Big performance doesn’t necessarily mean big monthly tax bills – it’s possible to pay less than £100 a month for a saloon that can sprint from 0-60mph in under eight seconds.
We’ve picked our five favourite performance cars that punch well above their BIK rate, based on the monthly cost for a 20 percent tax payer.
BMW 3 Series
The perennial BMW ticks so many boxes that it wouldn’t be a company car top five without a 3 Series featuring somewhere, and it should be no surprise that we’ve picked a 320d.
It’s the most expensive but also fastest car on our list, providing a 7.1 second 0-60mph time for £99 a month. Even though it maxes out the budget, we’d pick this over the £3 a month cheaper 320i, because the diesel promises 67mpg instead of 48mpg. It’s only a tenth slower from 0-60mph too.
For this money you’d be looking at a base spec SE car but it’s well equipped, plus all BMWs come with sat nav as standard.
The 3 Series is the car of choice for the keen driver, offering rear-wheel drive balance and sharp, precise steering.
Vital statistics
Engine and trim choice: 320d SE
Star rating: 5 stars
P11D price: £29,730
2015/16 monthly tax cost: £99
Economy: 67mpg
Power: 187bhp
0-60mph: 7.1 seconds
Kit highlights: Sat nav, dual zone climate control, rear parking sensors
VW Passat
Offering identical power to the BMW but a lot more car, the VW Passat is naturally a little slower from 0-60mph, taking 7.7 seconds.
However, it’s also cheaper, with a top spec R Line model costing £91 a month. This is £3 a month more expensive than the GT trim below it but offering the same performance and economy figures.
We think the marginally more expensive car is worth the extra outlay as it gets you a sporty bodykit and big exhaust tailpipes, plus special R-Line seats and stainless steel pedals inside.
As a drive the Passat sits more on the comfortable side of the spectrum making it great for long mileage cruising, but its powerful engine means it can still excite.
Vital statistics
Engine and trim choice: 2.0 TDI R Line
Star rating: 5 stars
P11D price: £28,720
2015/16 monthly tax cost: £91
Economy: 68mpg
Power: 187bhp
0-60mph: 7.7 seconds
Kit highlights: Misfueling system, adaptive cruise control, ambient lighting
Jaguar XE
A relative newcomer to the company car market, the XE benefits from a range of powerful and efficient engines. We’ve picked the lower powered 2.0-litre diesel variant in order to gain more kit, as it still cracks 0-60mph in 7.9 seconds.
Portfolio and R-Sport trims are similarly priced (£93 and £91 a month respectively) but we like our selection’s sports suspension, seats, wheel, and spoiler.
You could pick the more powerful 177bhp XE for £96 a month, shaving half a second off the 0-60mph time, but only base spec SE trim is in budget. We think the less powerful R-Sport is a better all-rounder.
The XE rivals the 3 Series in the enthusiast stakes, providing keen and engaging handling.
Vital statistics
Engine and trim choice: 2.0d R-Sport
Star rating: 5 stars
P11D price: £32,270
2015/16 monthly tax cost: £91
Economy: 75mpg
Power: 160bhp
0-60mph: 7.9 seconds
Kit highlights: Bi-Xenon headlights with LED signature, sat nav, InControl infotainment screen
Audi A3
The Audi A3 is the smallest car on our list and as such only needs a relatively small engine to provide the sort of acceleration we’re looking for.
This means the 1.4TFSI in Sport trim is the cheapest conventionally powered sub-eight second company car we could find, but it also offers low CO2 emissions and high fuel economy for a petrol engine and will cost just £66 a month, you can even upgrade to S Line trim for just £72 a month.
For even more pace you could pick the 2.0-litre TDI, bringing the 0-60mph time down to 7.2 seconds for £87 a month.
It’s also worth bearing in mind you could have a larger A4 for £95 a month, but only if you pick the 1.8-litre petrol. This means taking a hit in fuel economy as it promises 48mpg, but cracks 0-60mph in 7.8 seconds, it’s also unlikely to feature on your user chooser list.
Vital statistics
Engine and trim choice: 1.4 TFSI Sport
Star rating: 4.5 stars
P11D price: £23,240
2015/16 monthly tax cost: £66
Economy: 58mpg
Power: 147bhp
0-60mph: 7.9 seconds
Kit highlights: Drive select system, dual-zone climate control, sports seats
Mazda 6
There’s only one Mazda 6 that can supply the criteria we’re looking for in this list, and it’s the 2.2-litre diesel with 172bhp.
This comfortably gets inside the eight second 0-60mph time with 7.6 seconds, and matches this performance with competent and responsive handling.
Kit wise the Mazda is one of the best in our list as SportNav trim comes with a restyled front end, Bose stereo, sat-nav and a head up display.
It sits between the BMW and the Jaguar in terms of price and performance, combining a keen drive with plenty of kit and a good looking cabin.
Vital statistics
Engine and trim choice: 2.2d Sport Nav
Star rating: 4 stars
P11D price: £26,740
2015/16 monthly tax cost: £94
Economy: 60mpg
Power: 172bhp
0-60mph: 7.6 seconds
Kit highlights: Bose stereo, leather upholstery, LED lighting front and back
Wildcard: Mercedes C-Class hybrid
The numbers for this car are quite hard to get your head around – 288bhp and a 5.7 second 0-60mph time for £34 a month.
Its relatively high P11D price and hybrid powertrain may mean it doesn’t feature on your list of choices, but if it does, this C-Class offers a serious amount of bang for your buck.
Vital statistics
Engine and trim choice: C350e Sport Premium Plus
Star rating: 4.5 stars
P11d price: £40,615
2015/16 monthly tax cost: £34
Economy: 135mpg
Power: 288bhp
0-60mph: 5.7 seconds
Kit highlights: Aluminium interior trim, sat nav, autonomous parking system
Still don’t know which company car to choose? Maybe the below articles can help:
Company car allowance picks – people carriers
Company car allowance picks – crossovers
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