Used sports car or new commuter? Doug DeMuro answers an unasked question

Performance-oriented cars, even on a budget, are a far better investment than everyday commuters. At least that’s the view shared by YouTuber Doug DeMuro in his latest video. Typically known for its car reviews (and more recently its auction site). Cars & Bids), this particular video focuses on proving that modern collector cars are better suited for road trips and general leisure activities than a similarly priced Nissan Versa. For reference, a new 2024 Nissan Versa will cost you $17,820 for the base S trim.

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A story of drags, “feel” and slaloms

Doug and his friends head to a dry desert lakeshore to prove that their cars are better than the Nissan Versa in three-day challenges. To prove their point, there’s a Porsche Cayenne Turbo, a BMW M5 and a Chevrolet Corvette.

Once you get to the lakeshore, the first test is a drag race. Not surprisingly, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo makes any other car look ordinary thanks to its all-wheel drive and traction. The Chevrolet Corvette struggles with wheel spin, while the M5’s cautious approach puts it behind. The Versa? Far from arguing.

After several laps of racing, the Porsche cemented its place as drag racing king, leaving the rest to wrestle with starting strategies and surface conditions.

The second challenge was a bit strange. The goal was to test drivers’ ability to “feel” the speed of their car. Because the speedometers were obscured, they had to use intuition alone to estimate the speed of 60 miles per hour. The Corvette did it, reaching exactly 60 miles per hour, closely followed by the Porsche and BMW. Surprisingly, the Versa was closer than the group expected.

Finally there was a slalom and a lap time trial. The Corvette driver had visibility issues but delivered an entertaining drive, while the Cayenne felt surprisingly agile for its size and consistently set fast lap times. Despite caution and composure, the M5 fell back slightly. The Versa, while incredibly outclassed, managed to complete the course.

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The undisputed champion

Over three days full of challenges, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo proved to be the one that performed best in almost every test. It was fast, convenient and reliable, which received high praise from the group. The Corvette was good in its own way, while the BMW M5 was capable of that.

As for the Versa? In the end, everyone agreed that the performance met expectations, but nothing more. For Doug and his friends, the Cayenne more than proved that a high-performance car on a budget can be much more fun and capable than the cheapest new car sold in the US today.