10 Cheap Sports Cars That Are Perfect Tuners

These sports cars won't break the bank and with the right modifications, they're capable of keeping up with brand-new performance cars.

A good sports car will have more than enough power on tap, a light chassis, a great driving position, and commendable stopping power to keep everything tidy. This is a simple recipe for a sports car that has been followed by carmakers across the globe for decades. Even though sports cars are built with the basic idea of having fun without costing a ton of money, these cars are engineered for a wide range of audiences and different age groups. From the factory, most sports cars will be restricted in terms of performance as they have to comply with stringent emissions, crash test norms, and whatnot.

Tuning is that golden key that unlocks the true potential of a sports car. Tuning can be anything from improving the handling of a car or increasing the output from the engine. There is a whole world of modification out there for this purpose, and there are highly engineered car parts to extract the best performance out of a car. For example, a sports car from the factory will come with a restrictive exhaust and normal tires that work in different conditions. However, tuning can help you remove the restrictive exhaust for better flow and swap the stock tires for a set of sticky units that will make a world of difference.

But, not all sports cars are tuneable, some sports cars are more reactive to modifications and there is a lot of aftermarket support for them also. Whereas, there are some cars that might not have that much of a massive aftermarket support. So, it is essential to find out a tuneable sports car if you want something as a project car to modify and customize according to your liking. Keeping that in mind, here are 10 cheap sports cars on the used car market that are perfect for tuning.

Introduced in 2005, the NC generation Mazda Miata MX-5 is also the first generation to offer a powered hard top, making it one of the most practical MX-5 generations in the used car space. For an average price of $16,368, the NC MX-5 is a bargain sports car that also has a huge mod and tuning community and support. As stock, it gets a 2.0-liter engine that develops 170 hp. The NC generation remained in production for 10 years, and it is one affordable sports car that is also tuner friendly.

The Toyota GT86 is one of the cars with the largest aftermarket and most tuning support out there. In addition to the vast amount of aftermarket parts for this sports car, there are also many cars that have been engine swapped, race prepped, or even ones with rocket bunny kits. There's even a GT86 with a Ferrari 458 Italia's V8 engine out there. The stock boxer engine lacks a bit of oomph, but that is not really a problem provided what is available off the shelf for this little sports car.

Related: This LS3-Powered Toyota GT86 Set New Standards For Custom Car Builds

There is no denying the fact the FC RX-7 looks eerily similar to the Porsche 944. However, this Japanese sports car is more than its looks. It is powered by an unorthodox 1.3-liter rotary engine that developed 146 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque for NA versions and 185 hp and 183 lb-ft of torque for the turbocharged engines. Although the later FD is the more loved generation, the FC is also a great sports car with a lot of headroom for tuning.

Although JDM cars dominate the tuning scene, there are some European sports cars that also offer a lot of scope for tuning. The Audi TT is one such car, especially the MK2 generation. That is also because of the VAG group cars and the amount of OEM parts available for tuning purposes. The base 2.0-liter TFSI engine has a lot of potential, with a ton of aftermarket support to extract good numbers from it. From the factory, this engine makes 200 hp and 208 lb-ft of twist to all four wheels.

How does the Chevrolet Corvette make its way into a list of cars that are perfect tuners? The answer lies under the hood in the form of the 6.0/6.2-liter LS2 or LS3 V8, which is one of the most tuner-friendly V8 engines in the world. You could find LS V8 inside some really unsuspecting cars such as Ferraris and even Aston Martins. Since the Corvette C6 comes from the factory with this mill, this is one sports car with endless mod support.

The 2nd generation Nissan 300ZX stood out in the car world when it debuted back in the 1990s. It was so ahead of its time with tech that we've never seen before in this price bracket. But it also featured the 3.0-liter V6 that comes in NA and turbo guises, along with a 4-wheel steering system as well. The engine has a lot of tuning potential, especially if you pick up a 300ZX turbo, which from the factory pushes out 280 hp and 276 lb-ft of twist. The 300ZX is a grossly underrated sports car from Japan that was overlooked all these years.

Related: What Makes The Nissan 300ZX An Awesome Used Japanese Sports Car

The BMW 335i E90 coupes are sort of like the underdog. Yes, it is not an M3, but then, it only costs you around $16,000 and for that price, you do get a lot of performance. The BMW 335i's N54 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six engine develops 302hp, and it is also available in an AWD version, the 335 xi. This being a BMW with the N54 straight-six engines, the aftermarket support for this car and engine is unlimited. With enough money, you could actually make this the best thing that is not an M3.

The Infiniti G35 is much like the Nissan 300ZX — an underrated Japanese sports car. The G35 is basically the Nissan 350Z wearing a bespoke suit, as it takes a more luxurious approach with the Infiniti branding. But underneath all that glitter is a proper JDM thoroughbred sports car with a whole world of tuning potential that is waiting to be unlocked. In stock form, the screaming VQ35 V6 punches out 280 hp, enough for a 60mph sprint time of 5.7 seconds. Compared to the Z, the G35 can be bought even cheaper, and the extra cash can be used for some tasteful mods.

It will be a blasphemy if we concluded this article without mentioning the Nissan 350Z. This is one car with immense tuning potential. It can pretty much be a drift car, a drag car, or a track car depending upon the approach you like. There is a ton of aftermarket support and the best thing about the 350Z is that it will remain utterly reliable and keep going forever. Even in stock form, the 350Z is a great sports car with a brilliant chassis that can put a smile on your face. With tuning, the grin gets bigger.

Related: Here's Why The Honda S2000 Is Still One Of The Best Head-Turners Money Can Buy

The Honda S2000 is one of the best sports cars ever made. Period. This is one Honda that is definitely touted to go up in value over the years. There's nothing extraordinary about it, but just the basics done right. A 2.0-liter free-revving NA engine in a tight chassis is what this Honda is all about. That engine also happens to be a screamer with an, 8900 rpm redline. When was the last time you heard of a sports car engine that can rev to almost 9000rpm? An absolute weapon, the Honda S2000 is also an increasing option as a track tool thanks to its well-balanced chassis.

It has always been cars for Adithya that he drifted from his engineering career to become a full-time Motoring Journalist. He has over 5 years of experience working for a leading automotive publication (ZigWheels) in India as well as a prominent search engine (Bing). His hobbies largely revolve around anything that is associated with a touge.