The growl of a Hellcat engine is unlike any other noise on this earth. I mean, just listen to that! If that doesn’t make you want to get behind the wheel and start roasting tires like a madman, I don’t know what will!
The Hellcat is undoubtedly one of the craziest engines ever built, but unfortunately, it’s going rate is around $50,000 for even a 2015 model of the Charger Hellcat. And for many of us, that’s just too much cash.
But, don’t abandon all hope just yet! There are some cars out there that are even faster than the Hellcat! And for way cheaper too! Don’t believe me? Well, just read and learn, because in this article I’m going to take you through 7 cheap cars that’ll make you forget all about the Hellcat! And we have an honorable mention that’s even faster than a Bugatti! Let’s go!
2010 Nissan GT-R
Let’s start this list off right with a supercar! You heard me right. A supercar that’s cheaper than a Hellcat! Sound too good to be true? Well, listen up, because today you can buy an R35 Nissan GT-R for cheaper than a new Hellcat.
Sure, the GT-R is an entry-level supercar, but if power and style at an affordable price sounds good to you, the GT-R is an absolute gem. It’s powered by a twin-turbo six-cylinder, and unlike its older generations, the R35 ditches the inline configuration and opts for a V6, making it good for nearly 500 horsepower, and a 0-to-60 time of 3.5 seconds.
But what’s even crazier than the acceleration is how an R35 GT-R handles on the track. Whether you’re a racecar driver or just a weekend warrior, an R35 GT-R will step up your skills and knock down your times. The fastest lap in a Hellcat around the Nurburgring was 7:51. So, what does the GT-R do? A 7:45?A 7:30? Nope. 7:24! Not only is that nearly 30 seconds faster than a Hellcat, but it’s also faster than one of the most badass street-legal racecars ever built, the Maserati MC12.
If you want an MC12, you’re looking at a multi-million-dollar bill, mostly because there are only 50 in the whole world. But for the GT-R? You can get a low-mileage example for right around $50,000! Check out a premium GT-R like the one we found on AutoTempest for $52,500! Will the new Maserati MC20 be faster than the GT-R? Watch our video and find out!
But the GT-R is one hell of a bargain for a supercar! What’s that? You don’t want all the flash and style of a supercar? Alright, I guess you get points for being humble. I think I know just what you need, a Tesla Model S P85D, the electrified ride with Hellcat-beating speed.
Find a cheap Nissan GT-R on AutoTempest!
Tesla Model S P85D
So, your Hellcat hits 60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds? Big deal! Wait, no, that’s actually really impressive, sorry. But not as impressive as the Tesla Model S P85D, because when you throw that thing in Ludicrous Mode and get those electric motors turning, the P85D can blast off to 60 in just 3.1 seconds!
And while it can definitely melt your face off with acceleration, it’s actually a really nice everyday electric car, so you can commute to and from work in your trendy Tesla, and then shred its tires on command thanks to all that torque being offered at 0 RPM.
Not only will you be saving the planet driving electrically, you can also plant your foot down and take your friend’s Hellcat to Gappelbees! Or if you want, you can just hop in the backseat or take a nap and let Tesla’s Autopilot do its thing. Just imagine sitting in traffic and seeing an empty driver’s seat! All I have to say is get used to it, it’s the future.
And the future might be closer than you think, because Tesla’s software updates come over the air. So, what does that mean for you? It means that one night you can go to sleep and wake up with a faster and more efficient car! Pretty cool, right? Well, cool generally means expensive.
Yes and no, a new Model S P85D would set you back more than $100,000, but used, this car is an absolute steal! We found one with just over 50,000 miles for less than $40,000! But beware that Teslas tend to lose a bunch of power the faster they go, mostly because it’s a two-pedal car with one forward-drive gear.
So, what happens when you want more pedals and more gears? You get more badass! And what’s more badass than a Corvette Z06?
Find a cheap Tesla Model S on AutoTempest!
2006 Chevy Corvette Z06
For the Z06, Chevy took the already awesome Corvette, and amped it up with more power and a six-speed manual transmission. And for the engine, the legendary LS7, whose sound might be even sweeter than the Hellcat’s, and also cranking out a naturally-aspirated 505 horsepower.
Not only is the Corvette Z06 cheaper than a Hellcat, it’s faster too. Taking only 3.5 seconds to hit 60 miles per hour, about two-tenths faster than your stock Hellcat. And remember how I said a Hellcat did the Nurburgring in 7:51 seconds, well, the Z06 did it nearly 15 years ago in only 7:40!
Derestricted, both cars are able to hit over 200 miles per hour, putting them both in an elite class of speed machines. And sure, the interiors of these muscle cars might be a bit lackluster, but the goods are under the hoods, and both are built for burnouts, baby!
But, if you want to save your wallet, your best choice is the Z06, because you can buy one today for less than $30,000! Let me do the math, 505 horsepower, 200 miles per hour, $30,000… That’s an ideal deal if I’ve ever seen one! We found a fire red Z06 for just $28,000!
