The Best Cheap Thrill Classics You Can Buy On a Budget
The classic car market is quite cruel – with businesspeople choosing to
invest in the most desirable vehicles, many of them have become
unattainable for the enthusiasts. Don’t pout if your dream classic is out
of reach due to hedge fund bankers, there are always other options. We
present four “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” style alternatives.
DATSUN 240Z – NISSAN 280ZX
the Americans – Datsun 240Z is brilliant and we’ve touted it before. The
combination of great chassis, silky smooth inline-6 and classic coupe
silhouette has grown in popularity and in price in recent years. Pristine
examples now cost north of EUR 25,000. What if you crave a classic Z
but cannot pay the price?
Well, that’s where the 280ZX comes in. It was the second incarnation of
the Nissan’s Z car and offers higher levels of comfort and sophistication
than the predecessor. Many argue some of the Z purity is gone,
therefore 280ZXs cost way less. EUR 15,000 can fetch you a pristine
example, just make sure to go for a Turbo model as the naturally
aspirated engines were quite lethargic.
BMW M3 - BMW 318IS
You know the story – the original M3 was born when BMW needed to
build some civilian versions of their E30 3-series racer in order to
compete. The powerful 4-pot engine and the superb chassis that made
the M3 great at racing also results in it being a blast to drive in twisty
roads. This racing pedigree makes M3s out of reach for some, with
prices starting at EUR 45,000.
Well, if you decide you can live with a little less engine displacement,
don’t need flashy flared arches and a spoiler in your life, you can go for a
318is instead. This hotter version of the E30 still sported beefier brakes
and suspension bits from the M division and was propelled by a rev-
happy 136 bhp 1.8-liter. Think of it as an M3 light which cost only a
fraction of the price – the immaculate ones sell for EUR 10,000.
FIAT 500 – FIAT 126
You’d be hard pressed to find a car that catalyzes more smiles than the
Fiat 500. Small, ascetic Italian is a riot to drive and brings joy for all of
the passers-by. Due to it originating as an honest down-to-earth people’s
car, the prices of classic 500s are not as outrageous as those of the
cars above. Still, with nicer ones selling for upwards of EUR 5,000 it
might be a costly ticket to the classic car club for some. But worry not,
there is an alternative, Fiat 126.
Fiat 126 shares many components with the 500, while also featuring an
improved version of its air-cooled engine. Better yet, these little grin-
machines were produced until this century in Poland, bearing a
designation of 126p, so there are plenty of examples to choose from. An
air-cooled 126p in good nick can cost you just over EUR 1,000, classic
cars don’t get cheaper than that. If you want more of that retro flavor, go
for slightly older cars with chrome bumpers and a minimalistic
dashboard.
LOTUS ELAN – MAZDA MX-5
Hardly any other roadster is as lightweight as the Lotus Elan. Not only is
the car miniscule in proportions, but the whole body is molded from
lightweight fiberglass. Small in size and power, it delivers a
disproportionate amount of thrill for the driver, while double wishbone
suspension and disc brakes in all four corners keep everything in check.
Sadly, these thrills are rather costly these days, you’re looking to spend
at least EUR 30,000 for an Elan.
Interestingly, the cheaper alternative does not come from Lotus
themselves. Mazda blatantly plagiarized the original Elan recipe when
creating the first-gen MX-5, some of the most affordable sports cars on
earth. Just like the Elan, it has a revvy 4-cylinder, full double wishbone
suspension and, most importantly, pop-up headlights! Granted, the
imposter weighs a bit more than the original, but it still tips the scales
just under a ton. Best of all, MX-5 is the most successful roadster in the
world, so there are plenty to choose from, all starting at around EUR
2,000.
invest in the most desirable vehicles, many of them have become
unattainable for the enthusiasts. Don’t pout if your dream classic is out
of reach due to hedge fund bankers, there are always other options. We
present four “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” style alternatives.
DATSUN 240Z – NISSAN 280ZX
Nissan hit the bullseye with their first attempt to build a sports car for
the Americans – Datsun 240Z is brilliant and we’ve touted it before. The
combination of great chassis, silky smooth inline-6 and classic coupe
silhouette has grown in popularity and in price in recent years. Pristine
examples now cost north of EUR 25,000. What if you crave a classic Z
but cannot pay the price?
Well, that’s where the 280ZX comes in. It was the second incarnation of
the Nissan’s Z car and offers higher levels of comfort and sophistication
than the predecessor. Many argue some of the Z purity is gone,
therefore 280ZXs cost way less. EUR 15,000 can fetch you a pristine
example, just make sure to go for a Turbo model as the naturally
aspirated engines were quite lethargic.
BMW M3 - BMW 318IS
You know the story – the original M3 was born when BMW needed to
build some civilian versions of their E30 3-series racer in order to
compete. The powerful 4-pot engine and the superb chassis that made
the M3 great at racing also results in it being a blast to drive in twisty
roads. This racing pedigree makes M3s out of reach for some, with
prices starting at EUR 45,000.
Well, if you decide you can live with a little less engine displacement,
don’t need flashy flared arches and a spoiler in your life, you can go for a
318is instead. This hotter version of the E30 still sported beefier brakes
and suspension bits from the M division and was propelled by a rev-
happy 136 bhp 1.8-liter. Think of it as an M3 light which cost only a
fraction of the price – the immaculate ones sell for EUR 10,000.
FIAT 500 – FIAT 126
You’d be hard pressed to find a car that catalyzes more smiles than the
Fiat 500. Small, ascetic Italian is a riot to drive and brings joy for all of
the passers-by. Due to it originating as an honest down-to-earth people’s
car, the prices of classic 500s are not as outrageous as those of the
cars above. Still, with nicer ones selling for upwards of EUR 5,000 it
might be a costly ticket to the classic car club for some. But worry not,
there is an alternative, Fiat 126.
Fiat 126 shares many components with the 500, while also featuring an
improved version of its air-cooled engine. Better yet, these little grin-
machines were produced until this century in Poland, bearing a
designation of 126p, so there are plenty of examples to choose from. An
air-cooled 126p in good nick can cost you just over EUR 1,000, classic
cars don’t get cheaper than that. If you want more of that retro flavor, go
for slightly older cars with chrome bumpers and a minimalistic
dashboard.
LOTUS ELAN – MAZDA MX-5
Hardly any other roadster is as lightweight as the Lotus Elan. Not only is
the car miniscule in proportions, but the whole body is molded from
lightweight fiberglass. Small in size and power, it delivers a
disproportionate amount of thrill for the driver, while double wishbone
suspension and disc brakes in all four corners keep everything in check.
Sadly, these thrills are rather costly these days, you’re looking to spend
at least EUR 30,000 for an Elan.
Interestingly, the cheaper alternative does not come from Lotus
themselves. Mazda blatantly plagiarized the original Elan recipe when
creating the first-gen MX-5, some of the most affordable sports cars on
earth. Just like the Elan, it has a revvy 4-cylinder, full double wishbone
suspension and, most importantly, pop-up headlights! Granted, the
imposter weighs a bit more than the original, but it still tips the scales
just under a ton. Best of all, MX-5 is the most successful roadster in the
world, so there are plenty to choose from, all starting at around EUR
2,000.
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