What's the best NEW car on sale in the US <$30K, right NOW?

"Vandelay Industries" (jerrycostanza) 11/20/2013 at 19:55 • Filed to: None

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Personally I like the Abarth.

But, then I got to thinking (usually a bad idea)...
Then did some research (uh oh)
Decide to post it (you can stop reading now).

The "research" made me sad. When I was a Teenager there were a lot of great cars <$30k...Heck the BMW E46 M3 was only $45K and thats possibly in "the best cars of all time discussion".

So I'm thinking of all these crazy reports of "millineal's not liking cars", "no youth movement in the auto industry any more" etc. But then everyday you have guys like Bob Lutz marching out A $80K Z/28 Camaro. Not to be outdone by Willy Ford pitching us a $40K short bed light duty pick up.

But not so long ago...

New for $32K, a car with most available torque on the planet (450lb/ft)

Yes, this is a 01' Lightining, toasting a 2012 Camaro.

Heck the Ford SVT Focus was <$20K

Like something more refined and european?
You could get a BMW RWD sport wagon with a Manual (Jalopnik heavon), a coupe, or an AWD/RWD sedan all for <$30K

JDM was your flavor
How about a 287 hp Nissan 350Z or Infiniti G35 Coupe/ Sedan or an Acura RSX (w/ Hondata chip!) or a 270Hp Acura TL/CL type S
or a dominating world rally car for $25K, Subaru WRX.

I know how inflation works, but I guess it's sad because it seems like thevalue of what you got for <$30K back then, is much better than what you can get today.

Maybe i'm wrong. Show me what's out now, that's better then what was available +/- 10 years ago.