£75k supercars | Six of the Best

Don't fancy paying six figures for a new supercar? There is another way...

This should be an easy one. After all, who hasn't spent a sunny lockdown afternoon wistfully daydreaming of lotto-win supercar buys? They might be new, old, exorbitantly pricey or surprisingly good value, but we've all pondered life with a wedge of wonder at some point.

Defining a supercar is a task for those with greater time and intellectual reserves than we have here. Because, ultimately, the concept is fluid and relative. If a Miura is the template, then 350hp and mid-engined qualifies - but is an Exige a supercar today? Exactly. A minimum of even eight cylinders would disqualify cars like the Jaguar XJ220 from being a supercar, and saying a supercar should be manual would rule out every McLaren Automotive creation, the past decade of Ferraris and a lot of Lamborghinis, too.

So, we're pretty relaxed on the exact criteria for this Six of the Best shootout. (As you'll see, one or two took that to its very extreme, so perhaps stricter rules will have to be enforced next time.) The requirement was to spend not a virtual penny more than £75,000, and return with a vehicle from the PH classifieds that could feasibly qualify as a supercar.

Temptation came from many quarters: perhaps the new school might appeal, having depreciated sufficiently to fall into our grubby grasp; maybe a British supercar could cut it in an Italian dominated arena; and with classic manuals gaining in value, the old-fashioned auto seemed more enticing than ever. Or you could just do what Pete did, and return with the wrong vehicle entirely. Enjoy!

Ferrari 360 Modena, 1999, 34k, £64,950

I was still in primary school when the 360 Modena arrived at the 1999 Geneva motor show, but even to child it was clear that Ferrari had taken a major step forward with its new Berlinetta. The design was an obvious departure from tradition, and the reviews claimed it was the first genuinely usable Ferrari. Of course the main reason for my adoration at the time was the rev-tastic nature of that flat-plane 3.6-litre V8, which produced 399hp at 8,500rpm. That, and the fact my hero Michael Schumacher was in the promo pics.

These days, I'm able to fully appreciate just how sweet the whole 360 package is. My Top Trumps days are long gone, so 399hp is plenty - especially for a rear-drive supercar weighing only 1,390kg with a wheelbase that's 70mm shorter than a McLaren 570S's. I reckon it's a perfect match to the 360's chassis, where balance and poise outrank peak grip. Throw in a six-speed manual that click-clacks through an aluminium gate to the backtrack of that V8, and you've an ultra-tactile, rewarding driver's car. This one's finished in Rosso Corsa Red paintwork, so it's the living embodiment of a Ferrari I've dreamt of owning for more than two decades. One day...
SS

Audi R8 V8, 2010, 30K, £42,995

I can't quite believe that the R8 will be celebrating its 15th birthday next year. I was at university when it was officially launched in 2006 and instantly fell in love with it. I still have an ambition to own one by the time I'm 40. The fact that it was named after Audi's LMP race car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans five times only makes the idea more appealing.

I've only ever driven the second-generation V10, but the first-gen V8 is still widely regarded as the better driver's car and the one that I'd choose to buy. In manual format, naturally. This particular example in phantom black looks just the ticket, with the optional magnetic ride and an aftermarket titanium exhaust.

If it isn't super enough for you, then there's always the TTS twin supercharger package available with 740bhp with the leftover budget...
BL

Chevrolet Corvette C6, 2006, 45k, £18,450

Through the years I've driven many a car to Le Mans for a weekend of demi-bière and saucisse rouge, but for me the perfect steed for getting to the track is the same one delivering the most evocative noise on it - the Corvette. The low rumble of pure American V8 is one of those great sounds and that is what supercar ownership should be all about: the sensations.

An engine that can pull hard in any gear, break most speed limits in first and still light the rear wheels up in third on the D958 ticks all boxes for me. OK, so you can push the bodywork around like it was made from the plastic your last Indian takeaway came in, and when you come to a bend it is a little less sure footed than some of the others here - but I don't care, it's 40k cheaper than the rest. So if it doesn't work out, you can buy another one and still have cash spare. Frankly, they're pretty robust anyway.

