Top 10: Best 2010 Performance Vehicles Under $50,000

Shift518 Automotive
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For our first Top Ten list, we picked the best performance vehicles for 2010 in the $40,000 to $50,000 price range. Follow the jump to find out what we’re looking forward to this year. Who knows, you might even find some help for your next vehicle.
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#10: 2010 Volkswagen Touareg TDI
This may surprise some people, but those that have driven a Touareg understand. The Touareg is one of the best SUV’s I’ve ever driven, and it’s only gotten better. It has VW’s new clean-burning diesel turbo V6, which makes 407 lb-ft. of torque, the same as a Hemi-powered Dodge Ram. Rated at 18/25 mpg (owners have seen even better) it has a range of 600 miles per tank! This may be the same company that made the Beetle, but this is no vase-wearing flower child. While air suspension means a smooth ride, locking diffs and hill climb/decent-assist (both standard) mean it can explore unpaved routes with the best of them. With seating for 7, you could terrify your kids and 4 of their friends. You could probably even charge them for rides with a nice exhilarating mountain ascent.

It comes standard with heated mirrors, headlight washers, a sunroof and a power lift-gate. I added the “Technology Pack” (NAV/DVD, keyless, rear-camera and USB dock) and it was only $49,950. Truthfully, that’s all you need. The government even offers a $1,150 diesel tax credit. It has one of the nicest interiors of any SUV I’ve ever sat in, and comes incredibly well-equipped in stock form. The options are smartly packaged, and build quality is top-notch. It’s more efficient, comfortable, and better equipped than anything in its class. It is both a luxury ski courier and slick-rock crawler. I also love that VW (along with BMW) is showing the US the potential of diesel. You don’t need a V8 to sling mud.
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#9 Ford Raptor
This is the truck that does everything you want from a truck, without voiding the warranty. I’m not a truck guy, but when the ads are pictures of the thing getting 2 feet of air in the desert, I tend to sit up. I have always been a huge fan of Baja racing. It’s like WRC if you lifted the rally car and shoved a V8 in, and what could be more fun in the world than that? This isn’t another trim package attached to the usual Ford truck, it’s a whole new species. Let’s talk specs, shall we? It is 7 inches wider than a standard F-150. It has suspension by Fox Racing Shox, and is the only street truck sporting internal bypass shocks. Those two things add up to a vehicle that can happily scramble over rocks and bumps at 60 mph. Seriously. The base Raptor comes with a 5.4 liter engine, with 310hp and 365lb ft. But that truck is well under $40,000, and we’ve got some more room in the budget. Guess we better order the optional 6.2 liter, 400hp/400lb ft. engine. Just following the rules. It also comes with locking differentials, hill climb/descent assist and a button for “Offroad Mode”, which changes the throttle mapping for better modulation.

The Raptor only has a few other options, and luckily one is the graphics on the side (leave that unchecked). For $41,995 you have a truck that is-no better word for it: bad-ass. Ford developed this truck for off-road enthusiasts. They’ve been a part of off-road racing for 20 years. Well this is one hell of a way to pay back Joe Public. In the past you had to buy a truck, then bolt on upgrades. The Raptor takes care of that, and it’s priced pretty close to top-of-the-line trucks that weren’t injected with Baja 1000 hormones. Add to it the good on-road handling, simple but smart interior, and good towing capacity, and you have one of the funnest vehicles offered by a dealership today. Sure you won’t win the Baja with it, and it can’t crawl over rocks like a customized Jeep, but it is an example of a big company building something that is just plain fun, and putting it into production.
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#8 Caterham Superlight R400 These cars have been around for a while, but every year they get better. In 2008, the British company’s Caterham R500 lapped the Top Gear test track in 1:17.9, screaming its way into 5th place on the “Power Board” and beating cars like the Zonda F, Maserati MC12 and the Bugatti Veyron. Well the R400 is basically the same car, with 50 fewer horses under the hood. Think that will slow it down? No more than the War on Drugs slowed down Andy Dick. It’s just as light as the R500, weighing a Kleenex-like 1,133 lbs. It makes 210hp from a 2.0 liter Duratech engine, giving it a power-to-weight ratio better than any Ferrari currently on the market. That means 0-60 happens in 3.8 seconds, and it will go on to a top speed of 140 mph, sounding like all the world’s hornets are chasing you down a tunnel. Calling the steering “communicative” is an insult. Turn in happens as fast as your eyes can follow corners, and the grip will move all your teeth to one side of your mouth… and then to the other side. A 6 speed transmission means you’re constantly shifting, but that only heightens the experience of driving it. Vented discs with 4-piston calipers will leave you with bruises that perfectly resemble the 4-point harnesses. At $42,745 this is the most visceral, raw, adrenaline pump you can buy. It will equally challenge and reward you. You won’t want to drive it across 2 states, but it’ll be so much fun you’ll think about it.

