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Cars for the head and the heart - for under £10,000
 Amazingly a handful of BMW Z4 roadsters are now creeping below £10k 28 March 2008 Andy Goodwin listens to the angel and devil on his shoulders and brings you sensible and incredible cars for £10k or less. View more pictures of cars for the heart and head under £10k
The E46 BMW 3-Series is still a seriously desirable car, despite a new model now being available, and now it’s affordable too. The coupe version with its rakish looks and creamy 3-litre, six-cylinder engine was the sportiest BMW 3-Series without an M-division badge. It rockets from 0-60mph in 6.4 seconds and has a maximum speed of 155mph. The head says… BMW 320d For £10k you could also pick up a BMW 3-Series saloon with a 2-litre diesel engine. What it loses in driver appeal it makes up for in practicality, with an average fuel consumption touching 50mpg. The 320d isn’t slow either, accelerating from 0-60mph in 8.8 seconds. The heart says… Mazda MX-5 Fun, wind-in-the-hair motoring is what the Mazda MX-5 is all about. For £10k you can pick up a previous generation model with low mileage. It isn’t a particularly fast sports car – the range-topping 146bhp model reaches 60mph in around 8.5 seconds – but it rewards the driver with its entertaining handling and a huge feel-good factor. The head says… Mazda 2 The Mazda 2 has just won the impressive accolade of being World Car of the Year 2008. It’s a compact supermini which is fun to drive and extremely cost effective to run. Thanks to its light weight construction and small engines all Mazda 2’s offer well over 45mpg. The heart says… Ford Fiesta ST The Ford Fiesta is a British institution, and the Fiesta ST is the fastest incarnation ever sold. The 2-litre engine from the Ford Mondeo has been shoehorned under the bonnet and tuned to produce 150bhp through a sporty exhaust. It accelerates from 0-60mph in 7.9 seconds, but it is in the corners the Ford Fiesta ST excels, gripping hard. The head says… Ford Focus 1.6 If you need more space than pace, then the Ford Focus is a better proposition than the Fiesta ST. The 1.6-litre engine has 100bhp and accelerates the Focus from 0-60mph in 10.6 seconds, while average fuel economy is around 40mpg. The Focus has been praised for its handling, and provides the driver with a more spirited drive than the competition while remaining refined. The heart says… Vauxhall VX220 Few cars are available for less than £10k which beat the performance of the Vauxhall VX220. It is based on the Lotus Elise, but offers better value for money thanks to its less prestigious badge. The less powerful 144bhp 2.2-litre engine is more commonly available for £10k than the VX220 Turbo, but it still offers an amazing 0-60mph of 5.6 seconds and top speed of 135bhp and incredible cornering ability. The head says… Vauxhall Astra 1.6 The Vauxhall VX220 might be huge fun – but it comes with its drawbacks. If you want to carry more than one passenger in comfort, or drive long distances on the motorway, then something more sensible like the Vauxhall Astra is a better bet. The 1.6-litre engine is available with 104bhp or 115bhp and offers a decent turn of speed while returning more than 40mpg. The Vauxhall Astra has a modern design, and spacious interior. View Vauxhall Astra 1.6 ads now The heart says… BMW Z4 Amazingly a handful of BMW Z4 roadsters are now creeping below £10k. Like the Mazda MX-5 it offers a thrilling drive, and is a more grown-up car with a range of large engines. At this price point the 2-litre and 2.5-litre engines are most likely to be available, producing 147bhp and 192bhp respectively. It is a stylish car which cost well over £20k new. The head says… BMW 1-Series Lots of BMW 1-Series are now becoming available on the used car market, and mainly because of dividing looks, there are some bargains to be had. The 1.8-litre diesel is a winner with its 50mpg average fuel consumption and 120bhp. The 1-Series is the only rear-wheel-drive in the hatchback class, and has lots of driver appeal. But it also has limited space for rear passengers and a fairly small boot. View more pictures of cars for the heart and head under £10k |
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