12 sub-£35k twin-turbo classics

The terrific twos

There’s a saying that there’s no replacement for displacement, but turbocharging offers a rather stunning riposte to that. Lob another turbo on and you’ve got the basis for something that’ll leave a lot of naturally aspirated V8s far behind you.

Adding two turbos rather than one is often more than just bragging rights – it can help to reduce the lag from a single turbocharger. Well, in theory, anyway…

Whatever happens, life with two turbochargers is never going to be dull, so we’ve corralled 12 twin or sequentially turbocharged classic and modern-classic cars that were up for grabs in the UK this week.

We went shopping with an imaginary £35,000 budget, that some easily fell within and others risked troubling. Tempting, aren’t they?

All photos are of representative examples

1. Maserati Ghibli II (£18,000)

The Maserati Biturbo was the first car to introduce twin turbos into a production car, 40 years ago this year. It wasn’t totally successful, though that was due to early cars’ propensity for hot-starting issues.

However, once fuel injection started to appear in the late 1980s, much of the Biturbo’s foibles had been fixed and, barring some parts-supply problems, they aren’t much more challenging to own than other similarly aged classics.

By the time the Biturbo had morphed into the Ghibli II, the car had matured into a 280bhp stormer that could go toe-to-toe with anything Germany could offer.

Maserati Ghibli II (cont.)

The UK initially only got the 2.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6, which was tuned for torque (305lb ft at 3500rpm) rather than outright horsepower, compared to the Italian 2.0-litre V6.

It provided truly scintillating performance, with 0-60mph done and dusted in 6 secs and a top speed of 155mph. The UK would see the 2.0-litre engine, but only in the highly tuned, highly rare Cup, but that’s rather more than our budget.

However, we found a lovely-looking 2.8-litre automatic in Nottingham on 80,000 miles in dark green metallic for £18,000.

2. Nissan 300ZX Z32 Twin Turbo (£18,993)

The Nissan 300ZX Z32 was a critical return to form after previous Zed cars transformed from a nimble sports car to a fully fledged GT cruiser.

The new 300ZX would still keep its GT remit, but now it had a twin-turbo V6 to give it the oomph to challenge the Porsche 928, despite costing around the same as the Porsche 944.

In many ways this is perhaps the real forerunner to Nissan’s R35 GTR, rather than the Skyline, which looks very different to the newer car.

Nissan 300ZX Z32 Twin Turbo (cont.)

You really can see the breeding between the 300ZX and the GTR – the styling could only be Japanese, and all the better for it.

Despite the visual aggression, the 300ZX is a refined experience and still plenty quick after all these years. Around 300bhp and 283lb ft of torque means a 0-60mph dash of around 6 secs and a limited 155mph top speed.

This car was so good it forced Toyota to go back to the drawing board with its Supra MkIV. More on that in a moment, because to tempt you we found a yellow manual car from 1990 in Oxfordshire, with 93k miles on its odometer, for £18,993.

That’s around half the price of a Supra MkIV, but is the Toyota twice the car? Let’s see…

3. Toyota Supra MkIV (£34,995)

The Toyota Supra MkIV has been the subject of much internet discussion over the past few weeks, particularly in the USA, after manual one sold for more than $200,000.

There was much frothing about that, but it was a rare, left-hand drive, completely original manual car – gold dust to the car’s avid US fans.

Prices haven’t risen to those heights in the UK, because RHD cars are far more common, even if original UK cars are hard to come by, particularly in manual form.

Toyota Supra MkIV (cont.)

The Supra became a legend due to the inherent strength of its sequential turbocharged V6 engine. It produced 326bhp, but it was capable of many multiples of that when tuners got their hands on it.

However, the market is now preferring completely original cars, which is reflected in the prices being asked – more than £40k for a manual-gearbox example these days.

If you don’t mind an automatic, we found a long-time imported red example in Buckinghamshire on 33,000 miles for £34,995.

4. Mercedes-Benz C215 CL600 (£12,750)

The C215 was a return to flowing curves after the big-and-not-so-beautiful C140 SEC and CL. This being Mercedes-Benz, however, the engines weren’t going to be ignored.