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#7 2010 Audi S4
It’s no secret I love fast sedans. They are the balance of everything you would want from a car, transporting passengers and cargo while giving the driver a thrill. If I had to own only one car for life, it would no doubt be some form of sport sedan. This year one of the brands that does them best, is bringing one of its best examples back: the Audi S4. The last S4 had a V8 that produced 340hp and 302 lb-ft. of torque and burned gas like an Exxon shareholder, getting a combined mpg of only 16. The new S4’s engine is better in every way. It’s a 3.0 liter super-charged V6, but it’s only down 7hp (333) and makes 22 more lb-ft. of torque (324@2,900 RPM). Somehow Audi got better fuel economy as well, achieving 27mpg on the highway. Get it with either the 6 speed manual or 7 speed S-Tronic and 60mph is gone in 4.9 seconds. It has a great Audi interior, seats 4 adults comfortably, and the design is aggressive but tasteful.

The smaller engine also bodes well for the handling of the S4. The last V8 model was very nose-heavy, but that ailment is gone in 2010, due to 2 things. First, the AWD system is rear-biased(40/60), giving it great balance during mid-corner “throttle testing”. The second is the one option box you must tick, the Sport differential. It’s a $1,000 option, and acts the same way as the Mitsubishi Evolution’s yaw-control. When cornering it sends power to the outside wheel, balancing the car with power rather than using the brakes, like a TCS system. Starting at $47,300 it’s not cheap, and simply holding the pencil over the options book will drive the price up. But if you don’t need special leather gas tanks and Blue Tooth coil-overs, you can have one of the best sedans on the market for under $50,000.

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#6 2010 Volkswagen R20
The R20 is essentially the return of the much-loved R32, a hot, AWD version of the GTI. These cars are one of the best examples of building a fun, performance-oriented car that is also highly practical. The last two generations of the R32 were powered by VW’s narrow angle, 3.2-liter V6. However the new version will be powered by a tuned version of the current GTI’s FSI 2.0-liter turbo-charged 4 cylinder. This engine will be pumped up to 270hp, no doubt leaving A3 drivers quite upset. It will share running gears with Audi’s TTS, using the Audi Quattro system instead of VW’s Haldex design from previous R32 generations. No doubt a DSG will be standard, but hopefully this time VW offers us a manual as well. It will share bodywork with the fantastic-looking 2010 GTI, but will probably have some special accents inside and out to set it apart. Expect 0-60 to happen in the low 5s.

The best aspect of this car should be the handling. While the VR6 has one of the best soundtracks out there, it was like an anchor mounted too far forward on the short GTI’s frame. The car was nose-heavy, and understeer came standard. The new 2.0 liter should solve that, leaving us with a lighter, better balanced, more agile car. An AWD GTI would an incredible car. Fast, balanced, and practical this hot hatch will be a serious contender across the board. Prices aren’t out yet, but are expected to be in the low $40,000s.

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#5 Ford Mustang GT500
Simply put, this is arguably the best Mustang Ford has ever produced. I will explain while you grab your notes about solid axles and click the “angry comment cliche” button. Last year’s Mustang GT500 was a nose-heavy behemoth capable of burning tires in a straight line, and little else. It was bi-polar and no one liked it. It was too stiff, but had lots of body roll. It had low profile tires, yet terrible steering feel. Turns were only successful if you could simultaneously scream and pray. It was basically a very pretty noise-maker.

That’s all changed. Ford looked to the superior (and more expensive) Shelby GT500KR for pointers. Then they kidnapped it, took the “KR” badge off, and called it the 2010 GT500. It’s not often I support kidnapping, but I am here. The supercharged 5.4 liter V8 gets a new intake, exhaust and ECU, good for 540 horsepower (an increase of 40) and 510 lb-ft. Launch it just right and 0-60 is over in 4.3 seconds, half a second faster then the 2009 model. The biggest improvement is in the way it handles, because last year it just didn’t. Stiffer springs fore and aft solved the body roll handicap so turn-in is crisp and cornering flat. It’s still a muscle-car, but no longer a scary mess. It weighs the same, but feels lighter. Some journalists are calling it the best-handling Mustang ever.

