
- The test featured seven sports cars, each priced under $35,000.
- Regardless of drive type or transmission, they all proved to be quite fast.
- Still, the top two players in the race might surprise you.
The fun of drag racing is the excitement, but what’s even more fun is that you can get into it for $35,000 or less. In this competition, seven of the most affordable sports cars on the market will be pitted against each other. Each comes with a four-cylinder engine, but beyond that, they bring something unique to the table.
var adpushup = window.adpushup = window.adpushup || {que:()}; adpushup.que.push(function() { if (adpushup.config.platform !== “DESKTOP”){ adpushup.triggerAd(“0f7e3106 -c4d6-4db4-8135-c508879a76f8”); } else { adpushup.triggerAd(“82503191-e1d1-435a-874f-9c78a2a54a2f”);
In the racing lineup, you’ll find the Ford Mustang EcoBoost, Subaru WRX, Hyundai Elantra N, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Mini Cooper S, Mazda3 Turbo and Toyota GR86. What they all have in common is that they all use four-cylinder engines. Other than that, they are all slightly different.
More: Lucid Air Sapphire beats Porsche Taycan Turbo GT in most powerful drag race yet
First, host Jason Cammisa pits front-wheel-drive cars against each other. Weight transfer is a fact, and these cars end up gripping the road at launch.
var adpushup = window.adpushup = window.adpushup || {que:()}; adpushup.que.push(function() { if (adpushup.config.platform !== “DESKTOP”){ adpushup.triggerAd(“0f7e3106 -c4d6-4db4-8135-c508879a76f8”); } else { adpushup.triggerAd(“82503191-e1d1-435a-874f-9c78a2a54a2f”);
But that doesn’t stop them from accelerating to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 5.6 seconds or less. In fact, Hyundai accomplished this feat in just 4.9 seconds. It continues down the track and wins. The Mini managed to take the silver medal, while the Volkswagen ended up being the slowest car in the group.
From there, he lined up candidates for rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. Pure sports cars, the Mustang and GR 86 benefit from nearly identical power-to-weight ratios. All-wheel drive models like the WRX and Mazda3 Turbo both have advantages in off-the-line grip. In the end, pony power prevailed.
Ford and Subaru made similar jumps, but the Mustang proved to be the quickest. Of course, having a 10-speed automatic makes a few differences, but the Ford also produces more power and torque than the Subaru. Toyota ranks third, with Mazda at the bottom. Still, it managed a quarter-mile time of 14.3 seconds.
Finally, we got a chance to see the Elantra N go up against the Mustang, and the two ended up being close. Ford won again, but Hyundai was just 0.3 seconds behind at the finish line. There’s no doubt that weight transfer and direct power all come into play there.
As Kamisa points out, all of these cars are fast and fun. This means that while the Mustang may be the fastest in a straight line, we all win because they’re relatively affordable at under $35,000. Which one will you choose?
var adpushup = window.adpushup = window.adpushup || {que:()}; adpushup.que.push(function() { if (adpushup.config.platform !== “DESKTOP”){ adpushup.triggerAd(“bb7964e9 -07de-4b06-a83e-ead35079d53c”); } else { adpushup.triggerAd(“9b1169d9-7a89-4971-a77f-1397f7588751”);
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.