Top 10 Cheap Cars That Are Really Fast

Most of us have the dream of one day owning a car that can satisfy our need for speed. But, not every one of us can afford a car that can quench that thirst. That’s why, in the absence of the capacity to spend big bucks on fast, powerful, and expensive cars, we instead look to the used-car market to find cheap cars that also happen to be fast. There’s no shortage of options in this ecosystem. You can buy any car you want for a fraction of the cost of buying a brand-new model. You’re going to have to spend a little extra restoring some of these affordable fast cars, but that’s part of the challenge — and excitement — of diving deep into this pond. You spend a little and spend a little more until you have the car of your dreams, one that’s fast, powerful, and cheap, all rolled into one. Take a look at these 10 cheap fast sports cars to get you started.

Related: Top 10 Fastest Used Cars Under $20,000

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Nissan 300ZX

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Front three-quarters shot of a red 1987 Nissan 300ZX

It carried the integrated headlamp design really well to go with its dramatic sloping body that hammers home its sports car design. Don’t sleep on its T-top roof, too. That layout came standard on the Z32, adding yet another dramatic styling cue to the sports car’s overall aesthetic package. Looks aside, the 300ZX Z32 could move. Opt for the twin-turbocharged variant of its 3.0-liter VG30 V-6 engine, and you benefit from a power output of 300 horsepower and 283 pound-feet of torque. Yes, the 300ZX TT Z32 had as much power as the Ferraris of that time. It’s easy to forget, too, that Nissan built this performance car specifically to compete against models like the Chevrolet Corvette C4 and the Porsche 944. That’s why it was able to hit 60 mph in 6.0 seconds or better and had a governed top speed of 155 mph. If you want a fast, cheap car, go look at the 300ZX and try to find one with a five-speed manual transmission.

Engine:

3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine

Horsepower:

300 horsepower

Torque:

283 pound-feet of torque

0 to 60 MPH:

6.0 seconds

Top Speed:

155 mph

Quarter-Mile Time:

14.5 seconds at 105 mph (best)

Curb Weight:

3,518 pounds (1,596 kilos)

Power-to-Weight Ratio (U.S. Ton):

171

Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4

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Front three-quarters shot of a red 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4

Speaking of a desirable 90s-era sports car, the Mitsubishi 3000GT — it’s also known as the GTO in Japan and the Dodge Stealth in America — was a grand tourer that didn’t look the part of one. It was better described as a sports car because it performed like one despite carrying a bulky 3,737-pound frame. Despite its weight, it could make short work of the Chevrolet Camaro or Ford Mustang of the time. You can drop the 3000GT in 2020 and it’ll still look as fresh as it did back in 1990. Opt for the VR4 variant and now you’re really taking it to a whole new level. The performance-spec 3000GT VR4 came with a slew of aerodynamic add-ons, including an inverted airfoil spoiler and some extra power. More importantly, it featured a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine that produced 320 horsepower and 315 pound-feet of torque. Despite being rear-wheel drive, It only took 5.7 seconds for the sports car to hit 60 mph from a standstill position and it peaked at a top speed of 165 mph, faster than a lot of today’s sports cars. If you have somewhere around $20,000 to spare, you can score a used 3000GT and still have enough change in your pocket after your purchase. It was available with a five-speed manual, a six-speed manual, and a four-speed automatic transmission. Obviously, you should try to find a six-speed model.

Engine:

3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine

Horsepower:

320 horsepower

Torque:

315 pound-feet of torque

0 to 60 MPH:

5.7 seconds

Top Speed:

165 mph

Quarter-Mile Time:

15 seconds at 105 mph (est)

Curb Weight:

3,737 pounds (1,695 kilos)

Power-to-Weight Ratio (U.S. Ton):

171

Related: Top 10 Fastest Porsches Ever Made

Chevrolet Corvette C4 ZR1

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Front and side profile shot of a black 1990 Chevrolet Corvette C4 ZR1

A lot of Corvette enthusiasts cried foul when the Chevrolet Corvette C4 arrived in 1983, but the rancor has subsided to a great degree. Despite the mixed reactions to its looks, nobody could deny that the Corvette C4, particularly the ZR1 variant, could destroy a lot of exotics of its time. The rear-wheel-drive Corvette C4 ZR1 boasted a 5.7-liter LT5 engine that could produce as much as 405 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque. It could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 180 mph. It’s even done quarter-mile times in the 13-second mark at 110 mph! These days, used versions of the Corvette C4 ZR1 are available for as little as $25,000 while standard Corvette C4 models can be bought anywhere from $12,000 to $18,000. However, it’s probably best to avoid models built through the 1988 model year as these had the Doug Nash “4+3” manual transmission with a funky automatic overdrive attached to the three upper gears. 1989 and newer models came with a new, thoroughbred ZF six-speed manual.

