£35k - most fun car ?

[Shazbat]

Whats the most fun and engaging car for this money ? Can be used or new, brisk or mega fast but must be tactile and properly engaging (so nothing audi or bmw thanks). Could be a hatch, rwd, awd, mid engined, front or rear. Must be half decent looking though, no one likes to own a bulldog chewin a wasp.

[RobGT81]

Caterham 420 new or the fastest you can find used.

[Dick Dastardly]

Z3M Coupe. Best drivers car I've ever been in.

[Vitorio]

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...

Italian V8 sports car with looks to die for?

Ferrari wise there are a few manky mondials

[kambites]

RobGT81 said:

Caterham 420 new or the fastest you can find used.

Realistically the answer is going to be this or something very similar. No mainstream car can hold a candle to something properly lightweight like a Caterham in terms of raw fun.

[Torquey]

Autotrader - £35k. 3.5l, 245bhp. 0-60 3 seconds.

[justin220]

Exige V6 (maybe a bit higher?)

Lotus 2-11?

[KevinCamaroSS]

Mazda MX5



Just kidding.

[TTwiggy]

Lotus Exige (supercharged). Better for road use than the Caterham with 90% of the thrill factor.

[Yex 450]

This ticks all the OP's boxes, is about engaging as it gets................and offers a bit of change

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...

[culpz]

Dick Dastardly said:

Z3M Coupe. Best drivers car I've ever been in.

Well, according to OP, anything that is BMW isn't engaging so clearly he's right and that needs ruling out

[anonymous-user]

1. Lightweight (Atom, Caterham, Westfield)
2. Lotus
3. 911/Cayman
4. GTR
5. Noble M12

Any of those. Ignoring all the AMG/M/RS stuff that is out there.

[Hungrymc]

That's a really broad set of requirements. You'll get hundreds of different ideas.

Do you not have any particular taste in handling?
Two seats enough?
Track day or weekend blasts?
Or cool outside the pub for Sunday lunch?

[Shazbat]

Two seats is acceptable.

Must be good for road trips as well so no caterhams.

Handling can be any format just as long as its adjustable and engaging and makes a driver a part of the process.

[jayemm89]

Lotus Evora S, BMW Z4 M, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Noble, TVR, 997-era 911, Cayman, Boxster, Esprit...

Plenty to choose

[pits]

Mx5 and big engine

[GhostWKD]

Slightly biased as I had a similar requirement a few years ago (but prices were a little lower on most of the suggested cars) but I ended up in a Noble. Actually wanted a V8 esprit but viewed a number of cars which I didn't buy for one reason or another (surprisingly a few sellers failed the attitude test spectacularly)

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/n...

[SpudLink]

I'm pretty sure 2 people could go touring in this Brooke Double R (if they're really determined)...
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

[Ahbefive]

I drove an Exige S around Silverstone on an experience day. Personally I didn't find it a particularly fun car. Involving with great feedback and weight of controls and a lovely feeling of lightweightness but very planted . A real drivers car but I didn't find it that fun. I actually have more fun around the same track in my Impreza.

A TVR Cerbera on the other hand feels like a beast and the feeling of impending death is lots of fun. I also like old hot hatches and Cosworths etc which with their tinny and rattly nature are lots of fun to really fling about. I also find silly powered Evos a lot of fun.

[SidewaysSi]

Lotus Elise above all IMO. Can be used year round but adjustable, full of feel and quick. Ideally get one with a few choice modifications and you can do no better.

Caterhams are all well and good but pretty rubbish in less than ideal conditions and are hardly practical.

I have a heavily modified S1 Sport 160 and it is bloody brilliant on road and track.