Some Practical Sports Cars for Under $45k

My article on sports cars under $45,000 had cars with one major problem, they weren't practical enough for most people. There are some cars that aren't quite sports cars, but fast, fun, and usable have back seats and roomy trunks. The Mazda RX-8 is very practical with suicide doors and a roomy back seat, but is also fast, rear wheel drive, and it handles well. The BMW 135i is also a very good sports car with 300hp and a great rear drive chassis, but has rear seats and a big trunk all for $35,000 or $39,000 for the convertible. The 135i is almost the same for performance as the old BMW M3, the 135i does 0-60 in 4.7 seconds and the M3 does it in 4.8 seconds, but the 135i is much safer and has more modern features. A 2006 M3 is available for $43,000 as a coupe, but it really doesn't make sense when BMW has the 135i and 335i. The BMW 335i is very practical and available as a coupe ($41,000) or sedan ($39,000) and in RWD or AWD  ($2,000 over RWD), with 300hp. The 335i does 0-60 in 5.2 seconds and has one of the best chassis in the world, meaning it drives extremely well, but the convertible is very bad because it's too heavy, too expensive, and failed the side crash test from IIHS. The Infiniti G37 is  a big problem for these BMW's, because for $36,000 you can have a 330hp G37 Sport with all the handling improvements that Infiniti has like rear wheel active steer. The G37 has more space than the BMW's and drives just as well as either the 135i or 335i. If you want an American muscle car the new Dodge Challenger SRT-8 has 425hp for $38,000, but they are all sold, so the only way to find one is somebody reselling it for around $60,000. The next Chevy Comaro will drive better than the Challenger, because it has the wonderful Holden Commodore VE platform and 400hp, not the decade old Mercedes E-Class platform. The Ford Mustang should be avoided until Ford puts an independent rear suspension in (the 2010 update will still use the rigid axle) even with the new engines. Hyundai is bringing out the Genesis Coupe with a RWD platform, a 300+hp V6 or 400+hp V8, for a low price, but if you can live with a Hyundai symbol on the front this will be a good car. If you want an AWD and high performance the new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X is very fast (291hp,0-60 in about 4.8 seconds), now comfortable, practical, has 4 doors, a 5 speed manual (in the $32000 GSR), a wonderful new 6 speed automated manual (in the much better $38,000 MR). There is also the 305hp Subaru Impreza WRX STI for $35,000, but it is now too soft and no more comfortable than the Evo X. The Volkswagen R32 is a very good car, but for $33,000 its 250hp and no back doors the Evo X is faster, more practical, and costs the same as the R32. If you want a luxury coupe a 2004 Jaguar XKR has 390hp for under $40,000, but the 335i and G37 are much better. If I had to choose one of these cars I think the BMW 135i is probably the best, but the Infiniti G37 is a better deal.