressive, but they also helped Mazda big-time from a PR perspective. By winning at such an elite level, the performances acted as testament to the reliability of the car’s unique rotary engine tech.

The victories didn’t stop with the SA22 either. The US-focused Mk2 FC appeared (albeit heavily modified) in America’s IMSA Sportscar Championship, where it won its class in every year that it competed. That whitewash even spawned a special edition of the FC road car, known as the GTUs.

Somewhat perplexingly, the RX-7’s factory-backed motorsport efforts were scaled back in the 1990s, despite the roadgoing version of the Mk3 FD being the sportiest Mazda RX-7 of them all. That didn’t stop tuning houses such as RE Amemiya using the car in domestic Japanese championships though. In fact, more on that next…

The Legend of RE Amemiya

If you’re a fan of Japanese car culture, you’ll probably have watched the legendary anime series, Initial D. In that show, the Mazda RX-7 plays a starring role alongside Takumi’s AE86 Trueno. What you might not know though is that, in its final form, Keisuke’s FD RX-7 is built almost entirely of RE Amemiya parts. A fitting choice, given the brand’s stature as the go-to rotary tuning house.

Founded in 1974 by Isami Amemiya, the company really began to stand out as the definitive Mazda tuner in the mid-nineties. In 1995, it entered a heavily modified FD into the Japanese Super GT Championship. RE Amemiya continued to fine-tune their race car for the next fifteen years, and even managed to win their class in 2006.

Away from the circuit success though, RE Amemiya continued to gain credence as a street tuner. Their products’ appearances in Initial D no doubt helped, as did their willingness to put their modifications to the test in a very public setting. Japanese TV show, Hot Version, has a long history of putting cars up against each other in touge events, and RE Amemiya was no stranger to such battles. All in all, they’ve taken the show’s ‘Touge Monster’ crown three times.

Although RE Amemiya still supports the Mazda RX-7 aftermarket like nobody else does, they’ve long since had to branch out into other Mazda models, given that the RX-7 bowed out of production twenty years ago.

Nevertheless, RE Amemiya and the Mazda RX-7 will forever be intertwined as true icons of the modified JDM scene.

The Most Important Fact Of Them All

Mazda RX-7 owners & enthusiasts really SHOULD know this already, but in case you don’t we’ll bring you up to speed now.

Rotary engines burn oil by design. That means they require much more regular maintenance than piston engines. So, if there’s one thing that you take away from this Mazda RX-7 trivia article, let it be this: keep on top of your oil levels! Otherwise, you’ll be facing broken apex seals and all the financial pain that comes with it…

If that doesn’t put you off and you’d like to see which RX-7 could be right for you, check out our Mazda RX-7 ultimate guide to every generation of the car!

The post Mazda RX-7 Trivia: Things You Didn’t Know appeared first on Fast Car.

Points of contact are all-important when it comes to grip. It’s why cheetahs run on all four legs and rock climbers rarely just use their hands. It is also why Audi scooped up all the rally silverware in the early 1980s and changed the perception and execution of competitive drivetrains forever. Sending power to all four wheels can help you get the power down quicker. This can get you around corners faster and, if need be, drive off-road. Although the latter isn’t what we’re looking at here; yes, there’s a whole world of off-roaders that employ four-wheel-drive for mud-plugging purposes. Furthermore, there’s a plethora of used car options, all with a huge amount of capability.

Here, we’re looking at our favorite cars that use four-wheel drive for performance ends. There’s a mixture of old and new, as well as sleepers and iconic models thrown in for good measure. Without further ado, it’s our best 4WD cars guide.

Best 4WD Cars

Audi S4 (B6)

Given Audi’s generations-old connection with all-wheel-drive, and the manner in which Quattro has become synonymous with 4WD cars as a concept, it makes sense for us to start with an Audi. But perhaps not the one you might expect.

You see, this is a road car that wraps up all of that legendary motorsport-derived performance and grip, that you yourself can easily pick up for less than the price of a new Fiesta. These days we’ve got so used to hot Audis with crazy horsepower figures that it’s easy to be blasé about them. Every model in the range has a fiery variant, even the frumpy Q5. You forget how mind-warpingly good fast Audis are.

This also leads to a certain element of snobbishness. Audi’s sport models operate a two-tier system – ‘S’ and ‘RS’ (just like Ford’s old ‘XR’ and ‘RS’ system in the 1980s!). People tend to sideline the S models for ‘not being an RS’. This is a mistake. Just look at the B6-generation S4.

Built from 2003-05, this is a sensible family saloon car that’s had a colossal V8 shoehorned into it. It’s not a compromise or simply ‘not an RS’, it’s a total loon. It doesn’t need to have an engine that big. But who cares about ‘need’?

The B6 S4 packs an all-aluminium 40-valve 4.2-litre V8, producing 339bhp. Which is ridiculous, really. It’ll do 0-62mph in 5.6 seconds. Best of all? You don’t just have to choose a saloon either – there’s an S4 convertible, and even an S4 Avant (estate) if you fancy terrifying your dog.

Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32)

This, for many, is the ultimate Skyline. The one that earned the Godzilla nickname, the one that was so unbeatable on track that it got banned, the one that became a tuner icon.

The Skyline generations that preceded the R32 were very of-their-time in their boxiness. The curvaceous and muscular design of the new-for-1989 model has aged extremely well. Available as a two-door coupe or four-door saloon, the sharp new Skyline was offered with a variety of drivetrain options, including several variants of the iconic RB26 straight-six, with most versions featuring the HICAS four-wheel steering system.

History remembers the R32 principally for its all-dominating GT-R variant (and all of the many, many race victories of this hyperintelligent, hyperactive monster). Its specs would be impressive even on a new car today. This balls-out 4WD road-racer had the outrageous RB26DETT, the twin-turbo 2.6-litre version of the RB straight-six, serving up an official gentleman’s-agreement 276bhp. (It’s actually closer to 310-320bhp; the motor was designed to run 500bhp+ in race trim, then detuned and slightly de-spec’d for road use.)

A number of GT-R evolutions appeared; initial homologation regs demanded 16” wheels, so the original GT-R ran sixteens with compact four-pot brakes. When the regs changed in 1993 to allow 17” wheels, the GT-R V-Spec ran bigger BBS wheels with larger Brembos. Then, the V-Spec II appeared a year later, principally to offer wider and stickier tires. The limited-edition Nismo GT-R complied with Group A ‘Evolution’ regs, with a few aero tweaks and revised cooling ducts. And the unicorn-like N1 GT-R featured extensive extra chassis welding for stiffness, along with lots of things stripped out for weight-saving (stereo, air-con, rear wiper, ABS, headlight projectors, they even had thinner paint). But whichever R32 GT-R you’re looking at, it’s a thrilling chapter in motoring folklore.

Subaru Impreza WRX STI Mk3 (GRB)

There are few cars in automotive history that have created quite the impact or left such an impression on the buying public as the Subaru Impreza. Not only did it normalize the idea of affordable four-door saloons with the power to shame far more expensive sports cars, but it served to truly put the Subaru name on the map.

However, after a lengthy and excitable period of churning out road-going rally cars, Subaru made the radical move in 2007 of throwing all of that hard-won heritage in the bin and gluing the treasured Impreza badge to a hatchback, of all things. Unsurprisingly, it actually turned out to be an amazing little car. Alright, the looks were polarizing (particularly to a hardcore of annoyed fans who were adamant that Imprezas should always be three-box saloons, preferably in blue with gold wheels), but people who saw past that found themselves tearing up the country lanes in a sneaky little monster, with an easily tuneable turbo engine and an eager aftermarket ready to shower them in go-faster parts.

The jewel in the crown was the WRX STI: the lesser (but still very impressive) WRX offered 230bhp from its 2.5-litre flat-four, and the WRX STI amped this up to an impressive 296bhp. It ran 0-62mph in just 5.2-seconds; came with intelligent 4WD, huge Brembo brakes, sporty seats and, of course, that trademark offbeat boxer warble. The hot hatch, reimagined, and worthy of a place on our list of the best 4WD cars.

Porsche 911 Carrera 4 S (996)

Porsche enthusiasts laughed at the 996 when it first appeared. They didn’t like the fried-egg headlights, and thought it was cheapening itself by sharing its looks and parts with the far more affordable Boxster. But, history has proved those people wrong. The 996 has grown to be appreciated as a pukka classic in its own right.

The fact that it had a water-cooled engine served to further irritate the purists. Every 911 beforehand had always been air-cooled, so this was anathema to the old-school. But again, time has mellowed perceptions. We can appreciate this peachy powertrain for the legendary entity it is. Particularly when it’s mated to the Carrera 4’s all-wheel-drive system.

Collectors may be chasing after 996 Turbos and GT3s, but for us the Carrera 4 S is the jewel in the line-up. It’s got clever differential braking so it’s as safe as it is sure-footed. You also get 320bhp from the 3.6-litre flat-six. The wide hips house some supercar-size wheels, and this model got a little baby heckblende, which is worth all sorts of kudos among car nerds.

VW Golf R estate

Well, this is a no-brainer isn’t it? Cars don’t get a lot more sensible than the VW Golf. The tagline from that old TV ad says it all: ‘If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen’.

These things have been redefining common sense for generations. And a Golf estate? Well, that just screams ‘I’m wearing beige corduroy slacks’, doesn’t it? (Or it would, if it could ever bring itself to do something so uncouth as scream, which it definitely wouldn’t.)

But the Golf R estate? No, there’s nothing beige about that. This car is an absolute mentalist. The Mk6 Golf R hatchback laid out a statement of intent, with its 266bhp FSI motor, DSG ’box and Haldex 4Motion system, and the subsequent Mk7 went nuts: 296bhp, Race mode… and an estate version. It’s not entirely clear why Volkswagen did this, but let’s not complain because it’s a marvellous idea. The Golf R estate is the despicable 4WD tearaway you can introduce to your mother with a straight face.

Check out our VW fast estate cars guide.

Mitsubishi GTO / 3000GT

Mitsubishi’s GTO – or 3000GT, as it was badged in the UK due to various copyright reasons – was never as big a seller as its supercoupe rivals, the Toyota Supra or the Nissan 300ZX. Arguably, because its challenging styling just didn’t tick the glamour box for contemporary buyers. But it’s something we should all have a bit of a rethink about. It was a lot more remarkable than most people remember.

A real brainiac of a car, the transversely-mounted 3.0-litre V6 engine had 24v heads, with the top-of-the-range model also getting twin turbos. Because Mitsubishi love to overcomplicate a chassis, it also had four-wheel steering, adaptive suspension, and full-time all-wheel drive. Brilliantly, the exterior boasted proper active aerodynamics, the front and rear spoilers moving up and down automatically.

It’s worth noting that the Japanese-market GTO and the UK-market 3000GT are quite different too.  The GTO could be ordered with all sorts of options: nat-asp or twin-turbo, auto or manual, cloth or leather. But with the 3000GT, they couldn’t be bothered with adding complexity to the export models. Mitsubishi knew they wouldn’t shift a lot of them, so they built every 3000GT fully-loaded. This meant 296bhp twin-turbo motor, manual ’box, leather interior. And with that supernatural 4WD chassis, it was hilariously good at corners. Worth of a place on our best 4WD cars guide? We think so…

Nissan Pulsar GTi-R

This car was a real surprise when it came out. While European manufacturers were dabbling in high-revving 1.6-litre motors and front-wheel-drive, Nissan had other ideas. They stood back, biding their time, then barrelled in with the GTi-R and basically smeared egg all over everybody’s faces. Here was a hot hatch boasting a 2.0-litre turbo motor and four-wheel-drive, with attitude in spades and a bonnet vent that every aftermarket bodykit manufacturer wanted to copy.

Sold as the Pulsar GTi-R in Japan and the Sunny GTi-R in Europe, this three-door hyperhatch was a homologation model to allow Nissan to enter the WRC under Group A regs. The SR20DET turbocharged twin-cam produced 227bhp. While the chassis boasted the revered ATTESSA all-wheel drive system, which elevated it to another league among its hatchback peers. 0-62mph was dealt with in just 5.4 seconds, with a top speed of 144mph.

Quite rightly, this car has gone down in automotive history as something of a legend. While big engines and all-wheel drive have become the norm in fast hatchback circles these days, this was truly seismic stuff back in 1990. Very few official UK models were ever sold, but Pulsar imports abound as the modding public caught on. A proper legend, this one.

Audi S1

Yes, we’ve got another Audi in the list. And yes, it’s another one you probably weren’t expecting. You see, while we’re straining at the leash to talk about Group B SWB Quattros and IMSA racers, here’s a model that you can relate to in a real-world scenario; the S1.

When Audi launched the S1 into the bustling supermini market back in 2014, it raised eyebrows by the manner in which it crammed a huge amount of tech into such a small package. In a world where cars are getting bigger and bigger, the A1 is a properly dinky city car. It was surely an act of madness to pack such power and technology into something so unassuming.

But acts of madness are what get us up in the morning, so just look at the S1’s specs. The EA888 2.0-litre turbo engine kicks out 228bhp, there’s Quattro all-wheel-drive, and it looks properly mean. Like small-dog-big-balls mean. It’ll scamper to 62mph in comfortably under six seconds, it’ll run on to 155mph before it headbutts the limiter, and it’s one of the all-time wonderfully daft ideas. 4WD and nutty turbo thrust in your gran’s shopper hatch, precisely why it places in our list of the best 4WD cars.

Subaru Legacy 3.0R Spec B

Stealth is crucial when it comes to deploying big power without garnering unwanted attention, and that’s the reason we’ve always loved a sleeper. And sleepers don’t get a lot sleepier than the Subaru Legacy. Look at it, it’s just a big sensible-person car that middle-aged folks take to the garden center, isn’t it?

Aha, but of course there’s a twist. And its name is ‘3.0R Spec B’. This is a little-known curio whose name is whispered with reverence in Subaru circles: an unassuming saloon (or estate) within which resides a 245bhp flat-six (yep, not a flat-four, you get six cylinders with this one!) mated to an Impreza STI manual gearbox.

It came with an LSD as standard, as well as absolutely huge brakes and Bilstein suspension. It really is a B-road weapon, extremely rapid and with astounding all-wheel-drive handling and grip… but nobody will ever suspect a thing. Well, until someone in a WRX STI pulls up alongside you at the lights and gives you a knowing nod.

Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-400

Mitsubishi’s Evolution line is legendary, and the logical naming system means that, of course, the Evo X is the tenth one. But that aggressive little letter stands for so much more. This car has the X factor, there’s no doubt about that.

For the last of the line, Mitsubishi created something truly radical; whereas the Evo I-III were very similar to one another, as were the IV-VI, and the VII-IX, the X allowed the model to move into a fourth distinct phase – a genuinely futuristic-looking design (at least, it was in 2007) with cutting-edge tech inside.

Whereas every previous generation had used evolutions of the Galant’s 4G63 engine, the Evo X was treated to the newly-designed 4B11T engine – another 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo unit, this one was all-aluminum rather than being iron-blocked, and the baseline for power was 276bhp with many variants having much, much more.

Trim levels

Lots of versions were developed, but our favorites will always be the FQ models. There’s a lot of speculation as to what specifically these letters stand for, although grinning Mitsubishi execs have never denied that it really does stand for ‘F***ing Quick’…

The FQ-300 offered 296bhp, and the subsequent FQ-330 had 326bhp. The FQ-360 (354bhp) ramped up the equipment levels along with the giddy horsepower, gaining a carbon fiber lip spoiler, rear vortex generators (those little shark fin things on the roof), and leather Recaros. And when the FQ-400 arrived, all bets were off: 403bhp is an insane amount of power to extract from a usable and streetable factory-spec four-pot, and this thing could smash 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds. In addition, you got six-pot brakes, revised aero with lots more cooling intakes and vents as well as a much bigger air intake, and all the bells and whistles you find in all top-spec Evo Xs – DVD sat-nav with a 30gb hard drive, Bluetooth, automatic lights and wipers and all that good stuff.

A manically fast car that was also lavishly equipped, the FQ-400 was a fitting send-off for the Evolution line. A true 4WD legend, and why it belongs in our list of the best 4WD cars.

The post Best 4WD Cars appeared first on Fast Car.

Over the years, the competitive Pikes Peak hill climb has given us some of the wildest, most creative modified cars. So, as we look towards this year’s showdown, we’ve gone back through history to look at the coolest, most bonkers monsters to ever scale the famous Colorado mountain. 

Before, we get into that though, we should probably give you a little background information, in case this whole hill climb thing is new to you…

What Is Pikes Peak?

Held since 1916, the Pikes Peak hill climb is a car race with one simple aim: get to the summit of Pikes Peak quicker than anybody else. Originally, Spencer Penrose initiated the event as a way of drawing visitors to the newly-built Pikes Peak Highway, hoping to promote trade at the surrounding settlements that the road serviced.

However, even he couldn’t predict the initiative’s success. In fact, the annual time trial proved so popular that it has outlasted Penrose himself, only pausing during the two World Wars. As such, it’s the USA’s second-oldest motorsport event, and these days attracts the gaze of an international audience.

Given its stature within the automotive landscape, Pikes Peak has become an annual pilgrimage for car manufacturers and tuning houses alike, each arriving with the aim of outshining each other with faster, crazier machines. Not that we’re complaining…

Anyway, now that you’re up to speed, here’s a selection of the best Pikes Peak cars we could think of:

Volkswagen ID.R

We’re starting off with one of the big guns. You’ll almost certainly have seen the Volkswagen ID.R online at some point. Designed to promote VW’s upcoming (now current) range of ID electric vehicles, the ID.R was special.

Debuting in 2018, VW created the ID.R with the intention of merely breaking the record time for an electric car. However, when legendary French racing driver Romain Dumas planted himself into the driver’s seat, it wasn’t just the electric record that came tumbling down, but the overall record too. In fact, the Volkswagen ID.R was the first car to ever climb Pikes Peak in less than eight minutes; 7:57.148 to be precise.

