You hadn’t forgotten the Nissan Primera GT, had you?

If you want a fun, fast and capableof-regular-use classic from the Nineties, a budget of £2000 doesn’t give you very many options. If you also want something with touring car championship success in its DNA, then your list is reduced to about two cars. Both these unsung champions deserve your attention, but on this occasion, we’re not talking about the Vauxhall Cavalier. The Nissan Primera’s podium-topping pedigree (it was 1999 BTCC champ) should have seen its value sail past the £10k mark, but in reality it’s worth less than half of that. We recently came across a Primera EGT (the saloon version) advertised as running and driving with a valid MOT for just £1350. It sold quickly too, showing there’s a small but dedicated community of well-informed petrolheads out there who appreciate the appeal of this under-the-radar sleeper. It’s 145bhp SR20DE engine (shared with the 180SX and 200SX) is widely regarded as nearly impossible to kill, no matter how hard a life it lives. This fact, together with its super-neat handling and relative light weight, has made it a track-day favourite for those on a budget.

That has suppressed values, as has the car’s relative anonymity, but with fewer than 20 examples left taxed and on the road, things are surely bound to change.