When it comes to American cars, most that have rolled off the assembly line weren't ever destined to clip the apex on a tight racetrack. This being said, with enough modifications, you can whip any car into shape...well, almost any car (we're looking at you muscle cars).
For any road-going car to be deemed track-ready, it needs to tick quite a few boxes such as a stiff suspension, slick tires, bigger brakes and pads, cooling system upgrades, roll cage, and an intense weight-loss program, just to name a few.
There are also some ground rules. Let's be clear upfront, no amount of upgrades will turn a bad car into a deadly track weapon. So get a good one. And then there's the basic investment of buying a cheap vehicle to modify because we know the people of the internet are still mostly budget-minded millennials. And finally, it's no fun if you do this with a newer car, so it has to be an older version.
So, rather than taking out another mortgage on your home, or asking your parents for an angel donation, here are a few cheap American cars you can transform into a monster of a track day car.
8 Pontiac Solstice
Oh yes, the Pontiac Solstice. What many car-enthusiasts refer to as the last "hoo-raa" from the General Motors stable before it had to shut down the brand for good. Made between 2005-2010, it was - and still is - a good looker. It was involved in some motorsport events and even won the SCCA Club Racing 2008/2009 National Championship. So, we know it can be catapulted around the corners.
Available as a roadster, Pontiac did produce coupe, which is rarer. The Solstice is powered by the Ecotec motor, which was available in a 2.4l, or 2.0l with a turbo, and it was mated with a 5-speed gearbox, which was either an automatic or manual. And what's that? Another Pontiac.
7 Pontiac Fiero
A mid-engined American sports car from the '80s, the Pontiac Fiero is something to behold! It's a car that suffered from several issues, including the small problem of explosive fires and a bad safety record. This, in turn, meant it earned a reputation for unreliability when compared to the Toyota MR2s of the time.
And there's the fact that General Motors lost about $2000 for every Fiero built. It was produced from 1983 to 1988 and came in loads of variations under the hood and styling, but this baby can be dolled up to be a track muncher if you have the burning desire. During 1986 it was available as a sexy Fiero Mera but only 88 were made.
6 1993 Ford SVT Mustang Cobra
The Ford SVT Mustang Cobra was sold for only one year, before being replaced. While there was an R model, that is a very rare car. But what do you get with this early 90s vehicle? A 230-horsepower V8 engine that, when it originally rolled out of the factory, could smash the 0-60 in 5.9 seconds. So, you're already handling a very hot car.
There are also some additional styling tweaks, new suspension, and drivetrain. Ford did go on to produce more SVT Mustangs, but you want the shorter wheelbase for track days with the "Foxy Body."
5 1996 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 SS
This was the fourth-generation Camaro, but it wasn't the best-selling model range and eventually was discontinued in 2002. As a result, of poor sales figures, they are relatively cheap to pick up and the model you want is the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 SS - which was the upgraded base model. Under the hood is a V8 with 305 ponies!
While it is a muscle car, you can exercise your biceps and... well, muscle it through the corners. And it rolled off the assembly line doing 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds.
4 1995 -1998 Eagle Talon
While some of you will try and point out that this was engineered by Mitsubishi - it was styled and built in the USA by Chrysler! So, this is as American as a bald eagle clutching the flag in its talons... This two-door car offers all-wheel drive with manual and automatic transmissions. The motor you should choose is the stick-shift 2.0l as it offers 210hp.
For those looking at making a real modified monster - this is the vehicle. It has also been entered into - and won - a few motorsport events. Also, they already have a die-hard fan club.
3 Dodge Neon SRT-4
Described as a sports compact car it was the turbocharged version of the Neon, which was developed by Daimler Chrysler's in-house Performance Vehicle Operations. As you can imagine, the PVO didn't really stick with the target demographic, and they rebranded to Street and Racing Technology (SRT) #Cool.
When it went to market it was the second-fastest car that the Chrysler/Dodge produced, only slower than the tarmac munching Viper. It was also a sales success. Dodge only planned to produce 2500 per year but 25,000 units were built during 2003-2005.
And the numbers from the track testing were impressive: This street cat did 0-60 mph time in 5.6 seconds and improved on that by 0.3s in 2004-2005. Additionally, it racked up loads of motorsport accolades. Also, there is still ample after-market support for the SRT-4.
2 Ford Fiesta
While there are the out-the-box sport versions of the Ford Fiesta, you can create your own using the standard model everyone's little sister was already driving. And when you compare it to other vehicles on this list, the second-hand options available are fairly new!
With 120 horses being pumped out of the 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine, we're not going to lie, but it's going to take some elbow grease to turn this mall taxi into a track monster. But it can be done! Or you could go with the one your bigger brother used to drive!
1 Ford Focus ST/RS
Look at this beauty! Arguably the king of modifications. The Ford Focus is, after all, the base car for rallying and touring car championships. It's got the potential to be a track beast on a very tight leash. Also, the RS versions of these pocket rockets are already what you'd call "a little quick."
It's one of the two cars that Ford sells to the domestic USA market alongside the Mustang. The rest of their current-day offering are small crossovers, trucks, and other lifestyle vehicles. Additionally, if you pick up a Focus you can be guaranteed access to every modification on the market and a large group of gearheads to discuss every purchase with. But, if you're in the market for a user-friendly sports car, and you don't consider yourself handy, you might want to check these out.