So you’ve got a reasonable budget for a performance car. But it’s just that – reasonable. £50,000 towards a car is a very decent amount of money, but in the world of high performance and fancy badges, it can be swallowed up very quickly.
So how do you make your £50k work and maximise the bang for your British buck? We’ve come up with some ideas.
Now, there are bound to be enthusiastic discussions about exactly what constitutes a supercar. We’ve lazily defaulted to the Cambridge dictionary, which says simply “a very fast car, usually one that is an unusual or rare type”.
Of course, now we have to think about what constitutes rare or unusual, but we’ve decided that, for example, in a sea of regular BMW 4-series, an M4 is relatively unusual, therefore it counts. Don’t agree? We’re down for a fight.
Without further ado, then, here’s our list. Let’s go shopping.
Nissan GT-R (R35)
When the Nissan GT-R was first introduced at the end of 2007 it had a price tag in Japan of around £34,000. Import costs ballooned that to around £57k in the UK, but before long the price of a Godzilla would set you back £90k in its most basic form.
Now? You’ll find a decent number of 2009/2010 GT-Rs for between £35k and £40k with substantial but not insane mileage. As a reminder, that’ll get you a blown 3.8-litre V6 with at least 470bhp, very clever all-wheel-drive and a thrilling, visceral driving experience.
Porsche 911 Turbo (996)
The Porsche 911 needs no introduction, and anyone who knows anything about the Stuttgart speed factory knows that the Turbo models are generally the most bonkers. For less than £50k you should be able to find a fair number of 996-generation 911 Turbos, and even a few Turbo S models, too. Your money will get you a beast of an all-wheel-drive 911 with 450bhp and sublime handling that’s hard to match for the money.
Jaguar F-Type
With Jaguar on a hiatus from selling cars, let’s take a peek at one of its best of recent years. The F-Type is a cracking sports car and £50k will get you a choice of 5.0-litre V8 models in various different forms, which crank up the power to north of 550bhp. Just put some cash aside for the fuel bills.
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
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It might not be as quick as some of the other cars on the list, but look – it’s an Aston Martin. The V8 Vantage has got brand heritage to die for, and a soundtrack to match with a sonorous 4.7-litre V8.
A £50k budget should get you various versions of the Vantage – we found several N420 and N430 models with relatively low mileage at the time of writing, with both Roadsters and coupes available. Coupes will be better to drive, but the Roadster will really show off that noise.
Aston Martin DB9
If a V8 Vantage isn’t supercar enough for you, then £50k will also get you the pick of numerous Aston Martin DB9s. We’ve found examples from 2005 to 2015 when researching this, but all have a massively powerful 5.9-litre V12 engine and loads of horsepower. Sure, it won’t be as (relatively) cheap to run as a V8 Vantage, but hey. V12. Come on. Yeah?
BMW M4 CS (F82)
Does a big-horsepower 4-series count as a supercar? You be the judge, but the F82 M4 CS has more than 450bhp and can hit 62mph in less than four seconds, so we think it qualifies. £50k could even get you a newer M4 Competition, albeit with quite a few miles on for the age. The newer car is also four-wheel drive, unlike the earlier rear-wheel drive model. Either is a lot of car for the money.
Audi R8 V8 (first generation)
The R8 is now consigned to history, so why not keep it alive with your £50k? With a 4.2-litre V8, the first incarnation of the R8 is still a cracker of a thing and that budget should get you a rather good one with relatively low miles. Great handling, classic looks and proper supercar presence mean it’s definitely one for the shortlist.
Lotus Evora S
The Lotus Evora probably stretches the definition of supercar, but it drives a darn sight better than several other cars on this list. Of all the various supercar criteria to focus on, the Evora puts performance and handling front and centre, with a supercharged 3.5-litre V6, mega-lightweight construction and pin-sharp handling. Your budget will get you an early Evora S but should also stretch to a newer Evora 400, which has extra power, which can only further its case.
Maserati GranTurismo
One of the prettiest cars on this list, with a Ferrari-derived 4.7-litre V8, the GranTurismo looks every bit the supercar. Sure, it doesn’t drive quite as well as it looks, but when it’s this pretty and sounds this good you probably won’t care too much. Maserati is something of a statement car and the GranTurismo underlines that statement, puts it in bold and uses a fancy font, too. High-ish mileage cars are remarkably cheap – less than £15,000. A £50k budget will get you a really nice one, such as the race-inspired MC Stradale, which is the best-handling GranTurismo out there.
BMW i8
There can’t be that many cars out there that still look futuristic after more than a decade, but the BMW i8 will turn heads wherever it goes. It’s another car that doesn’t drive quite as well as it promises, but those looks, with its flamboyant lines and gullwing doors, will make every journey an event. Somewhere between £27k and £30k will get you a relatively high miler, while £50k should get you a top-notch, relatively new and low-mileage model to strut about in.
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