Fastest Cars Under $50,000
The Texas Mile is an annual three-day racing event held on an airport runway 90 miles south of San Antonio. The rules are simple: more than 200 amateur racers in 11 different classes have a one-mile chance over the course of three days to see how fast they can go.
In March, Richard Holt won by pushing his 1,000-horsepower, twin-turbo auto 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera past 250 miles per hour--an event record.
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Very large, detailed write-up at the source link, Yahoo! Autos
Source: Fastest Cars Under $50,000
In March, Richard Holt won by pushing his 1,000-horsepower, twin-turbo auto 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera past 250 miles per hour--an event record.
Quote from the article:
To compile our list of the fastest cars under $50,000, we combed through zero-to-60 mph times for all likely performance coupes, sedans and roadsters (SUVs and trucks didn't qualify when it came to competing with these cars on speed) sold in the U.S. that cost under $50,000. The vehicles with the fastest times made our list. Zero-to-60 times were provided by the manufacturers or by Kelley Blue Book. Sport packages that may have decreased acceleration times but pushed the MSRP over $50,000 were not considered. This can be a tough combination. That's because speed is achieved through costly turboboosters and torque and by lightweight carbon-fiber body panels and aluminum frames. The aluminum frame of the Audi TTS, for example, is 48% lighter than a steel frame of identical size. Other components, such as carbon fiber spoilers, ceramic brakes and finely tuned, hand-built engines are considerably more expensive than standard features. That's where the delicate balance of price vs. power comes in. BMW has several models on our list. The Munich-based automaker prides itself on its high-performance engineering and driver-oriented design, found, for example, in the $46,000 Z4, $40,600 335i and $36,050 135i. A base version of the 335i sedan has a 3.0-liter, 300-horsepower, turbo-charged engine that will go from zero to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds (5.7 seconds with automatic transmission), with a top speed of 150 mph. The car makes things easy for drivers who actually enjoy the act of driving, using dynamic stability control and traction control to monitor the car around corners and through slick patches, with an on-board computer that shows oil levels, spark-plug status and remaining travel range. The 135i is less expensive than its 3-Series counterpart, and smaller. Its size allows BMW to charge less than the 335i and makes the car faster. Jake Fisher, who has tested hundreds of cars for Consumer Reports, says that with the right driver, the 135i can even hold its own against more expensive sports coupes, like BMW's M3. Indeed the 135i does zero to 60 in 5 seconds (5.1 seconds with the manual), thanks to a turbo-boosted, 6-cylinder, 300-horsepower engine. Top speed is 131 mph. |
Very large, detailed write-up at the source link, Yahoo! Autos
Source: Fastest Cars Under $50,000
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