The $25,000 Question

New Models

The $25,000 Question

Can you really get a great driver's ride these days for under 25-grand? Howard Walker takes a look, and comes up with some exciting answers!

Howard Walker | http://www.racer.com | Posted November 21, 2004

I still can't quite grasp the concept of Volkswagen building a V12-engined luxury sedan that costs a colossal $94,600. Or BMW introing a teeny 1-series that will sticker for under $20,000.

Next thing you know, Yugo will be back in the market selling a $150-grand Bentley-rival with a wet bar, gold lam� upholstery and a built-in Jacuzzi.

When you can fork-out $25-grand for a Kia these days, what hope is there of buying a half-decent performance car for the same price? Heck, add a few options to your Hyundai XG350 � like floor mats � and the sticker will be nudging $30-large.

Truth is, there's no shortage of brilliant performance rocketships out there that will give you change from $25,000. Cars that will pump your adrenaline and have you grinning like Paris Hilton on home video.

Cars like the Dodge Neon SRT-4. Forget Viagra. Ignore Cialis. If ever there was a cure for erectile dysfunction, this is it. Pedal to the metal and the turbocharged projectile can hit 60mph from standstill in a just 5.3 seconds.

It's the work of the crazies at Chrysler's PVO (Performance Vehicle Operations) � the guys who are currently stuffing a 6.1-liter, 425hp Hemi into the new Chrysler 300 to create the 300 SRT-8.

For the hot Neon, they took the 2.4-liter turbocharged "four" from the PT Turbo and massaged it to deliver a whopping 230hp along with an even more impressive 250 lb-ft of twist.

The result is nothing short of incendiary. Off the line it launches like a jet off a carrier, it's Quaife limited-slip diff working overtime to contain the torque steer. The quarter-mile comes up in 13.9 seconds and the action doesn't quit until the speedo needle is kissing the 153mph mark. This puppy is fast.

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And the SRT-4 isn't just a straight-line dragster. Sturdier control arms, beefier anti-roll bars, and 205/50ZR-17 rubberware at each corner keep it hoovered to the blacktop through curves, while bigger brakes clamp it down when you need to shed speed.

Less impressive is the stiff ride, the vague-as-a-politician gear shift and the rental car interior. And that stooopid rear wing sits at exactly the right height to mask a trooper's light bar.

But for a paltry $20,995, there is simply nothing else out there that delivers such a giant bang for the buck.

That said, Acura's RSX Type-S coupe comes pretty close. For 2005, this pint-sized three-door gets an extra 10 ponies, taking the corral up to 210hp. Plus a bunch of suspension changes and extra body stiffening sharpen-up the way the car carves curves.

It looks a little edgier too, with new lights front and rear, a deeper, air-gulping front spoiler and bolder rocker panels beneath the doors. Wheel size also takes a step up, from 16s to 17-inchers.

But it's that screaming Acura V-TEC 2-liter four-banger, coupled with a 6-speed manual shifter, that defines the RSX's character. And for rev-a-holics, the good news is that you can now spin the motor all the way to 8300rpm � up from 7900rpm � before shifting.

Find a twisty section of road and this baby Acura is a pure joy to drive hard and fast. And you don't so much drive the RSX as wear it. It's like the car is hard-wired into your frontal lobes, reacting to your every thought.

There's now even more steering precision than before, which only adds to the car's go-kart feel. And even at a screamin' 8300rpm, the motor is as smooth as Natalie Portman's thighs.

You'll pay $24,140 for the pleasure of RSX Type-S ownership, and it's worth every red cent.

Think slingshot performance and the name Saturn doesn't instantly spring to mind. GM's "people car" division is better known for its no-haggle pricing and hokey homecoming get-togethers than tire-peeling performance. In a bid to change that perception, the folks at Saturn have unleashed the Ion Red Line quad coupe; 200 supercharged horses, zero-to-60 sprinting in the low-sixes, and more thrills than a night out with Courtney Love. All for $21,450 � which is the price of the car, not the cost of the night out with Ms. Love.

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They've done a surprisingly fine job with the mechanical bits. The Ion's 2.2-liter DOHC 16-valve Ecotec four-cylinder gets a big Eaton blower plumbed in, along with a new intercooler, new pistons, beefier con rods, a new high-strength crank and bigger intake valves.

The more robust 5-speed manual gearbox comes courtesy of the Saab 9-3 and there are 215/45WR Dunlops mounted on 17-inch rims at each corner. Stiffer suspension and bigger brakes complete the mods.

And it looks the part, with its deeper front spoiler and matching rocker panel extensions. Thankfully the Jetson rear wing, which looks like it was designed by a nine-year old and sells for $9.99 on QVC, is an option.

While the Ion Red Line isn't as dynamic or dramatic as Dodge's SRT-4, it's still a blast to drive.

The motor is a gem with terrific mid-range grunt and it benefits greatly from being coupled to one of the nicest short-throw shifters in the business.

Through the curves, the Saturn is a bit of an understeerer but it hangs on well and reacts nicely to the quick-action electric steering. The brakes are strong and the ride won't loosen your dentalwork.

If you're a fan of World Championship Rallying, the car of your dreams will probably have a Subaru badge on the trunk. And $25-grand will put you in the hot seat of the legendary Subaru WRX.

Not the 300-horsepower STi version mind you. That's up in the $30,000 range. This is the 227hp model that stickers for $25,470, but in true WRX tradition, comes with traction-enhancing all-wheel drive, turbocharged "boxer" engine and 5-speed manual shifter.

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Throw it down a twisty mountain road and the WRX is like a ride on Space Mountain. Keep the revs in the 3000 rpm-plus sweet spot � below that there's too much stifling turbo lag � and the Scooby rockets from one bend to the next.

But the thrill here is the way the car sweeps round the tightest of turns like its running on rails. Keep your right foot hard in, and the WRX just charges around almost as if it's raising a middle finger to the laws of physics. In the wet, it's unbelievable.

Less impressive is the Subaru's cabin, which has the look and feel of a dollar store plastic container. Faux metallic inserts on the dash and gauge surrounds were surely sourced from Toys R Us.

But you'll forgive this car anything for the way it performs and handles, and transports you, at least in mind and imagination, to some bleak Welsh forest rally stage.

As for the most fun way you can blow $25-gees, look no further than the Mini Cooper S. It doesn't have the most power � it's supercharged 1.6-liter musters only 163 horses. And with its 0-to-60mph time of 7.7 seconds, it's not the quickest kid on the block either. But to drive is to love, and anyone with gasoline pumping through their veins will fall head over heels for the new super Cooper.

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With a combination of too-cute styling, go-kart handling, zippy performance and retro-inspired interior, it offers more smiles per mile than almost anything else out there. And if you suddenly find yourself in the possession of an extra $5,000, you can opt for the John Cooper Works tuning kit that delivers an extra 37hp and 22 lb-ft, dropping the 0-60 time to a zippier 6.7 seconds.

Mini, SRT-4, RSX, Ion Red Line, WRX � any one of these cars would ignite an enthusiast's passion for power and driving pleasure. All you need is $25-grand.

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Tampa-based writer Howard Walker has been covering the auto beat for more than 30 years. Former editor of Britain's Motor magazine and Editor-in-Chief of Classic & Sportscar, Walker now reports on the U.S. auto scene for more than a dozen international publications, including Britain's top weekly, Autocar. He also edits the duPont Registry's Exotic Car Guide and is a member of the influential North American Car of the Year jury.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Howard Walker

RACER Magazine

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