When people think of fast cars, they often think of Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini and other ultra-exotic machines. But how many people do you know that actually own and drive an exotic car? Not many, right? For most of us, budgets, affordable payments and reality all play a starring role in our lives. But that doesn’t mean you can’t own a fast car that fulfills your need for speed. That’s why we’ve created our list of “The Fastest Affordable Cars."
The cars on this list aren’t just fast. They’re scary fast. With 0-60 times under 6 seconds or less. That’s acceleration that can take your breath away. Best of all, they’re all available between $25,000 and $50,000. That’s not chump change. But for many American drivers, it falls into a range they can justify and afford. So rev your engines and read our list of "The Fastest Affordable Cars." Let the speed countdown begin!
- Speed: 0-60 6.7 seconds
- MSRP: $45,725
With 304 horses under the hood, the 2010 Cadillac CTS 3.6 L Performance AWD has plenty of pep and tasteful styling that leaves memories of your father’s or grandfather’s 1970s massive Cadillac sedan in the dust. You can race from 0-60 in 6.7 seconds. But if you’re willing to upgrade to the Cadillac CTS-V with its burly V8 engine, you can blaze from 0-60 in only 4.3 seconds. Fuel economy is improved in the 2010 Cadillac CTS 3.6 L Performance AWD, netting 18 mpg city and 27 highway. If you're willing to spend a little more dough, the CTS-V does 0-60 in a mind-melting 3.9 seconds. Unfortunately it costs $60,720 - a little out of our price range.
- Speed: 0-60 5.7 seconds
- MSRP: $24,885
We can't forget that America is a land of trucks. Big, beefy trucks. And Dodge has determined that truck drivers should enjoy some speed with all the utility a truck brings to its owner. Their answer is the 2010 Dodge Ram Sport with its 5.7 L V8 engine and 390 horsepower. Slam down the accelerator and this truck will reach 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. All this in a vehicle that weighs 6,200 pounds yet costs only $24,855. Mighty impressive indeed.
- Speed: 0-60 5.5 seconds
- MSRP: $36,970
You want beauty? I'll show you beauty in the 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster. This two-seat roadster was introduced in 2009 when it replaced the Nissan 350Z. We think it's a big improvement with better looks, better styling, loads of power and a 0-60 mark of 5.5 seconds. Even with a large 332 HP engine, it still gets a respectable 18 mpg city/ 25 highway.
- Speed: 0-6- 5.3 seconds
- MSRP: $38,180
I fondly remember the 1970s version of the Dodge Charger that a teenager used to race up my street. The neighborhood kids would stop in our tracks and stare while our mothers shook an angry fist at the oblivious driver. That car looked and sounded scary. The 2010 Dodge Charger SRT8 carries on that tradition and is likely terrorizing a neighborhood somewhere right now. With 425 horsepower and a 0-60 time of 5.3 seconds, the Charger is a formidable driving machine. One feature that makes it attractive: the $38,180 price. You get virtually the same power and performance as the more expensive Dodge Challenger for about $3,000 less.
- Speed: 5.1 seconds
- MSRP: $27,995
One of three Dodge vehicles on this list, the 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 boasts the fastest 0-60 time of the bunch: 5.1 seconds. It's shocking how fast that actually feels when you're behind the wheel and well worth a trip to your local dealer to strap in and take the feisty Challenger for a ride. All that speed, power and weight (this is a two-ton sports car after all) make the popular Challenger a bit thirsty at the pump. You can expect 13 mpg city and 19 highway. Expect some sticker shock if you opt for the SRT8 model: $41,230.
2010 Cadillac CTS