TGR Staff - 10/29/2019
If you have a need for speed, automakers have you covered. Unfortunately, most of us don't have supercar money. If you want to go more than 250 miles per hour, you’ll need to spend upwards of a million dollars on a Bugatti.
But if you are looking to go fast, there are a lot of choices to help you get your fix for under $100,000. In this post, we’ll be going over six of the fastest cars you can buy for under $100,000. So whether you want to overtake cars in the blink of an eye or want to indulge in high-speed racing, you’ll be served well.
2019 Corvette Z06
The Chevy Corvette has always been the king of affordable performance. Costing a fraction yet rivaling the performance of most Ferraris, Corvettes demand respect. For under $100,000, you can’t get the boss Corvette ZR1, but you’ll find plenty to love in the Z06.
The Z06 comes with a mammoth 6.2-liter V8 engine that’s been supercharged to deliver 650 horsepower and more torque (650 pound-feet) than you can handle. If you go all-out in this car without the traction control turned on, let’s just say things are going to be complicated.
And just because the Z06 is affordable doesn’t mean it’s all about the grunt. There’s actually a high level of sophistication to be found as well. That blistering V8 is mated to a 7-speed manual or 8-speed paddle-shift transmission, so you’ll get better gas mileage. Better gas mileage compared to a truck, of course.
The Z06 goes from zero to sixty in under 3 seconds, and that’s all you need to know if you’re looking for speed.
2019 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Red Eye
The Dodge Challenger it seems, simply cannot be made powerful enough. And you’re into straight-line speed you won’t find a better deal than the Hellcat Red Eye variant of this venerable muscle car.
The Red Eye puts out almost 800 horsepower and 707 foot-pounds of torque from a 6.2-liter HEMI V8 that’s been supercharged. The engine is mated to Dodge’s own 8-speed automatic which makes the most use of its giant horsepower figures. Zero to sixty time of under 3.5 seconds and a top speed of over 200 MPH. For nearly everyone out there, that’s going to be more than fast enough.
Now you may be wondering why we didn’t mention the Dodge Demon. Well, it’s simple. The Demon could muster 840 horsepower when running on 100 octane racing fuel and a host of other conditions. The Red Eye runs on pump gas.
2019 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is an ‘affordable’ sports car, coming in well under $70,000. It features the same 6.2-liter all-aluminum supercharged V8 that you’ll find under this year’s Corvette Z06. That means this 4-seat muscle car has 650 horsepower and the same amount of torque.
That translates - roughly - to ample amounts of performance for nearly everyone on the planet. It’s not as lightweight as the Corvette so it doesn’t have a sub-3-second zero to sixty time. Although, it will do the same in under 4 seconds. You won’t be wanting for speed in this car, that’s for sure.
The Camaro ZL1 also comes with a surprising amount of technology. It features magnetic suspension and can be optioned with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Although purists might prefer the 6-speed manual gearbox. For keeping this speed demon in check, Brembo brakes come as standard along with a comprehensive aero package.
2019 Ford Shelby GT350R
The Ford Shelby GT350R isn’t as impressive as the other cars on this list because it ‘lacks’ when it comes to numbers. The car is fitted with a 5.2-liter V8 engine that makes a measly 526 horsepower and 429 foot-pounds of torque. Compared to the Camaro ZL1’s 650 horsepower this does seem like a misstep on Ford’s part.
With the GT350R however, it’s the details that matter. Its V8 engine has a flat-plane crank and it makes all that power without the use of a turbo or a supercharger. That means it has excellent throttle response. And a responsive engine is what you need at the track. Make no mistake, the GT350R has been designed to be a track warrior.
And even though its numbers might not seem impressive, it can still do zero to sixty in under 4 seconds. It features 19-inch carbon fiber wheels, magnetic suspension and a comprehensive aero package designed to improve handling.
To further improve handling, Ford has decided to remove the Mustang’s rear seats, audio system, rearview camera, and the tire inflator kit. These are pretty extreme measures, but then the GT350R is an extreme car.
2019 Cadillac CTS-V
The Cadillac CTS-V might look like an ordinary sedan, but it’s anything but an ordinary sedan. It competes with the likes of the BMW M5 and the Mercedes AMG E63. To give it a fighting chance against such competitors, Cadillac fitted the CTS-V with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 capable of 640 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque.
All that power in a car that you can use to take the kids to school. It also features a sophisticated 8-speed automatic transmission, magnetic suspension, an e-diff (electronic differential), Brembo brakes and performance traction control. Make no mistake, the CTS-V has what it takes to handle the mammoth power beneath its hood.
It can do zero to sixty well under 4 seconds and given enough space, will easily go on to do 200 MPH. And remember, this is a sedan that can comfortably seat 5 people.
So if you’re a family man with a thirst for speed, the Cadillac CTS-V might be the car for you.
2019 Mercedes AMG C63 S
Like the Cadillac mentioned above, the Mercedes AMG C63 S is a family car. It can comfortably seat 5 people but more surprisingly, is more affordable than the Cadillac. And where the Cadillac makes to make use of a blown 6.2-liter engine to make its 640 horsepower, the Mercedes uses a high-tech 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 to make a sliver over 500 horses.
That figure might not sound impressive on paper, but in reality it’s enough to push the C63 S from zero to sixty in under 4 seconds. Being a Mercedes, the C63 S is loaded with cutting edge automotive technology. Its engine is paired with a 7-speed multi-clutch transmission for instantaneous gear shifts while the body rides on electronically-controlled 3-stage shock dampers.
For safety, the Mercedes employs a predictive braking system that can even detect moisture and dries the brakes before you use them.
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