I think you would be surprised how cheap you can build a "ricer." Its kind of like everything else you can spend as much money as you want. Its all about horsepower to weight. Most imports don't need 3 or 4 hundred HP.

Case it point I have a friend with a civic I think it weighs around 2000lb he has a b22 engine which makes (I am guesstomating) 250 to 275 HP. The little bugger is quick. No big wing no fancy paint. And It was done cheap.

I love the buick GNs and back when they were new you could have thrown 1k at them and made them fast. Almost everyone one that I know that has modded them have a pile of dough in them. The blocks are weak and can't handle a lot of boost. Plus they are Expensive to pick up