We brought together a list of the best performers in imported sports cars for the model year 2020. These cars will run circles around most cars and some will even hurt the Corvette in terms of performance.
If you are into speed and have the resources to purchase a performance car, these things will make your heart race when you push them hard. They prove that today's street performance car is yesterday's full-on race car. Some of these models with the top engine choices will actually compete with a 600cc sportbike in terms of performance.
10 Subaru BRZ Turbo
Originally hobbled with a small naturally aspirated 2.0 flat 4 (200 H.P.), the "BRZ" will now come with an optional 2.4L turbo making 265 H.P. in a lightweight package designed primarily as a stick car.
The car is also sold as the Toyota 86 in some markets is designed as a lower-cost performance car not designed to upstage the more prestigious models of Toyota and Subaru. According to Car and Driver, U.S. spec models are stuck with the less powerful 2.0 N/A motor at just under a 30K price point. Because of the good traction and lightweight, the car still manages a 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds.
9 Hyundai Veloster N
The "N' model is actually an upgrade from the turbocharged "R' spec with an active suspension and a larger rear spoiler. Priced at under $28,000 the car is at the high end of a Hyundai price point but it is wicked fast as it produces 275 H.P. in a 1.5-ton package.
0-60 times are well under 6 seconds and the front-wheel-drive and short wheelbase a very manageable. The front end LED headlamps and bright trim are very attractive. This body is also being tested in an All-Wheel-Drive mid-engine rally car which may be offered for sale very soon.
8 Nissan GT-R Nismo
This version of The Skyline Platform is the best and "richest" by a long shot! This car has a whopping 600 H.P. and it costs as much as a Bentley. It's close to a complete competition road race car with a muffled exhaust.
The car even has carbon-ceramic brakes as well as a 6-speed transmission delivering power through an all-wheel-drive platform. The car is surprisingly heavy for such a small car weighing almost 2 tons, but it's wicked fast and an easy handling car as it has an active suspension to compliment the power.
7 Kia Stinger GT
While this car is available in rear-wheel-drive, you want the all-wheel-drive version to control the 365H.P. coming to the wheels. This is one of the fastest production cars ever made.
While it's not the highest horsepower, it is among the most controllable and at a price point well under $55K. It holds the record as the fastest production Police Interceptor outside of the few exotics used in Dubai. There is a smaller 2.0 L turbo rear-wheel-drive version to cut the price if needed.
6 Toyota Yaris GR4
The top model is souped-up even more by Toyotas subsidiary "Gazoo Racing" which packs the GR4 with all-wheel-drive. This is a very light and powerful car made for Rally Car racing in competition trim.
The street version weighs around 2400LBS and makes around 270 H.P. from its tiny turbocharged 1.6L 3cylinder engine. If you want a car to flick around without spinning out, this is a good model to do it in, because the lightweight is easy to maneuver in with low inertia.
5 Subaru WRX STI
The STI version boosts power from 270 to 310H.P. by enlarging the engine and more boost. It's a lot of car for under $42K and has premium brakes and suspension as well as competent all-wheel-drive and the best brakes and suspension short of an exotic car. A six-speed transmission is the only choice for transmission.
The STI also enlarges the displacement by half a liter to 2.5L as well as includes great-looking wheels and trim. One of the reasons it's so effective is boost is almost non-existent due to the small twin-turbos.
4 BMW Z4 M40i
This is a long way from the 1990s Z3, how does a Cobra-esque 382 H.P. in a lightweight roadster grab ya? This car shares the same 3.0L turbo set-up that is the deluxe engine in The Toyota "Supra". At 3500LBS it's a lot heavier than earlier versions of this car, but it has twice the power and it's larger.
With an 8-speed automatic transmission this thing rockets to 60 M.P.H. in under 4 seconds. Nobody would suspect it can clear the quarter-mile in 12.3 seconds. With a fully independent suspension, active shocks, and premium brakes there aren't too many cars that will beat it.
3 VW Golf R
This the 2.0 Turbo all-wheel-drive variant of the vaunted "Golf". At $41K it's no longer an econobox and becomes similar to a Rally Car. The interior looks much like a Dodge Hellcat in terms of materials and feel.
This model has long since superseded the VR6 variant from 25 years ago. It's a much better-balanced car. The brakes are huge enough that Car and Driver stopped from 70 M.P.H. in under 158 feet. In stock form, it will easily clear 30 M.P.G. on the highway. Not much of a bargain but for a certain market niche,' it's the perfect car!
2 Toyota Supra 6-Cylinder Turbo
This is the larger of the two engine choices and it's basically the same car as the hardtop "Z4" BMW because BMW builds half of this car under contract. The incredible speed of 3.5 seconds to 60 miles per hour and 12 second quarter miles is the same as the "Z4". This is Toyota's version of the same car.
Unfortunately, it is only available as a coupe and not as a roadster. It's a beautiful car and if the almost 400 H.P. is too much for you there is a 3.0 natural and a smaller 2.0 engine for the less money if that is what you need. Currently, the Turbo version wasn't selling in the USA, last we checked.
1 Mini Cooper S Coupe
This is a 20-year-old platform that is a little slower and less advanced than the other cars. Nevertheless, despite having just 134 H.P. it still hits 60 M.P.H. in 7.3 seconds. The modern Mini is built by BMW and it's safer and heavier than the cars of the 60s. At 2700 LBS, it is still light enough to corner like it's on rails.
The "Cooper S" has a twin-turbo setup and boosts the power to 189 H.P. and a tuner version sold directly by Mini Cooper called the "John Cooper Works" model adds $10,000 and another 30 H.P. so now you are making good power and the John Cooper version gets cross-drilled brake rotors.
One last upgrade is a crazy 300 H.P. version for the same basic 2.0L engine in the "Clubman Turbo" 4 door version that adds another 5OOLBS and all-wheel-drive. The special versions hit the quarter-mile in the 12s and hit 60 M.P.H. in well under 6 seconds.