All-weather Fast Sedans | Six of the Best

Even if the concept of the incredibly fast all-weather sedan did not begin with “Vorsprung durch Technik”, Audi was certainly one of the first to really exploit the appeal of performance-oriented all-wheel drive. Partly thanks to his skills in international rallying, but also because he fit seamlessly into the technically advanced image that Audi liked to project. The B7 RS4 was obviously not his first attempt, although with its 4.2 liter V8 it was probably the most charismatic and is still fun to drive to this day. In fact, with the chunky manual box and a very beguiling sense of mechanical cohesion, the experience has probably improved with age. Provided you find a good car and aren’t convinced by the slightly better looking station wagon. This one looks to be in good condition and has less than 100k on the clock.

Nowadays, of course, every premium manufacturer worth its salt sells an all-paw rocket masquerading as a muscular professional car. The current M3, equipped with BMW’s rear-biased xDrive system, is the perfect example – but who doesn’t love the way the depreciation makes the previous M5 so much more accessible? Especially if it a) looks better than the M3 and b) has a nicer engine. You can get one for less than £40,000, although we’d recommend buying in a newer condition as the car has improved following the 2020 facelift. Here is a dream in Alvite Gray with very few kilometers. It’s hard to imagine ever getting tired. If we were actually forced to choose a sedan for our “forever” garage, this might be it.

If you decide to check out the Sierra XR4x4 currently running at PH Auctions, you’ll definitely want a garage; if only to keep it in such great condition. It also helps to have the nostalgia glasses welded to your head – but if you want to preserve one of the early attempts to bring four-wheel drive to the masses, you could do far worse than a car that boasts 150 horsepower 2.9-liter Cologne V6 and a five-speed manual transmission coupled to an all-wheel-drive system that defiantly favors the rear axle over the front axle. Never a Cosworth-style legend (and technically a five-door hatchback too), the XR4x4 offers a reasonably affordable entry into a classic Fast Ford and was (at the time of writing) already half its guide price. Then it’s best not to stay long; The auction ends on Sunday evening.

If the idea of ​​a 30-year-old Ford seems too obvious to you, you could put it straight into practice with a Subaru Impreza – practically the all-weather car of choice for a whole generation of JDM fanatics. The WRX STI dominated the hearts and minds of everyone who thought a muddy country road was the perfect place to drop the hammer. It may be a little controversial to choose one from the innocuous-looking third generation, but the memory of the launch is still vivid, especially a day-long blitz through a sodden German countryside. There would have been more elegant, quicker and more succinct ways to do this, although few would have conjured up the gristle or grin factor of a hard-driven flat-four engine. It’s not exactly a Q car without a rear spoiler, but it’s affordable, lively and fun. And already a look back.

If that all sounds like a bit too much baggage, how about the steroidal pleasure of a Brabus-style redesigned Mercedes-AMG E63? You don’t necessarily need the 800 hp that the makeover delivers – in case you haven’t heard, the 612 hp that the V8 delivers in “standard” format is quick enough – although since when has car buying been about what we need at PH? With any Brabus model it’s all about how much you want it, and this car in signature Designo Night Black Magno and polished 21-inch monoblock wheels really is the best. You’d probably have to be Tony Soprano to match its genuine sense of menace, but the 800 is also the kind of tricked-out candidate that seems to transcend anything mediocre as a journey. It is an event in itself. For £89,000 and lots of V-power.

Finally, as it had to be, there is the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. Much like the Impreza – although probably more so – it helped refine what otherwise dull sedans were capable of if you were inclined to get very creative with the underbelly. We seem to have been talking a lot about HKS’ IX MR FQ-360 lately (in case you missed it, Matt B rode one just a few weeks ago), but we make no apologies for returning to it here. Firstly because this two-owner example looks particularly good in Flame Red, but above all because it represents the highest level of Evo in general, being hugely powerful yet thrilling to drive. In that regard, even almost 20 years later, there are very few cars that can match the brilliance of this pound in the real world. That goes some way to explaining the asking price of £65,000.