There are two major factors that gearheads consider when buying a car — performance and looks. Some gearheads will buy any fast car regardless of its appearance, while others are happy with any car that turns heads wherever they go, regardless of how slow it got there. Both groups typically have to spend a lot of money to get the fastest or most beautiful new cars on the market.
But what if you want a fast or beautiful car, but you're working with a tight budget? Well, that's where the used car market comes in. We did some research and found five fast cars that you can buy for less than $10,000 and five similarly priced cars that, despite being slow, have fantastic designs.
10 Fast Car Under 10K: Porsche Boxster 986
Porsche makes terrific sports cars, but they're typically built for people with deep pockets. In the '90s, though, Porsche decided to make an entry-level model to compete with the increasing number of Japanese sports cars. The result was the Boxster.
Despite being an entry-level model, the first-generation Boxster was no slouch. It had a 3.2-liter flat-six under the hood cranking out 254 hp, enough to give it a top speed of 160 mph.
9 Slow But Stylish: 1975 Chevrolet Corvette
In 1970, the top-of-the-range Corvette had more than 400 hp on tap. Five years later, it had less than half that. The 1975 Corvette was a victim of the federally-mandated emission restrictions of the '70s, which had forced Chevy and other manufacturers to detune their engines.
The 1975 Corvette was powered by a 5.7-liter small-block V8 developing an embarrassing 165 hp, giving it a 0-60 of around 8 seconds. Despite its horrid performance figures, the 1975 Corvette still had a fantastic design.
8 Fast Car Under 10K: 2004 Pontiac GTO
The 2004 Pontiac GTO is one of the most hated American cars of all time. The reason why people hated this car was simple — it was a rebadged Holden Monaro coupe that didn't look anything like the beloved classic muscle car we all fell in love with in the '60s.
However, we think that the 2004 GTO was harshly treated. Granted, it didn't look like a muscle car, but it was all muscle under the hood. It had a 6.0-liter LS2 V8 cranking out 400 hp, giving it a top speed of 160 mph.
7 Slow But Stylish: 1991 Mazda MX-5 Miata
The first-generation Miata took the world by storm when it debuted in 1989. It had a gorgeous design inspired by British sports cars from the post-war era and great driving dynamics that made it extremely fun to drive. The Miata was also a lot more affordable than European sports cars.
While the Miata is a blast to drive, it's not known for its speed. To keep it affordable, Mazda equipped it with a small 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with just 115 hp on tap, giving it a top speed of 126 mph.
6 Fast Car Under 10K: 1991 Jaguar XJ-S
The Jaguar XJ-S had an unfortunate start to life. Introduced in 1975, the XJ-S was the successor to the legendary E-Type, but since it was not nearly as gorgeous, it was hated from the start.
However, without considering its association with the E-Type, the XJ-S was actually a decent car, particularly the 1991 variant. The 1991 XJ-S had a 6.0-liter HE V12 producing 329 hp, making it seriously fast. With prices below $10,000, the 1991 XJ-S is one of the cheapest V12-powered cars available today.
5 Slow But Stylish: Pontiac Fiero
If there's one car that doesn't get the respect it deserves, it's the Pontiac Fiero. Introduced in the early '80s, the Fiero was way ahead of its time. It was the first mid-engined American sports car to be mass-produced and had advanced technologies like hidden headlamps, composite panels, and integrated speakers in the driver and passenger seats.
The Fiero also had a fantastic wedge-shaped design that rivaled anything from Europe at the time. Sadly, a weak engine and reliability issues overshadowed the Fiero's good qualities.
4 Fast Car Under 10K: 2006 Cadillac CTS-V
Introduced in the early 2000s, the CTS is an executive sedan that Cadillac built to compete with European compact luxury cars like the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The CTS was a great car, but it had one problem — it was too slow, so Cadillac went back to the drawing board and developed the high-performing CTS-V.
The CTS-V was equipped with a Corvette-sourced 6.0-liter LS2 V8 with 400 hp on tap, giving it a 0-60 of 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 163 mph. This is one of the coolest sleeper cars you can buy.
3 Slow But Stylish: BMW Z3
As other top European automakers started building cheap sports cars in the '90s to compete with the Japanese, BMW wasn't left behind. After years of development, the German marque introduced the Z3 in 1996.
From the outside, the Z3 was a world-class roadster with a gorgeous design. Unfortunately, the base model — which is the only one you can buy for less than $10,000 — was powered by a weak four-cylinder engine.
2 Fast Car Under 10K: 2005 Nissan 350Z
The 350Z needs no introduction, as it's one of the most popular Japanese sports cars ever built. Since its introduction in the early 2000s, the 350Z has gained a significant cult following worldwide thanks to its unique design, potent engine, and overall character.
The first-generation 350Z was powered by one of the best engines ever made — a 3.5-liter VQ35DE V6 pumping out 287 hp and 274 lb-ft of torque, giving it a top speed of 155 mph.
1 Slow But Stylish: 2012 Mini Cooper Roadster
The Mini Cooper has been built in multiple body styles over the years. In 2011, Mini produced arguably the best-looking Mini of them all — the two-seat Mini Cooper Roadster.
While the Mini Cooper Roadster looked cool, it didn't have the power to match. The best engine available was a 1.6-liter four-cylinder, making it one of the slowest roadsters. Mini stopped producing the Roadster in 2015, which is why you should get one before prices inevitably start going up.