The Ford Mustang has been around forever and if you ask us, it only keeps getting better. It's a fantastic muscle car that combines stunning looks and amazing power at a reasonable price. The uncomfortable truth, however, is that the Mustang is hardly the best performer out there when it comes to cornering.
Don't get us wrong – it's no barge, yet it’s still a hefty car – especially with the V8 – whose natural habitat is a wide, open stretch of highway or a drag strip. Apart from the extreme Shelby versions, the Mustang is not your best choice for the race track. The truth is, there are many cheap sports cars out there that might not have as much power as a Mustang but will easily outperform it on a curvy racetrack – at a fraction of the cost. Let us explore some of them.
10 Porsche 944
We've said it many times and we'll say it again: the 944 doesn't deserve the hate it gets. Sure, when it first came out, the idea of an affordable Porsche sports car didn't quite stick. Still, it was an important step for Porsche - just look how well the Boxter and Cayman are selling now.
More importantly, the 944 is still fundamentally a Porsche. This means that it handles like a charm, despite only putting out between 143 and 250 horsepower. Even more importantly, you can easily find a decent example for under $7,000, making it a great racecar option.
9 Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk5)
With older GTIs getting more collectible and expensive, you should turn your sights to the fifth-gen model. When it reached the US in 2006, it was one of the most capable hot hatches on the market.
With around 200 hp from its turbocharged four-cylinder, it's got decent performance, which is backed up by sports car-like handling. There's plenty of Mk5 GTIs around with prices starting at around $4,000. At this price point, it's hard to find a more nimble car that will easily outmaneuver the bulky Mustang on the track.
8 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 (4th Gen)
This list wouldn't be complete without Mustang's archrival, the Chevy Camaro. And while the choice between the two often comes down to personal preference, we can't deny the fact that some versions of the Camaro can easily destroy the Mustang on the track.
One of them is the fourth-gen Z28 spec. For years, it remained the most overlooked and hated generation of the Camaro. And that's a good thing because that bad reputation helped keep the prices low. A 5.7l V8 with 275 hp for around $5,000? Sign us up!
7 Audi S4 (B6)
Don't let the S4's subtle looks fool you. It's a real sleeper! On the surface, it might appear to look like a fairly normal, boring compact luxury sedan. That is, until you peek under the hood and find a glorious 4.2L V8.
The B6 S4 puts 339 horsepower to the ground via all four wheels and will do 0-60 in under 5 seconds, according to Motor Trend. And the best thing about it – if you're not a fan of the sedan body style, you can opt for a convertible or even a wagon! It's a lot of car and a lot of performance for around $7,000.
6 BMW 330Ci (E46)
Everyone wants an M3 – especially the E46 model. And while they are incredible, iconic performance machines, they are too expensive and hardly classify as beaters. So let's consider the next best thing – the 330Ci.
Armed with a smooth, sweet-sounding 3.0-liter inline-six that puts out 225 hp, it's no slouch. And while it's handling might not be as sharp as in the M3, it still behaves like a true BMW when it goes around corners. At around $5,000, it's a real steal that can easily outperform the Mustang on the track.
5 Nissan 350Z
The patron saint of the Need for Speed videogame series, the Nissan 350Z is now more affordable than ever. What was once a pricy sports car can now be yours for as little as $5,000.
Plus, you get a sweet package for this money: the famed VQ-series 3.5Ll V6 that puts out around 300 hp, a six-speed manual, and gorgeous styling (at least in our opinion). The 350Z might not be as nimble as some of the other cars on this list, but it's still a blast to drive.
4 Lexus IS300
Yes, we decided to put a sedan on this list and, no, we're not crazy. The IS300 is, in fact, not just any sedan – it's a severely underrated track machine and for one good reason. Do the letters JZ mean something to you? The JZ Inline-six engine was a powerhouse engine from Toyota.
The IS300 is powered by Toyota's legendary 2JZ inline-six engine, the same one that powered the iconic Supra and many other performance cars. In the IS300, it could be mated to a six-speed manual for the ultimate driving experience – the kind that's hard to find for only $3,500.
3 Mazda RX-8
Owning a rotary-powered car is not just a matter of preference – it's a lifestyle. Indeed, the RX-8's Wankel powerplant is both a blessing and a curse. However,if you can deal with the questionable reliability, the RX-8 is an amazing track car.
The 1.3l RENESIS engine revs up to 9,000 rpm and makes 232 hp, but the power output can be easily boosted with some basic mods. More importantly, it handles like a true sports car, and the sheer sound of the exhaust will make your every track day unforgettable.
2 Pontiac GTO
We know, the 2004 GTO is hardly as cool as its groundbreaking predecessor – and it becomes even more awful when attempting to convert it into a Lamborghini. The truth is, it wasn't even a "real" Pontiac, but rather a rebadged Australian Holden Monaro. Nevertheless, it's a fantastic track weapon that offers one of the best power-to-money ratios.
For under $9,000, you get a 5.7L V8 that puts out 350 hp through a six-speed manual - what's not to love? The GTO will do 0-60 in around 5.3 seconds and will easily hit 155 mph. Looking at these numbers, we get a feeling that all the GTO haters out there are probably Mustang drivers who got beaten on the racetrack by one of these beasts.
1 Audi TT
The first-gen TT was a fan-favorite sports car when it first came out. Now, it's mostly ridiculed – and we don't understand why. It's a very capable, analog sports car that is meant for spirited driving.
We recommend shopping for the 1.8Ll version that offers 225 hp and a six-speed manual. The low weight and Audi's signature Quattro all-wheel-drive means you’ll have a blast in every corner. And for just $6,000, what else is there to wish for?