4 Sports Cars That Prove Miata Is Not Always The Answer

1. Toyota MR2 W30

The Toyota MR2 W30 was a brilliant sports car that didn’t get the recognition it deserved. In the late 1990s, after years of producing the inherently unstable Mk2 MR2, Toyota recognised that it needed to go back to the drawing board in order to dominate the sports car sector. Chief engineer Tadashi Nakahawa was tasked with designing the new W30 from the ground up, with the sole aim of beating the second-generation MX-5.

Released in 2000, the W30 was met with critical acclaim. Nakahawa and his team had managed to create an exotic and affordable entry-level performance car. The car retained the previous generation MR2’s mid-engined layout, but the engine was placed lower in the chassis, curing the older car’s famous lift-off oversteer. The W30 also received a 1.8-litre VVTi four-cylinder engine with 140bhp. In a car that only weighed 975kg, performance was brisk, with a 0-60mph time of just 7.9 seconds, beating the Mk2 1.8i MX-5’s 8.2 seconds.

Unfortunately the car never sold very well, probably due to its lack of practicality. The MR2 was designed with enough space to shove a couple of soft travel bags behind the seats and that was about it. But then again, you have to ask yourself: do you really buy a sports car for practicality? Probably not.

Prices of the W30 have increased in recent years, with the market finally recognising that the small mid-engined Toyota is a brilliant buy, but around £2000 should secure you a decent example. Not bad for what is basically a budget Porsche Boxster.

2. Smart Roadster Coupe Brabus

We’ve always had a soft spot for the divisive Smart Roadster. Released in 2003, the Roadster was Smart’s first attempt to enter the sports car market. Following the same design ethos as the original Lotus Elan, the Roadster was a pared back low-capacity two-seater. The compact Smart received a Mercedes Benz-developed 698cc, three-cylinder turbocharged engine making 80bhp, giving the car an utterly ballistic 0-62mph time of 10.9 seconds and a top speed of 109mph.

Granted, those times do sound slightly embarrassing on paper, but this is a car that wasn’t designed with the quarter-mile in mind. Weighing only 790kg, the roadster was about one thing: having as much fun as possible in the corners. If there was ever one car that encapsulates the phrase ‘smiles per gallon’, it’s this one. Even McLaren F1 designer Gordon Murray owns a Roadster, and let’s face it, if it’s good enough for him, it’s good enough for you.

Our favourite variant of Smart’s compact sports car is the Brabus Coupe, which was released back in 2004. The engine was lightly breathed upon by Brabus, to give the Roadster a much more respectable 101bhp. This also helped to lower the 0-62 time to 9.8 seconds, and pushed the top speed up to 119mph. So still not a rocket ship, but 120bhp-per-tonne meant that it was quick enough to keep up with the competition on bumpy backroads.

The Brabus also received lowered suspension, new side skirts, a more aggressive front lip, a sports exhaust and beautiful 17-inch Brabus monoblock wheels. The standard Roadster can be had for less than £3000, but expect to push your budget up to around £6000 for a Brabus Coupe

3. Fiat Barchetta

If you think that the Mazda MX-5 is just a bit too bland and predictable, perhaps you should consider the Fiat Barchetta. Italian for ‘little boat’, the Barchetta is a truly beautiful roadster with a design reminiscent of the 1966 Alfa Romeo Spider. Released in 1995, the small Fiat never sold well in the UK due to the fact that it was only available in left-hand drive. But don’t let that put you off, because the Barchetta is a truly brilliant sports car.

Based on the Mk1 Fiat Punto, the Barchetta is, horrors of horrors, front-wheel drive, but this isn’t as big a problem as you might first think. The car only weighs 1056kg and the 1.8-litre 130bhp engine is surprisingly light. As a result the car has great turn in and doesn’t push at the limit. Raw performance isn’t particularly impressive with a 0-62mph time of 8.9 seconds, and a top speed of 124mph. But then again, that’s not what these cars are about. For pure feel good factor, you’d be hard pushed to find a better car for the price.

If you’re looking for a second-hand example, make sure you find one with a full service history; like all Fiats of the period, it’s vital that they’ve been maintained properly. We would also recommend that you look for an official UK car as they hold their value better than their imported counterparts. Cars can be had for under £4000, but expect to pay upwards of £6000 for a clean example. Great value for a sexy Italian roadster

4. Suzuki Cappuccino

This is certainly a left-field choice, but let us explain. At first glance the little Suzuki Cappuccino looks like a toy car, something to be used and thrown away. But it’s actually a brilliantly innovative sports car. Designed to comply with Japanese kei car regulations, the Suzuki is ridiculously small, measuring only 3.3 metres in length and 1.4 metres in width. In fact, on its debut at the 1989 Tokyo motor show, the general public initially thought that the car was strictly a concept, to show what was possible with Kei cars. What they didn’t know was that Suzuki was deadly serious about putting it into production.

The Cappuccino was brought to the UK in 1993 as something of a halo car for the brand. It was sold in limited numbers (1182 to be precise) making it hard for buyers to get their hands on one. The car had perfect 50/50 weight distribution and weighed just 725kg - a whole 215kg lighter than the Mk1 MX-5. This low weight was primarily due to the fact that there wasn’t very much car to start with, and the fact that Suzuki made the car’s bonnet, roof, roll-bar and front fenders out of aluminium.

The tiny Suzuki featured a 63bhp, turbocharged, three-cylinder engine which powered the car to 62mph in around 8.5 seconds and onto an electronically-limited top speed of 85mph. Not a car for highway drag racing then, but perfect for short backroad blasts. Only 340 Cappuccinos are left on UK roads, making it a much more exclusive option than a Mk1 MX-5. Unfortunately, none are currently up for sale through mainstream portals, which is a shame, because we desperately want one. Time to do some digging!

So CTzens, would you choose any of these cars over a Mk1 MX-5? Are there any cars that you think we might have missed? Let us know!