Miata all the way. Very little cost, very major fun. You can pay a lot more and do much worse. The chick-car comments only come from men who have been emasculated on the track by a Miata. It is a driver's car, 100%, winning awards every year since its introduction.

 

Miata's are lots of fun, you truly feel like you driving in one, you can really feel the road.

 

Another vote for the S2000 here. Great car, fast, light, handles well, very competitive in autocross. Comes standard with a limited slip differential.

It just so happens I have one for sale! Let me know if you are interested.
Andy

 

Too bad Cayman S is out of your budget. Maybe a used one?

Ideally, you want lots of traction, good weight balance, linear power curve, solid chasis, excellent brakes, tons of torque.

Evo does the job in your price range. I'd not get Elise and S2K due to torque. I'm sure you can drive those quickly on a twristy track but I'd want more torque than buzz.

 

Depends a little on what class you want to run in. The MINI Cooper has done very well in H stock, the S has tougher competition in its class. Miatas and Subarus do very well. I'm not sure where the Elise is classed.

 

If you want to win every time, buy a shifter kart for 8 grand and blow doors of everything.



In autoX, smaller is better. A s2000 with a few simple mods would take an f40 because it can hug cones and is more nimble.

If a car doesn't have enough torque just turbo it!

I would keep it to:

Mini
Miata
S2k
Elise
MC12

 

STI or EVO without a doubt if you're only going to run auto-x. If it will be more of a regular track day car look into the Miata or even fox body stang (though you have to be willing to do a lot of work to the stang, but they can be made to haul ***** for next to nothing)

S2k makes a great track car as well.

If you have some driving skill look for a high mileage Viper GTS (97-99). With some R compound tires and better brake pads they will dominate just about any stock car ever made. But you need some skill to throw one around, if you're a track noob that car will phuckin OWN you. Bonus is you look way cooler cruising around town in a Viper on R's compared to a miata

 

Vipers are way slow at AutoX. Not bashing, just the facts. They push like a stationwagon filled with groceries in the tight twisties.

 

really? tell Tony A that when he constantly sets FTD at auto-x events... How fast a viper goes is really 95% driver. Some cars will make any ****** feel like a hero behind the wheel, a viper isn't like that. If you are a hero you will destroy damn near anything on 4 wheels, any less and it will make you feel (and look) like an absolute tool.


Don't blame the car for the drivers lack of talent.

 

Very True, it is 90% Driver. I've driven a new stock suspension, turbo'd viper and it didn't handle very well. I suppose they can be tweeked to run better. The balance just felt off.

 

STI's win consistently where I go.

 

How do they fare against your MC12?

 

You are confusing a Noble (M12) with a Maserati (MC12)

 

You are indeed correct...I meant the M12 he has listed in his sig.

 

Depends on the course. I believe the M12 would be faster in capable hands at a PCA autox as they tend to have faster courses. It weighs 2300lbs and has 400hp so it moves.

It also costs more than double and is above the range you specified though.