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Power for Peanuts

I'm not keen on flying. I don't like the fact that that aeroplane wings flex or that outside the cabin it might be minus 50°C. I'm also clearly the wrong shape for the regulation issue seats and I nearly always end up spilling my miniature cans of complimentary Coca Cola within minutes of leaving the tarmac.

But what I do love is the take off. That wonderful surge of power as you sink back into your seat and accelerate from 0-100mph in just a few seconds.

So it's hardly surprising that when it comes to choosing a means of transport my preferred choice is something that does away with the poor seating, dodgy catering and floppy wings but retains that heart pounding acceleration. I call them sports cars.

I don't actually drive very quickly anymore, but I do enjoy the sensation of effortless acceleration. I also like the rest of the kit that generally accompanies them, like good brakes, sharp steering and good handling. And, rather like air travel, good sports cars don't have to be expensive. In fact you can have as much fun for a few thousand pounds as someone spending tens of thousands.
So here's my Top 5 round-up cheap thrills, the cars that deliver the maximum power for the minimum cash, I call them my Power for Peanuts superstars.

5 In at five is the TVR Griffith, the definitive British sports car. Its 5 litre V8 engine produces 320bhp and endows it with performance that will have it crawling all over the rear bumper of the Ferrari up to 100mph. Good examples regularly change hands for around £12,000 and as long as you treat the car as a bit of a hobby and don't mind fettling it a little then on a sunny day with the engine burbling on the over run you'll feel like a racing hero.

My pick: a 1994 'L Griffith for £12,000/320bhp
giving a £/power ratio of £37.50

[TVR I is available exclusively from regtransfers.co.uk at £49,995]

4 In at four is a very different looking beast - the Mitsubishi 3000GT. It doesn't possess the same timeless styling of the TVR but when it comes to wallop the twin turbo 282bhp engine is no slouch. There's also plenty of Japanese imports around that have been tricked up with all manner of tuning bits so getting over 350bhp is easily possible. I'm not a he fan of non-standard cars like that but each to their own and if you want max power for min money it knocks the TVR into a cocked hat.

My pick: a 1993 'K' Mitsubishi 3000GT for £7,000/282bhp
giving a £/power ratio of £24.82

[3000 DD is available exclusively from regtransfers.co.uk at £5995]

3 At three is a car that I've wanted since I was a kid, the Lotus Esprit. Made famous by James Bond in The Spy who Loved Me. Some thirty years on, the original shape still looks as stunning as the day it was first designed. Get one in white and you can live the secret agent dream, or if you fancy a bit more go plump for a later turbo charged version. The engines may be prone to a little bit of overheating and the gearbox is one of the trickiest I've ever used but for high days and holidays what a lot of fun!

My pick: a 1985 Lotus Esprit Turbo for £3,500/210bhp
giving a £/power ratio of £16.66

2 Almost getting my top vote but missing it by a whisker is the BMW M6. Back in the late eighties even Ferrari struggled to pump out 300bhp from their super cars, yet BMW managed 286bhp from a relatively conservative looking coupé. Being German BMW was terribly sensible and limited the top speed to 155mph but it was a car that felt like it could do another 15mph or so. If you've ever been tempted by an M6 don't wait any longer to buy one, get it now. The new BMW 6-series has breathed life into the idea of a big fast BMW coupé and prices are rising.

My pick: a 1988 'E' BMW M635 coupé for £3,000/286bhp
giving a £/power ratio of just £10.50

[7I0 BMW is available exclusively from regtransfers.co.uk at £3995]

1 And in at number one, it's the Jaguar XJS. Not one of those slightly asthmatic little cylinder versions but a gas guzzling 5.3 litre V12. The engine bay looks like it was put together by a demented plumber and keeping it running smoothly requires a blend of inspiration and perspiration. Just like its forerunner, the E-Type, the XJS has fallen out of favour and MoT failures regularly get junked or split for parts, but get one with 12 months MoT for a grand and you will have a years memorable motoring.

My pick: a 1985 'B' Jaguar XJS 5.3 V12 for £1,000/266bhp
giving a £/power ratio of just £3.75.

© 2006 Jason Dawe

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