Lotus Esprit Turbo/SEFerrari 308 GTSiFerrari Mondial 8Porsche 911TVR CerberaE39 BMW M5Bentley Turbo RToyota Supra Turbo4200 GT Maserati Coupe/SpyderAcura NSX Every serious car enthusiast dreams about owning a "supercar" one day. Some dream of driving a Ferrari. For others it's a Porsche. Maybe your dream car is a Bentley? While these vehicles may seem unattainable unless you're a millionaire, in reality they're really not. Just about anyone who has 25 grand to spend on a car can afford one of these classic supercars, albeit used and in less than stellar condition. But hey—if you're a true car lover, that's better than nothing, right? If you've always wanted to drive a supercar but never imagined you could afford one of your own, take a look at these beauties and decide which one speaks to you. Start your search for a used Supercar >> The third generation Esprit, which debuted in 1987, was designed by McLaren F1 creator Peter Stevens. This stylish sports car retained all of the fun characteristics of the previous generation Esprits while also incorporating new technology, like reinforcing the car with Kevlar (which increased its rigidity by 22 percent).
The Lotus team also switched from a water intercooler to an air intercooler in 1989 to help make their turbo-charged SE model more efficient. Designed in 1975 by Pininfarina, the 308 GTS was Ferrari's first V8 road car and is considered by some to be the most beautifully designed Ferrari ever be built. Unlike the Dino 246 GT, also designed by Pininfarina, the 308 GTS was the start of Ferrari's future. The slimmer and more aerodynamic design helped make this car an icon that is still studied by design students all over the world. Another Ferrari designed by the famed Pininfarina firm, the Mondial 8 is considered one of the manufacturer's least expensive cars to maintain and also one of the most practical (with 214 hp and seating four comfortably). Not known for being a high-performing sports car (compared to other Ferraris), the car shares the same V8 engine with the 308 GTBi/GTSi, but is mounted transversely. Since its introduction on September 11, 1963, the Porsche 911 has been an auto icon for nearly 50 years.
Having changed the car's design very little since its introduction, the biggest change came in 1997 when the car's cooling system was changed from air to water-cooled. Considered one of the best competition cars ever built, the 911 came in 5th place for the "Car of the Century" award in 1999. The Cerbera was the third car produced by TVR and featured a few firsts for the company, including a hardtop, a 2+2 seating design, and its own manufactured engine under the hood. TVR produced one of the lightest V8 motors ever, with a total weight of 121 kg (267 lbs). Pete Wheeler, the company's former owner, was quoted as saying that, "the bottom-half of the engine to the heads is exactly as you would see in a current Formula One engine." Although it was almost never been built, the E39 BMW M5 is considered by many to be the "perfect car". This car not only features amazing overall design, the engine that accompanies the bodylines remains one of the best built motors of all time. During its 5 years in production, the car received a few cosmetic changes both on its exterior and interior.
Available only as a 6-speed manual, this BMW's gear ratios make it a dream racecar and also a practical family car. Similar in style to its predecessor, the Mulsanne Turbo, the Turbo R looked to improve the car's performance numbers and suspension settings. As a result of these efforts, Motor Trend called it, "the first Bentley in decades deserving of the famous name". Although the Turbo R is a four-door sedan, don't let that deter you from purchasing one. The turbocharged vehicle boasts a redesigned stiffer suspension and 296 hp with 486 lbs-ft torque. A car that auto enthusiasts dream would be re-released, the Mark IV Supra debuted April 1993. This new Supra was completely redesigned and featured two engines: a naturally aspirated 220 hp motor and the famous 276 hp twin-turbo motor. This tuner ready car can be used as either a "weekend warrior" or an extremely reliable, fun daily driver. Considered a "grand tourer" or a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving, these Maseratis share the same motor with the Ferraris of that year.
