Whilst the likes of the Lamborghini Murcielago, Ferrari SF90 Stradale, and Mclaren 720S are the poster children for track-focused high-performance driveability, there does exist a subsection of cars that can offer the same amount of fun without the enormous outlay.
Sometimes, it can seem like all of the effortless power served up by supercars can dilute the driving experience when used on a track. The immense amount of raw grunt detracting from the basic enjoyment that can be gleaned from carving out a superior driving line with a smaller, lighter, and ultimately less muscular tool.
It is with these cars that the true sensation of driving fast comes flooding back. No longer reliant on horsepower, the driver concentrates on braking, steering, and maneuvering their way through the circuit, reconnecting with the joy that comes with connecting the dots. And that is why we'd bring these superminis to a track day over any supercar.
10 Mini JCW GP
Looking more aggressive than any Mini has a right to, the John Cooper Works Grand Prix is built for chewing on the heels of cars at track days that are priced ten times as much and boast a lot more power.
Available as a stripped-out track-biased weapon, the GP makes use of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 302 hp and has been stiffened, braced, and tuned. 60 mph is dispatched in 5.2 seconds and handling is scintillatingly sharp.
9 VW Polo GTi
Having been, for so many years, a car that fell just short of hitting its mark, the newest Volkswagen Polo GTI has finally hit a home run. Fitted with a fantastically flexible 204 hp turbocharged engine, the Polo hits 60 mph in 6.3 seconds.
With a blend of smoothly delivered power and a balanced chassis, the Polo serves up fantastic driver feedback through the steering wheel, allowing for rapid progress to be made with complete confidence.
8 Ford Fiesta ST Performance Edition
Kicking the benchmark for fast small cars where it hurts, the Ford Fiesta ST doesn't care about convention, so its tiny 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine performs, in a lot of cases, better than an engine twice its size and displacement.
Its turbocharged 200 hp is fired to the front wheels through a slick-shifting gearbox and Quaife differential, allowing the driver to be truly spoiled with lightning-fast engine response, sharp handling, and sure-footed grip.
7 Audi S1
Quad exhaust tips on a car this small may seem a little bit showy, but when you factor in the Quattro AWD system, the blown 2.0-liter engine that thumps out 232 hp, and the 0-60 mph time of 5.3 seconds, they suddenly become justified.
Capable of summoning up enormous levels of grip, the little S1 can undertake fast changes in direction with confidence and ease, making it easy to hit apexes, while the 272 lb-ft of torque will allow the driver to launch from slow corners like a rocket.
6 Toyota GR Yaris
Possibly the best value for money, high-performance car released in the last decade, the Toyota GR Yaris is a rally car for the road and is more than happy to brag about this fact by looking truly fantastic.
With four-wheel drive, 261 hp from a 3-cylinder turbocharged engine, a sweet-shifting 6-speed manual gearbox, and a 0-60 mph time of 4.8 seconds, the GR can, and will, embarrass supercar owners at the track and on the open road.
5 Fiat Abarth 695 Biposto
Essentially an Assetto Corse track car with a number plate glued to the front, the Biposto 695 fills the brief set by Carlo Abarth himself — Sunday on the track and Monday in the office. Small, fast, and immense fun, the 695 Biposto is a true track toy.
Stripped out and fitted with a Poggipolini roll cage, Sabelt seats, and race harnesses, plus outfitted with Brembo brakes, OZ alloy wheels, and a 187hp 1.4-liter turbocharged engine from a Formula 4 racer, the little Abarth is all business.
4 Renault Clio 182 Trophy
Still regarded as one of the all-time greats, the Renault Clio Sport, when in limited edition Clio 182 Trophy form, could go toe-to-toe with any number of so-called high-performance vehicles and give them a thoroughly bloodied nose.
Impressively outfitted with Sachs racing dampers and powered by a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine with 180 hp, the small Clio would flow from corner to corner with so much poise and precision that drivers were often stunned at its raw capabilities.
3 Peugeot 208 GTI By PS
The often-overlooked Peugeot 208 GTI presents fantastic value for money and serves up a wonderfully rewarding drive thanks to its sharp and involving handling, and the precise feedback it offers through the steering wheel.
Powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged unit with 205 hp and 221 lb-ft torque at a very low 1700 rpm, the Peugeot pulls hard when it counts the most and linearly pours on the speed hitting 60 mph in an impressive 6.5 seconds.
2 Vauxhall Corsa VXR Nürburgring
With every development, edition, and generation of the Vauxhall Corsa VXR, the feisty little vehicle seems to get faster, sharper, and even better value for money, offering tire-smoking performance and plenty of practicality.
In the ultimate limited edition Nürburgring specification, the VXR Corsa benefits from a free-flowing Remus exhaust, Drexler mechanical differential, Brembo brakes and is capable of cracking 60 mph in 6.3 seconds before running on to a top speed of 143 mph.
1 Suzuki Swift Sport VVT
Proving that you don't need a boatload of horsepower to have a good time, the nimble and hugely rewarding to drive Suzuki Sport can knit together a series of track corners with a fantastic old-school feel that defies belief.
Happy to bounce the needle off its 7,000 rpm limit, the 1.6-liter VVT engine may only have 123 hp, but the car's snappy accelerator response combined with, tight handling and massive front-end grip urge the driver to push harder and harder with every lap.