The best rear wheel drive sports cars under 35.000 euros - Sports Cars
Browsing the sports car roster, I realized that below the € 35.000 range, there are rear-wheel drive champions who don't give a damn about the practicality and the turbo era.
Nissan 370 Z, Mazda Mx-5 and Subaru BRZ have a lot in common: they are Japanese, they have rear wheel drive, limited slip differential and naturally aspirated engine.
They don't pretend to have a big trunk or make life easier for rear passengers - even if the two gnomes find a place in the Nissan and Subaru - their mission is to bring smiles and moments of automotive joy.
Despite the similarities, the three design philosophies of these cars could not have been more different.
Mazda Mh-5
The little Miata in the new generation continues the philosophy of "minimum".
With a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine Sky asset, Mazda has taken a bit of inspiration over its predecessor, and its sleeker, more aggressive line gives it a new aura. At a list price of € 29.950, the little spider offers tons of fun.
You can see that in Japan the average height is different from the European one: if you are taller than one meter and eighty, it will be really difficult to find a suitable place to drive, and you will feel like you are sitting on the roof of a car. , not inside. However, once you take that into account, you discover a harmony between controls that is rare even among the most famous sports. IN steering motorized is direct and sensitive, and always provides the necessary information.
Behind the wheel of the Mx-5, you will wonder what stereo, climate and all the entertaining stunts are for. It's not the fastest car in absolute terms, but its gearbox is so pleasant to maneuver and the pedals are so well positioned that you don't feel the need to have anything else: you already have everything you need.
There is enough power to pass the car, and thanks to the limited-slip differential, oversteer occurs gradually and naturally, including thanks to the flexible frame and the rather soft shock absorber setting.
Subaru BRZ
The BRZ ride seems to be changing the planet. The difference between the two cars is 200 euros (Subaru costs 30.150 2.000 euros) and both have a XNUMX cc four-cylinder engine. See and rear-wheel drive, but there's a huge gap behind the wheel.
The BRZ has a lot more space on board and immediately looks like a more professional car designed for racing tracks. The riding position is much better and the gearbox is similar in strength to the MX-5, but has slightly more travel.
Il frame it is much stiffer and the steering is more stable. Unlike the Mx-5, which is in perfect harmony with all of its components, the BRZ comes across as weak compared to the chassis. 200 h.p. seem a little smaller, and closer to the red zone of the tachometer (about 7.500 rpm) it lacks hardness.
Four 205mm tires provide unobtrusive traction and make the car responsive to steering inputs: just throw it into corners with enthusiasm to induce oversteer, but in third gear it lacks the power to keep going. On the other hand, thanks to the Torsen differential, the wheels can be blown up at will.
The boxer engine does not sound very pleasant, it looks like a big blender and is very far from the singing qualities of the Impreza Sti. The delivery is also a bit flat and must always be kept suspended to allow the car to pick up speed. But the BRZ is entertaining precisely because of its modest performance: you should always strive to get the most out of it, breaking the curve faster and faster, and slowing down a bit as you play backwards between turns.
Nissan 370Z
You only need to look at it from the side to understand that the 370Z is made from a different paste. It seems unbelievable that it only costs €33.710 (just over €3.000 compared to the other two) because – at least on paper – it’s on a different planet.
Hidden under the front hood is a magnificent and increasingly rare V6 engines up to 3,7 330 hp liters, while the thrust is strictly rear and manual transmission.
The seats are much more comfortable, and the passenger compartment is by far the richest and most sophisticated of the three vehicles on display here. The car is so massive that it seems much heavier than it actually is. From 0-100 to 5,3 on the face, the Z wipes out two other contenders (7,3 for Mazda and 7,6 for Subaru), but Nissan has more than just raw power to its advantage.
The frame is perfectly balanced, also due to its excellent weight distribution (53% / 47%), and has excellent traction: despite the great power, this is not a drift car like its predecessor 350 Z, but much softer and more civilized. ...
Traction engine it's not one that rides you to the seat, but the engine rewards you with fantastic throttle response and plenty of mid-range torque. Even so, it would take a little more nasty stuff at the top of the tachometer.
If Mazda is flying on the road and Subaru is passing by, the Z will handle it like a jackhammer. it has a lot more grip than the other two and the speed it can keep on the road is incomparable. Auto-parallel manual shifting is amazing and will always be better than your best heel toe.
To each his own
Which one to choose then? It's hard to go wrong with one of these machines, and I don't want to be careful with this statement, but: it depends on taste. There Nissan it is the most demanding of service, and despite the similar price to the other two, consumption, road tax and insurance are not charged; but it is also the only car that offers true sporting performance (it has about the same power as the Cayman S) at a reasonable price.
La Subaru и Mazda they are getting closer. The first, with his message “I'm ready to work,” is sure to attract an audience of geeks and track-day fans. She loves to be mistreated and can be addictive.
With the Miata, you don't have to go that fast to have fun: its light frame and modest power make it as enjoyable as a sneaker, and despite being the most awkward driving position in a group, it is, paradoxically, the most enjoyable of them all. situation.