After that resounding success, the ID.R had a few more competitive outings, namely at Goodwood and the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Remarkably, it also smashed the hill climb/lap record at both those venues too.

How is it so fast? Well, the ID.R makes use of two electric motors which send a combined 680hp to the wheels instantly. Not insane by modern standards, but when you consider that its extreme aero was designed by performance specialists, Norma, and that it weighs just 2500lbs (1100kg), things start to make a bit more sense. To give you an idea of just how rapid this thing is, 60mph arrives in an eye-watering 2.25 seconds from a stand still.

Sadly, Volkswagen ceased its motorsport operations at the start of the new decade, so for now, the ID.R is enjoying a blissful retirement at the top of time charts all around the world.

Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak

Before Dumas and his ID.R, the outright Pikes Peak hill climb record was owned for half a decade by another French motorsport legend: Sébastien Loeb.

Loeb has won the FIA World Rally Championship nine times – a feat that nobody else in history has been able to match. So, when Peugeot decided to take on the ‘Race to the Clouds’ with their bespoke 208 T16, he stood out as the obvious choice as the man to put behind the wheel.

Anyway, a special driver still needs a special car, and Peugeot certainly served Loeb up with a good one. Boasting 875bhp from its 3.2-liter V6 and weighing just 875kg, the 208 T16 Pikes Peak had a power-to-weigh ratio of 1016bhp/ton. For context, that’s double the force of a Bugatti Veyron.

The rest of its specs are just as staggering. 0-62mph is achieved in just 1.8 seconds, and – as you might expect – its running gear bears no resemblance to your average 208. Instead, it’s crammed full of the same chassis parts used in Peugeot’s Le Mans-winning 908 HDI prototype!

The result of their 2013 attempt was a new record of 8:13.878 minutes, shattering the previous benchmark by more than a minute. Bonkers…

Audi Quattro S1 Pikes Peak

If you’re a scholar of rallying, you’ll know that the Group B cars of the 1980s were outright lethal at the best of times. However, that didn’t stop Audi pushing its revolutionary S1 Quattro even further when the time came to take on Pikes Peak.

Using the maniacal rally car as a base, Audi lowered its kerb weight to a mere 2200lbs (998kg) and then shifted the mass to create an almost perfect 50:50 distribution. As for aero devices, the S1 was given a more aggressive rake, while the bodywork became outright outlandish – even incorporating a double-stacked rear wing.

The turbocharger under its hood was also far larger than the one you’d find in the Quattro’s WRC counterpart, resulting in an output of around 750hp from its five-cylinder engine. Walter Röhrl would go on to wrestle the car up the mountain in 10:47.850 minutes, which at the time (1987) also happened to be the quickest that anyone had ever managed. Afterwards, he described the accelerator as being like an ‘on/off switch’. Sounds pretty sketchy…

Peugeot 405 T16 GR Pikes Peak

Even prior to their success with Loeb and the 208, Peugeot had a rich history of competing at Pikes Peak. It all started in the ’80s Group B era. Having battled hard with Audi on the WRC stage, Peugeot modified its 205 rally car to continue the feud against the S1 Quattro on the mountain. This time though, the French brand lost out to the German one, but that didn’t stop Peugeot from returning to Pikes Peak even after Audi had moved on.

See, Peugeot’s main gripe with its 205 in this context was the wheelbase. Inwardly, they understood that the 205 was realistically just too short to be truly competitive on the Pikes Peak layout. Happily, the longer 405 sedan was just about to enter production in the late 1980s, giving Peugeot Talbot Sport the perfect new platform (and marketing excuse) to give Pikes Peak another go.

In the end, their efforts were rewarded. In 1988, Ari Vatanen clocked a time of 10:47.220 – enough to eclipse Röhrl’s attempt with Audi from the previous year by less than a second. Then, Robby Unser would go on to make it back-to-back Pikes Peak victories for the 405, when he too claimed a win with the car 12 months later.

For many, the 405 T16 is perhaps one of the most recognizable Pikes Peak cars of all time; something no doubt aided by Jean-Louis Mourey’s short movie, ‘Climb Dance’, which showcases Vatanen’s run up the hill. Even if you’ve not knowingly seen that film, it’s highly likely that you’ll have seen clips from it used elsewhere, such is its prominence.

Bentley Continental Pikes Peak

Comfort, elegance, sophistication. These are the sort of words that spring to mind when someone mentions the name, ‘Bentley’. So, you might be wondering why they decided to fit a Continental with a very *un* sophisticated body kit and fling it up a mountain…

Well, weirdly, the answer is sustainability. See, this Conti is part of a wider Bentley research and development program, designed to get a better understanding of renewable fuels. As is becoming increasingly common these days, Bentley acknowledges that a more environmentally-friendly future won’t be solely built on electrification. As such, they hope that renewable combustion fuels will act as a second strand to the solution, resulting in various test mule creations such as this.

The car itself is actually based on one of Bentley’s old GT3 race cars, rather than a stock roadgoing Continental. So, from the off, it was a serious bit of kit. However, in order to tackle the grueling hill climb, Bentley upped the power of its 4.4-liter V8 to 750hp. To achieve this, the pistons and conrods were strengthened, and a pair of massively upscaled turbos were added, complete with an external wastegate venting into side-exit screamer pipes. How very un-Bentley.

Handling wise, this big old barge has got 30% more downforce than a regular Continental GT3 racer, and both front and rear axles run significantly reduced camber to aid the car’s low-speed cornering performance. Perhaps surprisingly, this beast is also running on the softest springs and anti-roll bars that Bentley had access to. Usually, that’d be counterintuitive with a performance car, but Bentley hoped to give this Pikes Peak racer *more* body roll, supposedly to utilize the onset of weight transfer under braking. There’s one for you car setup wizards to ponder…

Banks Power Freightliner Cascadia

Alright, this one’s technically not a car per se, but it’s still epic so we reckon it’s allowed a seat at the table.

Built by American diesel specialists, Banks Power, this Freightliner Cascadia churns out a whopping 2400hp and 4000lb ft of torque! Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, there’s also 400hp worth of water & meth injection on tap if you decide you need a bit more oomph on the straights.

Naturally, under the hood this is no regular Cascadia. It’s powered by a 14-liter Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine, accompanied by an ECU from the same tuning shop. Banks then added their own ‘Super Turbo’ system, which is comprised of a three-filter ram air intake, 8.3-liter whipple twin-screw supercharger, S510 Borg Warner turbocharger, and finally some Tial wastegates and blow-off valves. A five speed ZF automatic transmission and Meritor differential then has the difficult task of sending all that power to the wheels.

Truth be told, everywhere you look around this truck, there’s a cool little detail. The modified cab, for example, is partially built from the bodywork of a bi-plane, while the rear wing is a modified version of the sort of aero equipment that they were running in Champ Car racing back in the ’90s.

While this is certainly an independent effort, it’s clear that Freightliner gave the project their blessing. In fact, a team of Freightliner engineers volunteered to construct the core chassis and roll cage.

Hoonipigasus

On the opposite end of the build spectrum, there’s this. The ‘Hoonipigasus’ is based on the much more svelte Porsche 912, and was constructed by BBi Autosport on behalf on the late Ken Block’s Hoonigan division.

Featuring a livery that harks back to Porsche’s iconic ‘pink pig’ Le Mans colors, this 1966 912 (no, we don’t mean 911 – Google it) has had its heart surgically torn out and replaced by a bespoke twin-turbo 4.0-liter flat six. The result? 1400 horsepower.

Those ponies are then sent to all four corners of the car through a custom AWD system, and in a package that weighs just 2200lbs (1000kg), these ingredients should translate into a truly mind-bending set of performance stats. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking that this 912 has been built to just ‘brute force’ its way up the mountain either. One cool little feature is how its suspension adjusts based upon GPS readings. Essentially, using telemetry from BBi’s previous runs up the course, the Hoonipigasus can automatically raise or lower its suspension for optimal performance at every specific part of the road on its way up.

Unfortunately, we never quite got to find out how all that theory translated into reality. The engine blew up during testing at the 2022 edition of Pikes Peak, and tragically, Block himself passed away before being able to give it another go in 2023. However, in his honor, Ken’s 16-year-old daughter Lia has driven the car up the mountain pass in an emotional untimed exhibition run. She’s also set to compete in Ken’s Escort Cosworth V2 in an ARA event.

Suzuki V6 Escudo Pikes Peak Special

Here’s one for the Gran Turismo generation.

Over the years, Suzuki has given us some downright bonkers Pikes Peak cars. Their most recent build (very loosely based on the SX4) is my personal favorite, however its the old Escudo which strikes a chord with most people.

Why? Well, it’s one of many obscure Japanese cars to gain niche stardom from the Gran Turismo video game series, and thankfully, the reality of the Escudo Pikes Peak does match up to its cultural legend.

Designed to promote the off-road prowess of Suzuki’s small SUV range, this be-winged 90s silhouette racer came packing just shy of 1000hp thanks to its mid-positioned and highly-modified twin-turbo V6. The cartoon-esque aero package was therefore as necessary as it was awesome, and in the end, the Escudo would make it up to the summit in a time of 10 minutes 21 seconds. Impressive, but not quite record-breaking.

Suzuki and their chosen driver Nobuhiro Tajima would eventually go on to claim the outright record with the SX4 at the start of the 2010s, but it wasn’t long before Peugeot returned to steal the limelight…

The post Best Pikes Peak Cars Of All Time appeared first on Fast Car.

The tenth installment of the Fast and Furious franchise is coming to the big screen on May 19th 2023, and although this series has become a controversial one amongst the car community, we thought we’d celebrate it anyway. After all, despite the modern films’ disdain for physics and the increasingly convoluted plot, you’ll probably still catch us at our local cinema on launch night, popcorn in hand.

So, with ten films in the bank (discounting that questionable Hobbs & Shaw spin-off), we figured we’d come up with a shortlist of our ten favorite fast and furious cars of all time. Undoubtedly, you’ll have your own opinions on this, so make sure to get in touch and tell us how wrong or right we are on the Fast Car socials! Find us on Facebook, or Instagram.

Anyway, let’s get straight into it. Here are our picks for the best fast and furious cars to ever bless our TV screens:

Best Fast and Furious Cars

1994 Toyota Supra

From: The Fast and The Furious
Is there a more iconic Fast and Furious car than this? The twin-turbocharged 2,997cc 2JZ-GTE engine under the hood of this Supra was modified to produce around 650hp, with boost coming on at around 4000rpm. It famously earned its place in the original Fast and Furious movie after director Rob Cohen was scared witless in the passenger seat, and given those specs back in 2001, we can certainly see why! Given its subsequent Hollywood prestige, this Supra would go on to sell for $550,000 at auction!

Here’s the thing though, it’s not actually that much of a looker, is it? Those graphics were maligned by legit enthusiasts back in the day, and they haven’t exactly aged well. The same can be said for the rest of the styling. Nevertheless, it’s certainly a car which made an impression on most of you reading this when you were growing up, so for that reason (and its epic credentials under the hood) it has to top this list.

Top Fact:
Probably one of the most heavily tweaked cars from the early phase of the series, this Supra is a genuine tuner car from the modified scene’s heyday, equipped with a vast array of engine mods as well as a Bomex body kit and APR rear wing. If you want to know more about its history and its internals, check out this video.

1970 Dodge Charger

From: Multiple films in different incarnations
As one of Dom Toretto’s main cars, the 1970 Dodge Charger has seen a lot of screen time in the Fast and Furious series – something no doubt aided by the sponsorship deal that Fast and Furious has with various US-facing Stellantis marques. Crashed and rebuilt over and over again in all sorts of different guises, the Dodge Charger is one of the few cars to canonically make a recurring appearance.

The iteration pictured above is from the fourth film, however it’s the original which sticks in most people’s minds. Used to hunt down Johnny Tran and then take on Brian in one final race, the original Charger joins the aforementioned A80 Supra as one of the franchise’s top automotive icons. In total, the production team used five Chargers to create the first film, so we can only begin to imagine how many of these classic American muscle cars Universal Studios has torn through by now.

Top Fact:
The modified engine is supposedly capable of covering a quarter mile in 9 seconds flat, thanks to a supercharged Chrysler Hemi V-8 engine (bored to 445 cubic inches) with 900hp. In the first movie, the engine is mechanically injected, but in the fourth, Brian notes that Dom has swapped over to electronic fuel injection instead.

Only one scene – the first film’s ‘garage scene’ where Dom reveals his backstory – actually features the fabled engine in it though. The power unit was borrowed from a race shop for that detailed shot, but throughout the shooting of the rest of the movie, the stunt cars all ran on standard small blocks. For more info on this car, click here.

1968 Ford Escort RS1600

From: Fast and Furious 6
For the production of Fast and Furious 6, Universal Studios bought five right-hand-drive RS1600s and then rebuilt them all – the team went as far as stripping each car to the bare bones before starting a full revamp. All received custom roll cages – a standard mod for Fast and Furious cars – and the team also decked them out with racing seats, individual switches for ignition and fuel pumps, 13-by-7 inch wheels and a series of body changes to make a badass version of the British favorite. Arguably, these are some of the most tastefully built cars of the entire franchise.

Top Fact:
In one scene the Fast and Furious 6 Mk1 Escort performs and survives a huge jump that looks amazing in the film, but of course wrote-off two of the cars during filming. The gutting part is that those two smashed Escorts were genuine RS1600s, not replicas. Happily though, an enthusiast fully restored one of them, and later sold it for around £80,000 (approximately $100,000). If you’re based in the UK and love these older motors, then make sure you head over to Ford Fair later this Summer!

2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII

From: The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
The red Evo 8 hero car from Tokyo Drift wasn’t the first Lancer to have a main role in the franchise. Brian drove a green Evo 7 in 2 Fast 2 Furious, but from an aesthetic point of view, Sean’s Tokyo Drift ‘8 is surely the better of the pair.

That’s probably because all the Evos built for Tokyo Drift are replicas of a genuine APR Racing demo car, which Dustin Williams owns nowadays. The demo car makes about 450hp, however it never actually appears in the film. The replica Evos all feature very similar external modifications, but internally, they’re nothing alike the demo car. Crucially, the stunt cars had to undergo a conversion to rear-wheel drive so that they could, y’know… drift. As such, they’re actually slower than your average standard Evo 8. Still, they look incredible, and the car that they’re based on is a genuine HKS-tuned thoroughbred.

Top Fact:
Prior to Dustin purchasing it, the APR Racing demo car had just 10,500 miles on the clock. Also, the renowned Millen family had a hand in building the movie cars.

1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS

From: The Fast and the Furious
One of the first cars we see in the Fast and Furious franchise, Brian’s Eclipse certainly didn’t have it easy. Between the infamous ‘danger to manifold’ race scenario, to being blown up by Johnny Tran’s crew, the little Japanese coupe took a real beating.

Still, not every example used in the film production met its grizzly end on set. There are still genuine Eclipse movie cars in existence today and there are several replicas too, because despite this car’s relatively lowly position in the performance car pecking order of the time, it captured the hearts of the audience. Possibly because it was so attainable, and yet, still so aspirational.

Top Fact:
In reality, the Eclipse was a true entry-level build. Its NOS tanks were fake, and under the hood it had minimal modifications. These amounted to an Injen cold air intake, ported throttle body, and custom exhaust manifold. On a dyno, it’d probably produce about 150hp. What’s more, its Robocar bodykit was essentially an imitation of the more premium Blitz kit.

Veilside Fortune Mazda RX-7

From: The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Given the love for the character Han, this car’s synonymity with him surely marks it out as one of the favorites. What’s more, whereas many of the Fast and Furious movie cars were mechanically stock, this one has genuine modifications. To begin with, this Mazda RX-7 was a Veilside demo car, designed to showcase the now-iconic Fortune bodykit. After its parade at the Tokyo Auto Salon, Universal studios decided to buy it directly from Veilside for use in Tokyo Drift. As such, it came pre-loaded with a bunch of mods that Universal wouldn’t have to fork out for themselves. The brake system was modified with some huge discs and four-piston calipers, while A’PEXi N1 coilovers tightened up the fender gap and the handling. All Universal had to do was repaint it from red to orange.

Top Fact:
Additional tuning to the Mazda RX-7 included a HKS T04Z unit turbo kit and V-mounted intercooler, producing 306 horsepower at 6,650 rpm thanks to its rotary engine. The model also attained 60mph in just six seconds, and only 14.1 seconds to take the quarter mile. For the full story, watch this video.

2000 Honda S2000

From: The Fast and The Furious & 2 Fast 2 Furious (in different guises) 
The artistic Suki is one of the many likeable side characters from the Fast and Furious franchise, and her car certainly has plenty of fans too. For some, the pink paint scheme is too much, but it appeals massively to the Itasha livery crowd. Regardless of how you feel about its exterior (personally we love it!), the internals of this S2K are something which we can all appreciate.

Formerly owned by tuning culture icon, RJ de Vera, this S2000 is packing a supercharger conversion, as well as a HKS exhaust and suspension set-up. The bodykit is a Veilside number, as de Vera had a personal connection with the company. Doug de Muro has done a video on this car, which you can watch here.

Top Fact:
Suki’s S2000 actually has a much darker past. It’s the same car driven by the first film’s villain, Johnny Tran. In case you were wondering, Tran’s black aesthetic is much closer to how the car originally looked when it was part of de Vera and Versus Motorsport’s personal collection – just without the throwing star graphics. For the full story, watch this video.

2000 Nissan Skyline GT-R

From: Fast and Furious (the fourth one)
We’re going to be a bit controversial here. While we acknowledge that for many people, the 2 Fast 2 Furious R34 Skyline is one of the best cars of the franchise, we were never much fans of its muscle car-inspired livery. Instead, we prefer the much cleaner Bayside Blue example driven by Paul Walker in the fourth film.

