Low-cost supercar essentials | Six of the Best
For less than the price of a new 911 Carrera, supercar royalty is on offer - come see for yourself...
Audi R8 V10 Plus, 2019, 2k, £97,950
The temptation is plain to see in a modern supercar. Not only are they faster, more powerful and more capable than those that came before, they’re less demanding, too - on both driver skill levels and bank balance. Who wouldn’t want more of the mid-engined, multi-cylindered experience, more of the time? Particularly with depreciation to factor in, as per pretty much anything else. This Audi R8 is the perfect example of the breed. No more challenging to drive, really, than a TT, service intervals every 10,000 miles, yet blessed with one of the great recent powertrains: the 9,000rpm 5.2 V10 with seven-speed DCT. Still looks a million bucks, too. And while £97,950 is an enormous sum of cash if you're used to shopping for sheds, it does buy a car that’s just 1,800 miles old. It’s as close to a new R8 as it’s now possible to get. And it would have been at least £135,000 new…
Ferrari F430, 2007, 16k, £79,995
The F430 hails from that great transitional period in Ferrari’s recent history. In the mid-'00s the Maranello supercars began to adopt the manettino drive mode selector that continues to have such an influence today, as well as the suite of assists that ensures you feel like a superhero behind a Prancing Horse steering wheel. But they also were still powered by naturally aspirated engines, featured relatively simple interiors, and looked… well, looked like this F430. Not universally loved 20 years ago, it could now be said to neatly bridge the gap between old-school junior Ferrari (360 Modena) and the more contemporary take (starting with the 458 Italia). In Rosso Corsa over Crema (what else?), this F430 is a fantastic looking car. Perhaps not as simple to maintain as the newer models here, and with an F1 gearbox rather than a dual clutch, but a stellar prospect nonetheless. There’s a reason why it can still command £80,000…
McLaren 570GT, 2018, 36k, £78,990
Despite all the claims to the contrary, nothing from McLaren Automotive with a ‘GT’ badge on it has been anything of the sort. If mid-engined and carbon tubbed was the way to make a Grand Tourer, then everyone else would do it. But they don’t, because the layout compromises luggage space and the construction makes for more road noise. Hardly ideal for covering long distances. But considered as slightly swankier supercars, the GTs make a lot of sense. Look at this one for proof: Vega Blue with the light leather and a pano roof is less racy than we’re used to from Sports Series McLarens, yet none the worse for it. Plus it keeps all the titanic performance and rich feedback of everything else with a ‘570’ badge, despite a slight softening of spring rates and slowing down of steering ratio. Not a continent crusher, really, but undoubtedly still a great supercar. And the most affordable of the bunch…
Honda NSX, 2017, 6k, £94,880
We should have guessed that Honda would preview the supercar template of the '20s a decade ago. After all, the original NSX demonstrated where the genre needed to move, showing that supercars could be user-friendly as well as exciting - not just recalcitrant and intimidating. Then the second showed off what hybridisation could achieve, with a mid-mounted V6, a nine-speed dual-clutch, three electric motors supplied by a small 1.3kWh battery and incredible torque vectoring technology that defied the kerb weight. Which sounds quite a lot like the latest bunch of electrified supercars, from Corvette E-Ray to Ferrari 296. All from a car shown at Detroit in 2015. As with the first generation, the second NSX wasn’t a hit with UK buyers (blame the badge and the boring interior, again as before), but values are holding strong now. They were £95k in 2020 and they’re £95k now with not many miles - hard to see that changing anytime soon, given the unlikelihood of another.
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, 2022, 1k, £84,950
Imagine this for a junior supercar pitch in 2025: a mid-engined, naturally aspirated V8 good for almost 500hp, rear-wheel drive, an eight-speed dual clutch, magnetorheological dampers, and one of the most iconic names in the business. Sounds pretty persuasive, does it not? And that’s what the C8 Corvette Stingray offers, now of course with right-hand drive as well. While availability was initially a little patchy, supply is improving on new ones, and more dealers are coming. Indeed, there’s now a three-car range, including the 670hp Z06 and four-wheel drive E-Ray. But there’s plenty to like about the standard Stingray as well, complete with the 6.2 LT2 V8, particularly with savings to be made on secondhand, very lightly used examples. A 3LT Convertible like this one should be £100k new, so £85,000 with fewer than 2,000 miles isn’t to be ignored. There really is nothing quite like it.
