Automakers have been pushing the boundaries of power, speed, and handling for a long time because of the almost inherent desire to feel that adrenaline rush as you hit the road or track. It's something that resonates with many sports car aficionados. But the thing is, not everyone can afford Porsche 911 Carreras and Mercedes-AMGs, so drivers need affordable high-performance sports cars that are not only fun to drive but also to tune in a bid to squeeze every last bit of horsepower out of them.
While just about any sports car can be modified, some have made a name for themselves within the tuning community thanks to their aspirational capabilities, intuitive standards, and simplified mechanics. Here are the most affordable sports cars with insane power potential.
9 1999 Mazda Miata NB
Mazda unveiled the Miata MX-5 NB in 1997, and it hit the road two years later. The NB is light, balanced, and handles well, but it makes only 140 hp from the 1.8-liter engine. A cost-effective way of improving the performance characteristics of your Miata NB without mortgaging your house is via engine swap, which is quite common in the world of automotive tuning.
One owner has swapped a 1999 Miata NB with a Dodge Hellcat, which may seem like a crazy idea on paper. To cope with about 707 hp (five times more ponies) from the Hellcat 6.2-liter V8, the 1999 Miata NB was equipped with a new V8 roadster suspension, Wilwood brakes, Rywire CSF radiator, and a host of other technical upgrades. The Hellcat-Swapped 1999 Mazda Miata was put up for sale with an asking price of $20,000.
8 1999 Nissan Silvia S15
Thanks to the good weight distribution and affordable tuning parts, the 1999 Nissan Silvia S15 has become an iconic tuner car. With the right modifications, the Silvia S15 can also become a formidable dragster.
The 1999 Nissan S15 Silvia comes with a 2.0-liter in-line 4-cylinder turbo engine in stock form with a factory rating of 250 horsepower. However, it's not uncommon for owners to tune their Silvia for exponentially more power. Here's a heavily tuned Nissan S15 Silvia drift car with an astonishing 700 horsepower. You can get this neatly used Nissan Silvia S15 for as low as $10,575.
7 2004 Nissan 350Z
The 2004 Nissan 350Z has nimble handling, responsive steering, and decent performance with a base 3.5-liter V6 that puts out 287 hp and 274 lb-ft of torque. The Nissan 350Z is a good choice for tuning, as the performance aftermarket intake is quite impressive.
With a few stealthy modifications you can turn the 350Z into a monster. One owner has tuned their 2004 Nissan 350Z to send 814 hp to the wheels, which is roughly 950 hp at the crank. This 2004 Nissan 350Z will set you back $10,000.
6 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
The Impreza WRX STi is not designed for the casual driver or anyone big on comfort, as Subaru optimizes is the suspension for easy cornering while sacrificing ride comfort and adequate soundproofing. The stock 2.5-liter flat-four engine makes 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque.
You can make a beast out of your WRX STi by modifying it. It's not uncommon to see STIs with over 500 hp to the wheels, and some may even exceed 1000. You can get a clean 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi for $21,900.
5 2005 Honda S2000
The Honda S2000 is a two-door convertible with the speed of a Porsche Boxster and the size of a Miata roadster. The output of the 2005 S2000 is 240 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque, and it's a worthy candidate for aftermarket modifications.
This video shows a heavily tuned 2005 Honda S2000 with 480 horsepower. The mods for the S2000 include the Skunk2 MegaPower exhaust system and Schmuck Built V2 manifold and downpipe. The asking price for this 2005 Honda S2000 is just $18,500.
4 2003 Acura RSX Type-S
The Acura RSX, unlike its predecessor which is available in sedan and coupe body styles, comes in only a front-wheel-drive hatchback coupe form, but it sure delivers a race-bred driving experience. While the base RSX can only manage 160 hp, the performance-focused Type-S pumps out 200 hp.
Acura ensures that the handling of the RSX Type-S is crisp with many compromises on the ride comfort. The energetic acceleration and rich exhaust note are really satisfying, and tuning can turn it into an absolute monster. Here is a boosted '03 Acura RSX Type-S with a mind-blowing 950 hp.
3 2004 Dodge Neon SRT-4
The' 04 Neon SRT-4 runs and handles better than a lot of pricier sports cars, as Dodge's mission was simply to provide maximum performance at minimum cost. So, while the Neon SRT-4 is a weekend hell-raising, track-running kind of car, it's not classy at all.
The 2.4-liter inline-4 turbo engine makes up to 230 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque in stock form. The Neon SRT-4 performance makes it a great option for boosting and the asking price is not outrageous at $16,995. Check out this 700-hp boosted 2004 Neon SRT-4 to see how you can achieve that.
2 1994 Eagle Talon
The Eagle Talon is a two-door 2+2 sports car that serves as a great reminder of how far automotive styling has come. The 1994 Talon, which was the final year of first-generation Talon offered a variety of potencies, layouts, and price points, but the Tsi AWD stood out from the bunch.
The '94 Eagle Talon Tsi AWD, which goes for less than $10,000, stocks a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine that makes up to 195 horsepower and 203 lb-ft of torque. You can turn the '94 Talon into a true monster by investing a couple of grand into mods. Here's a tuned 1994 Talon with an awe-inspiring 1,100 hp at the crank.
1 1992 Mitsubishi 3000GT
The Mitsubishi 3000GT took its rightful place at the top of the Japanese sports car market alongside the likes of the Nissan 300ZX and Mazda RX7. The base 3000GT puts outs 222 horsepower, while the VR-4 makes 300 hp and 307 lb-ft of torque.
You can get a used 1992 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 for about $30,000 and with a few extra grand on mods you can transform it into a fire-breathing monster like this one with 700 hp on the wheels.