Whereas they shot the stunt sequences with lesser GT-S models, the production crew used this genuine GT-R for the ‘hero shots’. Built by Kaizo Industries, Walker himself had a say in how the car turned out.

Top Fact:
If you thought $550,000 was a lot to pay for the Supra from the original film, you ain’t seen nothing yet. This exact R34 from the movie recently fetched a whopping $1.35 million at auction.

1993 Mazda RX-7 FD

From: The Fast and The Furious & 2 Fast 2 Furious (in different guises)
If Han’s Veilside-kitted RX-7 isn’t for you, you might prefer the more recognizable FD driven by Dom in the first film, and Orange Julius in the sequel. While canonically they’re not the same car, in reality, they are (just pre and post makeover).

It’s running the stock 13B rotary engine which produces 255hp, but comes equipped with a flamethrower exhaust as seen in the movies. The exterior aesthetics comprise of a Versus body kit and J-Spec hood, while the rims are 18-inch Ro_Ja five-spokes. On the inside, you’ll find a pair of Sparco seats and custom upholstery from House of Kolor.

Top Fact:
At the time of writing, this car has just 38,376 miles on the odometer and is up for sale at Mecum Auctions in Indianapolis, USA. Mecum estimates that it’ll sell for between $175,000-$250,000…

2002 Nissan 350z

From: The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift
The more you dig into the plot of The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift, the less of a villain Takashi (aka ‘DK’) seems to become. Sure, he might be Yakuza offspring and clearly has some anger issues, but besides that he’s simply surrounded by betrayal and family pressure. His car is certainly worthy of a villain though, I mean, just look at it.

Our final pick had to be the Veilside Nissan 350z. In total, the movie crew built 11 of these cars but only one got the full list of modifications. These included an APS twin-turbo setup, Nismo LSD, and Magnaflow exhaust system which ensured it could crank out 430hp. Professional drivers Rhys Millen and Tanner Foust handled the 350z’s stunt sequences, including the ice-cool ramp drift.

Top Fact:
The production crew chose the scarab/dung beetle graphics as the insect supposedly represents ‘immortality and resurrection’. Not sure what that has to do with anything, but hey, from a distance it looks kinda cool until you realize it’s a dung beetle.

The post Best Fast and Furious Cars appeared first on Fast Car.

Fitting a bigger turbo is almost guaranteed to give your car a bhp boost, or certainly the potential to make more power through car tuning. But it’s not often a simple case of bolting on a new blower and forgetting about everything else. To optimize the performance potential of that new turbocharger, a few other upgrades are usually needed along the way too.

To help point us in the right direction, we spoke to TurboZentrum. The company’s roots may be in turbocharger upgrades, but with the UK’s biggest online shop for products and accessories in the performance sector, TurboZentrum’s experts are well-placed to talk us through what supporting mods we could need, and why.

Let’s look at the top 10 best mods for turbo engines…

10 Best Mods For Turbo Engines

Installation Kits

You’ve got your shiny new turbo sat in the box waiting to go onto your car, but have you got all the right nuts and bolts, clamps, and manifold to install it? Thankfully TurboZentrum stocks a wide range of installation kits for the most popular turbo units as well as a selection of performance manifolds, or all the various collectors, flanges, and wastegate ports to build a custom one.

Intercooler

A bigger turbo usually means more air being forced into your engine, and that means higher charge temperatures. The standard intercooler may work fine on a stock tune but will often struggle to keep that boosted air cool or become a restriction to the airflow when we start to increase boost levels. A good performance intercooler will keep temps under control and be less restrictive for airflow, both of which means your turbo can safely deliver the increased amounts of air you want it to.

Downpipe

A turbocharger is effectively a big air pump, and like any pump, the amount of work it can do depends on how much air you can get in and out of it, and how quickly. Many stock downpipes are too small for tuned engines and will strangle the performance of your new turbocharger. A larger, free-flowing downpipe will allow the exhaust gases to escape nice and quickly and keep that turbo flowing as freely as it should.

Blow-off Valves

Blow-off valve. Recirculation valve. Dump valve. Call it what you will; we’re talking about the valve that directs excess boost air back into the inlet system or ­– in the case of a blow-off or dump valve – vents it to the atmosphere. Many OEMs make their parts from cheap plastics and rubber, which can degrade over time (especially when near the excess heat of a turbo!) and the first time we increase the boost pressures these can split and fail. For high-boost applications, some are simply too small to get rid of the excess air fast enough. Performance upgrades from the likes of Turbosmart and GFB are made from durable materials, designed to work with a specific application, and offer a fit-and-forget solution.

Wastegate

If your new turbo doesn’t feature an internal wastegate, then you’re going to need to add an external one. This will require plumbing one into the exhaust manifold (aftermarket manifolds with wastegate take-offs offer a neater but more expensive solution) to allow you to control the turbo speed. As a bonus, an external wastegate does allow you to run a screamer pipe too.

Air Intake Kit

In the same way that a restrictive downpipe will strangle performance by not letting exhaust gases out fast enough, an intake kit that is too obstructive will stop air coming into the turbo fast enough and have a similar result. Usually, a decent air intake will already be in place by the time you look to upgrade the turbo, but it’s worth bearing in mind that you may need an even bigger, freer-flowing induction kit for that new turbo.

Heat Protection

With a bigger, harder-working turbo comes increased levels of heat. And heat is the enemy when it comes to a performance engine. Not only can it rob power via heat soak, but it can play havoc with nearby delicate wiring and plumbing. TurboZentrum stocks a range of Boost Products heat management solutions, so investing in a turbo blanket, wrapping or sleeving delicate wiring or cables, or using reflective tape and heat shields to control under-bonnet heat are all things you may want to consider when fitting that bigger turbo.

Engine Internals

You’re fitting a bigger turbo because you want more power, right? But can the rest of the engine cope? There’s no point in having a turbo capable of 500bhp if your rods and pistons will fall apart at 300bhp. Make sure the rest of your engine can handle the planned power before you fit that turbo upgrade, and if necessary, look to add forged rods and pistons, better sealing gaskets, and heavy-duty bearings to ensure you have the foundations already in place.

Injectors

A bigger turbo supplies more air, but you’ll need more fuel to match. For the substantial power increases usually associated with turbo upgrades, you’ll likely find the standard injectors simply won’t flow enough fuel to keep up. That’s when you’ll need to add a larger set of injectors and have the ECU remapped accordingly too.

ECU Remap

If you’re going to the levels of upgrading the turbocharger, the engine parameters will have changed so much you will almost certainly need revised software settings to make it all work. A performance remap will bring everything together and optimise the physical hardware upgrades – including a new turbo – to ensure your engine is delivering as much power as possible.

Who are TurboZentrum?

If you’ve found this rundown of the best mods for turbo engines useful, be sure to check out TurboZentrum when taking on your own project.

TurboZentrum started as a small online business in 2004 and has continued to grow into the UK’s biggest online shop for products and accessories in the performance sector. With shops in Manchester and Berlin, TurboZentrum offers a huge range of turbos and accessories at affordable prices.

Call them at: 0161 503 3833

Or, head over to: https://turbozentrum.co.uk

The post Best Mods For Turbo Engines appeared first on Fast Car.

We have a saying here at Fast Car: ‘Do as we say, but not necessarily always what we do… unless it’s something awesome, which it probably is, but tread carefully just in case’. It’s not the catchiest saying, granted, but it is quite appropriate for this particular scenario. You see, we’re about to dole out some advice on first cars.

You see, whether you’re sixteen and champing at the bit to get your driving licence after your next birthday, or you’re in your 20s or 30s (or more) and have only just passed your test, you’ll be looking at your first car with some keenness. It’ll need to be cool, reliable, and cheap to run; frugal on the fuel, easily obtainable service parts and inexpensive tax.

Most importantly, you want something you can afford to insure. In some cases, a first car’s insurance can cost more than the car itself. What we’ve done here is to take a rough budget of around £3,000 and pinpointed the top ten cars you can buy for that which will be cool, fun, and have modifying potential once you’ve built up a bit of no-claims bonus. Choose wisely – we’ve featured quite a few cars over the years which were people’s first rides that they’d modified and built up over a few years. Who knows where this first car adventure will take you…? Without further ado, it’s our 10 best cars for first time drivers.

10 best cars for first time drivers

Ford Fiesta 1.25 (Mk7)

The Fiesta is a bit of a no-brainer when it comes to first cars, and that’s been true for generations, hence why its first on our list of the 10 best cars for first time drivers. They’ve been such a massive seller for so many decades that there will always be a cheap Fiesta knocking about for a first-timer, and the good news is that at our £3k budget point you can get a good one.

You’ll be looking at a 1.25 from around 2015; the 81bhp motor is pretty perky and the car’s surprisingly well-equipped – you’ll more than likely find one with air-con, 16” alloys, leather steering wheel, decent factory audio, all the bells and whistles that we never had back in the olden days! The Fiesta’s really well served by the aftermarket too, so when it comes to modifying time you’ll have oodles of options – the 4×108 PCD is very common so there are lots of wheel options, a set of GAZ coilovers is about £700, and a 4-1 decat manifold can be found for around £250, which will free up a few horses and make the right noises.

Top three Ford Fiesta Mk7 modifications: Coilovers, wheels, exhaust manifold

Mini One (R56)

The Mini proved to be such a massive seller that there are plenty on the used market, so you can pick up quite a lot of car for your money, which is why it’s here on our list of the 10 best cars for first time drivers. Obviously as a first car you’re not going to be going for the sporty top-of-the-range Cooper S – and even the Cooper may prove wallet-stretching at insurance time – but the One is a perfectly decent little car, and most of the bits are interchangeable if you feel like making it faster in the future!

Three grand buys you a great example of a late-model Mk2 (R56) MINI One, which has a 95bhp 1.4-litre motor and a frankly unbelievable combined mpg figure of 61.4! (Although you’ll never see that – but you still won’t be bothering the petrol pumps too often.) The interiors are brilliantly quirky on these cars, and with the wheels right at the car’s corners they’re chuckable little runabouts too. Fit a Quaife LSD and some thicker anti-roll bars from the JCW model and have some fun on the country lanes!

Top three MINI One modifications: LSD, thicker ARBs, Cooper S engine swap

Toyota iQ

We’ve tried to keep this list to cars that look like proper cars, if you see what we mean, and steer away from things like the Citroen C1 and Hyundai i10 which (and no disrespect to owners of such things) tend to look a bit cheap and Fisher-Price. So why include the little Toyota iQ? Because this tiny car has a secret that actually makes it extremely cool…

Let’s look at the facts, first of all. The 1.0-litre model is very cheap to insure, being way down in group 3, and the road tax is free; you also get climate control, a decent stereo, auto lights, auto wipers, all the toys. So what’s the secret? Well, have you heard of the Aston Martin Cygnet? That was a rebadged Toyota iQ sold in the UK from 2011-13 – it cost three times as much as the Toyota and, while the running gear was the same, it had a proper Aston interior. So if you can find a Cygnet in a scrapyard and pillage it for its innards, you’ll have the swankiest supermini in the college car park.

Top three Toyota IQ modifications: Coilovers, funky vinyl wrap, Aston Martin interior

Citroën C4 1.4

The first-generation Citroën C4 was available in two shapes – a five-door which looked frumpy and grandma-ish, and a three-door which looked cool and edgy and slightly weird. When the second-gen car arrived in 2010, the three-door was gone from the range so the frump was the only option… but it’s actually a pretty charming thing to drive, and it’s nicely screwed together with a decent amount of standard-fit kit.

Brilliantly, you’ll only be splashing out half your budget on a 2^nd-gen C4, as £2,500 can bag you a decent example from around 2010. K&N sell an uprated panel filter for the 1.4 engine, or you could go with a universal induction kit; couple it with a custom exhaust from Powerflow and some lowering springs from Cobra or Apex and you’re all set!

Top three Citroen C4 modifications: Exhaust, air filter, lowering springs

Fiat 500 TwinAir

When the Fiat 500 launched in 2007, there was a lot of talk of it being retro and paying homage to the 1957 original. This was obvious in its old-school styling cues, but Fiat didn’t really walk the walk until 2011 when they stuck a two-cylinder engine in it.

OK, two cylinders and a displacement of 0.9-litres may sound like a recipe for misery, but think about it: they’re relatively big cylinders (look at it as a 1.8-litre engine that’s been chopped in half), and it makes a brilliant buzzy noise which makes it hilariously fun to drive. Trust us, this is the most fun you can have at very low speed!

Helpfully, Fiat have flogged oodles of 500s for many years in all sorts of spec variants, so when it’s modifying time you can pick and choose from all the best Abarth bits and beyond. For maximum hero points, why not build yourself a 695 Biposto replica? Or track down the interior and wheels from a Tributo Ferrari, or a Maserati Edizione…

Top three Fiat 500 modifications: Abarth Brembo brakes, Maserati Edizione wheels, Tributo Ferrari interior

Honda Civic 1.4 (Mk8)

Despite being launched sixteen years ago, the 8^th-generation Civic still looks incredibly fresh, with its wraparound lights and weird double-glass tailgate situation. The interior’s awesome too, with a deep-dished steering wheel and a dash that looks like something from a spaceship. The insurance isn’t too heinous on the 1.4 (it’s the same group as the Fiat 500 we were looking at, surprisingly), and while it’s not exactly quick it makes up for it by being stylish!

And after you’ve found your feet as a new driver and built up the ability to insure a few mods, you can really embrace this low-and-slow vibe – a set of BC coilovers wound right down, a great big Kenwood audio install, and a swanky interior retrim by Plush will be ticking all your boxes. (Or just go in completely the opposite direction, sell it and buy a Civic Type R, that’s another option…)

Top three Honda Civic Mk8 modifications: Coilovers, stereo, retrim

Renault Clio 1.2 (Mk3 facelift)

It couldn’t be a list of the 10 best cars for first time drivers without the brilliant Renault Clio. Clios have gone hand-in-hand with hot hatch thrills since the uber-desirable 16v and Williams variants of the Mk1, and these playful chassis are just as willing with the lesser-engined variants. In the case of the Mk3, we’re looking at a post-2009 facelifted version with a 1.2-litre motor at this budget point.

It’s not going to be quick, but it will be very cheap to run and it’ll be pretty well equipped too. And hey, half of ‘quick’ is down to the driver, it’s not all about the car. If you’ve got 75bhp and you’re using every last horse, that’s the same as driving a 150bhp car in a half-hearted manner, right?!

To make the 1.2 Clio quicker, don’t bother trying to tune the engine. It’s futile with this motor, really. No, you need to strip out all of the weight (back seats, spare wheel, soundproofing, everything you don’t need), uprate the suspension, and fit decent tyres. You’ll suddenly find it’s faster than you think!

Top three Renault Clio modifications: Coilovers, quality tyres, thicker anti-roll bars

SEAT Ibiza 1.2 (Mk4)

The Mk4 Ibiza is a great option as it’s basically a cheap Mk5 VW Polo – and the entry-level 1.2 is only insurance group 5! Your £3k budget will get you into a 2014-ish 1.2 S; while the 69bhp motor isn’t going to set the world on fire, it’s definitely going to keep your mum happy, and it runs on vapours so you won’t be spending a lot on fuel. The interior may be a bit rental-spec, but the whole thing’s screwed together to proper VW standards, and the exterior is very stylish too – those mean taillight clusters make it look very angry!

Once you start modding, you’ll really be focusing on aesthetics rather than power; bear in mind that this 1.2 motor is the three-cylinder rather than the 1.2 TSI four-pot, and tuning options are limited. But the bare bones of a cool car are here – with a set of KW Coilovers, some Rotiform LAS-Rs or 3SDM 0.08s, and the factory bodykit from an Ibiza Cupra or Bocanegra, you’ll be hot to trot.

Top three SEAT Ibiza modifications: Coilovers, wheels, OEM+ bodykit

Volvo C30 1.6

The Volvo C30 isn’t really anyone’s first choice for a first car, and with good reason: at insurance group 15, you may struggle to find quotes that are as cheap as, say, a Fiesta, and the same’s true of the parts and servicing costs – the Volvo’s a premium option, so it’ll dent your wallet a bit more. But look at it this way: you’re buying peace of mind – not just for you, as a new driver, but for everyone who cares about you and is panicking about you being unleashed on the public highways among the HGVs. What could be safer than a Volvo…?

If you can make the numbers work for you, the C30 has a lot to offer, which is why it’s here on our list of the top 10 cars for first time drivers. 99bhp from the 1.6 S is a decent amount of power for a first car, and you get a really nicely appointed ride with oodles of standard kit. The styling is crisp and funky – check out the weird glass tailgate! – and if you can find one with the R-Design option, you’ll have 18” wheels, Xenons, a tasty bodykit and all kinds of sporty trim.

We’d then give the interior a proper motorsport theme – a pair of Cobra buckets, some harnesses, a rollcage, extinguishers and killswitches… because if your mum wants you to stay safe, this just takes it all to its logical conclusion, surely?

Top three Volvo C30 modifications: Rollcage, bucket seats, harnesses

Fiat Cinquecento

OK, we were a bit mean about Simon from The Inbetweeners’ yellow Fiat, weren’t we? So we thought we’d give it a fair go here because, while it’s quite a bit older than the rest of the cars in this list so we might not quite be ticking the ‘reliability’ box, it’s the one model where you’re genuinely able to get an insurable hot hatch (well, a warm hatch anyway) as a first car – the Cinquecento Sporting is in a super-low insurance group, and it’s got ‘Sporting’ written on it in red letters. Who could refuse?

The Sporting had the 1.1-litre ‘FIRE’ engine from the Punto, along with a close-ratio gearbox, front anti-roll bar and lowered suspension. To this, you can add a 40mm throttle body, some Stance+ front camber bolts, a K&N induction kit and a Sportex exhaust, and you’ll have a proper little weapon that won’t have the insurance company rubbing their hands together. It’s a million times better than being a bus w*****. And people will love how yellow it is.

