10 Reasonably Priced Cars You Can Drive To A Track Day Straight Off The Showroom Floor

There are many sports cars out there sold as “track-ready.” One example that comes to mind is the Lexus RC F Track Edition, which is a car I enjoyed very much. Lexus removed 176 pounds from the car, gave it some Brembo carbon ceramic brakes, and a fixed rear wing. It sounded like a track muncher, but in reality it just wasn’t. Removing roughly 180 lbs from a 3,902-pound car doesn’t make much of a difference, and despite the “sporty” suspension, it ended up feeling like a grand tourer that had been sent to the Fast & Furious refining school. It was still a good car, however.

This got me thinking about how many supposed track-ready cars are actually ready to tackle a track day?

I must have been to well over 300 car launches by now, and I know the first thing to go is always the brakes. To keep people from noticing, you’ll normally have one out lap, a hot lap, and then a cool down lap. Putting the word “track” into the press bumpf makes a car sound cool, but the reality is that most people don’t even bother taking their cars to a circuit. It’s the same sort of mentality in the off-road community where a person will buy a Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro and use it to conquer the meanest mall parking lot in the USA.

This got me thinking. Are there really track-ready cars out there? I’m not talking about supercars or cars you buy and heavily modify for track, but rather stuff the average person can afford, or at least dream about affording one day. There isn’t a single car on this list that costs more than $100,000, yet you can drive them off the new or used dealer floor straight to Laguna Seca.

All information was sourced from the manufacturer and prices quoted represent base prices, excluding destination fees and options. In the case of used/older model cars, options specified refers to dealer-only options. We list these cars from most expensive to most affordable.

10 Ariel Atom 4

Price: $83,750

The Ariel Atom 4 hasn’t arrived in the USA yet – and it’s admittedly not a mainstream car you’d drive to the mall – but it’s worth a mention, and we do have pricing and the company is already taking deposits. We would say this is about as close to a race car as you can get, but that’s not true. Real racing cars have body panels, if only to show the world that whatever racing team is sponsored by Uncle Bud’s Hemorrhoid Balm. Don’t judge. Racing seats are hard and often damp. We love the lack of body panels because it makes it so easy to hit an apex. You also sit extremely low on the ground, which heightens the effect of the interaction and speed.

The reason the Ariel is such a good track weapon is simple. It only weighs 1,350 lbs, and it’s powered by a Honda Civic Type R engine that has been tuned to produce 320 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque.

The Atom 4 is a much friendlier car, despite its inboard pushrod suspension, which you can see in action from the driver’s seat. The older models had no electronic aids whatsoever, but this time the car has adaptive traction control and a launch control system. Racing harnesses are standard, and Ariel even has a nice selection of helmets to choose from. If the standard road-legal Atom 4 is too tame, you can also go for the lighter model with the CTR’s engine tuned up to 400 hp and 369 lb-ft.

9 Nissan GT-R

Price: $70,000 and up

Sure, the Nissan GT-R is old – actually, it’s technically dead. But it can still kick some proper supercar loyalty butt if it wanted to. A fair deal for a GT-R depends on the mileage more than the model year. For a car with 30,000 miles, you’re going to pay somewhere in the region of $70,000. That sounds like a lot of money, but let’s not forget that the 2013 model completed the Nürburgring in 7:19.1. That’s faster than a Ferrari 488, a Dodge Viper ACR, a Ferrari 812 Superfast, and a C8 Corvette Stingray with the Z51 Performance Package.

This car was built for the track, and you won’t understand the grip it has to offer until you’ve driven one. Its engine is also a beast, based on the most reliable V6 Nissan has ever made. The GT-R may be officially dead, but there are loads of used examples out there that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

8 BMW 1M

Price: $70,000

We’re sure the BMW fanboys were waiting for a Bimmer to make its appearance, and it came down to two choices. We like the new M2 because it’s small, powerful, equipped with a turbocharged inline-six and a manual gearbox, and all the power goes to the rear. But it is a fatty, weighing 3,814 lbs. It does a marvelous job of disguising that weight and it only costs $64,900 – but for just $7,000 more you could buy what is arguably the best modern M car ever made.

The 1M dates back to a time when the M department knew what it stood for. It followed the traditional M car recipe flawlessly; small car, powerful engine, manual gearbox, and rear-wheel drive. It’s the same thing as the M2, but while the latest model is a bit plump, the 1M weighed 3,296 lbs. The coolest thing about the 1M is that it was never supposed to exist. It’s made up of parts borrowed from other cars, like the all-aluminum suspension from the E90 M3. We’ve driven several BMWs on track and some of them have been a lot faster, but this is the most fun of the lot.

The 1M makes us even more angry that cars like the XM exist. It’s M’s only standalone car and the best thing you can say about it is that it has lovely seats. We wish BMW had rather invested that money into developing a real spiritual successor to proper old M cars like the Clownshoe, the E46 M3 CSL, or M1.

7 Mustang Dark Horse With Handling Package

Price: $68,420

The Dark Horse is already a fine track day car, with a robust six-speed Tremec manual transmission with rev-matching, but you can go for a 10-speed automatic if you want to keep your hands on the wheel. It also has a 19-inch Brembo brake system that does a nifty job of slowing the relatively hefty 3,879 lbs sports car down. To get the most out of it, you need to include the Dark Horse Handling Package. You get dark-painted aluminum wheels, insanely wide grippy tires, and adjustable strut top mounts. This package also includes revised chassis tuning for even sharper handling, a rear spoiler with a gurney flap, and, most important of all, a magnetic damping system. Ford also installs tow hooks at the front, should you run out of talent.

