>@M< LJ 8 JK<<I

QI’VE got £28,000 to spend on a ballistically quick hot-hatch that I can use every day of the week. More than 300hp is a must – what can I get for my budget?

The Honda Civic Type R has won countless awards and is widely recognised as one of THE – if not THE – finest hot hatches on sale today. No mean feat when the competition is as

Atalented and varied as the current crop. Happily, you can pick up a nearly new Civic Type R with a healthy discount over list price, the 4,500-mile, 18-plate example we’ve found coming in at just £27,495. Performance from the 320hp 2.0-litre i-VTEC engine is predictably urgent, delivering a 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 167mph. It’s the way that the Civic Type R corners that’ll really get you excited, though; its lightning-fast front end delivering unrivalled direction changes and superb poise.

All this, and you can still fit in four passengers and a weekend’s worth of luggage with ease.

If you want something with all-wheel drive, the now discontinued Ford Focus RS is a fine alternative. With a 350hp 2.3litre Ecoboost engine delivering power to all four wheels, its wetweather performance is formidable, yet also fun. With an equipment list including satnav, a rear-parking camera, cruise control and keyless entry, we’ve found a 5,000-mile 17-plate car for £27,450.

Finally, for subtlety, we’ve picked out a 17,000-mile 65-plate Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG. Finished in understated light blue (sans aero pack), it’s one of the most deceptively sensible-looking cars around and could easily be mistaken for an AMG Line

A180 CDI. Performance, however, is stunning, with the 380hp 2.0-litre engine giving a 0-62mph time of just 4.2 seconds, with top speed rate at 155mph. Yours for

£27,500.