At just under 25k, these cars are a steal at this price. With their racing inspired motors and Formula One-type gearboxes, the 4200 GT is about as close to owning a Ferrari as one could get without paying for one. The NSX (New Sportscar eXperimental as its known) was a Honda sports car that was produced throughout the 90s. The mid-engine rear wheel drive car was an instant hit with car enthusiasts. With its front and rear double wishbone suspension and accompanying forged control arms, the NSX placed 2nd in Road and Track's 1999 handling test, going up against cars like the Porsche 911 Carrera 4 and Ferrari F355 Spider. Now that we've gotten you excited about the possibility of owning one of these stellar vehicles, we've got some news that may make you think twice before purchasing one. While you may be able to snag one of these beauties for under $25k, you're inevitably going to need spend a lot of money on continued maintenance and upkeep, especially on the Italian and British models on this list.
But if you're ready to make an investment in the maintenance of your vehicle (or are mechanically adept enough to tackle some of it yourself), I'm sure that the fun and excitement of driving your very own supercar will more than makeup for the dent in your wallet. , CarPicturesdotcom, FotoSleuth, Ed CallowThe requested URL /greenvehicles.cfm?Price=35000&Status=Current was not found on this server.So you want something that’s fun to drive and looks great but won’t blow the bank? That sounds like a tough ask if you don’t have a bottomless budget, but we’ve come up with 10 sports cars that cost about the same as a mid-range family hatchback. Use our PCP calculator to get a better idea how much your new car could cost of for more sporty options check out: The fourth generation Mazda MX-5 takes the legendary sports car back to its roots. It’s smaller, lighter and more powerful than its predecessor making it even more fun to drive. That reduction in size hasn’t had a knock-on effect on the interior – it’s actually more spacious than before, although drivers over six feet tall will feel a bit cramped.
It’s priced from £18,495 so even top-spec models fall into budget. There are two engines to choose from – a 1.5-litre with 129hp or a 2.0-litre with 158hp – with the latter getting extras such as a limited-slip differential and upgraded suspension. Neither sound that powerful but, considering the car weighs noticeably less than a tonne, both achieve decent performance with even the least powerful option covering 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds. Spec up a Mazda MX-5 in our car configurator to see the savings on offer. If you think the MX-5 is a little too extreme, the Fiat 124 Spider might suit you much better with its characterful engine and softer suspension. The 124 Spider is based on the same platform as the MX-5 and has an almost identical interior. Fiat, however, places more emphasis on luxury than the Mazda with options such as heated leather seats. The Spider also out-accelerates the MX-5 thanks to a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine from the Abarth 595.
It sounds good and lets you accelerate quickly without needing the kind of thrashing the MX-5 benefits from – this flexibility suits the 124’s more relaxed ride quality down to the ground. Performance freaks will be delighted to know the Abarth 124 costs just a little more. Put the Fiat 124 Spider in our car configurator to see the deals. The Audi TT isn’t just a great sports car, it’s a great car full stop. For less than £30,000, you get a spectacular interior with Audi’s brilliant optional Virtual Cockpit and minimalistic air vents with temperature readouts integrated into them. The exterior design is impressive, too – in fact, if it didn’t have such pitiful rear seats, it could be the most rounded sports car currently on sale.You also get a selection of the VW Group’s best engines – the £30,000 budget doesn’t cover our favourite 2.0-litre with 230hp, but you can still have the fairly rapid 1.8-litre with 180hp. Optional quattro four-wheel drive and optional DSG automatic gearbox are among the best in the business helping the TT feel incredibly planted and controllable.
Spec up your ideal Audi TT in our car configurator. The Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ are essentially the same car with different badges. On paper, the pair’s low power makes them sound as exciting as your new fridge but, thanks to their light weight, the 200hp 2.0-litre engine covers 0-62mph in a respectable 7.6 seconds. In comparison, the Porsche 911 Turbo S only lets you put your foot down for about 3.5 seconds before you’re breaking the national speed limit. Ignore the power, however, because a short drive in either is enough to convince you that the sense of control and balance is more than worth the £22,705 asking price. Thanks to comparatively narrow wheels and very forgiving handling, you can explore the limits of grip in a relatively safe manner. Put either the Toyota GT86 or the Subaru BRZ in our car configurator to see the deals carwow could help you get. The BMW 2 Series provides much of the same fun behind the wheel at a lesser price than it’s M2 brother.
