In the United States, most car enthusiasts flock to a select few cars for tuning and modifying.
Many American car enthusiasts love the Toyota Supra, whose 2JZ-GTE inline-six is a commonly swapped engine due to its amazing tunability. Because of the popularity of cars such as this, quite a few impressive tuning cars are swept under the rug. Here are three of them.
3. Volvo 850 R
The Volvo 850 R is one of the most underrated tuning cars out there. Powered by a very odd, though awesome, 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-five, the Volvo 850 R is an excellent basis for a modified car project. It can handle quite a lot of boost and power without breaking down, a characteristically Volvoish trait.
Unfortunately, because it is a Volvo, and is a tad large while having front-wheel drive, the 850 R never gained a lot of popularity. That's a shame, as it is quite a good car that deserves more love.
2. Ford Mustang 2.3 Ecoboost
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Any media that you come across relating to the Ford Mustang pertains either to the GT350, or some moron crashing into a crowd of bystanders. Nobody talks about the 2.3 turbo version of the Mustang. Though understandable, it is quite a good car.
It is fundamentally the same engine as the Ford Focus RS, meaning that it is a competent engine for tuning. It is so tunable, in fact, that Ford of Lebanon, Ohio, offers a 550 horsepower upgrade for the EcoStang, costing $7,699, or $32,995 for a brand new, complete car.
I still believe it's blasphemy for a muscle car to have a small turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but you cannot ignore the performance capabilities of the Mustang Ecoboost.
1. Saab 9-3
Saabs have never been particularly popular cars, especially in enthusiast circles. However, they are very tunable, especially when fitted with the 2.8 liter turbocharged V6. The 2.0 turbo inline-four produces 208 horsepower stock, while the 2.8 V6 produces 250. Saabs, in general, are great platforms for the car enthusiast that wants to create an enjoyable, swift car without spending too much money, and be able to haul the family around as well.
