The 1990s could be called the sports car decade an era that saw the arrival of a new generation sports cars which were quick even by today’s standards. Furthermore, these cars are on sale today for a fraction of their original prices, and are begging for you to pick them up for a good deal. Although not as rapid as today’s super cars, you’re guaranteed a solid win against that souped up Corsa you’re inevitably going to find next to you at the next set of red lights.
BMW E36 M3
Starting off in Germany, we have the BMW E36 M3. Being the first M3 to boast a straight-six engine gave it some serious credentials, and with 240 horsepower, the 3.0-litre M3 was certainly ahead of its game in its day. However after just 3 years, BMW decided that wasn’t enough and upped it to 321 horsepower with a 3.2-litre straight-six instead. Keep your eye out for the M3 GT in British Racing Green, too, with its uprated 291 horsepower 3.0-litre engine. With only 356 of them built, it will be a valuable collector’s item if nothing else.
(credit: http://niallleaphotography.co.uk/automotive/e36-bmw-m3/)
BMW E39 M5
If an M3 doesn’t quite cut it, then I strongly suggest you look at the M5. Whereas the E34 model used a 3.6-litre straight-six (3.8 litres in its later years), the E39 model housed a much more ferocious animal. A 394 horsepower grand total meant the 4.9-litre V8 got you to 60 mph in around 5 seconds, and on to a limited top speed of 155 mph.
(credit: http://www.artofstance.com/practical-monster-bmw-e39-m5/)
Chevrolet Corvette C5
We’ve crossed the North Atlantic and we’ve landed on the shores of the U S of A. A respectable 345 horsepower and 50:50 weight distribution gave the 5.7-litre V8 a 0-60 mph time of just 4.7 seconds. Of course, we’re talking about the Chevrolet Corvette C5. A word of advice, avoid the 4-speed automatic in favour of the much more engaging 6-speed manual to enjoy the top speed of 170 mph.
(credit:https://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewaustinpaul)
Nissan Skyline GT-R
Let’s cross the Pacific Ocean now, and head to Japan. This is the country that boasted the most road going sports cars favoured by car enthusiasts not only of the 90s, but still today. What am I talking about? The Nissan Skyline GT-R. Originally built in 1969 with a 2.0-litre 160 horsepower engine, the first generation was nothing to tickle your tastebuds. Well, that’s compared to the third generation of 1989. Just like BMW, the Skyline GT-R used a straight-six powerplant, this time with a capacity of 2.6 litres. Don’t be fooled though – Nissan squeezed out exactly 276 horsepower from it. This is the only all-wheel-drive car to feature in today’s list.
Mazda RX7
Should you be looking for a Japanese car with character, look no further than the RX-7. Just like the later RX-8 it used a 1.3-litre rotary engine, however with twin-turbocharging it was able to produce 236 horsepower. This third generation front-mid-engined sports car is best mated to the 5-speed manual transmission.
(https://www.flickr.com/photos/nbdesignz)TVR V8 Chimera
For our final stop, I think we shall call back home to the UK. This is where the company TVR was founded, one that slipped the mainstream car market despite its impressive lineup. The Chimaera, for example, borrowed Rover’s 3.5-litre V8 engine, but with an increased capacity of 4.0 litres. Later on, this turned into a 4.3-litre engine, then 4.5 litres, and finally a 5.0-litre V8 emerged from the company. The top-of-the-class 5.0-litre V8 Chimaera got to 100 mph in 10.2 seconds, quicker than some models can get to 60 mph nowadays.
(credit:https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattparkerautomotivephotography)
Oh, and did I mention that you can pick up any of these cars for between £5,000 and £15,000? Well, what are you waiting for?
