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3 Cheap 2-Seater Sports Cars That Still Look Good
Words by Richi Mackie
Every morning, as we wake up, we look above thanking for the existence of compact-sized sports cars, authentic bombs on wheels that cost a fifth and have nothing to envy to the exotic poster-like supercars. It should also be emphasized that having a compact but still practical car body, hot-hatches represent an ideal compromise even for journeys that do not require a brutal use of the throttle, resulting in practically perfect life partners. But what can we do if we can’t really give up that typical image of a car with a very low seating position and maybe with the engine positioned behind our back, with the ability to drive with the wind in your hair and fully breathe that “sense of occasion” that transforms even the simplest cruise into something special? They told you that it is impossible to find a solution, but they are wrong!
We have chosen three sports cars that come home for a few thousand Euros, which require low maintenance costs, but which in addition to being choices far from the more traditional Mazda MX-5, BMW Z3/Z4, Mercedes SLK or Audi TT, will be also the ideal way to arouse curiosity every time you stop for a coffee, a photo, or to admire the panorama in which your faithful 2-seater convertible have accompanied you.
LOTUS ELAN (1989-1994)
Introduced in 1989 and produced until 1994, the second generation Lotus Elan was a somewhat controversial model, mainly due to the fact that it comes with front-wheel drive. Putting this thing aside we are facing a roadster in perfect Lotus style and therefore with the weight reduced to the bone (997 kg), two seats and a small Isuzu-sourced 4-cylinder turbocharged 1.6-liters with 132 horses and 142 Nm of torque, which in the more powerful 167 horsepower version allowed to go from 0 to 100 kph in 7.2 with a maximum speed of 220 per hour.
The Elan S2 did not achieve the success Lotus was hoping and although it delivered a pretty good handling, especially in tight mixed conditions, the fact that it was only available with front-wheel drive overshadowed the road and track capabilities offered by its low weight and small size, which combined with the 5-speed manual transmission still make the Elan one of the smallest and cheapest sports cars you can buy today. Prices starting at just over € 8,000.
MG F (1995-2001)
Although the following TF may be more attractive, both mechanically and for a more modern aesthetic, the MG F is the model we would choose for a weekend with the wind in our hair. Produced from 1995 to 2001, the small two-seater was the Rover group’s answer to the unrivaled Mazda MX-5. With a weight that stops the scale at just over 1,000 kg, the F presents a 1.6 or a 1.8 cc 4-cylinder engine, the latter undoubtedly the most attractive, since with 120 horsepower it allowed an acceleration from 0 to 100 kph in 9.2, nearly 200 per hour, but above all moving smoothly through the curves.
Penalized by some reliability problems, it must be said that spare parts and maintenance costs are quite cheap as well, so this is nothing insurmountable. The MG F has a nice and personal look that today – 25 years after its birth – makes it immediately recognizable in the midst of any other car, succeeding in the difficult feat not fully completed in its time and finally being accepted by enthusiasts, despite not showing dizzying performance and with a price tag starting at around € 5,000.
TOYOTA MR2 (2000-2005)
In 2000, the new MR2 did not differ much from the previous model, if not for the desire to show off a very modern design with lines that emphasized a cheerful and happy look, just what a small convertible should always be. The MR2 weighs just over 1 ton, has two seats and a 4-cylinder mounted behind the driver and passenger, a 1.8-liter with 140 horsepower and 170 Nm of torque, combined with a 5 or 6-speed manual gearbox. In 2002, Toyota updated its small roadster with small but interesting cosmetic improvements, a more refined interior, new 16-inch wheels at the rear and revised aerodynamics.
The MR2 therefore takes 8 seconds to go from 0 to 100 per hour and reaches a top speed of 210 kph, interesting numbers, but nothing compared to the fantastic drivability the little Toyota can offer when the road starts getting curvy. Production was stopped in 2005 due to low profits, but if you want to take one home, your search on the second-hand market starts at around € 8,000. Not bad at all to secure a car that is something different, mechanically reliable and always ready to give you miles of fun.
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