Top three Fiat Cinquecento modifications: Camber bolts, bigger throttle body, noisy exhaust

The post Best Cars For First Time Drivers appeared first on Fast Car.

Muscle cars are a quintessentially American creation. Sure, in recent years there have been some big engine/rear-wheel-drive/two-door formula cars from Europe and Asia (Mercedes C63 AMG, Lexus RC F and so on); a true-blue muscle car has its roots in a very specific set of historical and geographic circumstances. Post-war America was experiencing a consumer boom the like of which had never been seen before. It had a hugely blossoming market for domestic appliances like big fridges and fancy cookers that were more advanced and more affordable than they’d ever been; the nation was surfing the crest of a capitalist wave; it had the best fashions, the most abundant and delicious foods, the most desirable exports, and the cheapest petroleum.

The birth of American Muscle Cars

It’s this cash-rich and fancy-free culture that led to the rise of big-engined cars; it may have become a bit of a cliché that large-displacement American V8s made far less power than their small-scale British or German or Japanese equivalents. However, the fact of the matter is that America simply didn’t need to be efficient. They had loads of fuel, and it was cheap. Detroit could afford to be extravagant.

And so arrived the muscle car; performance machines aimed at youths who had money to spend and wanted huge horsepower for Friday night drag-racing between traffic lights. The die was cast, the legend was born, and the rest of the world has been eddying in the turbulence of the American muscle car ever since.

As you might imagine, narrowing down a top 10 of the very best American muscle cars was fairly tricky. We argued about it quite a bit. But the shortlist we’ve got here, a mix of old and new, represents some of the all-time old-school legends. It also features a few modern innovations that are continuing to carry the torch. No doubt you’ll have a bunch of cars in mind that you think should have made the list; let us know!

Best American Muscle Cars

Pontiac GTO

We had to begin our top 10 American muscle cars list with this one, because it’s the original. The start of it all. The first muscle car. Born out of sheer cheekiness, the firm built the 1964 Pontiac GTO because it didn’t enjoy being pushed around by its parent company, General Motors. Pontiac’s motorsport division and their racing endeavors had raised brand awareness to such a degree that the firm had become the number-three marque in the US; behind Chevrolet and Ford. When GM told Pontiac to get out of racing, the designers and engineers reacted by creating the GTO; stealing the Gran Turismo Omologato name from Ferrari, the GTO option for the Pontiac Le Mans saloon shoehorned a 325bhp 389ci V8 under the bonnet.

Some may tell you that the Oldsmobile Rocket 88 or the Chrysler 300 invented the muscle car idea in the 1950s. However, if you’re looking for the birth of the classic formula (i.e. a massive engine in a mid-size car), it all began with the GTO in 1964.

Plymouth Road Runner Superbird

Muscle cars and drag-racing have always gone hand-in-hand, but the motorsport angle is far deeper than just illicit burnouts at the drive-thru. Manufacturers were keen to take these road-racers to actual race tracks to flex their muscles and show the public just how competent and impressive these cars were. In NASCAR, it all started to get a bit silly. Arguably the most significant chapter opened in 1970, with the inception of the Superbird evolution of Plymouth’s Road Runner.

The base car was impressive enough.  The Road Runner packed a 440ci V8 or the option of the iconic 426ci Hemi. But it was the Superbird took things to another level. Quite literally. That towering rear spoiler was wonderfully absurd. The extended nosecone offered genuine aerodynamic benefits on track; so much so that NASCAR changed the rules to make so-called ‘aero cars’ have smaller engines and carry ballast to slow them down. And while these cars were tricky to shift from the forecourts in period (extreme styling), today they’re highly sought after. This is why it had to feature on our top 10 American muscle cars list.

Dodge Challenger R/T

The Dodge name has been synonymous with muscle car lore for generations. You didn’t think we could leave it out of our top 10 American muscle cars list, did you? The temptation to put the ’68 Charger in here was strong, but in the end we had to give the nod to the first-generation Challenger R/T. Because this was Kowalski’s car. And if you’ve never seen the movie Vanishing Point, you need to put that at the top of your to-do list.

The 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T is, by any measurable scale, the ultimate muscle car: a beautiful and aggressive two-door coupe profile, a choice of astonishing engines (either the 390bhp 440 Magnum Six-Pack, or the 425bhp 426ci Hemi), and a cheap sticker price that meant the more well-heeled teens could be burning out those cross-plies in the high school parking lot. And when Kowalski went on his legendary freedom drive in that iconic 1971 movie, the Challenger R/T shifted firmly into legend status.

Oldsmobile 4-4-2 W-30

The Oldsmobile 4-4-2 W-30 isn’t the first thing that most people would come up with when you pose the challenge ‘name me a muscle car’, but it fully deserves a place in this top 10 American muscle cars list because it’s just such an incredible machine. When the 4-4-2 option pack first appeared in 1966, it made it way into a number of models (including the Cutlass Sport Coupe, Deluxe Holiday Coupe and Cutlass Convertible), serving up something that no other muscle car did: luxury.

It offered 350bhp from its 400ci motor, but also came with a comfortable and highly-specced interior. By 1971 the 4-4-2 was a model in its own right, a full-on muscle coupe, and the introduction of the W-30 spec served up a surprise. You see, in the early seventies, regulators were becoming increasingly stringent on emissions and efficiency, and Oldsmobile relented by fitting its 455ci V8 with dished pistons and other tweaks to strangle the horsepower; 350bhp was decent but didn’t sound all that competitive when you consider the rivals on the market. But the 4-4-2 W-30’s secret weapon was its torque: 460lb.ft of it. And on the drag-strip, torque talks.

Only 810 examples of the ’71 4-4-2 exist with the 455ci motor; that really makes this one the connoisseur’s muscle car.

Ford Mustang GT 428 SCJ

Well, how do you narrow it down to just one classic Mustang on a top 10 American muscle cars list? There were so many icons – the Bullitt fastback, the Shelby GT500, the Hertz Rent-a-Racer… but for us, it’s the SCJ that takes the crown. Standing for Super Cobra Jet, this represents the height of Mustang fever when, in 1969, Ford went a bit bonkers and started trying to compete with itself. The brutal Mustang Mach 1 was on the market and winning hearts on street and strip, and this was harming sales of the Mustang GT (supposedly a lesser model, but actually very similar in spec)… so Ford took the unusual move of amping up the GT to make it competitive with, er, the Mach 1. And what they came up with was a hair-raising drag-racer.

The Super Cobra Jet motor was a 428ci, nominally rated at the same 335bhp as the regular Cobra Jet option, but actually a lot fancier: it had a hardened crank, Le Mans-type rods, cast aluminium pistons, an external oil cooler, and a functional shaker hood with ram-air induction. For the avoidance of doubt, Ford bolted a 31-spline Traction-Lok diff in the rear, deleted the air-con, and marketed it as a street-legal dragster that could run the quarter-mile in the thirteens. So yeah, you could have bought a Mach 1, and you would have really liked it… but it wasn’t an SCJ.

Pontiac Trans Am Super Duty 455

This car wins a spot in the top 10 American muscle cars list for its name alone. OK, it may have sounded in some accents quite a lot like ‘super doody’ (stop sniggering at the back), but there’s little in the muscle oeuvre more forthright than what the Super Duty name represents. By 1974, the cult of the muscle car was eroding, as legislation stifled them more and more in the name of efficiency and greenness; manufacturers were forced to lower compression ratios and fit catalytic converters and all sorts of other things to bring the power and emissions down.

This was the beginning of the laughable era when you’d be getting 120bhp out of a 5.0-litre engine. But the Trans Am refused to walk quietly into the night and, in Super Duty form, used every trick in the book to remain as powerful as possible. This was the final year of true straight-through exhausts and premium leaded fuel, and the Super Duty went out with a bang: sure, 290bhp may not sound all that extravagant given all that came before, but with 395lb.ft of torque this was a proper dragstrip weapon. It’d run the quarter-mile in 13.5-seconds, Pontiac employing the new radial tyre technology and sticking with an aggressive 3.42:1 axle ratio where others in the range were far lower geared. As a last hurrah for the original muscle car era, the Super Duty 455 is a true hero.

Dodge Demon

Fast-forwarding to 2018, we find ourselves deep within the modern muscle car renaissance, with Dodge’s line of ever-more insane Challengers and Chargers doing justice to their iconic names. The Hellcat of 2015 was a game-changer when it launched, with its manic supercharged 6.2-litre Hemi churning out a ludicrous 707bhp… and if you thought the Hellcat was nuts, the Demon was just on another level.

The ultimate version of the new-wave Challenger, the Demon was a basically a road-legal dragster that you could buy from a dealership with a warranty. Its 6.2-litre Hemi had a 2.7-litre supercharger on top, giving it a peak power figure of 808bhp on pump fuel. The development team actually designed it to be a production car that could pull wheelies from a standing start, and the specs were insane: 315-section Nitto tyres (on the front!), only one seat – unless you paid a dollar to add the other seats back in, a line-lock, and a ‘Power Chiller’ that hijacked the air-con system to pre-chill the intercooler. Quite possibly the angriest car ever built.

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

The Camaro has always been a strong presence in the muscle car scene (indeed, one of our favourite ever cars is the 1969 Camaro Z/28), and the modern-era models are particularly brutal. Uncompromisingly large with equally large horsepower, these imposing coupes really are something special – and when the engineers came up with the ZL1 1LE specification, all bets were off.

This was a muscle car that was built to handle. And that’s never really been this type of car’s forte, so they threw a huge budget at it. The regular ZL1 (although ‘regular’ doesn’t really apply) took the already-impressive Camaro SS and added Magnetic Ride suspension, wider wings to accommodate broader tyres, improved front aero, and a carbon fibre bonnet insert to suck hot air out of the engine bay.

The track-focused 1LE package took things a step further, with Multimatic spool-valve shock absorbers, an aggressive front splitter and huge rear wing, dive planes, and Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tyres. So this wasn’t just about dumb horsepower: this was a muscle car that could do 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds, go on to a top speed tantalisingly close to 200mph, and show you a damn good time around the Nürburgring to boot.

And if you thought the ZL1 1LE Camaro accelerated fast, check out Chevrolet’s latest creation, the Corvette E-Ray.

Shelby Mustang GT500 KR

The modern Mustang range is as broad and bewildering as it’s always been, and Ford Performance’s third-generation Shelby GT500 – launched in 2020 – is perhaps the most exciting of the lot. Power comes from a hand-built 5.2-litre V8 of such brutal prowess that it’s been given the official label ‘Predator’; with a 2.65-litre Roots-type supercharger nestling on top, it kicks out a zany 760bhp and makes all kinds of screaming noises. And the GT500 KR is a particularly exciting variant, because this celebrates a legendary nameplate from way back in the early days of Mustang madness; the original GT500 KR launched in 1968, the letters standing for ‘King of the Road’. It had a Cobra Jet motor and oozed effortless menace.

In rekindling this name, Ford decided to build just 180 examples of the Shelby GT500 KR for the 2021 model year: its Whipple supercharger boosted power to over 900bhp, while the exterior was positively dripping in carbon fibre aero addenda. A very modern interpretation of the classic formula.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

SUVs are an unavoidable fact of modern life, and – with sports and supercar manufacturers increasingly trying out performance SUVs on an eager market – it was a stroke of genius to blend the huge Jeep Grand Cherokee with the traditional muscle car formula. That’s the type of vehicle people are buying these days, so why not reimagine the muscle car as something larger and more accommodating?

And so the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk was born. On the one hand, it’s an eminently sensible vehicle – a Range Rover-sized hulk with impeccable equipment levels, staggering off-road capability, and that nebulous aura of safety that every SUV owner craves. But on the other hand, it’s a full-bore muscle car: it’s got the Hellcat hemi from the Challenger, a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 snorting out 697bhp. It’ll do 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds, 0-100mph in 8.8 seconds, and its 180mph top speed is only reined in by the brick-like aerodynamics. The Trackhawk is also ludicrously expensive, but can you really put a price on this sort of adventure? This thing is extremely sensible and practical, but also utterly idiotic. And we can probably all relate to that.

The post Best American Muscle Cars appeared first on Fast Car.

For as long as mankind has had the ability to travel from Point A to Point B by means of petroleum-powered contraptions, there’s been an ingrained desire to take a detour via Point C. Usually as quickly as possible, with white knuckles and wide eyes.

What differentiates us today from those early pioneers of fast-road thrills is that nowadays it’s possible to do it a lot more safely, in the knowledge that you probably won’t break down either. And so, with a healthy but not ridiculous budget of ten grand, we’ve pulled together a list of the best ways we can think of to go fast and generally have a laugh. Because in the electric and/or autonomous future, you might not have these options…

Top 10 Fast Cars Under £10k

Jaguar XFR

We’re just starting to see these muscular Jags dipping under the £10,000 mark, which is a pretty exciting state of affairs. Why? Because this sensible-looking motorway saloon is packing a whacking great 5.0-litre V8 under the bonnet, with a supercharger strapped on for good measure – that’s good for 503bhp and some pretty hysterical acceleration, like that bit in Spaceballs when they go to Ludicrous Speed.

By contrast, the interior’s like Blenheim Palace with a steering wheel, and the transmission tunnel doesn’t have anything as gauche as a gearstick or a handbrake spoiling its smooth lines, just suggestions of buttons and whispers of witchcraft.

The model you’re looking at is what Jaguar calls the X250, built from 2009-2015, and frankly it’s an absolute lunatic. It may look like your bank manager’s boring diesel execu-barge, but that’s exactly the point. No-one will suspect that you have mischievous things planned until your twenty-inch rims are leaving a fat pair of number-elevens away from the lights.

Price today: £9,995

BMW Z4 (E85)

We’ve got a lot of time for the first-generation Z4. As a modern replacement for the Z3, it was a pretty interesting step forward; the Z3 had the classic roadster profile, like an E-Type – long bonnet, rearward cabin, short tail – and the Z4 built on these classic design touchpoints, mixing up the formula with a whole heap of unexpected lines and frankly odd design quirks (like the bit on the front wings where it looks like the BMW roundel has been stuck there to distract you from all the random creases around it).

The roadster launched in 2002 with either 2.5- or 3.0-litre engines, and then things got more enticing with the post-2006 models. The LCI facelift replaced the six-cylinder M54 engine with the newer N52, which was a good thing, and the mechanicals came in for a bit of spit-and-polish; find yourself a 3.0si and you get 261bhp! Oodles of thrust for the cash.

Price today: £7,500

MINI Cooper S (R53)

Imagine haring along a country lane at high speed while being chased down by a huge air-raid siren. That’s essentially what it’s like driving an R53 Cooper S with an uprated pulley on the supercharger, and everyone ought to try it.

These cars are getting to the stage whereby people are starting to collect them and are regarding them as modern classics, and you know what that means – the prices will begin to go up, and it’ll escalate quickly. But nowadays it’s still possible to pick up a really tidy one for around £5,000, and you can put the rest of your budget toward turning it into a proper backroad weapon.

Start with a 17% pulley on the supercharger, joined by an uprated top-mount intercooler and colder plugs, and improve the airflow in and out with a decent induction kit and exhaust system. Now you’ll be knocking on the door of 210bhp or thereabouts – a decent gain over the stock 170. Then you can spruce up the chassis with some better brakes (the bigger brakes from the later R56 basically bolt straight on), a set of coilovers, thicker anti-roll bars and a proper fast-road setup. If you can find a model that came with a factory LSD (like the late-model Checkmate edition), great; if not, chuck a Quaife ATB in there. You can thank us later.

If you’re interested in getting on of these pocket rockets, check out our R53 buyer’s guide.

Price today: £5,000

Mazda MX-5 2.0 (NC3 facelift)

It’s a truism to say that the MX-5 is one of the all-time great driver’s cars. With each generation following the principle of ‘jinba ittai’, (meaning ‘rider and horse as one’), you can expect to find light weight, compact proportions, a front-mid engine layout, and RWD for a 50:50 weight distribution.

The third-gen car, designated ‘NC’, is looking like a top buy at the moment. A clean-sheet design for 2005, it brought in the RX-8’s front wishbone/rear multilink setup and the Ford-derived MZR 16-valve engine, good for 160bhp in 2.0-litre guise. Find one with a 6-speed ’box and you’ll get an LSD as standard, and if you do your research you can chase your way through the facelifts to find something great: the NC2 of 2008 had a bit more power and some chassis tweaks, while 2013’s NC3 was further improved. With this budget, it’s the latter we’d go for – at about £9k or so you can find a really nice 2013 model.

Price today: £9,000

Alfa Romeo 159 3.2 V6

According to the Bond movie Quantum of Solace, Alfa 159s can keep up with Aston Martins even when said Alfas are running diesel motors. So imagine the fun you can have with the balls-to-the-wall 3.2-litre V6 petrol engine!

This is a car that offers the ultimate level of automotive subterfuge in day-to-day life – it may have gone out of production back in 2011, but the design is so crisp and fresh that it still looks pretty new today. Pick up a tidy example and stick an ageless plate on it, and Doris and Nigel next door will never know the difference.

Underneath the skin resides a Torsen Type-C twin-differential (cleverly fitting the front and centre differential in the same unit with an open front diff), with all four wheels receiving their fair share of 256bhp. And just look at it – stunning piece of design, wouldn’t you agree?

Price today: £9,500

Honda Civic Type R (EP3)

The EP3-generation Honda Civic Type R is one of those cars that makes you go all heart-eyes-emoji after every journey – they’re just so damn good. They’re also one of those cars that we really wish we hadn’t sold, as we’ve had a few between us and the prices are starting to get a bit spicy now.

Whereas it is possible to pick one up for a couple of grand or so, we’d really advise that you don’t – these are cars that need to be looked after by people who understand them (and remember to check the oil every week), so a neglected one will be a one-way ticket to the poor house.