Engine:

5.7-liter LT5 engine

Horsepower:

405 horsepower

Torque:

385 pound-feet of torque

0 to 60 MPH:

4.4 seconds

Top Speed:

180 mph

Quarter-Mile Time:

13 seconds at 110 mph

Curb Weight:

3,463 pounds (1,571 kilos)

Power-to-Weight Ratio (U.S. Ton):

234

Audi S8 D3

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Front and side profile shot of a gray 2007 Audi S8

Despite weighing more than two tons, the S8 D3 can slap you senseless with a sprint-to-6-mph time of just 5.1 seconds on its way to maxing out at an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. A big part of the credit goes to what’s sitting underneath that sheet metal called a front hood. Pop that open and you’ll see a 5.2-liter V-10 engine that’s considered a cousin of the 5.0-liter Lamborghini V-10 engine that powered the Gallardo supercar. It’s no surprise that the S8 D3’s V-10 unit could produce 444 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. The S8 D3 looks like a stately car, and it fits the bill of one. Underneath all that, though, is a sports car that’s waiting to be unleashed, and if you’re in the market for one, used versions of the S8 D3 can be yours for as low as $6,000. It’s one of the fastest cheap cars out there.

Engine:

5.2-liter V-10 engine

Horsepower:

444 horsepower

Torque:

398 pound-feet of torque

0 to 60 MPH:

4.6 seconds

Top Speed:

155 mph

Quarter-Mile Time:

13.7 seconds at 115 mph

Curb Weight:

4,277 pounds (1,940 kilos)

Power-to-Weight Ratio (U.S. Ton):

208

Related: Top 10 American Performance Cars

Dodge Neon SRT4

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Front and side profile shot of a 2005 Dodge Neon SRT-4 finished in white with blue stripes

Despite these shortcomings, the Neon had a trump card. It was called the Neon SRT-4. The high-powered Neon SRT4 was the turbocharged variant of the Neon that was developed by Performance Vehicle Operations, the in-house tuning arm of what was then Daimler Chrysler. The Neon SRT4 packed a wallop. It was powered by a 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four-cylinder engine that produced 215 horsepower and 245 pound-feet of torque. It doesn’t sound like much by today’s standards, but the Neon SRT4 was created to surprise a lot of people. It was capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds – 0.4 seconds faster than the rear-wheel-drive 2001 Ford Mustang – and hit a quarter-mile time of just 14.1 seconds before maxing out at a top speed of 153 mph. Perhaps the stink of the “Neon” nameplate has kept demand low for the SRT-4. There are used models of the turbocharged Neon for sale for under $10,000. Point-blank, the Neon SRT-4 was a fast car.

Engine:

2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four-cylinder engine

Horsepower:

215 horsepower

Torque:

245 pound-feet of torque

0 to 60 MPH:

5.6 seconds

Top Speed:

153 mph

Quarter-Mile Time:

14.1 seconds at 108 mph (best)

Curb Weight:

2,900 pounds (1,300 kilos)

Power-to-Weight Ratio (U.S. Ton):

148

Chevrolet C5 Corvette

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Front three-quarters shot of a white 1997 Chevrolet C5 Corvette

From one generation to another, Chevrolet has shown that it could reinvent the Corvette in ways that will elicit a reaction from the Corvette faithful. It happened when the Corvette C4 arrived in 1989, and it certainly happened when its successor, the Corvette C5, arrived in 1997. Among many changes, Chevrolet completely re-engineered the Corvette C5’s chassis, making it tougher and more durable than the one its predecessor wore. Chevy also created a near-perfect weight distribution, aided in part by moving the transmission to the differential housing. Then there’s the Corvette C5’s 5.7-liter LS1 V-8 engine. This engine produced 339 horsepower and 356 pound-feet of torque. That output propelled the ‘Vette C5 to 60 mph from an idle position in just 5.3 seconds on its way to a quarter-mile time of 14.6 seconds at 110 mph and an impressive top speed of 174 mph.

Engine:

5.7-liter LS1 V-8 engine

Horsepower:

339 horsepower

Torque:

356 pound-feet of torque

0 to 60 MPH:

5.3 seconds

Top Speed:

174 mph

Quarter-Mile Time:

14.6 seconds at 110 mph

Curb Weight:

3,245 pounds (1,472 kilos)

Power-to-Weight Ratio (U.S. Ton):

209

Related: 10 Hypercars That Push Performance to the Extreme

Jaguar XJR

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Front and side profile of a 2000 Jaguar XJR finished in black

The second-generation Jaguar XJ was in the market for 17 years, and to be fair, the XJ X308 wasn’t that great of a car. It had a faulty engine that could set you back in the red if it conked out at the most inopportune of times. It also had a dated look, a product of laziness on Jaguar’s part. You probably won’t enjoy peak use of that engine due to its age and all-around wear-and-tear, but back then, the V-8 could summon 370 horsepower and 387 pound-feet of torque, allowing for a 0-to-60-mph time of just 5.6 seconds to go with an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. Used versions of the XJR X308 are dirt cheap, underscoring the myriad of issues the model faced when it was in the market. Still, if you want to take a stab at one and restore it back to prominence, you can buy a used model for as low as $7,000.

