Top five rear-engined sports cars: From the Smart Roadster to the Renault A610
Five models starting from under £2,000 for anyone wanting to give the niche-within-a-niche a try
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Your support makes all the difference.Like any niche-within-a-niche, sports cars with rear-mounted engines are not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. But for those who fancy giving one a go here are five starting from under two grand.
5: Smart Roadster (2003-2006)
Hard to credit but it’s almost a decade since this one got the chop and today they can be a real bargain. Prices start low down but you need to do your homework as the model was the subject of numerous warranty claims back in the day.
Transmission problems were far from rare so without a full service record it’s a good bet that there’s a big bill on the way. If it’s been well looked after, however, it can still be a good buy and it’s not too big a stretch to do much of the routine maintenance yourself.
Driving one is as entertaining as ever, and they still look good. Starting this low they are likely only to appreciate in value.
4: Skoda Rapid 136R Coupe (1987-1990)
Something of a rarity the 136R never sold here in big numbers so like any pre-VW Skoda the best place to find one is by contacting the owners’ club rather than simply scanning the classifieds.
Get used to the jokes - the public can take an awfully long time to shift its perceptions - but believe us when we say this one is already a modern classic. It may have only 1.3 litres, and a mere 62bhp, but the Rapid was entertaining to drive new and all these years later it still is.
3: Porsche 911 Carerra (2006-2010)
In more than fifty years of 911s, the 996 was the first to get a water-cooled engine.
It also came with a all-new chassis and is obviously a jump up from the two cars name above. Even so, and ahead of its 10th birthday, you can still pick one up for around £10,000.
The low price is explained by the fact that many hardcore enthusiasts just won’t touch them, but frankly that’s their loss. You need to look out for oil leaks and engines that clatter, but if you shop well it’s possible to get a usable, reliable 911 which is sure to go up in value given the love it deserves.
2: Volkswagen Karmann Ghia (1955-1974)
Kool with a kapital K, this one has long been among the most keenly-sought of early VWs which is why it commands the highest price of all the cars shown here.
OK, you’re thinking, it’s just a Beetle in a smart suit. But it looks gorgeous, as both a coupe and a drophead, and that suit is coach-built, more Savile Row than Burton’s High Street polyester.
Buying one today means paying crazy money for the best or taking a deep breath and diving into a major restoration. The latter will come with more rust than you’d believe, and headaches when it comes to sourcing original parts; the former will avoid all that, and turn heads wherever you go, but it could also cost you as much as thirty grand.
1: Renault A610 (1992-1994)
Another real rarity – no more than a few dozen made it across the Channel – you’re unlikely to stumble on an A610 by accident.
And a warning if you do: even bad ones can look good because that fiberglass body means no obvious rust. Get under it, however, and there are so many rust-traps that nearly all the metal gets hit eventually.
Mechanically it can come up short too, with neither Renault’s engines nor electrical systems likely to win awards for longevity.
Even so you need to expect to pay at least five figures for a trouble-free example, a legacy of a model which besides its genuine cult status is a real and properly fast sports car - and one whose uniquely rakish style Francophiles still find hard to resist.
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