Buy a good one, however, and you’ll be sitting pretty. In stock form you get close to 200bhp of howling VTEC fury from one of the all-time great engines, with a slick 6-speed ’box whose shifter pokes out of the middle of the dash like a BTCC racer. They’re really receptive to tuning and chassis tweaks too – even with stock power, an EP3 with uprated rear camber arms and LCAs, front camber bolts and a thicker JDM rear anti-roll bar (plus a quality fast-road alignment) will run away from pretty much anything on a country road.

Our advice is to swoop in and get a good one before they get really pricy – decent examples are already touching £8-9k, with concours EP3s achieving double that at auction.

Interested in getting one? Check out our EP3 buying and tuning guides.

Price today: £7,500

Vauxhall Insignia VXR

The old Vectra’s taken a lot of flack over the years for being boring because… well, let’s face it, it frequently is. We have seen a fair few people turn Vectra VXRs into pretty cool projects, but for the most part it’s not a car to get the blood pumping for the general populace. And the same’s true of the Insignia that replaced it – a large, bland, neutral-handling appliance.

Until the Insignia VXR arrived, that is, because the top-of-the-line Insignia is actually a bit of a nutter. It’s got a turbocharged 2.8-litre V6 which is the very definition of overkill, serving up a beautifully unnecessary 321bhp. 6.7 seconds is all it takes to go from 0-62mph, and it all happens with an undercurrent of hilarity because nobody else on the road is expecting you to go that fast.

Sitting in the very thin sliver at the centre of the Venn diagram of Vauxhall Insignias and desirable performance cars, this is a genuinely interesting choice.

Price today: £8,500

Renaultsport Mégane R26

Renaultsport really know their way around a chassis. There were various Clios we considered for this list, but in the end they were all pipped by its bigger brother, the Mégane – because, essentially, the R26 is a hot hatch superhero.

Its full name is a bit of a mouthful – Renaultsport Mégane 230 F1 Team R26 – and with big name comes big spec. Built to commemorate Renault’s success in the Formula 1 World Championship with the 2005 Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championship titles, it had a 227bhp 2.0-litre turbo motor and the Cup chassis package, which gave it 18” anthracite wheels with 235/40 Michelin Pilot Sport 2s, massive Brembos, and a tighter steering rack. It also had fabulous Recaros, a shouty exhaust, and – hooray! – an LSD.

The upshot of all this is that it accelerates like Usain Bolt, the canny geometry keeps that centre line on the steering wheel firmly on the dead-ahead, and you can take any corner at basically any speed because the diff is glorious. This thing will not understeer, it grips like an angry bus driver’s knuckles.

Price today: £7,500

BMW M3 Cabriolet (E46)

If you’re quick, you miiiiiight just be able to grab an E46 M3 for under ten-grand. It’ll most likely have to be a convertible with an SMG ’box, but now is probably the last time we’re going to see this iconic and legendary creation ducking under the £10k bar.

This brawny, aggressive car came with the 3.2-litre S54 straight-six, one of the all-time great engines, with six individual throttle bodies and an 8,000rpm redline. The body is exactly how Euro-muscle is supposed to look, and the handling is just wild. It has an incredible ability to morph to your driving style – keep things tight and precise and there are few cars that can cover ground quicker point-to-point; however, if you get lairy and hang the tail out, you can drift like a touge hero and detonate your tyres in minutes. This car is whatever you want it to be. Catch it while you can…

If you’re currently looking for one, have a read of our BMW M3 E46 buyer’s guide.

Price today: £9,995

Honda S2000

Another Honda, and we’re ending the top-ten on a high. Honda’s S2000 has a legendary engine, the F20C, and it’s an absolute screamer of a motor: a VTEC four-pot serving up 237bhp at a howling 8,300rpm, redlining at 9,200rpm, and featuring clever cam timing, forged pistons with ultra-low-friction skirts, and all sorts of race-car tech. And if you shell out ten-large on this engine, you get a whole lovely roadster thrown into the bargain – and it’s a very good one.

It was designed from scratch to be a convertible, which means there are no compromises when it comes to stiffness and torsional rigidity, and it comes complete with a magnificently retro digital dash, crisp exterior styling that still looks pretty fresh, and up-and-at-’em friskiness in spades.

Some people will tell you that they don’t like the S2000 because ‘you have to rev the nuts off it all the time to enjoy it’, but these people can be safely ignored. It’s a myth, like all those folks who say you have to put a bag of cement in the boot of a Capri to stop it pirouetting. Nope, the S2000 is an absolute peach – stylish, rapid, tactile, well-appointed… and it’s essentially got a race car engine, which is always a decent pub boast.

Price today: £9,995

The post Best Fast Cars Under £10k appeared first on Fast Car.

When the evenings start to draw in and the days get shorter, you’ll find that a larger percentage of your driving miles happen in the dark. And due to the plummeting temperatures, these miles will also frequently be a bit slippery too, as the council gritters battle to keep the black ice at bay. So, you really want your daily driver to be something sure-footed; something cosseting and safe, with a chassis that can handle the slippery terrain, and a cosy interior that’ll keep you warm and happy. So here we’ve picked out our top-ten winter daily drivers, to guide you down the path to seasonal happiness. It’s a diverse bunch, there’s something for everyone…

Top 10 Winter Daily Drivers

Toyota Celica GT-Four (ST205)

We’re starting with something fun because, well, sliding about is a laugh if you’re able to do it safely and under control. And what could be safer and more controlled than a rally car?

The Celica GT-Four was conceived as a homologation special for the WRC, taking the everyday Celica liftback and fitting a turbocharged 3S-GTE motor and permanent AWD. Launched in 1986, the variant existed across three generations – the ST165 (1986-89), ST185 (1989-93), and finally the one we’re looking at here, the ST205 (1994-99).

The 2.0-litre turbo engine offered a hysterical 239bhp, with the drivetrain consisting of an E154F 5-speed manual ’box, viscous centre, and a Torsen rear diff. The peak power may sound modest today, but this package was good for 0-62mph in well under six seconds and a top speed of 153mph. You also got four-pot brakes with G-sensing ABS, intercooler water-spray, handy plumbing to allow you to fit anti-lag, and a high-level version of the stock rear spoiler, raised up with tall GT-Four branded risers.

It’s not a fully stripped rally weapon though, the spec also included air conditioning, an electric sunroof, heated mirrors, a decent stereo and headlamp washers. Sounds pretty attractive, right? And the ST205 is substantially cheaper than certain other Group A homologation choices – the Lancia Delta Integrale and the Ford Escort RS Cosworth… with the added benefit of being arguably the connoisseur’s choice.

How much? £15,000. Check out our buyer’s guide here. 

Winter Daily Drivers: Subaru Forester STI (SG)

Subaru slid into the compact crossover game back in the late-nineties with the Forester, adding a tall body to the Impreza platform and stuffing in the 2.5-litre motor from the Outback. When the second-generation (SG) model arrived in 2002, we were treated to a more refined and intelligent proposition: based on the then-new Impreza platform, it boasted all manner of weight-saving features including an aluminium bonnet and hydroformed front subframe. It also had an excellent safety rating and oodles of practical space.

Quite a few engine options were offered, with things really getting interesting with the turbocharged 2.0-litre XT spec; this uses the same TD04 turbo as the Impreza, and it’s easy enough to swap out the turbo and intercooler for STI-spec items for easy power gains.

…Which brings us neatly to the Forester STI. This JDM variant had a 2.5-litre Impreza WRX STI engine and a chunky body kit; it helps enormously that the model’s based on the Impreza underpinnings, so there’s a lot of mechanical interchangeability. The flat-four served up 265bhp, and it’s easy enough to get an extra 70hp-odd extra just from a remap, exhaust and induction. What’s not to like? And it’s also worth noting that you can get off-the-shelf air-ride kits for Foresters now…

How much? £15,000

Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG

This Merc provides an entertaining fusion of two entirely separate concepts. Firstly, we have the Mercedes GLA-class – a sensible medium-sized SUV/crossover thing, of the type that every manufacturer is desperate to bring to market because buyers want SUVs these days and crossovers are essentially just enlarged hatchbacks, so it’s a rich seam to mine.

The GLA-class is not exciting. But the second conceptual entity is the A45 AMG – the utterly rabid hatchback that, in its original 2013-18 guise, served up an unbelievable 376bhp from its hand-built 2.0-litre turbo motor. This was mated to the 4MATIC all-wheel drive system to create something that wasn’t just a hot hatch, it was a terrifying mega-hatch that basically reinvented the genre.

What Mercedes-Benz decided to do, because they can be wonderfully deranged, is to take the drivetrain from the A45 AMG and shove it into the unsuspecting GLA, to bring to life the GLA45 AMG. This is a car that never needed to exist, but we’re very glad it did – it’s highly amusing to drive, and practical enough to answer any questions your family might have about carting their recreational gear around at the weekend.

How much? £22,000

Winter Daily Drivers: Audi TT 225 Quattro (Mk1)

The original TT is a car that keeps on looking better as it ages – and in Quattro form, it’s a properly grippy little thing. Engine-wise, you had a choice of either a 1.8T or a 3.2 VR6, although it wasn’t quite that simple – the 1.8T could be had with 150bhp, 180bhp, or the brawny 225bhp in the aptly-named TT 225. The 3.2 came with a DSG box and improved aero, plus a thudding 247bhp.

But it’s the 225 we’re recommending as the Mk1 TT of choice: as well as the quattro AWD system, you also get the BAM engine, which is basically the 1.8T on steroids. It had uprated pistons and rods, juicier fuelling and bigger intercoolers, and was perfectly matched to that sweet little chassis. And while the drivetrain does make the TT quite heavy for its size, you wouldn’t know it in the corners – these puppies stick to the road like Velcro.

You get all kinds of toys with the 225 too – the optional Bose audio is superb, and the heated leather seats are just what you’ll need on the daily winter commute. And you’ll love the way the little red lights chase around the knob when you turn the heater up.

How much? £4,000. Check out our buyer’s guide here.

Winter Daily Drivers: Volvo V70 R

Remember when Volvo went mad in the nineties and entered an 850 estate into the BTCC? That lunatic bloodline can be traced directly to the V70 R. And this is a bit of a stealth weapon too – it may look like a sensible school-run wagon but hiding beneath those boxy lines is a Haldex AWD system and a 2.5-litre turbo 5-pot packing 296bhp.

You can find one with a six-speed manual if you’re lucky, and performance figures are impressive: 0-62mph in just 5.9 seconds, with the top speed electronically limited to 155mph. The smart FOUR-C suspension setup was developed by those clever boffins at Öhlins, and the post-2005 facelift cars got enormous Brembo brakes as a bonus.

These things are ridiculously good value right now, and being a Volvo you know it’s built solid and tough, because they’re designed to survive Arctic winters and endless abuse. There’s a reason the police and paramedics use Volvos, they’re unburstable. Add in the fact that it’s a proper sleeper, and the real secret is that they’re pretty tunable too – if you fancy a 400bhp+ grocery-getter, you’re just a bigger turbo and a few engine tweaks away. Perfect winter daily, right?

How much? £9,000

Alfa Romeo Brera 3.2 Q4

This probably wouldn’t be anyone’s first choice in answer to the question of what the best winter daily might be, but that’s exactly why it’s here. The Alfa Romeo Brera is, let’s face it, a confusing car. It looks like a hatchback, but nobody ever calls it a hot hatch because the tiny boot with its awkward-shaped tailgate is heinously impractical – but it’s not actually a hatchback at all, it’s a 2+2 coupe whose back end just happens to have a hinge…

Hell of a looker as well, isn’t it? And the top-of-the-range variant came equipped with Alfa’s intelligent Q4 all-wheel drive chassis, as well as a 260bhp 3.2-litre V6 which makes all sorts of heavenly noises. The interior’s beautifully designed, all ruched leather and recessed dials angled toward the driver.

This is a supremely stylish way to get about, and it’s torquey and all-wheel-drivey enough to help you through the snow. A top lateral choice.

How much? £8,000

Jaguar XJ 4.2 (X350)

Jaguar XJ drivers notoriously have nothing to worry about. They can just cruise along in sumptuous splendour, regardless of conditions – it doesn’t matter if it’s sunny or sleeting, flooding or blizzarding, the Jag driver is just ploughing onward with their stringback gloves and Dire Straits cassettes in place.

The X350 generation is a pleasingly affordable entity these days, and it was the first properly clever XJ; Jaguar have been churning this luxury-saloon model line out since 1968, but the version they launched in 2003 featured an all-aluminium monocoque which meant that, despite being as plush and opulent as a Jaguar should be, it only weighed about 1,500kg. That’s around the same as a Mk6 Golf with a couple of people in it. Into this relatively featherweight shell, they bolted a 4.2-litre V8 which is helpfully rated at precisely 300bhp. So all the boxes are ticked. Baby, it’s cold outside – but Jag drivers don’t care.

How much? £10,000

Winter Daily Drivers: Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III

As we explored with the ST205 Celica, rally cars are a strong choice for winter daily-ing, and the retro chic of an old Evo is hard to resist. The iconic series first appeared back in 1992 with the original Lancer Evo (retrospectively nicknamed Evo I), running through to the Evo X’s eventual demise in 2016.

These cars represented a revolution in everyday performance, being sensible and practical four-door saloons that were also ballistically fast with incredible handling, and the fact that they’re so amazingly tunable found them a firm place in the motoring world’s hearts.

There are so many desirable choices across the generations, but our pick would be the Evo III – if you can find one. This is the one made from early 1995 to late ’96; it was the first properly mental Evo, with the huge boot spoiler that would become the signature look of later models, and 270bhp in stock form. There aren’t many on the market, but that’s only because they’re so brilliant that owners don’t ever want to sell them.

How much? £25,000

Winter Daily Drivers: Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero/Shogun (V60)

Perhaps you’d like your Mitsubishi to be a little more spacious and mountain-crushing? In which case, consider the might and splendour of the third generation (V60) Pajero. Badged as the Shogun in the UK, these monsters were built incredibly tough, the unibody construction having an integral ladder chassis. You could choose from a SWB 3-door or LWB 5-door, and a raft of engine options: a 3.0 V6 with 170bhp, a 3.5 V6 with 200bhp (or 217bhp in JDM spec, as it had direct-injection in its home market), an all-new 210bhp 3.8 V6, plus a rugged and torque-rich 3.2 DI-D diesel (160bhp).

Transmission-wise, you could have a 5-speed manual gearbox, 4-speed INVECS-II auto, or 5-speed INVECS-II tiptronic. The underpinnings were far improved over previous Pajeros as well – whereas older versions had recirculating ball steering, the V60 got a new rack-and-pinion setup, and the SS4 all-wheel-drive system was updated with planetary instead of bevel gears and was made fully-electronic.

A lot of options then, but whichever one you go for, it’ll almost certainly drive straight out again if you happen to slide into a crevasse.

How much? £5,000

Caterham Seven 160

Well, you only live once, right? Being warm is all well and good, but it’s more important to be having fun, and that’s something you’ll find in spades with this vehicle.

The 160 spec is all you need in terms of power if you’re thinking of using a Caterham Seven as a winter daily driver, with the added benefit that it’s the model with the skinniest tyres (a mere 155-section), which will pay dividends when you’re carving through snow and ice.

Caterham used the 79bhp Suzuki 660cc three-cylinder turbo engine in the 160, and it’s a perfect fit for the car – we may have seen some monstrously powerful Sevens emerge in recent years, but this classic is really all about the chassis, and the 160bhp-per-tonne power-to-weight ratio and slippery tail makes it pretty playful.

Forget your rugged off-roaders and your luxury saloons – for guaranteed hero points, don a balaclava and a scarf and prepare to arrive at work with damp trousers.

How much? £26,000

The post Best Winter Daily Drivers appeared first on Fast Car.

The shape of the motoring industry is always evolving, in a very literal sense. Back in the eighties, for example, family cars were three-box saloons, unless you had a big dog or needed a third row of foldaway seats, in which case you got an estate. The MPV evolved through the nineties, and this transmogrified into the SUV in the twenty-first century, something that we see everywhere these days. Affections for small roadsters have ebbed and flowed, their heyday arriving in the sixties and being reprised in the nineties. Fashion dictates these developments as much as need or desire, but there’s one genre of car that’s been consistently popular from the 1970s right up until the present day: hot hatches.

There’s always been a lot of debate around what was the first true hot hatch – enthusiasts will often claim that it all began with the VW Golf GTI or the Peugeot 205 GTI, although we must also give special mention to the Simca 1100TI, the Autobianchi A112 Abarth and the Vauxhall Chevette HS. Whichever way it went down, the format captured the public’s imagination: small, nimble, agile and affordable cars that were at once practical and excellent fun to drive. These pocket rockets have always been here to raise a smile. So, we’re going to celebrate our top 10 hot hatches, split into two distinct groups – five retro classics from the golden age of hot hatch modding, and five new-wave models from the modern era. Each one offers a wide variety of tuning potential, and each one is guaranteed to tickle your pickle in entertaining ways. Without further ado, it’s our top 10 hot hatches.

Best 5 retro hot hatches

Vauxhall Nova GSI

The Nova has become a bit of a cult hero these days, and of course it was a major player in the cruise era; for people who grew up in the time of Britpop and New Labour, the Nova was the car to have, and that enthusiasm is coming full circle now that there aren’t many left.

A number of performance variants were offered; the 1.3-litre SR (which later morphed into the 1.4 SR) was a perky little thing, and the homologation-model Sport served up all the rally mischief you could ask for with its racy stripes and twin carbs. But it was the GTE that was the poster boy for hot hatch hooliganism: shoehorning in a 1.6-litre motor with multipoint fuel injection bestowed a hundred horsepower on the GTE, which was enough to make the featherweight hatchback a proper riot. When the Nova was facelifted in 1990, with new headlights, bumpers, grille and interior, the GTE evolved into the GSi, and as long as you could twist the insurance man’s arm it was game on for mods. Back then, bigger was better with the Nova, and a generation of modders bolted on the biggest wheels they could find (nineteens went on with a squeeze) along with Kingdom bumpers and massive wings. Today opinion is divided on whether it’s better to go back to OEM or save a period bodykit; either way, Novas walk tall on the scene today just like they did twenty years ago.

