What's the best car with less than 200 HP?

"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44) 11/10/2014 at 18:44 • Filed to: None

2

47

A simple question. What's the coolest production car with less than 200 hp? Personally, I'd go way under 200 and scoop up a Honda S600.

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 18:45

2

Toffee Brown TDI Sportwagen with a 6 speed ;)

Nearly 100% Jalopnik Approved!

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 18:46

0

BRZ

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 18:47

9

I'm a bit biased, but Imma hafta go with this. 160HP

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 11/10/2014 at 18:47

1

Being nitcpicky, the BRZ has 200 hp which is not less than 200 hp. But it's still pretty fun for a modern car.

My citroen won't start > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 18:48

2

Or

jkm7680 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 18:48

0

That Honda looks awesome.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 18:49

1

are Exiges still cool?

It's probably right up there with the quickest cars under 200hp

Thunderface > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 18:49

0

FiST

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 18:49

0

Mk5 GTI*

When it's not broken down, this 197hp (yes, it's actually rated at 197hp, not the flat 200!) is probably the best, since it is the most popular hot hatch in the world.

Alternatively, the MX5 is up there as well

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 18:51

0

Officially 197, though most publications just round to 200.

For Sweden > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 18:52

6

Baja Bug

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard 11/10/2014 at 18:52

0

Don't they have like 240 hp? I know the Elises have less power.

Scary__goongala! > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 18:52

1

I'll say Miata just because somebody has to. But that 500 Abarth is mighty nice

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 11/10/2014 at 18:52

0

I never knew that. Cool!

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > For Sweden 11/10/2014 at 18:52

1

YES.

djmt1 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 18:55

1

The hot hatch done right. So very right.

Hahayoustupidludditeshutupandgohandcrankyourmodeltalready > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 18:56

0

Most Elises have <200. Early 1.8Supercharged Exiges had 190 hp, but most have 220+.

Hahayoustupidludditeshutupandgohandcrankyourmodeltalready > Scary__goongala! 11/10/2014 at 18:57

1

Has Oppo forgotten that Miata Is Always The Answer?

 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 19:00

0

HammerheadFistpunch > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 19:01

0

the first exige was the same engine as the na elise, something like 190 hp

HammerheadFistpunch > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 19:02

0

there are a lot of great cars sub 200. sub 140 is where it gets harder

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 19:03

0

I mean the early normally aspirated ones. series 2 with the 2zz-ge would be perfect. the Exige S added a supercharger to that for 220ish hp.

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > HammerheadFistpunch 11/10/2014 at 19:09

0

Sportwagen TDI (I have one which means I am required to nominate it)

BlurpleToyotaDishwasher > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 19:09

1

50s: Citroen DS
60s: Alfa Romeo 1750GTV or a Mini
70s: Citroen SM (2. Celica, 3. 240Z)
80s: MR2 or a 205GTI
90s: Honda Integra Type R (2. Alfa Romeo 155 or 156)
00s: Lotus Elise
10s: ?

DoYouEvenShift > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 19:16

4

82 Trans Am

145 HP 305

Can't get cooler than that.

End of discussion.

Dsscats > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 19:23

1

/thread.

BigBlock440 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 19:38

1

'70s Imperial

Or, possibly add some bias and say an early '70s Charger

At least you could get more than 200 out of them fairly easy.

Bandit > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 19:39

2

2nd gen Trans Am

Dusty Ventures > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 20:07

1

FieSTy

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 20:20

2

I'm going to have to go with the Opel GT. Yeah, they weren't great. But they are just so damn cool. Either that, or a selection of Malaise Muscle.

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 20:27

2

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 20:39

1

Sn210 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 20:55

2

AW11! 112hp

KirkyV > HammerheadFistpunch 11/10/2014 at 21:05

2

Eh, I don't know about that.

And that is an absolutely tiny sample.

wallaby13 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 21:55

0

Miata.

JGrabowMSt > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/10/2014 at 23:03

0

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > wallaby13 11/11/2014 at 08:52

1

Better than a Lotus Elan? Better than an Austin Healey? Better than a Porsche 356?

Sweet Trav > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/11/2014 at 09:25

0

The 1976 Cadillac Eldorado could be the MOST car you can get with less than 200 hp, it got a whopping 190 hp out of its 500 Cubic-inch V8 (that's 8.2l for you freedom haters)

Mattbob > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/11/2014 at 09:29

0

I'm pretty happy with my '93 325i with 189 HP. It was cheap and is fun to drive.

Jobjoris > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/11/2014 at 09:57

0

A Miata is probably and in lotta ways better than an Austin Healey. That's like stepping into a truck when you've just driven an Elan. Or a Miata. A Healey is awesome, but drives like a lorry.

wallaby13 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/11/2014 at 19:34

0

In my opinion yes. The Miata is available to the masses. I have never seen the other 3 on the roads here in the US.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > wallaby13 11/11/2014 at 19:47

0

A good point. A Miata is definetely the best affordable low power car.

wallaby13 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/11/2014 at 20:02

0

Yes, it's really a matter of what "best" means to you.

brjklein > BigBlock440 11/11/2014 at 22:08

0

Exactly 2/13 of the engine choices on 71 Chargers were under 200hp. And nobody bought /6 Chargers.

BigBlock440 > brjklein 11/11/2014 at 22:35

0

'71, sure. But a '72 is pictured, and by '73 even the 400 was under 200 hp in some configurations.

brjklein > BigBlock440 11/11/2014 at 23:10

0

Semantically, early 70s includes 71. But you're right, 72 was choked.

It's been a long time since I've been in the Mopar world. Sold mine nearly 5 years ago now.

BigBlock440 > brjklein 11/12/2014 at 07:38

0

I'd consider anything pre-75 to be early 70's, and they could be had with under 200hp, which answered the question "What's the best car with under 200 hp?" (thought it said coolest) Sure, not all of them had more power, but enough of them had under 200 to qualify IMO.