These cheap sports cars are the best way to enjoy a monstrously high-revving engine without having to spend a fortune on a supercar.
Any true gearhead will attest that there is no greater sound than a high revving engine making its way down the street. This is unusually best achieved by incredibly expensive machines with engines that make more sense on the track than on the street. Though these million-dollar cars make the kinds of sounds that will turn the heads of the whole neighborhood, enthusiasts who are "balling on a budget" do not have to miss out on having a car that revs like a true beast.
Some earlier models, with ridiculous redlines, can still enable drivers to annoy neighborhood parents and inspire the next generation of loud car drivers. Because the integration of turbocharging in newer models has often lowered the redlines of most modern cars, some older models roar louder than their descendants. This is a true blessing and a curse because turbocharging technology allows the engine to work more efficiently, making more power at lower RPM, and thus being much quieter. Here are incredibly loud revving used cars that have very high red lines and very low price tags.
With its V6 engine, the Nissan 370Z is the perfect entry to start this impressive list. The car has a whopping 332 hp and a redline at 7,500 rpm, meaning the engine can take quite the beating.
Thanks to its slick body that has stayed in fashion over the years, this $18,000 car can fit in perfectly in a lineup of brand new sports cars.
Having originally been a motorcycle company, Honda knows how to make a great high-revving engine. However, due to the reasons mentioned above, newer models, unfortunately, cap off at lower redlines.
For this reason, the 2011 Type R is one of the last true "revvers" from the company. Costing anywhere from $12,000 to $15,000, the reliable Type R caps off at ear-splitting 8,000 rpm.
Tied with the Honda Civic Type R at 8,000 rpm is the 1990 Mazda RX-7. Though most drivers don't associate the company with very high-performing vehicles, the 1990 RX-7 was a monster with a red line matching cars almost 20 years after of its time.
This $16k car's bombastic engine and the much-debated pop-up headlights will surely turn the heads of car enthusiasts on any street corner. The only place that the RX-7 falls behind is in the rotary engine's output, as even the Turbo version made just 200 horsepower. As such, the car is fast but not as powerful as its 8,000 rpm compatriots.
Caught in a boisterous three-way chokehold with the RX7 and the Type R is the Audi RS4, which also draws its red line at 8,000 rpm. With its incredible V8 engine, this entry has a whopping 450 hp, safely making it the most powerful entry that roars at this redline, and it comes with a relatively hearty price tag, too.
Thanks to its luxury brand title, the car has often been overlooked for what it is, a high-performance sporty beast. When zooming down the street, onlookers' heads will be competing with the engine to see which one turns faster (spoiler: the RS4 will win).
Though it only sports a conservative 195 hp, the charms of the car lies mostly in its light and agile feel and quick performance in addition to its slick and surprisingly roomy interior.
This again is thanks to the ingenuity of Honda, the parent company for Acura, and its beginnings in the motorcycle industry. Though this lightweight contender is best known for being fast on its wheels, it makes quite a raucous sound thanks to its impressive 8,200-rpm redline.
Looking at the 2006 M5, it is difficult to understand that the V10 monster can be so underrated. Not a surprise that the excellence of German engineering would pop its head in this list as it does in most ranked lists.
If there is one true thing, Germany and Japan have made some of the greatest contributions to the automotive industry within the last two decades. The M5 redlines at around 8,250 rpm, making sure drivers can let everyone on the block know that they in fact own a BMW.
With its immaculate make, it's hard to find a classier car on the market. The M3 has always been a status symbol, however, its performance is nothing to shun. With a redline at 8,400 rpm, the only thing that's not classy is the loud sound of its hyper-powerful 4.0-liter V8 engine.
Though it slightly beats the M5's redline, most M3 are slightly cheaper than M5's, with the 2009 model selling for around $24,000 on websites like Kelly Blue Book.
The cutest entry on the list is the ultimate Japanese Kei car. The small frame, rear-wheel drive, and 63 hp motor make this more of a 4 wheeled motorcycle than anything else.
Reminding one of David who bested the Goliath, this compact speedster redlines at an astounding 8,500 rpm. The power of its motor makes sure that folks can hear drivers coming for miles, even though they might not necessarily see them.
Though most enthusiasts immediately think of the Miata when considering loud Mazda's the RX-8 is one of the best at this exact endeavor. The Mazda is an incredible reminder of the whole generation of loud vehicles.
Thanks to its overshadowed past, most used RX-8s, including the impressive 2011 model, run well under $30,000. All of this is on top of achieving a mind-numbing 8,500-rpm before the limiter intervenes.
This impressive piece of machinery is one of the greatest "revvers" to ever hit the market. Unfortunately, due to being discontinued, not many people know about its capabilities. While most cars have to undergo intense tuning and modification to reach 9,000 rpm, the Honda S2000 could do it fresh out of the factory.
Though a comeback may be in the books for the S2000, the older models are still incredible purchases for enthusiasts looking to roll loud.
Gor Babakhanyan is a young writer with an infinite curiosity and love for the automotive industry. Having grown up in a family of car enthusiasts, he has felt a connection to automobiles since childhood. Gor has promised to love and cherish his lime green convertible Mustang to the last mile, until lemon law do them part.