A large part of the M2 is still a 2 Series underneath so the direct steering, compliant chassis and rear-driven charm are present and correct. Without the M2’s active differential, the 2 Series isn’t as much fun when driven flat out but the five-figure savings it represents more than make up for this. Although basic 2 Series aren’t as rapid or focused as the M2, they still have fantastic handling. A 245hp 228i costs around £28,000 and gets from 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds while costing £20,000 less than its M2 brother. Watch out for the options list, however – you’ll blink and soar through the £30,000 budget in no time at all. See all the latest savings on our BMW 2 Series deals page or read the BMW 2 Series review for all the facts. The Lotus Elise takes the ‘back-to-basics’ approach to heart – there’s a steering wheel, pedals, a gear lever, fabric roof, bucket seats and that’s about it. Even air conditioning, a hard top, a stereo, carpets and sound insulation are all optional.
For the money, however, its feels more like a racecar for the road than you’re likely to find. Modern cars have all sorts of safety features making them heavy and need engines with huge turbos to be fast. The only safety feature on the Elise, apart from traction control and ABS, is your own sense of self-preservation. So forget about bungee jumping, roller-coaster rides or lion taming – if it’s thrills you want above all else look no further than the Lotus Elise. Put the Lotus Elise in our car configurator to see the deals on offer. The Ford Mustang is arguably the most definitive American sports car – menacing looks, a long bonnet, 0-62mph acceleration in less than five seconds and a potent engine under the long bonnet. For a smidge less than £30,000, you’ll have to settle for the 2.3-litre EcoBoost model – a slightly detuned version of the engine from the Ford Focus RS. While we reckon the 5.0-litre V8 is the engine to get, it pushes the budget slightly above the £30,000 budget.
Nevertheless, you still get the great looks, imposing road presence and solid handling. Interior material quality isn’t quite as high as some German rivals, but build quality is perfectly fine and the controls are direct and fall easily to hand. Put the Ford Mustang in our car configurator to see the deals available. If you don’t fancy an American muscle car, what about the Japanese muscle car – the Nissan 370Z? While some rival manufacturers rely on lightweight materials or high-tech turbocharged engines to get the most from their cars, Nissan has simply fitted a huge 3.7-litre V6 petrol engine, a six-speed manual gearbox and straightforward rear-wheel drive. There’s plenty of power on the move and the noise it makes is quite pleasing but running costs aren’t great. While it’s a fun car that doesn’t take itself too seriously, it doesn’t have the handling finesse of some rivals. The interior is really showing its age now but this is a true old-school sports car and a bargain at less than £30,000.
Spec up the Nissan 370Z in our car configurator to see the savings carwow could help you make. The Mercedes SLC isn’t the cheapest in this bunch – in fact, the basic model costs a little more than £30,000 but, with carwow’s help, you can drive that price into budget. For your money, you get a classy convertible with a secure folding metal roof. It may not be as engaging as a Porsche 718 Boxster or as high-tech as the Audi TT, but it’s pleasant to drive, well equipped and refined by sports car standards. If your ideal Sunday drive includes meandering down the French riviera, there are few better cars for the money than the SLC. It also comes with the innovative Airscarf system that blows warm air on occupants’ necks for year-round topless motoring. Pick your ideal Mercedes SLC in our car configurator to see the deals carwow can offer. The Volkswagen Scirocco looks like a coupe but has the practicality of a small hatchback. The engine selection is diverse with all options being refined and punchy – even better when paired with the optional DSG auto ‘box.