Top mods: The tried-and-tested method for Novas of yore was to drop in a redtop XE, and that’s still a strong idea today. Dbilas is a good place to go to discuss throttle bodies and turbo conversions. Courtenay Sport were the go-to in period and, while the Nova/Corsa A is no longer listed as a model on their site, they’ll still have a wealth of knowledge to draw upon. When it comes to wheels, you can’t go wrong with a set of Compomotive MO5s, and you’ll be wanting to shove some big performance brakes behind there too – a 318mm Tarox 6-pot kit will get under there if you’re running seventeens.

Top contacts: Dbilas, Courtenay Sport, Tarox, Compomotive

Renault 5 GT Turbo

Turbocharging was one of the most exciting cultural concepts of the 1980s. While road cars had been available with turbos for a decade or so, it was the hot hatches of the eighties that really forced the term into the common lexicon; it got to the stage where you could by all sorts of random consumer goods with ‘turbo’ branding – aftershave, biros, razors, you name it.

Perhaps the most exciting turbocharged hot hatch was the Renault 5 GT Turbo, largely because it thrillingly combined old and new ideas: it was as lightweight and basic as a 205 GTI, but super-cutting-edge thanks to that turbo. And yet there was no modern fuel-injection here – that little snail blew through a carburettor; deserved of a position on our list of the top 10 hot hatches.

The tuning mags of the late-’90s and early ’00s were full of GT Turbos, not least because of Jamie Shaw at Carisma’s ever-more-mental creations. (And, of course, Ali G – he helped things a lot.) The model did earn an unfair reputation for unreliability, mainly thanks to people’s enthusiasm for turning the boost up to see what would happen. You can probably guess what would result – it would be noticeably faster, briefly, and then it would explode. But ham-fisted tuning aside, these were awesome little cars, and they’ve got proper motorsport DNA too.

Top mods: Well, how far do you want to go?! In-your-face bodykits were always the GTT style – massive wide-mouth bumpers, vast oval centre-exit exhausts, oversize rear wings, as much fibreglass as you could handle. Nowadays, however, we reckon the path to success is a bit of subtle Euro-style OEM+. The factory bodykit is awesome, so gut the innards as much as you can to squeeze the fattest possible wheels in there – the Ronal Turbo is a popular choice. Ever seen a 5 GT on air ride? Us neither, so have a word with Car Audio Security about a custom Air Lift setup. And while you’re there, why not pack it out with an old-school audio install? GT Turbos were always filled with subs in the cruise era…

Top contacts: Ronal Wheels, Car Audio Security

Modified Ford Fiesta RS Turbo feature

Ford Fiesta RS Turbo

The Fiesta RS Turbo was way, way more than simply an XR2i with an Escort RST motor. Ford pledged to make the FRST a proper drivers’ car, and the SVE division worked hard to provide; the engine block, crank and compression ratio were carried over from the Escort, but the Fiesta’s engine enjoyed a lot of further development. The principal difference is the use of the smaller Garrett G2 turbo (Ford would tell you that it spooled up faster for more eager acceleration; a cynic might suggest that the bigger turbo from the Escort simply wouldn’t fit in the Fiesta’s engine bay…), and the cylinder head from the XR2i’s fuel-injected CVH was also swapped across. Ford’s proprietary EEC-IV engine management system was drafted in, complete with the map sensor, wastegate solenoid valve and boost control module from the Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth. What resulted from all of this was a whole bunch of exciting numbers – 133bhp, 135lb ft of torque from as low down as 2,400rpm with a nice flat curve, and a genuinely achievable 130mph. The interior sported Recaro seats and a leather steering wheel, while the outside featured attractive body addenda and extra lamps. It also had beefier ARBs, a quicker steering rack, and – best of all – three-spoke alloys. Is there a car more quintessentially 1990s than this? It’s certainly one of our top 10 hot hatches.

Top mods: ZVH conversions used to be all the go, but nowadays you’re probably better off just dropping in a Zetec… although what we’d really like to see is an FRST running an EcoBoost! Doing things properly will see the car on Koni suspension and some white Speedline Turinis, while Airtec can help you out with radiator and intercooler upgrades.

Top contacts: Burton Power, Speedline, Koni, Airtec

Modified VW Golf Mk1 GTI feature

VW Golf GTI Mk1

The Volkswagen Golf is such a ubiquitous entity that it’s become a part of the furniture of modern living, like a Billy bookcase or a branch of Starbucks, so it had to feature here on our list of the top 10 hot hatches. It’s just one of those things that’s everywhere. But 1974 was a very different place to the world of today, and the launch of the Golf was a staggering departure from what people thought they knew about the Volkswagen brand; replacing the air-cooled, rear-engined, rear wheel-drive Beetle with a crisply angular hatchback that featured a front-mounted, water-cooled engine and front wheel-drive was a frankly astounding manoeuvre. And when the GTI concept was announced at the 1975 Frankfurt Motor Show, all bets were off. This was a new era of performance city cars.

Brilliantly, the secret ‘Sport Golf’ started as a skunkworks project among the engineers; presenting it to top brass in 1975, the idea was met with widespread approval and the Golf GTI came to market for 1976: fatter wheels, bigger brakes, aero add-ons, a close-ratio gearbox and a peppery engine made it an instant classic. In the early-eighties the engine got bigger and the power increased, and the legend was assured. Golf GTIs are still massive sellers today, and this little pocket rocket is the magnificent genesis.

Top mods: Pretty much everything has been done to these cars over the years. (Remember the twin-engine Dubsport creations?!) And today we suspect motorsport-chic may be the way forward. KW coilovers, Cobra seats, custom rollcage… and hey, why not throw a 1.8T in there?

Top contacts: Deutsche Doktors, KW, Cobra, Custom Cages

Peugeot 205 GTI

For a lot of people, this is the ultimate hot hatch – and if recent auction prices are anything to go by, the market would agree. Indeed, these things have got sufficiently pricy that they’ll be out of reach for a lot of people (it doesn’t seem that long ago that you could get an MOT’d runner for under a grand, but that’d never happen now), so if you’ve always fancied it and you’ve got the cash to spend, now’s probably the time.

Initially sold as a 1.6, a brawnier 1.9 followed; some prefer the 1.6’s shorter gearing, others favour the 1.9 for its 130bhp grunt, but they all offer surprisingly rapid acceleration thanks to wafer-thin, uber-lightweight construction, and limpet-like handling that got better the faster you went. And back in the day it was all about tweaked 205s; if you got yourself a wide-arch Dimma kit and had those 8-hole Speedlines converted to wide split-rims, you were the cock of the walk. The enthusiasm for modifying offered a bit of a dilemma for GTI fans, because this was such a delicately balanced and scalpel-sharp creation that adding bodykits and other extra weight could cock up the power-to-weight ratio, wider wheels and more aggressive rubber might mess with the sweet handling characteristics, and fiddling with the suspension could do more harm than good. But fear not, because there’s still a strong aftermarket of experts who can steer you right here, taking the hot hatch daddy and making it even better. Just don’t listen to those pipe-and-slippers types in the auction houses, these aren’t cars to be wrapped up in cotton wool. They were designed to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck, and that’s just as true today, which is why it features in our list of the top 10 hot hatches.

Top mods: The classic power mod was the Mi16 swap – taking the 16v version of the engine from a 405 SRi or Citroën BX 16v to throw in a couple of dozen more horsepower. The stock 8v motor also responds really well to a set of throttle bodies – Jenvey are your guys for that one. Gaz offers a superb coilover kit for the GTI, and a 2.5in Piper system is your classic exhaust upgrade. Marque experts Pug1Off are the people you want to talk to, they know these cars inside out.

Top contacts: Jenvey, Gaz Shocks, Pug1Off

Best 5 modern hot hatches

Suzuki Swift Sport

We’re talking about the third-generation Suzuki Swift here, built from 2010-17. The model at launch offered 130bhp from its buzzy four-pot, revised slightly to 136bhp from 2012 onward; a few minor cosmetic upgrades were brought in across the range in 2013, including L-shaped DRLs in the foglamp housings, and in 2014 the Sport got a 6.1in infotainment touchscreen as standard – so it’s a model that kept evolving throughout its lifespan.

European-spec Swifts were actually built in Hungary rather than Japan, and the Sport version received the M16A 1.6-litre twin-cam 16v motor – peak power arrives at a heady 6,800rpm, accompanied by a frantic soundtrack that belies the modest power available. You have the option of 6-speed manual or 7-speed auto with paddle-shift, and spec includes lightweight 17in alloys, HID lights, a Sport bodykit with fresh spoilers, leather seats and lowered suspension. There’s a whole lot to enjoy here, it’s surprising these cars aren’t more popular. After all, they’re affordable, buckets of fun, and there’s plenty of modding potential, which is why it features in our list of the top 10 hot hatches.

Top mods: One of the best ways to improve the Swift Sport is to get it stiffer and closer to the ground – a set of BC Racing coilovers is just the job to achieve this. You can find a bit of extra sparkle from the M16A motor by dropping in a set of fast road cams from Toda, and Ultra Racing anti-roll bars are a great addition to the Swift chassis, and very cost-effective too – talk to Tegiwa.

Top contacts: BC Racing, Toda, Tegiwa

Looking to buy one? Check out our Suzuki Swift Buyer’s Guide.

Ford Fiesta ST (Mk8)

Commonly heralded throughout the motoring press as the best hot hatch of the modern age, Ford’s dazzling Mk7 Fiesta ST was excellent at everything. It was addictively quick, the handling was divine, the interior was pretty nice with lots of decent equipment, the boot was surprisingly big, and it was really quite affordable. No wonder it won pretty much every award going throughout its entire production run. So how could Ford top that, when the Mk8 ST arrived in 2018? They certainly rocked the boat with the purists, dropping in a dinky three-cylinder EcoBoost motor (with cylinder deactivation tech, so on light throttle it runs as a parallel twin like a crap old 1960s Fiat). But as it turned out, that engine is an absolute riot – revvier than a turbo ought to be, and endlessly tuneable. In fact the whole car is pretty bloody spectacular; you get pretty alloys and a tasteful bodykit, and ticking the ‘Performance Pack’ box nets you a Quaife LSD and launch control too. Tasty. And early used examples are starting to dip down toward £15k…The Fiesta ST may have an image issue, but there’s no denying it’s ability, which is why it’s on our list of the top 10 hot hatches.

Top mods: It may be a fresh kid on the scene, but the Ford aftermarket saw it coming and there’s a colossal amount of off-the-shelf gear for the Mk8. PumaSpeed are the boys leading the charge, offering a full suite of performance upgrades including a MAXDout Stage 1R remap to unleash some more poke, a set of bespoke lowering springs to sort the stance and a quality billet alloy short shifter to make gearchanges lightning fast. There’s also induction and exhaust options, styling kits – you name it, they’ve got it!

Top contacts: PumaSpeed

Honda Civic Type R Fk8

On sale from 2017-2021, the Honda Civic Type R FK8 (check out our tuning guide) was all about the numbers. Before it even hit the showrooms, Honda was boasting of its benchmark-setting Nordschleife time – a frankly unbelievable 7:43.8. For a smidge over 30 grand, buyers were furnished with a tasty platter of figures from the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot – 320hp, 169mph, 0-62mph in 5.7s, 1380kg. The FK8 is an awesome machine, no two ways about it.

The FK8 is a truly fast car out of the factory; despite only chucking the power through the front wheels, you’ll rarely be squabbling for grip. Instead, the Torsen Limited Slip Diff helps transfer that power on to the road, rather than waste it. The six-speed manual has a nice short throw to it and the steering is ultra precise. At present, it’s arguably the benchmark for modern hot hatches, with only the handful of German hyper hatches boasting RWD or AWD offering similar performance. Honda has recently revealed the upcoming FL5 Civic Type R, which looks to raise the bar for hot hatches again by focusing on chassis improvements.

Top mods: Make sure you check out our complete Honda Civic Type R FK8 tuning guide where we go over increasing power, improving the chassis, and more.

Renaultsport Clio IV 200

Renaultsport Clios have gone hand in hand with the modding scene from day one; the arrival of the Clio 172 in 1999 built on the success of the old-school Clio 16v and Williams and pushed the idea into the new millennium. The 182 has long been a favourite of ours, particularly in Cup spec, and there’s a lot to love about the 197. The one we’re looking at here, however, is the controversial one – because we think it’s high time for a reappraisal. When the Renaultsport 200 version of the Clio IV launched at the 2012 Paris motor show, enthusiasts were up in arms. Why? Because there was no manual gearbox option here, just a 6-speed EDC dual-clutch job. For many buyers, this was a step too far.

Don’t let that put you off though, as it’s actually a belter of a machine, which is why we’ve placed it on our list of the top 10 hot hatches. The 1.6-litre DIG-T Nissan motor still provided 197bhp like its predecessor, but peak power now arrived at 6,000rpm (as opposed to 7,250rpm for the old car) with all the torque available from just 1,750rpm. You get the RS differential (which actually works on the brakes rather than the diff), decent seats, and a lot of equipment. Opt for the Trophy spec and you get an extra 20bhp too!

Top mods: No-one knows hot Clios like Pure Motorsport, and that’s who you ought to speak to about beefing up the brakes; a Brembo brake kit is what you want with vice-like four-pot calipers and uprated standard size discs. As well as that you should improve breathing with an ITG induction kit and an Airtec intercooler and boost pipes. For the suspension, Bilstein B14 coilovers are a popular choice for both road and track use.  But if in doubt, speak to Pure Motorsport who can advise you of the best route to a rapid Renault.

Top contacts: Pure Motorsport

VW UP GTI

Stick with us here, but there’s a strong case to be made for believing the Up GTI to be the true spiritual successor to the Mk1 Golf GTI, which is why its here in our list of the top 10 hot hatches . On paper, they stack up surprisingly closely: they both boast a 0-62mph time of 8.8s, the Up’s 113bhp plays the Golf’s 110bhp, the Up only weighs 995kg (which is a decent percentage gain over the Golf’s 850kg, but remember that the Up has airbags and crumple zones and all that modern stuff). The proof of the pudding is, of course, in the eating, and the Up really does drive like a classic Golf too. It’s brisk and feisty, pulling strongly in-gear so that it’s always ready to play as long as you keep it on the boil, and the chassis serves up oodles of grip so you can carry surprising speed through the corners. Add in an enticing package of standard kit and it makes for a thoroughly attractive proposition – the GTI came with chunkily-bolstered tartan seats, flat-bottom steering wheel, 17in wheels, and the full aesthetic package that makes it look like a modern Golf GTI has been shrunk in a hot wash. Furthermore, there’s a huge aftermarket for these cars, and they’re getting cheaper to buy by the day – we’ve seen early examples sneaking below £10k in the classifieds. Seriously, what’s not to like?

Top mods: As with any VAG product, the first move is to plug it into a computer and muck about with its ones and zeroes: a Forge remap takes stock power to 130bhp, representing a 15% increase without having to physically change a thing. A Scorpion exhaust system will add a few horses, remove a few kilos, and make the throttle more responsive. And you’d be surprised the difference a set of quality lowering springs can make to this chassis – the Eibach Pro-Kit is around £150, lowers the car by 20mm, and gives the handling a much sharper edge.

Top contacts: Forge, Scorpion, Eibach

The post Best Hot Hatches | Retro & Modern appeared first on Fast Car.

Debate has raged for generations over which configuration of driven wheels is preferable in a car. Hot hatch enthusiasts evangelise about how FWD is essential to their cars’ character; others feel that the front wheels are doing enough already with all the steering and braking and stuff, and it makes more sense to channel the horses to the tail end (which then, of course, gets a bit lively). There’s no right or wrong answer really, you like what you like. But if you want to sidestep this debating quagmire, why not consider the best-of-both-worlds scenario of AWD? With power going to every wheel, you can feel the benefits of both concepts while also having impeccable grip.

All-wheel drive systems have come on a lot in recent years. It’s no longer the case that AWD necessarily means agricultural setups with locking diffs and high- and low-range gearboxes like you get in an old Land Rover. This drivetrain layout has actually long been associated with performance motoring (look at the Jensen FF of the 1960s, for example), and nowadays there are all kinds of clever four-paw layouts to help deliver your power effectively and get you gripping tenaciously through the curves. Some permanently deliver equal drive to each axle, others are rear-biased and shuffle a bit of power forward when it’s needed; in the case of the Ferrari FF, you get two separate gearboxes to make the AWD system work!

There’s a world of choice out there, and we’ve pulled together the top 10 AWD bargains to consider when dipping a toe in these deep and enticing waters. We haven’t set a particular budget here; instead we’ve found cars which make us say ‘Ooh, that looks like great value for money,’ as opposed to ‘Holy crap, that Range Rover is ninety grand’…

Audi TT 225 Quattro (Mk1)
It’s not often that the public gets to buy a concept car. These styling exercises are usually wheeled out to wow the crowds at motor shows, and the subsequent model that eventually makes it to production ends up being toned down quite a lot. But with the case of the Mk1 Audi TT, the car that hit the showrooms in 1998 was really quite similar to the 1995 concept, which a lot of people were very happy about. It sold in massive numbers, meaning the market’s flooded with them today, and that’s great news for people like us who like to hoover up a performance bargain.