Engine:

4.0-liter supercharged V-8 engine

Horsepower:

370 horsepower

Torque:

387 pound-feet of torque

0 to 60 MPH:

5.6 seconds

Top Speed:

155 mph

Quarter-Mile Time:

15.0 seconds at 100 mph (est.)

Curb Weight:

3,968 pounds (1,800 kilos)

Power-to-Weight Ratio (U.S. Ton):

186

E39 BMW 540i

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Front three-quarters shot of a parked green 2002 BMW 540i

Knowing what we know now, the 5 Series E39 is probably one of the most underrated versions of the 5 Series. On the surface, the BMW 540i is a top-end spec of the 5 Series E39. But inside, it’s basically an M5, even if it wasn’t as powerful as that generation’s actual M5. There’s a lot to like about the 540i’s capabilities. It was powered by a 4.4-liter V-8 engine that produced 282 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. That output helped the 540i sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 6.0 seconds and post a quarter-mile time of 15.8 seconds at 104 mph. Like most models, the 540i’s top speed was limited to 155 mph. Used versions of the BMW 540i E39 sell for as low as $6,000. These models are some of the best used cars under $10,000. If you’re looking for an M5 that you can build back up to prominence — and maybe throw in a bigger engine — the 540i E39 is a good way to go.

Engine:

4.4-liter V-8 engine

Horsepower:

282 horsepower

Torque:

310 pound-feet of torque

0 to 60 MPH:

6.0 seconds

Top Speed:

155 mph

Quarter-Mile Time:

15.8 seconds at 104 mph

Curb Weight:

3,660 pounds (1,660 kilos)

Power-to-Weight Ratio (U.S. Ton):

154

Related: 10 Most Powerful BMWs Ever Made

Chevrolet Z28 Camaro

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Front and side profile shot of a red 2002 Chevrolet Z28 Camaro parked 

The fourth-generation Chevrolet Camaro holds the distinction of being the last Camaro that Chevrolet built before the nameplate took an eight-year hiatus. Despite that stain in its name, the gen-four Camaro was still something else. The top-spec Z28, in particular, was a barn-burner. It featured a 5.7-liter LT1 V-8 unit that had 275 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque at its disposal. Here’s the challenging news about the Camaro MkIV Z28. Only 633 units were made during the fourth-gem Camaro’s entire production run. Scoring one on the cheap is tricky, but if you look hard enough, you could get a deal anywhere from $8,000 to $20,000 depending on its condition. It has all the hallmarks of a cheap fast car.

Engine:

5.7-liter LT1 V-8 engine

Horsepower:

275 horsepower

Torque:

325 pound-feet of torque

0 to 60 MPH:

6.4 seconds

Top Speed:

155 mph

Quarter-Mile Time:

15.8 seconds at 104 mph

Curb Weight:

3,373 pounds (1,530 kilos)

Power-to-Weight Ratio (U.S. Ton):

163

Porsche 944 Turbo

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Front and side profile shot of a 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo parked

The Porsche 944 Turbo was a hot ticket item when it first came out, and its popularity sustained throughout its nine-year run, culminating in a production run approaching 160,000 copies. Together with its front-engine layout, the sheer production volume has contributed to the car’s affordable status despite boasting a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four cylinder engine that produced 217 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. You won’t get to maximize its full power and performance potential given its age, but early-production models of the 944 Turbo with around 50,000 to 60,000 miles on its odometer can still be bought for around $12,000. Best be quick, though. Prices for the 944 Turbo models are going up; the days of the 944 carrying the label of an affordable sports car are coming to an end.

Engine:

2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four-cylinder engine

Horsepower:

217 horsepower

Torque:

243 pound-feet of torque

0 to 60 MPH:

5.9 seconds

Top Speed:

162 mph

Quarter-Mile Time:

15.6 seconds at 106 mph

Curb Weight:

3,122 pounds (1,416 kilos)

Power-to-Weight Ratio (U.S. Ton):

70

FAQ

Q: What are some cheap cars that are fast?

Sports cars from the last two to three decades populate this segment of the industry, and depending on their condition and all-around wear-and-tear, you can buy a cheap fast car for as little as $5,000.

Q: What cars are fast and cheap?

The Mitsubishi 3000GT, Honda S2000, and even the Toyota MR2 are all considered fast and cheap.

Q: What fast cars are cheap in 2022?

Models like the Mazda MX-5 Miata, Toyota 86, and Subaru BRZ count as fast cheap cars in 2022. Hot hatchbacks like the Ford Focus RS, Volkswagen Golf R, and Honda Civic Type R all qualify as affordable fast cars in our current year.

Q: What is the Fastest Normal Car?

If you consider a car like the Chrysler 300 a normal car, then you could consider that as one of the fastest. If you opt for the optional V-8, you can have as much as 470 horsepower, which will put the 300 up to as high as 175 mph while getting you to 60 mph in less than five seconds. If not, there are mainstream EVs like the Kia EV6 that can do 0-60 mph in as little as 3.5 seconds!