Lamborghini Gallardo LP560, 2010, 10k, PH Auction
For those that want proper supercar pedigree with their wedge of exotica, names come little more evocative than Lamborghini. And its successes come little greater than the Gallardo, because it was the car that really set the tone for 21st-century Sant’Agata supercars. The idea of a junior V10 went back to the Cala of the '90s, and its potential was realised by the Gallardo. Designed and engineered under Audi’s watch meant a touch more civility and ease of use, albeit still underpinned by a glorious engine alongside jaw-dropping good looks. Despite now being more than 20 years old, a Gallardo is still guaranteed to draw eyeballs and make you all giddy behind the wheel. This PH Auctions car is one of the later LP560-spec Gallardos, complete with a 5.2 V10 and - you guessed it - 560hp. Plus a sound to die for. It’s covered just 10,000 miles in 15 years, and has never ever had so much as an MOT advisory. Bidding kicks off tomorrow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8YsMoZgJ-o
Today they seem far more plentiful, and if you look at production numbers of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin etc, they are almost mass produced.
A shame that part of the exclusivity and mystery has disappeared. Obtaining the finance to afford one I guess is so much easier than it used to be.
I would have it down as a £100k plus car. I guess there are other models that look similar to the uninformed that are significantly more.
Love the colour of that particular car as well.
The only one I'd never actually buy myself is the NSX purely for the absolute lack of service agents other than in London. It's difficult enough in a McLaren if you live further than Watford but at least there are McLaren dealerships dotted around the UK and 2 well known indies.
When I looked at buying an NSX I'd assumed you'd take them to any Honda main dealer, not the case. It's a shame because its a fantastic looking/sounding car even if a bit "lardy".
We drove through the Dolomites and Austria in a 570 and have just done Switzerland in the epic V10+, it really is motoring at its best at this budget level.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8YsMoZgJ-o
I had been led to believe the difference between the S and the GT was negligible in all senses, suspension included. Interesting to read what you say and would have to explore if I were ever to be tempted to that side. I did a UK>Spain road trip in my Exige this year and do fancy repeating that in due course so its where a GT rather than S might come in handy.
Today they seem far more plentiful, and if you look at production numbers of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin etc, they are almost mass produced.
A shame that part of the exclusivity and mystery has disappeared. Obtaining the finance to afford one I guess is so much easier than it used to be.
Hard to see past the Lamborghini or Ferrari, but the Mclaren is a strong contender.
The Macca is great value. The only reason I don't own a 650S is the fact I just bought a house.
Today they seem far more plentiful, and if you look at production numbers of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin etc, they are almost mass produced.
A shame that part of the exclusivity and mystery has disappeared. Obtaining the finance to afford one I guess is so much easier than it used to be.
Hard to see past the Lamborghini or Ferrari, but the Mclaren is a strong contender.
It also very much depends where you live. I'm Near Taunton in Somerset and you see a Ferrari once in a blue moon (and my friend owns it lol), a Lambo only really when Peter Andre is back in town, one Maclaren (another friend of mine lmao). My R8 is one of 2 or 3 max in the area, and I'm the only one using it as a daily. The other two are rare sights. As an intersting aside, we have a transvestite with a blonde wig and fake boobs who drives a red Ferrari 328 about in the summer :-) I was chatting to "her" outside a shop I visit, "she" told me about the recent clutch change "she" did - "piece of cake, dropped straight out with a bit of a shove".
Conversely, London, supercars are everythwere.
Today they seem far more plentiful, and if you look at production numbers of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin etc, they are almost mass produced.
A shame that part of the exclusivity and mystery has disappeared. Obtaining the finance to afford one I guess is so much easier than it used to be.
I had been led to believe the difference between the S and the GT was negligible in all senses, suspension included. Interesting to read what you say and would have to explore if I were ever to be tempted to that side. I did a UK>Spain road trip in my Exige this year and do fancy repeating that in due course so its where a GT rather than S might come in handy.
I think the GT has a tiny bit more storage than the S but it's a weight limited area under the glass so not a massive factor tbh. Definitely go test drive!
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