There were quite a lot of spec variants; you could get a FWD setup with the lower-powered engines or the full-fat quattro system with the sportier ones. Engine-wise, you had a choice of either a 1.8T or a 3.2 VR6, although it wasn’t quite that simple – the 1.8T could be had with 150bhp, 180bhp, or the brawny 225bhp in the aptly-named TT 225. The 3.2 came with a DSG box and improved aero, although many argue that its 247bhp figure isn’t enough of a gain over the lighter and more easily tunable 225-spec 1.8T. And it’s the 225 we’re recommending as the bargain Mk1 TT of choice: as well as the quattro AWD system, you also got the BAM engine, which is basically the 1.8T on steroids: it had uprated pistons and rods, juicier fuelling and bigger intercoolers, and was perfectly matched to that sweet little chassis. And while the drivetrain does make the TT quite heavy for its size, you wouldn’t know it in the corners – these things stick to the road like Velcro, you can essentially take any corner at any speed and never run out of grip. (Disclaimer: do so at your own risk, we don’t want any lawsuits if you end up going through a hedge…)

You get all kinds of toys with the 225 too – see if you can find one with the Bose audio option, that’s great, and the heated leather seats are lovely. You can pick up a decent 225 for under £4,000 these days – you will see chancers pricing them at £8,000+, but it’s really only the rare Quattro Sport that justifies that sort of money. The only thing to bear in mind is that, as these cars are slightly aged now, they might be a bit baggy in terms of bushes, hoses, brakes, suspension – budget an extra couple of grand to get it tip-top and you’ll have one of the most entertaining cars you’ll ever own.

Price today: £4,000
Top 3 mods: Milltek exhaust, Bilstein B14 coilovers, Revo remap

Suzuki Jimny
You’re going to have to bear with us on this one. We haven’t gone mad. We really are suggesting that you consider a junior off-roader with 100bhp. But there is a logic to it… you see, the automotive world is seeing a massive shift toward the SUV sector, along with the various crossover, soft-roader, luxury off-roader and rugged mud-plugger variants that go hand-in-hand with it. While we (and, we presume, you) are all dyed-in-the-wool performance car enthusiasts, it’s hard to deny the easy practicality of a tall, fat car for load-lugging and family duties and whatnot. Let’s face it, a lot of you probably have a sensible daily parked alongside your nuisance project car. So if we’re going to have to get involved with this sort of thing, we might as well do it properly.

Now, SUVs and off-roaders tend to command some pretty spicy price tags either because they’re luxurious or they just want to give the impression of being so – the cheapest Range Rovers start at £83k, a Volvo XC90 is £52k before options, even the Ford Edge will set you back £37k. But look at the new Suzuki Jimny – these cost £15,499 brand new, and that’s a bargain in anyone’s books.

OK, it’s a bit cheap-and-cheerful – you’d expect it to be, at this price – but it’s actually a brilliant little car that drives like a dream on the road and can do genuine off-road rough stuff, and it’s the potential that you really need to consider. See, retro is king right now and these cute little soft-roaders look super-old-school. They also come with chunky bolt-on arches, which is what got us thinking about the Jimny in the first place: what if you were to bolt on some even wider arches, throw some nice wide wheels under there, then take out a whole bunch of altitude with a custom air-ride setup? You’d probably be the first in the world to do it, which would make you a modding hero, and you’d get a lot more respect than your neighbour with the XC90 who paid four times as much for a less interesting car…

Price today: £15,499
Top 3 mods: Wide arches, wide wheels, air-ride

Volvo V70 R
Fast estates are cool, that’s just a fact. And the V70 R is a bit of a stealth weapon too – it may look like a sensible mumwagon, but hiding beneath those boxy lines is a Haldex AWD system and a 2.5-litre turbo 5-pot rocking 296bhp. You can have it with a six-speed manual (or an auto, but that’s boring), and performance figures are impressive: 0-62mph is despatched in just 5.9 seconds, with the top speed electronically limited to 155mph. The clever FOUR-C suspension setup was developed by Öhlins, and post-2005 facelift cars got sodding great Brembo brakes too.

These things are ridiculously good value right now. Being a Volvo, you know it’s built solid and tough, because they’re designed to survive Arctic winters and endless abuse – there’s a reason the police and paramedics use Volvos, they’re unburstable. Add in the fact that it’s a proper sleeper, and the cherry on the top is that they’re pretty tunable too – if you fancy a 400bhp+ grocery-getter, you’re just a bigger turbo and a few engine tweaks away.

Price today: £5,000
Top 3 mods: 3” downpipe and race cat, bigger intercooler, IPD anti-roll bars

Subaru Forester STI
There were a number of different Imprezas we thought about putting in this top ten, but then we decided to stick a Forester in instead. Why? Because it’s a cultish quirky alternative to the more obvious saloon, and their offbeat nature means they’re relatively good value. The Forester has always had a sense of fun, as Subaru know what their customers are about and are keenly aware that petrol-engined high-power variants need to share showroom space with the more sensible diesel runabouts.

So there have always been factory hot-rod Foresters, the most exciting being the JDM Forester STI, which had an Impreza WRX engine and a chunky bodykit; it helps enormously that the model’s based on the Impreza platform, so there’s a lot of mechanical interchangeability. The 2.5-litre flat-four gives you 265bhp, and it’s easy enough to get an extra 70bhp-odd extra just from a remap and a couple of bolt-ons. What’s not to like? And it’s also worth noting that you can get off-the-shelf air-ride kits for Foresters now too…

Price today: £9,000
Top 3 mods: Scoobyclinic remap, Hayward & Scott exhaust, AirREX air-ride

Porsche 911 Carrera 4 (996)
The 996-generation Porsche 911 has become a bona fide youngtimer classic. It received a bit of abuse at launch, thanks to the fact that it shared its nose with the cheaper Boxster, plus its fried-egg headlights looked a bit weird. The thing that really pissed everyone off was that it was water-cooled – the first 911 generation not to have an air-cooled flat-six, which irritated the pipe-smokers no end. More recently, people got a bit scared of buying used 996s because of the infamous IMS issue, whereby the engine’s intermediate main shaft could fail unexpectedly and lunch the engine. But most cars have had this sorted now, and the 996 today looks like a relatively affordable and properly usable sports car.

The best part for cheapskates like us is that, while values of the halo Turbo, GT3, GT2 and RS models are going stratospheric, the Carrera models are surprisingly cheap. The Carrera 4 has all-wheel-drive, hence why you’re seeing it here: it’s got clever differential braking so it’s as safe as it is sure-footed, and you get 300bhp from the 3.4-litre flat-six. And it’s a usable 911, for about fifteen grand. No-brainer, really.

Price today: £15,000

Top 3 mods: OE Porsche aerokit, GT3 spoiler, DesignTek exhaust

Audi S1
The S1 was a completely brilliant idea on Audi’s part. The A1 upon which it’s based is a dinky little supermini first launched onto the market in 2010, with compact proportions, a taut little chassis and a really nicely put together interior. In 2014 the S1 version arrived, which packed in frankly far too much power for such a little car; it’s got the Volkswagen group’s EA888 2.0-litre turbo motor, producing 228bhp, along with quattro AWD. This is good for 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds and a top speed that has to be physically restrained at 155mph, which is bonkers in a car like this. Almost unbelievable, in fact.

What’s really appealing about these psychotic tearaways is that they appear to be depreciating like a stone dropped through a wet paper bag. Brand new, one of these cars will cost you over £25,000, but we’re seeing 2014 model-year examples appearing for as little as £12,500. That’s a lot of performance for the cash, and it probably still has that new car smell.

Price today: £12,500
Top 3 mods: Scorpion exhaust, Revo remap, Wagner Tuning intercooler

Subaru Legacy 3.0R Spec B
Yep, we’ve managed to put together a list of ten AWD cars that features two Subarus, and neither one of them is an Impreza! The fact of the matter is that the hot Legacy is actually better value, as well as offering maximum nerd points – the Legacy 3.0R Spec B is a bit of a hidden gem. Most people wouldn’t give it a second glance, but to those in the know this is something really special indeed. For one thing, instead of having the traditional Scooby flat-four, it’s got a brawny flat-six, which the company saw fit to mate to the peachy gearbox from the Impreza STI.

In addition to all this, you get absolutely massive brakes, Bilstein suspension, an LSD, and a 0-62mph figure of 6.6 seconds. Look at the Porsche 996 elsewhere in this list – the Legacy essentially takes the flat-six out of the boot, puts it in the front, then adds a vastly bigger interior; with similar-ish performance, the Spec B is basically a back-to-front 911 with room for a double mattress in the boot. Kind of.

Price today: £6,000
Top 3 mods: Twin-scroll turbo, Whiteline ARBs, Milltek exhaust

Nissan Skyline GT-R (R33)
On the face of it, spending the thick end of £17,000 on a 1990s coupé doesn’t sound like a bargain at all. But Skyline logic isn’t the same as regular logic, and the way the market’s going at the moment, it’s the R33 GT-R that’s offering the best kind of affordability. Well, in relative terms, at least. The R32’s passed into full-blown modern-classic territory, and you’re not going to find a good one for under £25k. (Cheaper ones exist, but you’ll end up spending the difference making it good.) The later R34 has been going similarly nuts, with £45k seeming to be the entry point and stretching anywhere up to six figures. But the R33, that’s the generation you can still buy for a price beginning with a one.

The R33 GT-R is no poor relation though, it’s an incredible machine – it carried over the RB26DETT from the R32, but strengthened and refined, and the chassis was unbelievable. Its combination of Brembo brakes, ATTESA-ETS AWD system and Super-HICAS, and extensive weight-saving throughout the car meant that the R33 was a full 21 seconds quicker around the Nürburgring than the R32. So you’re getting more car for less money, see?

Price today: £17,000
Top 3 mods: MeisterR coilovers, GReddy oil cooler, JDM Garage shotgun exhaust

Alfa Romeo Brera 3.2 Q4
The Alfa Romeo Brera is a confusing car. Look at it – it’s a hatchback, right? So why does it never figure in round-ups of iconic hot hatches, given the stunning looks and outstanding spec? How come Alfa Romeo just shrug and smirk when people point out that the stupid-shaped tailgate and tiny boot means that it’s really impractical as a hatchback? Aha, that’s because it’s not actually a hatchback at all. It’s a 2+2 coupé that just happens to look a bit hatchbacky.

Still, we can forgive it that, because it looks drop-dead gorgeous, doesn’t it? And the top-of-the-range one came with Alfa’s intelligent Q4 all-wheel drive chassis, as well as a 260bhp 3.2-litre V6 which just sounds bloody brilliant. The interior’s ace too, all ruched leather and recessed dials angled toward the driver. It’s a hell of a stylish way to get about, plus it’s got the grunt and the grip to entertain you on every journey – and you can have it all for £6k. You need this in your life. Just look at it. We’ve gone all heart-eyes emoji.

Price today: £6,000
Top 3 mods: Quaife LSD, KW coilovers, Qtronic Rotrex supercharger

Mitsubishi Evo III
The Mitsubishi Evo series held enthusiasts in its thrall for a surprisingly long time, from the launch of the original Lancer Evo (retrospectively nicknamed Evo I) back in 1992 to the Evo X’s eventual demise in 2016. These cars represented a revolution in everyday performance, being sensible and practical four-door saloons that were also ballistically fast with incredible handling, and the fact that they’re so amazingly tunable found them a firm place in the motoring world’s hearts.

So, which generation to go for? Well, values of the last-of-the-line Evo X remain strong, and the VII, VIII and IX are all hovering around the £15-24k mark too; the brutal Evo VI’s values are soaring thanks to the halo effect of the Tommi Makinen Edition (which has become a particular favourite), but the earlier cars – that’s where you find the bargains. Our pick would be the Evo III – this is the one made from early 1995 to late ’96; it was the first properly mental Evo, with the huge boot spoiler that would become the signature look of later models, and 270bhp in stock form. You can pick up a really tidy Evo III for under eight grand, which sounds like a great idea to us.

Price today: £8,000
Top 3 mods: AEM Infinity ECU, boost controller, GReddy exhaust

The post BEST 10 BARGAIN AWD CARS appeared first on Fast Car.

Fast estate cars are brilliantly unnecessary, which is just why we love them. Powerful versions of coupes, saloons or hatchbacks always make sense, convention dictates that this is the way things work. But estates? They’re sensible cars, for people who wear a lot of beige corduroy and watch Songs of Praise and make jam for the WI.

Your dad’s straight-laced mate has one, because he’s got a couple of big dogs to ferry about the place and he finds it useful when he needs to take old furniture to the tip. He bundles the family in along with a bunch of camping gear and hauls them all over Europe. Why on earth would you want to take that boxy, utilitarian machine and make it fast? What possible benefit could that have?

Well, there are four main reasons. Number one: it’s boring taking stuff to the tip, so it’s useful to get it done quickly. Number two: the kids will enjoy that heady hit of adrenaline when you put your foot down and make the scenery go all blurry. Number three: see number two, but for the dogs. And number four: it’s just awesome. Life’s too short to drive boring cars. If you’ve got a sensible, practical car, it may as well be fast too, right?

So in a time when everyone’s buying SUVs, the idea of a fast estate car really isn’t that unnecessary after all. It’s everything you’d want from a car, without the grim realisation that you’ve had to give up on life and get a Qashqai. Fast estates tick every conceivable lifestyle box at once. And here are some of our favourites…

Volvo 850 BTCC
We’re starting with arguably the greatest ever example of the fast estate car – a creation so utterly absurd that we still can’t quite believe it exists. Sure, everyone’s heard of it now and you’ve all seen photos of these whoppers hopping over kerbs. But if, like us, you were trackside at Brands Hatch back in 1994 when Volvo rolled this thing out onto the circuit, you’ll remember how the massive crowds were momentarily silenced by the sheer weirdness of it.

A racing car… an estate car… what the hell was happening? Well, working with TWR, Volvo took the conventional BTCC setup (throwing out the road car’s 225bhp 2.3-litre turbo motor and replacing it with a 290bhp nat-asp 2.0-litre in line with the rules) and jammed it into a station wagon. You’d think that it’d be a crap race car, with that high centre-of-gravity and extra weight, but the Kamm tail actually made it pretty aerodynamic! It was a PR exercise really, but it worked brilliantly. It’s the first thing people think of when you mention 1990s Touring Cars. People thought Volvo was all about dull estate cars, so they threw it right back in everyone’s faces.

BMW M5 Touring (E61)
The E61-generation M5 Touring is a car that never needed to exist, which is exactly why it does. On the one hand, you’ve got the sensible-trousers shell of a sodding great 5 Series wagon. On the other hand, you’ve got a true-blue M car with a motorsport-derived 5.0-litre V10 kicking out a wild 500bhp. Put your hands together, and you end up clapping out something very silly indeed. 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds and, if you remove the limiter, 200mph+ potential. Plus space for a wardrobe in the back.

OK, you’ll have to stop at every single petrol station you come across, and when you tot up the servicing costs, you might as well have bought a supercar, but this loopy car is quite possibly the last of its kind: it was such a niche, unpopular variant that it’s unlikely BMW will ever bother making an M5 estate again. And to the untrained eye, it could be just another dadwagon.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Wagon
Mitsubishi Evos will always have a special place in the heart of a certain kind of car enthusiast. The spiralling lunacy of the rally stage horsepower wars saw Subaru and Mitsubishi spurring each other on to approach, breach and dive over the brink of peril for years. You were either an Impreza fan or an Evo fan, and each new version featured fabulously nerdy details. And why not shove all of that tech and horsepower into a big-booty load-lugger?

This may have the look of something built by a backstreet chop-shop, but the Evo Wagon was actually an official factory model, albeit only for the Japanese market. Everything chassis-wise is identical to the Evo IX (aside from the lack of Super Active Yaw Control, although with that extra mass over the tail it doesn’t really need it), along with the bonkers 300bhp+ turbo motor. Annoyingly it had the option of an automatic gearbox, but it wouldn’t be hard to swap a proper one in there – and even with the slushbox it’ll peg 0-62mph in five seconds. Imagine fitting one of these out to rally specs and throwing it through some forests…

Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG
When you’re thinking about hot estates, there are so many AMG Mercs to choose from. Like, a ridiculous amount. Mercedes love all this stuff. But perhaps the most interesting is the C55 AMG, of which just 55 examples were sold in the UK between 2004-07. Its predecessor had a supercharged V6, but for the 2004 model year they decided to revert back to good ol’ nat-asp V8 power.

The 5.4-litre unit grumbles out 362bhp in factory form, and it’s just so AMG – whisper-quiet at idle, roaring to a muscle car crescendo when you wring its neck. The chassis was superb, the equipment list was stellar, and the C55 had the brawn to match BMW’s M3… with the added bonus that you couldn’t get an M3 estate. Those fifty-five buyers were on to a hot little secret here.

Audi RS2 Avant
Much like with the Mercs, there’s an incredible number of fast Audi Avants too. But the daddy of them all, the original, is the RS2 of 1994. Back in the Britpop era, fast estates weren’t really a thing in any meaningful sense, which made the RS2 seem like a totally mad idea (although, to be fair, it’s still totally mad today). A collaboration between Audi and Porsche, it took the 80 Avant as a base and stirred in a tweaked 2.2-litre five-cylinder turbo motor, producing 311bhp. Consider the context – in the mid-’90s, this was high-end sports car power. The move was unprecedented. And owners were very keen to boast that it accelerated from 0-30mph quicker than a McLaren F1.

The RS2 wasn’t just about massive horsepower though. With final assembly completed by Porsche in Zuffenhausen, the spec list boasted Porsche Cup brakes stolen straight from the 964-generation 911, Porsche-developed suspension, hell, it even had a Porsche-style front bumper. This was basically a car for people who wanted a 911 Turbo but also liked to go to a lot of car boot sales.

Lynx Eventer
If you like your estate cars posh, you might be more of a ‘shooting brake’ kind of a person. A shooting brake is, in general, a two-door estate (although not always), coachbuilt on the base of a posh car that wouldn’t normally be an estate – like the Aston Martin DB5, for example. And perhaps the coolest of them all is the Lynx Eventer.