The M275 was an adaptation of the famed Pagani Zonda-powering M120 engine, and from 2002 would rocket you in leather-clad comfort from 0-60mph in 4.8 secs, thanks to 493bhp and 590lb ft of torque.

Rather than a bludgeoning experience, it was smooth, quiet and serene – about as close as you could get to a private jet on four wheels.

Mercedes-Benz C215 CL600 (cont.)

Of course, this isn’t the greatest era for Mercedes-Benz solidity nor mechanical, electrical and hydraulic resilience, which led to the likes of depreciation to make first-time Alfa 166 buyers wince.

We once saw a sub-100,000-mile CL600 up for grabs for £2000! Those days are far behind the car as rarity and the fact that Mercedes-Benz has abandoned the V12 have only ramped up prices for the few excellent-condition cars remaining.

We found a two-owner, 96,000-mile example in Worcestershire for £12,750.

5. Mazda RX-7 FD (£28,000)

The Mazda RX-7 FD is often lauded as perhaps the best-looking of the Japanese supercar/supercoupé/GTs that appeared in the early 1990s, Honda’s NSX aside.

It was also one of the finest handling, with its front-mid-engined layout, low centre of gravity and 50:50 weight distribution making it the toast of many a magazine group test.

The engine played its part, a twin-turbocharged rotary that pumped out between 250bhp and 276bhp, depending on which of the many different models you chose from.

Mazda RX-7 FD (cont.)

The RX-7 wasn’t a huge seller in the UK, largely thanks to our love of established European marques. However, a new generation of car enthusiasts have taken it to their heart, largely inspired by the tuning scene.

That said, much like the Toyota Supra MkIV, original cars are now being more highly prized. We found a recently imported example in Essex for £28,000.

Finished in white, this 2001 car had done 68,000 miles and was an RB-S, which means 261bhp and 217lb ft torque.

6. Volvo S80 T6 (£1750)

The Volvo S80 T6 represents true under-the-radar, modern-classic performance.

There’s an understated elegance about the S80’s form, but nothing to suggest that the T6 could deliver 268bhp from its 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged straight-six.

In extremely refined, leather-festooned comfort you can charge from 0-62mph in 7.2 secs, all the way to a restricted 155mph. It seems a world away from modern Volvos, doesn’t it?

Volvo S80 T6 (cont.)

The performance wasn’t quite enough to tempt buyers away from their Germanic supersaloons, so the T6 is an exceptionally rare machine – so rare, we struggled to find any pictures of a T6, so these are general S80 images.

Don’t take such rarity for granted, though, as these big, graceful machines have a small but dedicated following.

They’re also by far the least expensive way into twin-turbo motoring in this list. We found a 1998 four-speed automatic example in Berkshire. Finished in Coral Red, it’s done just 79,500 miles and could be yours for a staggeringly low £1750.

7. Bentley Arnage T (£24,950)

The Bentley Arnage wasn’t intended to have the venerable 6.75-litre V8 that had been in use in one form or another since the 1950s.

It was originally conceived to have BMW power, and in its early days it did, but as the company was bought by VW a return to the 6.75-litre engine was deemed necessary.

Bentley enthusiasts loved it, especially when two turbochargers were strapped to it as part of a comprehensive going over by Cosworth. 

Bentley Arnage T (cont.)

The result was nigh-on 400bhp and a stupendous 616lb ft of torque, making overtaking a bit like being rear-ended by a jumbo jet.

Over time power would grow by another 100bhp, which gave the car a particularly sprightly feel. And while its German rivals slammed into a self-mandated 155mph limiter, the Bentley could cruise on to 180mph in Arnage T form, having demolished the 0-60mph sprint in 5.2 secs.

Once you’ve caught your breath, we can share that we found a 96,000-mile Arnage T Mulliner facelift model from 2004 in Kent for £24,950, although twin-turbo Arnages start from two-thirds of that for higher-mileage pre-facelift models.
 

8. Mitsubishi 3000GT (£9995)

The Mitsubishi 3000GT has been the butt of many jokes for a certain rival publication for many years, but there’s much to admire about what is actually a refined super-GT.

It might look like a supercar, but its well-insulated leather interior is extremely comfortable, and the performance from its twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 truly exhilarating when fully lit.

