PACE SETTERS
Six fast cars you can buy right now for under £5,000 – including surprising Vauxhall
A Mercedes with a V12 motor on a £5,000 budget can be done!
WHEN it comes to buying a speedy car there are plenty of wallet-friendly options out there.
You don't need to break the bank to get hold of a lively motor for up to £5,000.
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If you want speed, power, handling and luxury you usually very much get what you pay for.
But Goodwood Road & Racing have put together a list of motors you can pick up for an affordable price and will satisfy your need to speed.
Vauxhall Insignia 2.8I Turbo V6 VXR
The speediest car on this list, the Vauxhall Insignia VXR is a four-wheel drive with impressive power.
It is available with its pesky speed limiter removed from the factory releasing an impressive top speed of 170mph.
With just over 320 bhp the Vauxhall also has better handling than it's predecessors.
Available for under £5,000 the family friendly motor is also likely the most sensible car on the list.
Nissan 350Z
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The Nissan 350Z brought old-school thrills to the market when it went on sale in 2003.
It boasts an impressive 3.5l V6 engine which gave motorheads more bang for their buck than anywhere else when it went on sale over 20 years ago.
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The motor is able to go from 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds before the speed limiter comes into play at 155mph.
It doesn't just have straightline performance and has better handling than you would expect.
C6 Audi S6 Saloon
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Boasting Quattro four-wheel drive, the S6 accelerates from 0-62mph in 5.3 seconds.
It does have a 155mph speed limiter but experts say that your local tuner could easily solve this problem.
With a massive engine ahead of the front axle, one of the drawbacks of the Audi is that it doesn't handle too well.
It was first made available in 2006.
Jaguar XJR
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The X350 Jaguar XJR is a spacious car but has an aluminium body that meant it weighed less than 1,700kg.
Jaguar’s supercharged V8 served up instantaneous power on the road.
Standard air suspension gave the X350 the comfortable ride you'd expect of a Jaguar, making the XJ arguably the better road cat than a comparable BMW or Mercedes.
With just over 390bhp it could do 0-62mph in 5.3 seconds.
B6 Audi S4 Avant - 155mph
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The B6 S4 Avant comes from a heyday when Audi had tight shut lines, teutonic styling, and interiors in a class of their own.
S4 specification only accentuates the look with a chunky body kit, iconic six-spoke Avus wheels, and blue-suede sports seats.
It is a small motor but has a massive 4.2-litre V8 forced under the bonnet, giving it just under 340 bhp.
It's good for 0-62mph in 5.6 seconds but also has a limiter-restricted top speed of 155mph.
Although the handling is not the best, the four-wheel drive make it adaptable and there is a manual gearbox.
Mercedes S600
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Getting a V12 motor on a £5,000 budget is too good an opportunity to miss.
The Mercedes S600 does exactly that with over 360bhp and a beautiful hum of an engine.
It's still good for 0-62mph in 5.6 seconds and a top speed limited to 155mph.
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The S600 also has range-topping specifications with leather-wrapped seats and dash, electrically adjustable rear seats, and a fridge.
While other cars will be shedding body parts as they reach top speeds, you can expect the S-Class to be as quiet and serene as if it were doing 50mph.