A Request (Track Day Cars for under 40K)

Allow me to indulge in text speak for just one second, OMG! I checked my e mail inbox today and found an e mail requesting a blog of me. Interesting was my thought to myself. It reads like this, and I quote "I have 40K to spend on a track day car. I want something that drives well, has great go in it and can be driven home without being uncomfortable. PS, the budget isn't a guide price, it's a limit." The e mailer also asked to remain anonymous.

Well Mr Anony I have looked into the matter and have a shortlist of three for you to chose from.

Caterham R300
The first is the Caterham R300. The price is £29,500 so it falls well within the budget. If you saw the R500s lap of Top Gear then you will know how this car handles because they are pretty much identicle, all Caterhams are if I'm being honest with you. This one has a 4 cylinder engine that produces 175bhp. That is enough to send this car to 60 in 4.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 140mph. I'm not entirely sure on comfort but since I know people who have driven Caterhams over long distances before I can't imagine it would be terrible.

Ariel Atom 300
My next recommendation is a car that I have a great longing for myself. The Ariel Atom 300. To get the full fat version of the Type R powered machine (not the mental V8) you'll end up shelling out £34,000. For your 34K you get a car with 300bhp and one that can do 60 in a respectable, sorry, mindbending, 2.7 seconds. More text speak coming up, OMG! The car will then go on to achieve a top speed of 155mph. This may make my recommendation of the Caterham seem null and void at this point, but it wasn't. I happen to know that this car will be a nightmare to live with on the road. Sure, on the track it's heaven but not on the road. A point highlighted by an agitated looking fellow I saw in his. It also has no bodywork as the picture highlights. It is still highly recomended.

Radical SR3
And finally I'd like to recommend a car that looks a lot like a racing car. The Radical SR3. For 40K you can only get an entry level 1300 which stands for the amount of CCs it has. Despite this it produces 205bhp and can do 60 in 3.5 seconds and do a top speed of 145mph, so it's not exacty slow. The other great thing is that the Radical is the closest thing to a race car you can get that's road legal which means it handles like a limpet. Corners that you might have to slow down for in the other two will not even trouble you in a Radical. There are two downsides. It costs the full 40,000 pounds and saying it's a road car is really stretching it somewhat. I don't doubt that some might even call you a liar for saying it is, but it is road legal and can be driven on the road. There are drawbacks, but nothing will drive like this when out on the track, unless you want to plump for the £1,000,000 Pagani Zonda R.

But there is one last car that is worth considering. An entry level Lotus 2 Eleven. I'm not going to review that one but it costs £27,000. It isn't road legal however until you spec it up with the legal requirements, and after you've done that it'll cost £32,000. Worth a look.

Well Mr unnamed, there you are. Your choices are the Caterham R300, the Ariel Atom 300 and the Radical SR3. Thankyou for getting in touch and giving me a dam good subject to blog about. Thanks and happy agonising.