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If you want blistering pace at a bargain basement price, there's not much to choose from. And even fewer with a turbocharger and rear wheel drive.

 

So when Stuart Milne wanted a car to give him a huge adrenalin hit for less than £5,000, the Nissan 200SX was the only choice.

 

After two years driving a 1.8-litre Ford Focus, I felt I was about due for something fast and rear wheel drive.

 

But with a wad of £50 notes burning a hole in my pocket, there was only one car for me. A Nissan 200SX.

 

It couldn't be any car though – I'm a fussy buyer.

 

I wanted the final official UK model, known as the S14a to SX aficionados, and it had to have the Touring pack, because I like leather seats.

 

After searching this very website for a few weeks, dodging the glances of editor Higgins, I unearthed a low mileage motor with a few select modifications.

 

This was exactly what I was after, as I fancied trying my hand at drifting – a sport from Japan where competitors powerslide around tight tracks, with the predictable clouds of tyre smoke.

 

Of course this meant the car would be very loud with its huge exhaust system and louder turbo dump valve which would emit a whoosh when performing a full-throttle gear change.

 

An intercooler mounted in the front bumper ensured the turbocharger was fed lots of lovely cool air, and the turbo itself had been cranked up to force more oxygen into the engine.

 

Before handing over a wad of reddies, I got it checked over by a specialist who gave it a clean bill of health and backed up the seller's claims about its increase in power.

 

On the way home I was able to exploit every one of the 250 horses under the hood – and it was fantastic.

 

Even in standard trim, the 200SX is an awesome car, with good acceleration at low revs, rising to blistering when the turbo is at full speed.

 

Naturally being rear wheel drive means they can be a tricky beast, with the back end all too eager to brake away into a powerslide – drive one hard and you'll have to be ready with some corrective opposite lock.

 

It's not all good though. The interior is standard fare for 20th century Japanese cars – dull and plasticy, and the leather seats I had yearned for were a mile away from the sumptuous cowhide I'd expected.

 

None of that mattered when it was just me and a long, quiet stretch of road though – the force of the acceleration and the boom of the exhaust was a total sensory assault.

 

I had a great time with my Nissan; and a very expensive one – less than 20mpg most of the time and group 18 insurance take their toll; especially when you're buying your first house.

 

I had to grow up (but only a little), and my current MR2 gives me all the thrills I need, without the constant worry of being caught by a pesky speed camera.

 

Fancy last of the line SX like my old one? Just £3,000 will get you an early one, rising to £8,000 for a mint model, or one with a bag full of modifications.

 

But if you're really on a budget, you can get an old 1.8 turbo – complete with pop-up headlights for about a grand.

 

 

L.A.T.W.O.T. Video of the week

 

A Nissan Skyline and 200SX in some hot drift action.

 

 

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