I've gone for a red, umm blue version, as this Corvette has chameleoned itself to the background with a wrap, so leaves you to take your pick. As a C6 you might want to spend a little more on an exhaust that can truly replicate its Le Mans showing, and maybe sort some of the ride out. But sitting in one, the driving position is pretty much perfect and you even get a head-up Top Gun-style display.

There are two other things that make this the perfect choice: it's Independence Day for one thing, and for another there's the announcement of new dates for Le Mans. You won't even have to jump out at the toll booths. Kentucky Prized Vette-in!
PD

McLaren 12C, 2012, 17k, £74,990

I'm pitching the 12C for three reasons. One, last month's PH Used Buying Guide suggested that, various well-known niggles aside, the car is fundamentally solid in terms of reliability. Two, it is now persuasively cheap to buy. And three, a chap near me has obviously taken the plunge recently, and I'm rather taken by just how good his Volcano Red car looks.

Of course the primary reason is that you're getting a-l-o-t of bonafide British supercar for the money. The 12C was by no means a perfect creation (McLaren's ability to get progressively closer to that target with subsequent models is doubtless one of the reasons its debutant is now so cheap) but no-one migrating from a coupe or sports car is going query the step up in ability or outright speed. It'll likely ride better, too.

Yes, its infotainment will be naff and who know's where the 12C's price will finally plateau - but you're getting a marque-brand, hand-built mid-engine V8 supercar which, in this particular case, comes with a full McLaren service history (backed by a McLaren warranty) and just 17k on the clock. It's orange, too - so I don't clash with the neighbour.
NC

Lotus Esprit Sport 350, 1999, 31k, £64,995

Though I'll grant you that the Esprit is most typically a sports car, the Sport 350 firmly placed the British beach towel around the supercar pool in 1999. It had less power than a Ferrari 360 Modena but loads more torque from its twin-turbo V8 - and a chunk less weight, too. The S350 diet slashed 80kg from an already svelte standard Esprit, so the fat Ferrari would be no problem. Nothing from Japan could yet get close, and neither could anything that Germany mustered - a 911 Turbo would be there or thereabouts, but wasn't launched until the year after.

The Esprit's giant-killing performance, along with the Sport 350's pugnacious (yet still pretty) aero overhaul, made it the home team supercar hero we could all get behind. It was stunning to look at for kids young and old, stunning to drive as only a mid-engined Lotus could be and, well, just generally stunning.

Twenty years on the Sport 350's significance in Lotus history is now being recognised, aided by its 50-unit rarity: this low mileage one is on offer at £65k, thousands more than any comparable V8 Esprit. But for a supercar of this provenance, performance, scarcity and desirability, I could spend that sort of money on one very happily indeed.
MB

Lamborghini Gallardo, 2005, 48k £65,950

There was only one place for me to go with this: straight to Lamborghini's door. No further supercar discussion needed. From there it was just a question of spec. I wanted the manual which duly whittled my pool of options down to just a handful of cars. So this is my choice, with some compromises; I'm not a fan of the smoked lights or black wheels but both are easily and cheaply remedied. Perhaps due to its relative rarity I think the Gallado has aged very gracefully considering this example is now 15 years old and still looks fantastic. Yes, there are signs of its vintage: the satnav graphics on the VAG unit for one, but these minor details can be easily overlooked for the money.

If head turning is what you're after for your first foray into supercar ownership, you could do a lot worse. A few years ago I was driven to ASI in one and after being photographed several times en-route it all felt very strange for a Fiesta driver. Ditto the elevated at one petrol station believing we might be carjacked at any moment - but I guess all of this goes with the territory of joining an elite club. The howl it made through the Birmingham tunnels was the ultimate cure to any other anxieties, immediately resulting in it being added to the evergrowing list of cars I want to own. With examples now hovering around the £60k mark some serious man maths and a dollop of financing might yet make it come true real. With the right kind of water-tight warranty that is!
SL

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sidewinder500

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