Mercedes-AMG E63, 2019, 53k, £45,589
If the car industry has done anything well over the past 20 years, it's been finding a way to safely endow family-sized cars with the sort of engine output that would previously have been reserved for supercars. And sure, in the long run, it arguably led to the proliferation of hulking, unfeeling panzer-wagons that ultimately smoothed the way for a new generation of mind-numbingly fast EVs - but, boy, have there been some highlights, too, many of them proving wonderfully susceptible to long-term depreciation. Like the V8-powered E63, for example, which could justly be considered all things to all men: big enough to lose your children in; plenty fast enough to get yourself banged up; and readily available for Golf GTI money. Pow.
Jaguar F-Pace SVR, 2022, 15k, £53,000
It feels like we bang on about the F-Pace SVR till we’re blue in the face, which might have something to do with the fact that it was among the last combustion cars that Jaguar ever built - but we can always fall back on the fact that it was also a little bit brilliant. Big riding, big sounding and fast like a supercharged V8 ought to be. It was also a good size, physically, and by the end of its life was really very nice inside, too. Possibly more so than its German rivals. You can certainly find them cheaper than £53k, although they do suffer for poor colour choice and black wheels. This one avoids both and looks all the better for it. A nailed-on future classic, even if not for all the right reasons.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, 2021, 9k, £46,995
Too often we forget about the Stelvio Quadrifoglio, lost in afternoon-based reverie about how cool it would be to own a Giulia for £30k. But its SUV-shaped sibling was nearly every bit as good, as well as being, not unsurprisingly, much more confidence-inspiring in the wet thanks to the standard provision of adaptive all-wheel drive. As an additional upside, this made it hugely brisk away from the lights, if you’re childish enough to get a kick from such things. Not as good looking as the saloon, obviously - but more child friendly, and similarly kind to your bank balance as a secondhand prospect (to buy at any rate, less so to fuel). Anything in the region of £50k will buy you a minter like this one.
Alpina B5 (F10), 2011, 64k, PH Auctions
Admittedly slightly less minty is the Alpina B5 currently making its way through PH auctions. At the time of writing, the bidding was already up to £10k, which is testament to both the car’s rarity and the renowned loveliness of its 4.4-litre V8. This, devotees will recall, was the unit used in the F10 550i, but breathed on by Alpina till it gave up 500hp. The traditional outcome resulted, not least in the tweaked styling, which delivered precisely the sort Q-wagon that works to shrink the continent to manageable size. The current owner says it’s the car he’s kept the longest, and that’s totally understandable - as is the odd blemish accrued in more than 60k miles. But that certainly won’t stop anyone with a working knowledge of what’s occurring underneath. You’ve got till Wednesday to get involved.
Audi RS6 Avant, 2008, 111k, £19,995
Also available for significantly less than £50k are many decent examples of the Audi RS6, arguably the car that made big horsepower and a big boot seem like a match made in heaven. Typically, we’d steer you in the direction of the V8-powered C7, a car that seems better value almost by the day. But for the sake of keeping things fresh, we’ve landed on its predecessor; partly for the plain-Jane appearance of this one, and partly, of course, for the 5.0-litre V10, which (alongside other famous VW Group efforts) makes it a totemic example of the decade's preoccupation with displacement. Possibly not one to buy if the government releases the handbrake on fuel duty this autumn - but what a thing to own if not.
Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo, 2021, 46k, £45,945
Cue much booing and hissing in the comments, which we’ll gamely take on the chin. Would we buy a Taycan in this febrile environment? Probably not. We’d much rather have one of these, all things being equal. But that doesn’t completely negate the facts: the 4S Cross Turismo makes a lot more than 500hp and is available for a good deal less than £50k. It is also very nice to drive, if not to look at. Granted, it’s anyone’s guess where the price will be in 18 months, although if you’re willing to overlook that consideration (a big ‘if’) you’re getting an awful lot of very modern and extremely fast electric vehicle for your money. Brave pill anyone?
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