This is basically a Jaguar XJ-S with a bunch of junk in the trunk; built by Lynx, a company that started out making C- and D-Type Jag replicas back in 1973, their remit was effectively to hack off the flying buttresses that a lot of people seemed to hate and replace them with some really big side windows. So you had a whacking great V12 up front, oodles of wood and leather in the middle, and space for your rifles and a couple of gundogs out back. How swanky is that?

Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake
The big cats at Jaguar evidently warmed to the theme of fast estates over the years – just look at the mighty XFR-S Sportbrake. The XF upon which it’s based was originally conceived as a mid-size luxury car to take on the likes of the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series, and it’s safe to say the R-S version was aiming squarely at those brands’ respective RS and M variants. The fact that Jaguar decided to squeeze all of these goodies into the Sportbrake is deliciously barmy; we’re talking 542bhp from a supercharged 5.0-litre V8, a chassis that was obsessively honed at the Nürburgring, paddle-shift and an LSD.

This, essentially, is the world’s greatest getaway car. You know how villains used to use Mk2 Jags in the 1960s to escape from bank raids, and the police got so worked up they started using Jags too? Well, with the XFR-S you could relive that mischief, with the added benefit that you could also use it to carry out the initial ram-raid and cart off the bullion in the back. And if the rozzers chased you onto the Nürburgring, they wouldn’t stand a chance.

Ferrari Daytona Shooting Brake
This car has the honour of being the first Ferrari to be built in the UK. The 1972 365 GTB/4 (aka ‘Daytona’) was originally delivered to the USA; the story goes that a real estate developer by the name of Bob Gittleman walked into the dealership and asked for ‘something a little different’. Importer Luigi ‘Coco’ Chinetti was eager to oblige and, having considerable clout in the sale of Ferraris in North America, set about creating something truly special. A custom shooting brake was penned, and since Chinetti Motors were official importers of Panther Cars, and Chinetti was impressed by the facilities at the Panther Westwinds base in Surrey, he handed them the job.

Panther’s remodelling retained very little of the original body, and their creative approach to rear accessibility saw them use a pair of roof-hinged beetle-wing windows rather than a traditional tailgate. The vast rear glass was a shop window for the speedboat-style wooden decking within, and the 4.4-litre quad-cam V12 offered up a meaty 352bhp. It could sprint to 60mph in under six seconds. Although you wouldn’t be doing that, of course – being a shooting brake, you’d be bumping it across the grounds of your estate, the rear end stuffed with freshly stunned grouse, right?

Nissan Stagea 260RS Autech
The Stagea was basically a Skyline estate, built for the Japanese domestic market to compete with the likes of the Subaru Legacy. You could get them with a variety of humdrum engine and transmission options, but of course Japanese manufacturers have always been a little bit loopy when it comes to performance, and with a stableful of hot Nissan mechanicals sitting there, it’d be mad not to create a fast estate, no?

As such, the Stagea 260RS Autech exists. This practical load-lugger hides the engine, 4WD system and other oily bits from the R33-generation Skyline GT-R, which is frankly so silly we can barely cope. The RB26DETT served up the gentlemen’s-agreement 276bhp (i.e. probably a fair bit more than that), and you got Brembo brakes, BBS wheels, an LSD, and all the clever chassis stuff you’d find in an R33. If you want to be Godzilla at the weekends but flog photocopiers during the week, this is the monster for you.

Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Turbo S E-Hybrid
The cult of the fast estate isn’t slowing down any time soon, if Porsche’s extensively-named e-wagon is anything to go by. The cosmic mouthful that is the Panamera Sport Turismo Turbo S E-Hybrid shows us the future of fast estate cars in pretty devastating style. Just check out the specs: it’s got a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, mated to a juicy electric motor and an 8-speed PDK gearbox. Peak power is 671bhp, which is mental, but the really big number here is the torque figure of 627lb.ft, which is all available from just 1,400rpm.

What this means is that you can be idling the car over here at the lights, slightly flex your ankle, and without realising you’ll suddenly be way over there. It’s almost as powerful as the hooligan 911 GT2 RS, but you can get your kids in the back, and leap across all of Europe in about twenty minutes (or thereabouts, probably). Sure, it costs £140k, but it’s more of a private jet than it is a car. And a-hundred-and-forty-grand is actually quite reasonable for a private jet.

Words Dan Bevis

The post BEST 10 FAST ESTATE CARS appeared first on Fast Car.

You know the kind of thing: the Volvo 850 T5 estate, Mitsubishi Galant VR-4, VW Passat W8, Lancia Thema 8.32 (y’know, that humdrum saloon with the Ferrari V8 shoved into it)… but that’s not quite what we’re talking about here. No, we’re looking at the cars that are generally sidelined for being a bit ordinary, not terribly exciting, but have hidden potential to be tuned up to improbable and spooky levels. Not factory sleepers, but DIY sleepers!

You see, engines exist in families. You may find a detuned version in a lowly model, which can be very easily either modified to be as powerful as the top-of-the-line sport variant, or just simply swapped without drama. And sometimes the manufacturer simply shoved the full-fat, high-spec version in a dull car and nobody noticed. Whichever way, there’s hidden horsepower out there in places you wouldn’t expect.

Here are some surprising options to get you from zero to hero without anyone realising…

SEAT Exeo
The Exeo is a weird car. It’s not bad as such, it’s just… kind of pointless. It’s as if the big cheeses at the company had a meeting one day and someone said ‘Hang on a minute – we don’t have a new car in the saloon-versions-of-hatchbacks niche right now. Can we just throw one together out of various bits from the parts bin?’ So it’s not really a unique design, more a Frankenstein’s monster; in fact there’s quite a lot of Audi A4 in there. But the juicy detail is that the Exeo was available with the Volkswagen group’s iconic 1.8 20vT motor – the very same one that you find in 210bhp form in the Audi S3, or 225bhp in the TT. OK, the Exeo’s 20vT only offered 148bhp, but it’s the same basic engine.

How do you get to to full-fat 225 spec? Well, the block is the same, but the 225 has different pistons, crank, MAF, injectors, cats, mapping, intercoolers, plus a bigger turbo – so you could just find a BAM-code TT engine and swap it straight in (probably easier), although even a simple remap of the Exeo’s motor would get it past 180bhp without trouble. And since there’s so much Audi in this oddball SEAT, how hard could it be to build yourself an Exeo Quattro…?

TOP THREE MODS: Remap, K04 turbo, uprated fuelling

Nissan Almera
There are iconic hot hatches, there are niche hot hatches, and then there’s the Nissan Almera GTI. It’s one of those cars that, despite being reasonably good, only five people actually care about them. Those five people are massive fans, will bend your ear for hours about how ‘it’s a good car, really, trust me’ and have spent a lot of money building stellar versions for themselves, but it’s never a car that’s going to worm its way into those ubiquitous Best Hot Hatch of All Time lists.

This, of course, is where you can be a bit sneaky. You see, the Almera GTI has an SR20 motor. And where else do you find the SR20? Yep, the 180SX, the 200SX, the Sunny GTI-R – in SR20DET form, this is a hard-boosting nutter that just loves to be tuned up to insane levels.

The ‘T’ in the name is significant. It stands for ‘turbo’. The Almera GTI’s engine is an SR20DE – without the ‘T’ – so we’re talking 140bhp from the factory. Not that thrilling. But the key point is what it represents: the SR20 architecture is native to the Almera, so you can find yourself a hot turbocharged motor and literally just bolt it in – don’t faff with the complexity of trying to boost your engine, just find a proper DET. Insane horsepower is well within reach. (You might want to upgrade your brakes though, and maybe throw an LSD into the mix!)

TOP THREE MODS: SR20DET engine, LSD, all the boost

Ford Transit
Alright it’s not a car, you’re just going to have to go with us on this one. As multi-talented as the backbone-of-Britain Transit van may be, it’s never really been regarded for the potency and tunability of its engine, has it? Sure, there have been a few entertaining exceptions to this rule; the various Supervans Ford built for PR purposes, and Jaguar’s XJ220 test mule being notable examples. But the bone-stock builder-spec Trannie? Well, yes actually – there is potential there.

You see, if you buy a petrol-engined Transit from the 1980s or early ’90s, you’ll spot the number ‘205’ cast into the engine block. You know which other Pinto has a 205 block? You’ve got it, it’s the Cosworth YB, like you’d find in Escort and Sierra RS Cosworths. So if you’re a plumber or a roofer who wants to break into the lucrative market of making 24-hour emergency callouts, 600bhp is just a weekend with the spanners away. Er, possibly. It’d make an awesome sleeper too, wouldn’t it? Leave a ladder lashed to the roof and a yellowing copy of The Sun on the dash for extra stealth points.

TOP THREE MODS: Twin-cam 16v head, huge turbo, dash full of Greggs wrappers

Saab 9-2X
When is a Saab not a Saab? When it’s a 9-2X. Yeah, that’s a pretty crap Christmas cracker joke, but also a fact that may have passed some people by. Naturally there’s a lot of enthusiasm for the tunability of Saab turbo motors, as they’re as strong as the proverbial ox and loving having sodding great wodges of boost shoved into them. But the 9-2X is an entirely different kettle of fish.
The crux of the matter is that it isn’t actually a Saab at all. It’s a Subaru Impreza with an inexplicable Saab grille glued to the nose.

You could get them in two spec levels – Linear or Aero. In Linear form, the 9-2X had a nat-asp Subaru 2.5-litre flat-four, while the Aero came bristling with the turbo’d 227bhp WRX motor. Which, as you know, just loves to have its belly tickled by men with oily spanners who can throw 400bhp through it in the twinkling of an eye, while everyone who sees you wubba-wubba-wubbaing past will assume you’ve bought yourself a sensible old man’s estate car and there’s something wrong with the engine.

OK, the 9-2X was an American-market car that only sold for a couple of years, but it’s such a weird quirk of Saab’s history that we couldn’t leave it out!

TOP THREE MODS: STI heads, FMIC, standalone management

Audi A6 2.7T
The C5-generation Audi A6, built from 1997-2004, is known for two completely separate things: being a sensible and frugal family car, and being a turbo-nutter mega-Quattro. The former is more often the case, with diesel-powered estate cars serving sterling duty in load-lugging, hauling old paving slabs to the tip, and carting the nippers across Europe on holiday road-trips. The latter? Well, the halo is the bonkers RS6, which had a 4.2-litre twin-turbo V8 with 444bhp. The slightly less mad S6 was still completely loopy – elitists may sideline it as a soft option, but it still had a bruising V8 and 335bhp. Hero cars, both.

…however, there’s something else in the C5 line you should know about: the 2.7T. With this car, you need to forget that it’s an A6 and instead see it as a stealthy S4 – by taking the 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6 (complete with 247bhp) from the smaller-brother S4, and crowbarring it into an A6 that looks like it’s on school-run duty, Audi played a surprising blinder.

The performance potential speaks for itself here. These engines are insane – whack on a couple of K04 turbos, a bigger intercooler and a decent exhaust, map it robustly, and you’re staring down the barrel of an S4-baiting 400bhp+. And coupled with the fact that most of the S6/RS6 bits will bolt on easily (the huge brakes, for example), the humble-looking 2.7T could be a real giant-killer.

TOP THREE MODS: K04 turbos, remap, RS6 brakes

SEAT Ibiza TDI Sport
The Skoda Fabia vRS is a bit of an underground classic: when it was launched in 2003, there was quite a lot of scoffing at the fact that they’d created something that was supposed to be a hot hatch but was only available with a diesel engine. Diesel + Skoda = flat-caps, not B-road thrills.

…but then it turned out that the vRS was hilarious fun; the headline 130bhp power figure was irrelevant, because the power delivery was all about that 228lb.ft of torque available from just 1500rpm. This thing could hustle!

But when the decision-makers at VAG decided to shove the Fabia vRS mechanicals into a SEAT Ibiza to create the TDI Sport, no-one really noticed. Here was a car that basically looked like every other cheapo Ibiza, it didn’t have a Cupra badge – who cares about that?

Well, you should. Because you can pick these things up for peanuts now, and that PD engine has appeared in all sorts of stump-pulling terrors across the VAG-o-sphere. Fancy 158bhp and 243lb.ft? Just rob a few minor bits off a Mk3 Ibiza. Or 150bhp can be found in PD engines in anything from the Mk4 Golf to the Ford Galaxy (which, of course, was actually a SEAT Alhambra). And with a hybrid turbo, FMIC and some bigger injectors you could be chuckling through the dark veil of 230bhp, whilst leaving comically big black clouds everywhere – the stock internals are good for 450lb.ft too, you don’t even need to crack it open. No-one will suspect a thing until you boot it.

TOP THREE MODS: Hybrid turbo, FMIC, uprated fuelling

Fiat Coupe 16v Turbo
Here’s a car that really reinforces the fact that we’re not talking strictly about sleepers here. Just look at the thing. Gorgeous, isn’t it? A superbly weird bit of design with perfect proportions, it’s aged very well indeed. Certainly pretty enough for you to forget that they have tendency to break all the time in surprising ways. (Trust us, we’ve owned a few – they make great ornaments.) You could never call it a sleeper, as it’s so obviously a sports car. But there’s still a vital wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing element here, even if the sheep in question is wearing Air Max and limbering up to eurodisco.

The thing about the Coupe, as with a lot of cars, is that it’s subject to a fair bit of snobbery. Anyone with a handful of knowledge will tell you that the 20v Turbo is the version to go for, the five-cylinder engine being entertainingly warbly and throwing out 220bhp.

The lesser 16v Turbo, meanwhile, resides in the shadows, unloved and unappreciated. Which is a shame, as its 190bhp four-cylinder motor is actually the same as the one you’d find in the Lancia Delta Integrale. Seriously. That little 16v badge on the B-pillar isn’t a mark of shame because you bought the slower car, it’s your one-way ticket to Group A rally thrills. It’s already packing the P8 management that you’d find on an Integrale (or, interestingly, an Escort RS Cosworth), and this can be artfully recalibrated and set to work with some uprated fuelling and a bigger turbo, and suddenly you’ve got over 400bhp. Strap on the anti-lag and terrify some pedestrians.

TOP THREE MODS: Huge turbo, remap, anti-lag

Proton Satria
The Satria GTI was a car that everyone got excited about, and then promptly forgot. There’s only about 120 of them left on the road in the UK, but back in 1998 this was very much where it was at. For about twenty minutes, anyway.

Why all the excitement? Well, because Protons are a bit rubbish, aren’t they? And yet suddenly they’d released a car with a GTI badge – and it wasn’t a cynical marketing exercise either, they’d got Lotus to set up the handling (a fact they wouldn’t shut up about, gluing Lotus badges all over the bloody thing) and it had an oh-so late-nineties bodykit, all screwed-on arches and drive-thru-cruise aggression.

So… can a top-of-the-range hot hatch ever really be a wolf in sheep’s clothing? In this case, actually, yes. Because the engine – a 1.8-litre four-pot offering 138bhp – was, somewhat surprisingly, a Mitsubishi Lancer GSR engine that’d had its turbo lopped off. So all you have to do is reinstate the turbo (OK, and fiddle around with some other stuff) and you’ve got a pint-sized Evo. Or rather than buggering about, just find an actual Evo engine and a FWD Mitsubishi gearbox, and marvel at how it all just bolts in. Madness and mischief guaranteed.

TOP THREE MODS: Evo engine, Colt transmission, maybe remove the Proton badges

Lexus IS200
There’s a certain reputation that comes with owning a Lexus. Sure, in recent years they’ve amped up their performance creds to the bedroom-wall-poster market, with the LFA being an insane spectacle of high-revving supercar lunacy. The new LC coupe is pretty awesome from most angles too, although it does have that face – you know the one, all modern Lexuses have it, it looks like frickin’ Predator. Hideous. But all that aside, the reputation… it’s a bit Alan Partridge. ‘The Japanese Mercedes’, that was his term.

This helps very much for the IS200 buyer today. It may have been the model that inadvertently kicked off the unfortunate 1990s trend for Lexus lights (and we truly hope they’re sorry), but for the most part this was a car for sensible middle-managers – people who felt a 3 Series was a bit common.

They’re cheap as chips today, and blend seamlessly into the monochrome of modern traffic. Which is great, because the 3.0-litre model has a 2JZ motor. What’s that? Oh, only the straight-six you’d find in a Supra!

It hasn’t got the twin-turbos here, of course, but it wouldn’t take NASA to get a Supra-spec motor in there – and you know how strong and tunable the 2JZ is, right? Don’t bother tuning the nat-asp 2JZ-GE, just bolt in a turbo’d 2JZ-GTE as a straight-swap and whimsically daydream about how they can be reliably tuned beyond 1,000bhp. Imagine that in a slightly battered, ’90s commuter-spec silver IS200.

TOP THREE MODS: Supra engine, single-turbo conversion, custom exhaust

Nissan Murano
It’s an unfortunate fact of modern life that SUVs are the motoring industry’s main growth sector. Jaguar have caved, so have Maserati, Bentley and even Rolls-Royce. These are all high-performance models, of course – the humdrum everyday sight is more likely to be uninspiring plodders with Ford or Vauxhall badges, SUVs that are utilitarian and logical and tacitly imply that you’ve sort of given up on the idea of having a fun car.

Nissan’s Murano, however, has a secret. While it may look to the casual bystander to be a slightly funky but now also slightly aged soft-roader, with a bit of wacky design but also with the drudgery of SUV life baked in, it’s actually hiding the engine from a 350Z.

That’s right. The first-gen Murano, built from 2002-07, has a VQ35DE motor – a 3.5-litre V6. In the Murano it has 245bhp, but the 350Z had up to 300bhp, so you’re only a remap away from glory. That’ll blow away a few cobwebs on the school run.

TOP THREE MODS: GReddy turbo conversion, custom exhaust, standalone management

Words Dan Bevis

The post BEST 10 SLEEPER CARS appeared first on Fast Car.