To keep the costs under £200...
Try the HPI Sprint cars. They do a brushed version that shops have under £200 called the Sport. They're good cars, handle well and have a huge range of tyres and spares available. They also do a sensorless BL version for about another £60 called the Flux. Both versions are billed as waterproof so ideal for outdoor racing. Best of all these prices are for a complete RTR car, so anyone can join your new class.
These are 4WD cars, but you will find that they will be much better to drive than 2WD. 2WD cars only have enough grip if they have a lot of weight whether their tyres are foam or rubber. Light 2WD cars are difficult to drive on rubber or foam. To give you class the best possible chance start with a standard kit (RTR making it appeal to everyone) and get the most drivers having the most fun.
HPI tyres are available as treaded, slick or even drift. Bodies from their True Ten range include Corollas, Civics and Nissans - even a Mini. A Peugeot 106 is also available.
I remember fondly the HPI Series from the 1990s when I ran a Sprint 1 with stock chassis, 17T motor and fixed tyres and gear ratio. Close racing, cheap and almost bombproof cars.
It's not a class that interests me, but as Col says anything that gets more people doing RC the better. It would make me stop and think about doing the class if I could choose the HPI Sprint 2 Sport RTR car as the basis, with any HPI shell that can resemble a hot rod (you could have a preferred list), and any HPI wheel/tyre with a max rolling chassis width of 190mm. Anyone can get into that class for about £200/£250 and race indoors or outdoors. HTH