The interior gets real leather, dual climate zones and trick Shelby accents. 2009 Mustang owners take note: time for a trade-in. The GT500KR sold for $80,000, but the 2010 GT500 starts at just $48,175. Essentially you are getting a GT500KR with $30,000 cash-back. For that money you get a car that has classic good looks, a great soundtrack, 540 horsepower, eats up ¼ miles and spits out corners. There is nothing that does all that for under $50,000.
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#4 Mitsubishi EVO MR Touring
My first thought was, “An Evo costs more than $40,000? What happened to performance bargain?” The Evos of the past were (still are) amazing cars. Nothing else with 4 doors is so fast and nimble, for so little money. But they were seriously lacking in the refinement and comfort categories. Interiors in previous Evos reminded me of Kia rental cars, and the big wing will get you carded for an R-rated movie, even if you’re 50. That said, Mitsubishi has now finally upped the ante and introduced the Evo MR Touring, which is basically an Evo for grownups. Gone is the ping-pong table wing, replaced by a slim lip spoiler. Inside the Recaros get wrapped in soft leather, and the center console is upgraded with better materials and high-tech screens. This is an area the Evo has needed help with since it landed in the U.S., and the interior is now befitting of a car that possesses such power.

When Subaru gave the STI the talk about being more mature, it softened it up, but luckily Mitsubishi didn’t make that mistake. You still get the same MIVEC engine with 291 horsepower, fitted to a great dual-clutch transmission, AWD and yaw control. The MSRP of $40,990 is a lot of money, but you won’t find a sedan that can handle both a time attack and a snow storm better. It’s still the same hyper-active Evo MR that can chase super-cars around the curves, but now it wears a suit to work.

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#3 BMW 135i
Some called it the BMW 2002ti re-born. Whether you agree or not is irrelevant, because this car is fine standing on its own. Some of you may be wondering why I didn’t pick the 335i instead, but the simple answer is money. You can spend $42,200(MSRP) and get a bare-bones 335i, or you can get a 135i (MSRP $35,850) with the M Pack, Sport Pack, and all the available technology options, for $47,700. What you end up with is a car that has the same amazing 300hp engine and all the creature comforts and gizmos from the 335i, in a car that weighs 200lbs less. That translates to acceleration close to the 400hp, V8-powered M3(click for video). This car, like many in this list, is an incredible bargain. Power, handling, comfort and technology, all passed down from its bigger brother and put into a slick little coupe body.

There’s another reason I put this car so high on the list, and that’s because of its potential. There are so many tuners out there right now working on big-name projects. This was the year of Porsches, R35s, and exotics. So much so the market seems to have forgotten where the tuning world came from, normal people. Without people tuning compacts, imported sedans and other so-called “lesser cars”, there would be no Lamborghini bodykits or GTR AccessPorts. I think this car is a great platform from which something amazing can be built. Just watch the videos of lightly modified 135is shaming M3s, STIs and Porsches. Getting 400hp from this car is no harder than dropping a rock. Watch out for this one…

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#2 2010 Audi TTS
When words like “agile”, “balanced”, “grip” and “properly sporty” started showing up in articles about Audi’s re-worked coupe, my thought was, “Finally.” The first time I saw a TT I was in the backseat of my parent’s Jeep, and the TT was going the opposite way. I turned around, following it out of view, and seeing it was totally worth the lecture on proper seat-belt safety I got from Mom. It has always been a stunner to look at, but sadly its performance hardly did it justice. The V6 was way too heavy, and the old turbo-4 only came with FWD.

Audi solved both those problems with the new TTS. It gets a lightweight, 265hp 2.0 liter FSI turbo engine, so it’s svelte yet powerful. 258lb ft. of torque are available at 2,500 RPM, keeping it almost even with a Cayman S in the ¼ mile (13.5 seconds). The Audi Quattro system means the TTS can use that thrust willingly. It’s 10mm lower and has driver-selectable damper settings, making quick work of any corner. It has so much grip one journalist said he had more fun driving a 135i because he actually had to try harder to go as fast as the TTS.
#2 2010 Audi TTS
When words like “agile”, “balanced”, “grip” and “properly sporty” started showing up in articles about Audi’s re-worked coupe, my thought was, “Finally.” The first time I saw a TT I was in the backseat of my parent’s Jeep, and the TT was going the opposite way. I turned around, following it out of view, and seeing it was totally worth the lecture on proper seat-belt safety I got from Mom. It has always been a stunner to look at, but sadly its performance hardly did it justice. The V6 was way too heavy, and the old turbo-4 only came with FWD.

