If you only have a budget of R300k, it’s not easy to find something in the new-car market that will complete the 0-100 kph dash in under 10 seconds, but what if we look to the classifieds to find some tasty pre-owned machines that can hit three figures on the speedometer much faster than that, but for less money?
R300k is not a lot of money when you’re car shopping in the South African new-vehicle market. Yes, you can get a Toyota Urban Cruiser or a Kia Sonet , you can even get a fantastic looking Peugeot 208 at that price, but none of those is going to satisfy your appetite for ferocious performance like a bombastic V10 (and yes, you can get a used V10 for under R300k).
There are obvious risks associated with owning an older performance car (particularly the increased likelihood that it will break down on you), but that’s what you buy into if you want to play this game. Parts may be hard to find, you’ll likely need a specialist mechanic and nothing will be cheap to replace or repair. If you want to go fast, for less than R300k, these are the most interesting ways to do it. Click the vehicle headings for a look at current stock availability.
Back in 2007, Subaru and Mitsubishi were delivering power and performance at a fraction of the cost of the premium-segment models. Hot hatches were only just beginning to raise their game and if you wanted something that could launch from a set of lights and drop just about anything off the line, you wanted a turbocharged Subaru Impreza. With peak power of 195 kW and 343 Nm of torque, the WRX was a performance bargain in its day, but now, you can pick a decent one up for under R200k, for a car that does 0-100 kph in 5.3 sec – which is about the same time it takes to slurp a tank of fuel.
2. Chrysler 300C SRT8 (2012-2014)
I did say this list would be… interesting. The Chrysler 300C SRT8 featured a 6.4-litre V8 delivering 347 kW and 631 Nm of torque. It was a performance bargain at the time, costing nearly half as much as similarly-powered performance sedans. Performance claims suggested a 0-100 kph time of 5 seconds flat and a top speed of 280 kph. It’d be best to be on good terms with your local fuel station, though.
This list clearly doesn’t account for fuel costs as this is another drinker. The BMW 750i came to market with a 4.4-litre turbocharged V8 that had its wings clipped at 300 kW and 600 Nm of torque. The super-limo segment isn’t really renowned for retaining value, but these have surely got to their low point right? Right!? It’s an absolute sleeper equipped with all the modern features you could ask for (except Apple Carplay and Android Auto) and one of the most comfortable rides you’ll ever experience for under R300k.
These are quite difficult to find in the classifieds sections, especially good examples for less than R300k, but they do appear from time to time. Jaguar’s finest supercharged 5.0-litre V8 sits under the bonnet of this Big Cat and the lump directs its instantaneous (and devastating) power to the sedan’s rear axle. 375 kW peak power with 625 Nm of torque shot the XFR from 0 to 100 kph in just 4.9 sec. Cars.co.za Consumer Experience Manager Hannes Oosthuizen had one of these as a long-term test car (for a year) and he claims it was possibly his favourite long-term test unit ever. High praise indeed.
5. Volkswagen Scirocco R (2011-2015)
In all honesty, you could buy a Volkswagen Golf R of a similar age at the same price – and you probably should – but that all-wheel-drive hatchback just wouldn’t be as cool as the Scirocco R. The original hot hatch formula was applied to the Wolfsburg-based brand’s compact coupe – front-wheel-drive in combination with a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol motor that punches out a healthy 188 kW and 350 Nm of torque (more than a brand new Golf GTI ). The result? Acceleration that elicits epic amounts of torque steer, but is said to get you from 0 to 100 kph in 5.8 sec thanks to that DSG ‘box (well, while it lasts).
What you’re looking at here is the B7-generation RS4 quattro, noted for being the first RS4 for 5 years (at the time) and being propelled by a naturally aspirated 4.2-litre V8 with real heart and a soundtrack for the ages. It’s not short on grunt either (with 309 kW and 430 Nm of torque), but the real treat is the 6-speed manual gearbox and the 8 200 rpm redline. Zero to 100 kph came up in just 4.8 sec.
ICYMI: Modern Classic: Audi RS4 (B7) Buyer’s Guide
The 135i Coupe is renowned for being the last genuinely good-looking car that BMW produced (subjectively speaking, of course). The 135i had just the right amount of power for a short-wheelbase rear-wheel-driven coupe. Well, the twin-scroll single-turbo 3.0-litre inline 6 (from 2010) delivered enough grunt to make the diminutive Bimmer feel fast and yet still provide lively thrills in the corners. You get 225 kW and 400 Nm of torque, and yes, you can get that from a hot hatch these days, but not for R300k. It’s a bit of a classic in the making in my books; its claimed 0-100 kph time was 5.2 sec.
8. Mercedes-Benz CLS 350 (2011-2014)
This is one of the more radical suggestions, I admit, as you can pick up any number of Benzes for under R300k, but the 2nd-generation (“4-door coupe”) CLS will stand out like nothing else on offer at this price range. There’s an unstressed naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 under the bonnet that will cruise from a standstill to 100 kph in 6.1 sec, but will waft along at any speed in great comfort.
9. Renault Megane RS 265 (2012-2015)
It’s amazing to think that you can pick up one of these Megane Renault Sport IIIs for under R250k. The ultimate driver’s hot hatch from pretty much the late 2000s until this generation ended in 2016, the Megane RS is quite simply incredibly fun to drive. If they ever come up, see if you can get your hands on a Trophy edition as they are very special, but don’t expect to enjoy driving it on your congested commute (the Cup specification is perhaps a bit more bearable to drive on poor roads). Renault’s 2.0-litre 4-pot turbopetrol mill was good for 195 kW and 360 Nm of torque with a 0-100 kph time of 6 sec.
Look, don’t hold me to the reliability of a sub-R300k BMW M5 (sedan) or M6 (coupe or convertible), but they are available. Has BMW made a better engine than the F1-inspired S85 V10? The last time I spoke to BMW engineers, they were convinced it was their best work (admittedly, that was a few years ago). The screaming 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V10 revs to 8 250 rpm and dishes out a lusty 373 kW and 520 Nm of torque, if you’re willing to rev it out. Don’t judge it by today’s lofty power standards – the E60/E63/E64 M5 and M6 were special, even if they were only ever sold locally with SMG ‘boxes.
