Budget nineties bruisers | Six of the best

Conceptually speaking, big-engine performance cars that favor presence and power over finesse have never seemed so ‘of the moment’. Sure, they get punished tax-wise and cost the Earth to run, but they make more modern electrified alternatives look (and sound) positively anemic in comparison. An example: a car named after a mythical three-headed dog. TVR had already perfected its vision of a British powerhouse when it arrived at the Cerbera, although in many ways it came to typify the company’s approach throughout its decade-long life cycle. This one, a recommissioned Speed ​​Six for Red Glow Pearl retrieval, is already attracting bids; You have until Wednesday to make it yours.

Of course, you don’t need a sinewy sports car to qualify for powerhouse status. VW’s decision to equip the Golf with a narrow-angle V6 was genius from day one, although it only really took off with the first R32. Yes, because of the timely introduction of the Haldex 4Motion system, but mainly because of the noise that the 3.2-liter engine made under load and the appearance of the Mk4 with model-specific bumpers and side skirts. It also got the first DSG gearbox, although we prefer the idea of ​​the six-speed manual gearbox, which it gets alongside an ‘extensive restoration’ that would have made the car like new. The optimistic asking price certainly reflects that. Yet no other hot hatch has such a bruise.

There are so many cheap Continental GTs in Britain that you could almost consider them a market in their own right. After all, nothing can compare with the overwhelming success of the sturdy body, the palatial interior and the 6.0-liter W12. Needless to say, the great Supersports took all this one step further: thanks to its 630 hp, it was the most powerful Bentley ever to date. Also the fastest, from 3.6 seconds to 100 km/h. If you insist, it will even run on biofuel E85. This one hasn’t even reached 50,000 in 15 years and seems to be loved. Still looking good; still guaranteed to make you feel like a million pounds. But it certainly won’t cost that much. Bidding starts Wednesday.

It’s completely reasonable that, after paying for a car with a powerhouse multi-cylinder gasoline engine, you might want to hear it more clearly. Based on the fact that the SLK55 was essentially two seats bolted to the back of a sonorous 5.5-liter V8, it’s more likely to take the biscuit. At the time, the convertible was praised for being slim despite its small size, although at around 1,500 kg it seems slim by today’s standards. Either way, with 355 hp the old-fashioned way, even a mediocre automatic can’t avoid seeming fast – or impressively charismatic in the time-honored AMG style. You pay more for low mileage here, and Obsidian Black – by far the best color.

While the Ford Mustang (also a Colonial V8-powered) has become a common feature of British roads, the Monaro still seems bizarre in comparison. Maybe that has something to do with it being frozen in time, with the model being a refugee from the noughties that was discontinued without a direct replacement. Or else it’s just the thought of driving an Australian-built (i.e. rudimentary) rear-wheel drive car with a 5.7-liter LS1 V8 in the nose. The result isn’t nearly as brutal as it sounds – in fact, the atmosphere is remarkably relaxed thanks to the bike’s unstressed nature – and if you can find one without a tinworm, it makes for a wonderfully rugged companion. This one, which has only covered 42k, seems to be just the ticket. But don’t wait too long: bidding closes on Wednesday.

Based on the fact that Audi installed a V10 in the RS6, and followed it up with increasingly powerful turbocharged V8s, you could say this is the powerhouse of the lineup. But the B7 RS4, with its manual gearbox and high-revving 4.2-liter engine, is simply too good to leave out. Like the Monaro, it has softer edges than you think, making it a beautiful way to get around – although it’s when you uncork the naturally aspirated V8 that the car’s ability to strong-arm the road into submission comes to the fore. Purists tend to prefer the wagon, although there’s a lot to be said for the sedan, especially when it’s sold with so few miles on the odometer. The seller also claims a full service history, which he would need to justify the price. Still a modern classic and no mistake.