Camaro SS... One of the Fastest Cars under $50,000

[Forty5th]

Forbes' (10) Fastest Cars Under $50,000:

Forbes Business (4/22/2013 @ 12:43PM)
The Fastest Cars Under $50,000

Last month at the New York Auto Show, Audi debuted the A3 and S3 sedans to much acclaim. The cars combine efficient performance and premium benefits with a price much lower than that of Audi’s larger, more powerful sedans—and they are primed to bolster the automaker’s strategy to enlarge its luxury compact segment.

The potential there is staggering, says Scott Keogh, the president of Audi of America.

“If you look at what Polk is saying and what JD Power is saying this is basically going to become one of the biggest segments over the next couple of years,” Keogh says. “Mercedes just launched the CLA, question mark for what BMW is going to decide to do, and we’ve launched this, so I think people see a battle brewing. Everyone loves a good street fight, and we do too.”

Meanwhile, Audi’s S4 has long held the favored place at the Volkswagen-owned automaker when it comes to affordable performance. The $47,000 AWD sedan has a supercharged V6 engine with 333 horsepower and a 60 mile-per-hour sprint speed of 4.7 seconds.

That’s not bad for a luxury compact—and the S4 joins the likes of other sedans including the Hyundai Genesis R-Spec and Subaru WRX STI Special Edition on this year’s list of the fastest cars that cost less than $50,000.

Behind the Numbers
To compile this year’s list we used data from AutoTrader and analysis from lead editor Brian Moody. Moody evaluated 0-60 mph sprint times for all model-year 2013 vehicles, taking into consideration segment categories and style. Had he not, he said, the list would have been redundant: a rundown of various trim lines of the S4 or Volkswagen GTI.

“I tried to make it a little more of a diverse group, even though technically speaking you may find a car that is 1/10th of a second faster than a car on this list,” Moody said. “The diversity is more accurate as to how people shop.”

The other determining factor is price. Porsche’s entry model, the Boxster, starts at $50,400 (it goes 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds) for a stripped-down version at best. BMW’s 1-Series starts at $31,200 for a base model but wasn’t quick enough to make our list compared to similar models (0-60mph in 6.1 seconds). (The same goes for Mercedes: A C300 model can be had for $38,950, though its sprint time is closer to 7 seconds.)

Do consider BMW’s 135s variant, though. It goes 0-60 in 4.9 seconds, with a base price of $43,250.

“The cars on this list are fast and well-equipped,” Moody said. “That’s what people want to buy.”

Also keep in mind that quantifying speed can be tricky—top speeds are electronically regulated and subject to federal mandates, and sheer zero to 60 mph times measure acceleration, which is not as significant as it used to be. (These days, for instance, even the mundane Toyota Camry can get to 60 mph as fast as the quickest muscle cars of the 1960s.)

Still, there were some surprise entries to our list this year, in addition to expected entrants like the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Charger. The 2013 Ford Focus ST goes to 60 mph in fewer than 6 seconds and costs just over $23,000. It’s notably faster than, say, a hot-rod Fiat, and light and efficient, getting 26 mpg in combined miles on a 252-horsepower 2.0L turbocharged engine (and best-in-class fuel economy). Think of it as an economy car that performs like a sports car.

Then there’s the 2013 Volvo S60 R-Design. The $46,800 sedan costs near the upper end of our price limit, but it’s quick: 0-60mph in 5.3 seconds. Both the base and Platinum versions of the S60 T6 R-design get a 325-horsepower version of the 300-hp/3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 used in the basic models. And they provide a more unique option for shoppers bored with ubiquitous midsize cars like the Audi A4 or BMW 3-Series.

“The Volvo makes high-performance feel more like art than science,” Moody says. Indeed.

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2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS
Price: $32,600
Speed: 0-60 in 4.5 seconds
Even the V6 powered base Camaro makes an impressive 323 hp, and it starts well under $25,000. The V8 powered SS makes 426 hp.



2013 Audi S4
Price: $47,600
Speed: 0-60 in 4.7 seconds
A high-performance version of an Audi luxury compact sedan, the S4 has a supercharged V6 making 333 hp and all-wheel drive.



2013 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec 5.0
Price: $46,800
Speed: 0-60 in 5.1 seconds
The big Hyundai sedan is probably the last car you would expect to be quick, but it is. Stiffer suspension and bigger brakes help the Genesis sedan feel more nimble.



2013 Dodge Charger SRT8
Price: $45,995
Speed: 0-60 in 4.9 seconds
The Charger SRT8 version is like a four-door muscle car, so 4.9 seconds is impressive for such a big sedan



2013 Toyota Tundra Regular Cab (5.7L V8)
Price: $27,900
Speed: 0-60 in 6.3 seconds
Toyota is renowned for its V8 engines and for its solid trucks. Put them together an you have a seriously quick pickup.


2013 Ford Focus ST
Price: $23,700
Speed: 0-60 in 5.9 seconds
The Focus ST is not just notable for being quick, it is also affordable. It is priced like an economy car but performs like a sports car.



2013 Mini Cooper Coupe John Cooper Works
Price: $31,350
Speed: 0-60 in 6.5 seconds
The John Cooper Works version of the Mini Coupe has a twin-turbo, 4-cylinder engine that makes 208 hp. The small size of the coupe helps make the most of the available power.



2013 Volvo S60 R-Design
Price: $46,800
Speed: 0-60 in 5.3 seconds
Like the Hyundai Genesis sedan, the Volvo makes high-performance feel more like art than science. A comfy interior and unique look make the S60 R-Design very compelling and quick.



2013 Ford Flex EcoBoost
Price: $43,820
0-60 in 6.0 seconds
With the turbocharged V6, the Flex is one quick family car. Seven passengers have never moved so quickly.



2013 Subaru WRX STI Special Edition
Price: $34,795
Speed: 0-60 in 4.7 seconds
Based on the affordable Impreza, the WRX STI adds extra power. With 305 hp and all-wheel drive, all WRX models offer a lot of fun for a modest price.

[whamslam3]

tht charger srt8 would be one badass looking car if it only had 2 doors.

[Dznts]

this list just does not seem right to me.

[SIN R G]

Originally Posted by whamslam3

tht charger srt8 would be one badass looking car if it only had 2 doors.

So true..

[christianchevell]

I feel sad for the charger as nothing on it looks retro........except styling cues for the side and maybe the tail lights, other than that........yuck..........and wheres the stang? yah just another list.

[slomaro3.4]

^^Stang should be on there for sure. Maybe forbes doesn't believe a car with a live axle could still exist.

[BigRedMikeLV]

Some of those 0-60 times seemed... off...