The plethora of electronic assists, in particular the four-wheel-steering system, does take some getting used to, but owners are besotted with their cars. For cross-country pace, the 3000GT’s four-wheel-drive system will outpace a Porsche 928.

Mitsubishi 3000GT (cont.)

It won’t cost you 928 money to buy, but these cars are now no longer the cheap Japanese turbocharged tuner cars they were once known to be.

Much like the other ’90s Japanese cars on this list, the market is now favouring standard examples, but they still represent excellent value compared to more heralded rivals.

We found a 67,000-mile 1991 example in Buckinghamshire, priced at £9995.

9. Porsche 911 (996) turbo (£32,999)

The Porsche 996 turbo was the turning point for when the 911 turbo became more mainstream.

The first water-cooled 911 turbo was a much more common sight than its air-cooled 993 predecessor, but it ramped up the performance considerably.

With 414bhp and in-gear thrust of 413lb ft torque, it was one of the fastest cars point-to-point at the time, thanks to its four-wheel-drive system. This doesn’t so much accelerate as boot you into warp drive.

Porsche 911 (996) turbo (cont.)

You’d smash past 60mph in a smidge under 4 secs before topping out at 189mph. That’s still quick today, but despite its heritage and performance potential, prices have yet to clamber out of sight.

For our budget the more desirable manual models are largely unobtainable, but automatics are more attainable. We found a blue 2001 model on 70k miles in Bedfordshire, for sale at £32,999.

10. Mercedes-Benz R230 SL65 AMG (£28,000)

The R230-generation SL65 AMG used the same twin-turbocharged V12 engine as the aforementioned CL600, but upped the performance considerably to kidney-punishing stakes.

With 604bhp and 738lb ft of torque, it packs supercar numbers into extremely comfortable drop-top surroundings.

You’ll smash past 60mph in 4.1 secs, though your scalp might need retrieving from the bootlid.

Mercedes-Benz R230 SL65 AMG (cont.)

In truth, the cheapest right-hand-drive SL65 was just out of our budget (£39,995), but we found a left-hand-drive example in Bedfordshire that’s done 121k miles, with a £28,000 price-tag.

Considering blasting along autoroutes across Europe to far-flung sunny destinations is what this car was built for, having a LHD car at such a discount (when viewed against the RHD models for sale), could be a bonus.

11. Audi RS4 Avant (£21,995)

The Audi RS4 Avant built on the firm’s penchant for super-fast estate cars with a 2.7-litre twin-turbo load lugger.

The RS2 from the early ’90s had shown the way, but prices for those have escalated far beyond our budget.

The RS4 isn’t the poor relation, however, with a stomping sub-5-sec 0-60mph time, and it would take 12 secs more to pass 124mph. Just what you need to beat the queues out Ikea.

Audi RS4 Avant (cont.)

These cars went through a stage of intense modification and indifferent ownership as the realities of performance Audi ownership hit home, so numbers have dwindled remarkably.

This now means that the few that remain have taken an upswing in value, with most starting in the low £20ks these days. We found a 2001 example on 99k miles in Avus silver in Yorkshire for £21,995.

12. Maserati 3200 GTA Assetto Corsa (£24,950)

The Maserati 3200 GT provides a fitting way to round off this list – it was the last car to use a variant of the Biturbo engine, and it was the last true Maserati engine until the MC20’s Nettuno engine, which was launched this year.

First introduced on the Shamal, in 3200 form the 3.2-litre twin-turbo V8 produced 370bhp, though it feels so much quicker once you bury the throttle.

The 362lb ft of in-gear thrust certainly gives you something to think about, too, and those of your followers as they gaze upon the boomerang rear lights disappearing.

Maserati 3200 GTA Assetto Corsa (cont.)

Maserati Classiche has recently said it’s going to cater for cars around the 20-year-old mark, which should hopefully make 3200 ownership a little simpler.

The good news is that such performance won’t cost the Earth to buy – while you can pick up a good example from £14k and up, it’s always best to buy the finest you can.

The Assetto Corsa special edition we found near Chester in black for £24,950 still looks good value on 30k miles.