Coupes under $50k
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- Best coupes under $50k
Whether you’re just starting to drive or heading into a mid-life crisis, coupes appeal to all of us. Luckily, these days you don’t need to spend big money to enjoy the thrills of the swept-back driving experience.
While you are able to buy a Subaru BRZ or Toyota 86 for less than $40,000, choices start to expand once you’re shopping under the $50,000 so let’s start there.
Toyota 86
It is getting a little long in the tooth, but the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ combo still offers sports car thrills for an affordable price. Available in manual or automatic with a choice of specification levels, the Toyota 86 has stood the test of time despite external pressure to fill it with extra power.
Mazda MX-5
With the nameplate just celebrating its 30th birthday, there’s small wonder why so many flock to the Mazda MX-5 for an engaging top-down drive. Even if you’re more of a hard-top fan, Mazda now offers the RF version which includes a folding metal roof.
Hyundai i30 Fastback N
A relatively new player to the coupe game, Hyundai’s i30 N was transformed into a four-door coupe following the success of the hatchback. Sleeker styling marries with everything that made Hyundai’s first true hot hatch great
GT-R RETROSPECTIVE: Goodbye Godzilla – Nissan GT-R
We can’t say we’ve had a torrent of tears in the office, but there was definately an air of nostalgia as John Carey filed this salute to the brilliant Skyline GT-R. Vale Godzilla
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GT-R RETROSPECTIVE: Gee Forces Handling test – Nissan GT-R
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Direct from Tokyo, Japan.
GT-R RETROSPECTIVE: Blood Sports – Nissan GT-R
An awesome combination of applied science and brute force engineering grabbed Group A by the throat. Now, Nissan has unleashed the beast in road-going form.
GT-R RETROSPECTIVE: Car of the Year finalists – Nissan GT-R
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GT-R RETROSPECTIVE: Japanese Power Up
More mumbo, lower mass for Subaru, Honda, Nissan hotshots.
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Car companies get a say in niche models policy.
GT-R RETROSPECTIVE: Killer Godzilla – Nissan GT-R
It’s a beast with a brain – combining high-tech engineering and old-fashioned attention to detail.
Night at the museum
For 60 years Porsche has built some of the world’s most desirable road and race cars. Now, the company has built a world-class museum…
A sense of Liberty
Will the new Subaru Liberty break cover at the New York Auto Show? Wheels’ Japan correspondent Peter Nunn reports from Tokyo.
Super sporty XK
The slinky V8 cat with a lion’s mane.
Panamera opens up
Porsche flings open the doors, delivers more details and reveals its four-seater GT’s Australian pricetags.
The striptease continues – some Oz Panamera specs revealed
Porsche’s GT will hit in October with S, 4S and Turbo models, and start from $270,200.
SLS AMG gets its wings
One of the worst-kept secrets in the automotive sphere is finally here – the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing.
Volkswagen Golf GTD
Surprise! Volkswagen officially unveils its diesel hot-hatch at a local German show.
BMW X1 breaks cover
First official details of the next baby Bimmer.
Base three – Mazda 3 Neo
Mazda looks poised for another home run with an evolutionary new 3 that smooths rough edges with an extra layer of refinement.
Audi pushes the oil
Once reserved for trucks and tractors, the diesel engine in its impressive modern iteration has even moved to the engine bay of the Audi TT.
Right of way
Samoa switches to right-hand drive.
What financial crisis?
We take the world’s most valuable car for a spin 48 hours before it’s sold, then witness the moment it defies the global downturn.
