With summer comes the height of the track day season, so what better time to consider getting your first taste of amateur racing or upgrading your existing track-day wheels for something a bit more exciting, powerful or, dare we say it, 'practical.' Here's a roundup of some of the best, most interesting and fun cars up to the task, suitable for all wallets and all levels of skill. (All photos-AFP)
The Caterham Seven 160 Low on power - it's only got a 660cc three-cylinder engine - but big on fun, the Seven 160 tries and succeeds to recapture the charm of the original Lotus 7 from the 1950s. It even has a live rear axle and skinny tires so that it'll drift around corners even at low speeds. And it comes with a roof.(€22,600/$30,000)
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The Morgan Three-wheeler
Impractical and adorable in equal measure the Morgan three-wheeler doesn't even have a real, water-cooled car engine. No, it's got an air-cooled V-Twin typically found on a motorbike instead. But that hasn't stopped a limited hand-built supply outstripping demand. But be warned this is a car solely for the summer as it offers absolutely no protection from rain, sleet or snow, or from potholes for that matter. So keep it on the track. If you're looking for something equally eccentric but slightly easier to live with, the Morgan Plus 8 is also worth considering. (€32,750/$44,700)
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The Ariel Atom
It's got a 2-liter, 245bhp engine, but that's all it needs to go from 0-62mph in just 2.7 seconds. Phenomenal to drive and, thanks to its ingenious design, great to look at, the Atom has become a modern-day classic, is completely road-legal and thanks to its fully exposed engine and mechanics, you can actually see the tire clipping the apex of a bend.(€37,500/$50,000)
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The Abarth 695 biposto
Something a little different. A track car doesn't have to be rear-wheel drive, it just has to be nimble, responsive and not carry too much excess or unnecessary weight. Based on the current racing car, this particular Abarth is as close as a consumer can get to driving the real thing without passing a racing licence. The only real compromise the company has made in its development is making it meet the requisite road requirements so that it can be driven, rather than transported to and from a track. (around €44,100/$60,000)
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Lotus Exige S Roadster
Lotus has a full-blooded track day car in the form of the 2-Eleven, but the road car it's based on, the Exige, is almost as capable, much better looking, has a roof and a lovely V6 engine to boot. Offering 345bhp and a 0-62mph time of 4 seconds it's no slouch and is as graceful in the bends as a ballerina.(€67,000/$91,000)
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Radical SR8 RX
This little thing goes like a rocket thanks to a V8 engine running the show. It's almost as light as the Atom but thanks to an extra 185bhp and phenomenal levels of grip, it currently holds the Nurburgring lap record - six minutes and 48 seconds. That's faster than a Porsche 818 Spyder. (€88,000/$120,000)
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Porsche 911 GT3
The stripped back, crash diet, minimal technological aids version of the standard 911, the GT3 has become the purists' choice but even the most expert driver has been known to take a spill in it. Still even with its extreme handling and without the standard 911's rear seats, it's a lot more practical than the Radical on days when the track is closed. (€137,000/$131,000)
