Top 10 Track-Ready New Cars Under $60,000

10.BMW M3 $60,100

BMW’s 3-series is already used as the benchmark for sports-sedans and coupes all over the world. It’s well balanced, has power going to the rear-wheels, and is a fine combination of fun and sportiness. But for those looking for more sport in a car will opt for the M3. Unlike it’s competition from Mercedes, the M3 is still available with a six-speed manual transmission-a key requirement for many track-serious drivers. It can also be had with a dual-clutch automatic that can outperform your own skills, but isn’t perhaps as fun. The M3’s 4.0-liter V8 pumps out 414-hp and 295 ft-lb of torque, and a whole 8,400 rpms to explore all that power.

When asked, the M3 will blast to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, but that’s not all it will do. Thanks to an impressive amount of high-tech goodies, the M3 will hunker down and take on the track in a way that reminiscent of the brand’s DTM race-cars. Like other cars on this list, the M3 features a locking differential that will help deliver more traction and power coming out of a turn. The M3 also features electronic dampening control, so the car will feel softer when its not on the track.

Sure our first car on the list breaks the $60K mark right off the bat, but if you can’t land one for under asking, you’re not trying hard enough – especially now that the M3 is at the end of its life-cycle.

And if you do have more to spend, for an extra $10,000 there’s the Lime Rock Park Edition (seen above). Check our review of the BMW M3 with the competition package, where it was tested on the big and fast Road America track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.