Are there any "responsive" cars under £10K

S2k needs revving even more than the N/A BMW M engines though :p Or maybe you were joking!
 
Whilst my 350z with a lightened fly wheel and a few tweaks is very responsive, it is a more lazy car, and there are torquier cars out there. Though that said the torque curve is pretty much flat across the rev range which helps.

Basically you need something with a big engine in a V configuration. Or....


a diesel.
 
Reading your OP, I know it's bad form to suggest one's own car, but an E39 M5 might be the ticket. It's difficult, as with 400 bhp it still does silly speeds quite quickly, but the torque and power mean that it's challenging and engaging to drive, even at low speeds, particularly as the traction control is either on or off. To have proper fun it has to be off, but you'll want to be awake to do so as it's a big heavy car, and whilst quite docile and balanced, physics can catch up with you.

The engine is not mega-torquey, but revs hard all the way to 7,000 rpm, and can be left at low revs without complaining, including non-1st gear starts (accidentally pulled away in third a couple of times now). It's therefore quite flexible - a good daily whilst also being capable of revving right out.

Funnily enough, I use it exactly as I did my Z4 Coupe - as a B-road car, and I'm glad I have because any doubts before buying it that it would be unsuited/too big or unwieldy have been swept aside. It can't hold the corner speed quite as much as the Z4, but that means more interaction from the driver. More braking, downshifting (a joy with the excellent manual 'box), heel & toe, then a carefully feathered throttle past the apex and a bootful on the way out if nothing's coming the other way. It's so very satisfying when you get it "right" - a feeling I missed in my Z4 which was weirdly almost too competent.

You do have to be absolutely aware and accepting of the absolutely terrible fuel economy compared with most cars. For a nigh-on 1.9T car with 400 bhp it's par for the course, but compared with more modern turbo cars it's going to be really bad. I don't do any motorway unless on a road trip, but I'm averaging around 17 mpg, so if it's a daily, be prepared. Also bear in mind that the newest ones are 13 years old, so do require a lot of up-keep. They do wear their miles well, and £10k will get you a 100k-120k mile example. As with most cars of this age, buy on condition over anything else - if you narrow yourself down on spec you're going to have to wait a long time for the right car.
 
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Thanks Marvin. I appreciate the write up, and pretty much understand all that you've said. I hope to see you at the next meet.

As Simon says (sic) a Carrera GT or LFA, or most cars (of a sporty nature) over 100 grand probably fit the bill. Therein lies the nub of the problem. Is that character available at 10K?

Pity you find the 350Z's engine a little lazy Freefaller. I had high hopes.

I live in Essex morguk. Too many Fords around here, which is why I bought my car over a focus ST. Even if they are a great drive, which they are. Sorry.

147GTA might just fit the bill in every way Adam. Epic and characterful engine I believe. Small so (probably) chuckable with a large capacity V for its size. Lots of things to consider on that one, although I do worry about a big lump of a V6 in a small hatch, as quite often the smaller engines give the car better balance.
 
By the sounds of it you want something that's a bit more linear in power delivery. So something that's supercharged (or twin charged) will suit better than something turbo, and potentially has better low down grunt than anything N/A.

Not certain where that leaves you in terms of actual cars though :p
 
I was going to suggest an e39 M5 but thought I'd get shot down in flames!


Epic epic cars that tick the OP's boxes, but they will bite in the pocket and the brown trouser department if your too ham fisted with it!
 
Gepetto said:
Thanks Marvin. I appreciate the write up, and pretty much understand all that you've said. I hope to see you at the next meet.

As Simon says (sic) a Carrera GT or LFA, or most cars (of a sporty nature) over 100 grand probably fit the bill. Therein lies the nub of the problem. Is that character available at 10K?

Pity you find the 350Z's engine a little lazy Freefaller. I had high hopes.

.
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Maybe lazy was the wrong word. It's not a VTEC style engine so it doesn't need to be worked but it IS responsive but you don't have to thrash it for it to move. But if you want to exploit it then using all the revs works. It's torquey and when I said lazy I meant that it doesn't require much of a workout to pull reasonably well in pretty much any gear.

I'm happy to take you for a spin. Whilst a heavy car and similar in performance to an e46 m3 it is a completely different character in its power delivery. I have tweaked my car fair bit on the drive train so it does behave more urgently.

I am biased though so probably not being totally objective.
 
I'd steer well away from big, premium, powerful stuff - or anything of its ilk - if you're looking for a fun road car that's a riot at sensible speeds. The most fun I've ever had has always been in the lightest, rortiest and more affordable stuff.
 
Siliconslave said:
RX8 - they are supposed to be pretty free revving ;)
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When bits of it aren't breaking I absolutely love mine :D but then its a 12 year old mazda thats done 95k things are going to break :D It however doesn't even have enough torque to pull the top off a rice pudding it does however go around corners like its on rails!
 
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