But Chevy makes another car which could be even better dollar-to-horsepower value, the Camaro ZL1!
Find a cheap Chevy Corvette Z06 on AutoTempest!
2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 With Mods
Sure the ZL1 isn’t as powerful as a Hellcat, but it’s hard to compete when the Hellcat’s cracking 700 horsepower. However, the Camaro ZL1 isn’t putting out no low numbers either. The Chevy engineers hooked this thing up with a whole 580 horses! Which, you know, is still more than 7 Mitsubishi Mirages.
No, a stock ZL1 won’t beat a Hellcat to 60 miles per hour or even in the quarter-mile. But, the Hellcat is a new American muscle car, and they spend thousands on adding in more and more power, which means that you end up paying more too, like $20,000 more than you’d spend on a ZL1. Once you add in some pulleys, a cam, a full exhaust, and a tune, you can expect 770 rear-wheel horsepower out of your ZL1, and you’ll be able to blow that Hellcat out of the water.
The Camaro is also over 500 pounds lighter than the Hellcat, and the next generation Camaro cut even more weight. So, what does that mean? A Camaro ZL1 will lap the Nurburgring 10 seconds faster than a Hellcat, and I’m talking with that stock 6.2-liter V8.
So, if you add some goodies under the hood, you can expect that time to go down even further. Plus, the ZL1 beats the hell out of the Hellcat in price. You can get this sinister spec for just over $25,000! A few aftermarket mods on that and you’re looking at right around $35,000. Not bad, not bad at all.
Well, maybe you’re not so into Chevy, but you’re dead loyal to Ford. If that’s the case, you already know what I’m going to say, the Ford Shelby GT500!
Find a cheap Chevy Camaro ZL1 on AutoTempest!
2012 Ford Shelby GT500 With Bolt-Ons
Ford partnered with Shelby to make potentially the most badass street car ever, the Ford Shelby GT500. They took a stock Mustang GT, strapped on a supercharger, sprinkled in some more badass parts, then brought it to market!
The supercharged 5.4-liter V8 under the hood is good for 550 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque! Yee haw! Unfortunately, it can’t really beat out a Hellcat… without a few modifications, that is. The GT500 can easily achieve 700 horsepower with a new blower, intake, cam, and exhaust. And like the ZL1, the Shelby GT500 has a smooth-shifting six-speed transmission.
And you can even get it in a convertible! Where’s your drop-top, Hellcat? And you can have all that power and style for a whole lot less than a Hellcat. We found a clean one with under 50,000 miles for less than $30,000! Come on!
But since we’ve been stuck in the States for a while, let’s just see if the Germans have anything that can rival a Hellcat.
Find a cheap Ford Shelby GT500 on AutoTempest!
BMW E60 M5 With Mods
Alright, before you Hellcat guys get you panties in a bunch, the E60 M5 does only come with 500 horsepower, which is still pretty sick, considering that’s coming from a glorious V10. But, let’s say you supercharged it! You’re looking at 700 horsepower! Still hungry for more? Strap on a pair of turbos and what do you have? 800? 900? Not even close. Some wild Norweigans at V.S Motor took the 5-liter E60 M5 motor and destroked it to 4.8-liters, added some twins, strapped it to a Dyno, and got their E60 M5 all the way up to 1,851 horsepower! That beats out a Bugatti Chiron and the world’s fastest car, the SSC Tuatara!
Alright, most of us aren’t going to be making those kinds of mods to our Bimmer, but it just goes to show what the E60 M5 is capable of… when they’re running, that is. The E60 M5 is notorious for blowing rod bearings. And if one of your rod bearings goes, the whole beautiful V10 is toast. So, just be careful if you’re going to tack on 1,000 horsepower to your secondhand E60 M5.
The base E60 M5 went for $80,000 new, but luckily, today they can be had for a lot less, like $16,000 for the beautiful super sedan with less than 100,000 miles that we found.
So, what if you want to out-accelerate literally any car that you line up against, and you only want to pay $10,000 to do it? You probably think I’ve completely lost it. But, I forgot to mention it’s not a car, it’s a motorcycle. Our honorable mention is the Suzuki Hayabusa.
Find a cheap BMW M5 on AutoTempest!
Honorable Mention: Suzuki Hayabusa
Powered by a 1,340cc engine, the Hayabusa is fast, like really fast. Sure, it doesn’t even have 200 horsepower, or even 140 pound-feet of torque, but it doesn’t need it because it only weighs 550 pounds!
With a power-to-weight ratio of 0.35, it beats out a Bugatti Veyron, which has 0.24, and a Hellcat, which only has 0.15! So, you tell me, is it worth going to two wheels?
You can get a Hayabusa for just $7,500! Personally, I don’t see myself riding a motorcycle, but that Hayabusa is bonkers!
You must be logged in to post a comment.