Audi solved both those problems with the new TTS. It gets a lightweight, 265hp 2.0 liter FSI turbo engine, so it’s svelte yet powerful. 258lb ft. of torque are available at 2,500 RPM, keeping it almost even with a Cayman S in the ¼ mile (13.5 seconds). The Audi Quattro system means the TTS can use that thrust willingly. It’s 10mm lower and has driver-selectable damper settings, making quick work of any corner. It has so much grip one journalist said he had more fun driving a 135i because he actually had to try harder to go as fast as the TTS.

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#1 Nissan 370z Nismo Edition
Here you are, the winner for Best Car of 2010 for $40-50,000 is the Nissan 370 Nismo. Honestly, once I found out how much this car cost, it didn’t take me that long to put it at the top. This has so much going for it I couldn’t believe my eyes. First, with all the options it barely crosses the $40,000 line, so it’s cheaper than anything on this list. The 3.7 liter V6 makes 350hp (up 18 from the stock Z), takes the car to 60mph in 4.5 seconds, yet also gets 18/26mpg city/highway. Power goes through a 6 speed manual, equipped with Nissan’s new “SynchroRev Match”, meaning you’ll never botch a down-shift. If you prefer pure heal-and-toeing, you can turn it off. It also comes with upgraded brakes, springs, shocks, sway bars and an LDS, a must have for an true driver’s car. The upgrades mean the car will just as easily apex the corner as it will drift it. You set the dial for what type of fun you want, and it delivers.
The interior is accented with colored stitching and well-placed Nismo badges, yet overall it’s driver-focused and uncluttered. The high-backed seats hold you in place, and the fit and finish is great. It’s classy without being boring, exactly what you want in a performance car. Outside is a classic coupe: long hood, short deck, curvy hips and shoulders led by a cunning face. It is a true sports car. It has all required genes and just does the right things. But most importantly you feel connected to it. You don’t want a car that can happily drive to the store, you want one the makes you feel more awake the moment you grab the shifter. It has the “it factor.” It is more than that sum of its parts.

When I made this list I graded the cars on their strengths, and how those attributes might influence me as a buyer. The Raptor, for example, is the baddest truck I’ve ever seen. If I wanted a truck, that would be it, but it’s still a truck. The Evo MR Touring is one of the best performing and multi-functional 4-doors out there, regardless of price, but a true driver’s car has only 2 doors. The 135i has great potential, but out of the box it’s a little soft and frankly, needs a makeover. And the TTS is AWD, giving it a slightly clinical feel, and that means it’s just not quite as much fun. The 370Z is what a performance car is meant to be. It’s a little rough in a parking lot, and your mom might say it’s too bumpy, but it will suck up the bumps and stick like tar. When you are ripping out downshifts and linking turns, getting only as much over-steer as you ask for, you will know you spent $40,000 in the best way possible.

not my words

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Nissan on top! Hell yeah!

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Lot’s of vw/audi on the list! Nice!

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VAG :number1

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too bad the Nismo 370s can’t brake from 130 once without melting it’s stock pads :stuck_out_tongue:

(See latest Car and Driver)

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Those cars all suck ass. With the exception of the 1 series

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the R20 looks and sounds like a great car! never heard of it until now, i love it though.

and from the short time ive driven a regular 370 it is definitely a very solid car, traps around 108 too if i remember correctly so it’s no slouch. cant wait to drive a nismo

and fail for not incorporating the Ariel Atom 3 300 with the new price drop, $49,980 for a 1375lb 240whp MONTSER :wow :wow :wow :wow . its not street legal at that price without the light packages but still… amazing.

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I’ll take an S4 or 370z please.

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I’ll take any of those VAG cars or the EVO, please

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How did that pig of an Evo get #4? And cool to see the Raptor on there! lol

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it’s not always about going sub 11 seconds in the 1/4, man. also, has the STI EVO fight been resolved finally? No STI in the list fighting evo for a spot?

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Never said it was, but having under 300hp in a 3517lb car doesnt sound too fun… :lol

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boring list!

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shrugs idk man, i thought evos are very fun. especially with a good driver.

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ill take the 135i and if i needed an SUV the touareg. I could have sworn that they made it in a V10 TDi before?

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Wow, that list BLOWS.

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Thats b/c you drive a heavier yet, automatic Audi. :tongue

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I know, no Supra’s, WTF!!!

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i think the 10 and 12s are in the audis and touaregs in europe. idk if they have that in the US