6 Alfa Romeo 4C

Price: $55,000

The Alfa Romeo 4C received a lot of negative reviews when it was new, mostly because it was such a visceral experience. It was also expensive, but not really. The 4C had more in common with a McLaren 12C than a Porsche Cayman. It had a carbon tub, which meant it was extremely rigid and lightweight. Alfa also removed a bunch of stuff to make the driving experience as raw as possible, including power steering. The suspension was so extreme that if there was a slight camber in the road, that’s where you were going that day. The Alfisti has since come up with a solution to the latter problem, and it’s a set of $100 4 millimeter camber plates.

It was epic on a track, however. The low curb weight meant you could really lean hard on the various mechanical components, especially the brakes. The steering feedback was sublime, and the front end was sharper than a Navy SEAL’s knife.

5 Corvette C7 Grand Sport

Price: $50,000

I’m sure the first question is going to be, “why not the C7 ZR1?” The answer is quite simple: It has too much power. It closes that gap between bends at an alarming rate, while the Grand Sport offers the best blend of Z06 and ZR1. The naturally aspirated V8 produced 460 hp, and as Porsche has proved many times over with the GT3, that’s all you really need. Because it’s not so intimidating that you’re afraid to take your right hand off the steering wheel to use the seven-speed manual.

The Grand Sport is equipped with the suspension setup of the C7 Z06, and it came standard with the same tire setup, which is something to keep an eye out for when buying used. It also had longer stabilizer bars and the shock piston diameter grew from 35 mm to 46 mm. Finally, Chevy also added larger Brembo rotors and pads for extra stopping power. A magnetic selective suspension package was optional, and we’d definitely shop around for a used car that has that box ticked. GM has done some amazing work with magnetic dampers these last few years.

4 Caterham Seven 420R

Price: $48,731

There aren’t any new Caterhams on sale in the USA, but for roughly half the price of the Atom above, you can get 95% of the same experience. Caterhams do have a few additional body panels, but not much else. You get a steering wheel, three pedals, and that’s about it. The lightweight British cars offer an unfiltered driving experience, and what makes the Caterham unique is its driving position. You sit far back, almost over the rear wheels. You can feel it pivot around you.

Now, it’s worth noting that there are several levels of gnarly to choose from. You can get a Seven with less than 100 horses, or you can get one with a power to weight ratio that beats the Bugatti Chiron. The most balanced model, in our opinion, is the Caterham Seven 420. It uses a naturally aspirated rev-happy Ford 2.0-liter four cylinder for motivation. The standard car is already pretty good on track, but we found a model with the optional R Pack, which includes a five-speed sequential gearbox, a lightweight flywheel, uprated brake master cylinder, and some seriously slick Toyo tires.

3 Mustang Shelby GT350

Price: $45,000 – $50,000

Okay, so the 5.2-liter naturally aspirated flat-plane doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to keeping a cool head, but several years down the line the major issues are known and there are dedicated aftermarket kits for them. We found at least one example that already had a third-party engine and transmission cooling package installed. If you want to do it yourself, it works out to roughly $1,500.

The reason the 350 is such a great track day car is threefold. The handling is sublime, the brakes are powerful, and the flat-plane V8 allows the car to rev to over 8,000 rpm. The ability to really lean on the revs makes for an awesome track day experience.

2 Honda Civic Type R

Price: $44,795

The Civic Type R is perfectly suited for track day action. It is equipped with the most power-dense engine Honda has ever produced, a six-speed manual transmission with rev-matching technology, a helical limited-slip differential to reduce torque steer, and a suspension setup that came directly from the car gods. Despite only sending its power to the front wheels, the CTR doesn’t have to back down from all-wheel drive rivals like the Toyota GR Corolla and Volkswagen Golf R. It also weighs roughly 200 lbs less than the latter, and we all know fewer pounds means bigger smiles.

We found the CTR’s standard brakes to be ample for a track day, but checked on various forums to find feedback from current owners. The consensus is that the CTR’s brakes can handle a few track days, but eventually they will fade. Instead of constantly paying Honda for new parts, in this case we’d go for a big brake kit. A Brembo big brake kit costs roughly $9,000, which seems like a lot of money to invest in a FWD hot hatch, but remember that it still holds the Nürburgring record in its segment.

1 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Price: $32,485

Obviously, this was coming. There’s a reason why you can throw a brick at a track day and hit at least 69 Miatas and 11 BMW bros talking about who’s the most alpha. The MX-5 Miata is the go-to car for people who enjoy track days, whether they’re starting out with a ratty NB held together by duct tape, or rocking up in the latest model year. Speaking of it, you have to be very specific when ordering a new Miata. You can avoid the entry-level Sport and the luxurious top-spec Grand Touring.

The one you want is the Club, which comes as standard with sport-tuned Bilstein dampers. This trim is so popular, it used to sell out by mid-year just two years ago. Once you’re logged into the configurator, scroll to the Packages and Accessories page, and you’ll notice the Club is the only Miata that has access to the Brembo/BBS/Recaro Package. It’s a bit pricey at $4,800, but you do get Brembo brakes at the front, BBS forged alloy wheels, an aerodynamics kit in Brilliant Black, and heated Recaro bucket seats that do a great job of holding you in place. Unfortunately, including it takes the price up to just over $39k, which is a lot for a Miata. That being said, it remains the cheapest car on this list – and it’s brand spanking new.