Best sub £100k sports car/supercar?

[white_goodman]

For many years, Porsche, with the 911 have had this market pretty much to themselves but is the 911 stll the best budget supercar in this bracket? It's always been a car that I have realistically aspired to, as prices do eventually fall to a realistic level and it would be a fairly practical car to use regularly and as your only car if you had to. I know Ferrari and Lamborghini have made their cars easier to use and drive over recent years but I still see them as "toys" best used occassionally and the "entry-level" models now cost £150k+.

Porsche have made the 911 "better" over the years. Faster, easier to handle (although it will still spin in extremis), roomier, more economical etc but has it lost too much of its character, USP in the process?

I'm thinking that cars like the:

Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Jaguar XKR
Audi R8
Nissan GTR
Maserati GranTurismo

now offer a viable alternative with similar or better performance for similar money.

I imagine that the Audi R8 and Nissan GTR would be very easy to live with and the fastest in less experienced hands. The Maserati looks like a bargain compared to a Ferrari and in its own way is just as desirable. It looks and sounds stunning, however, it's probably more of a GT and I imagine better on wide, fast, flowing roads and transcontinental trips as it is probably too big to drive quickly on some of our windier roads.

The XKR (as good as it may be) wouldn't figure for me as the Aston (although it may not be any quicker) pips it for desirability. I would be happy to keept is simple with a manual V8 (coupe or roadster) and relish in the stunning looks, V8 noise and "Aston Martiness". I don't think that it would be a car that I would get bored with very quickly. Although it's not the newest design and I'm sure that the Porsche is faster and more effective on track, the Porsche just looks too ubiquitous to me now to be truly special.

So what's your favourite budget (sub £100k) supercar and why? To guarantee that we're comparing like-for-like, let's stick with new options (someone else is paying and you can keep your existing car if a supercar doesn't meet your practical requirements)!

[Baryonyx]

Nissan GTR, because it's the best.

[Dave Hedgehog]

go drive them and get the one that rings your bell

[hesnotthemessiah]

Datsun every time for speed. But the new 991 Carerra S is much more engaging. IMHO (Having driven both). Not driven any of the orhers.

[GingerWizard]

Baryonyx said:

Nissan GTR, because it's the best.

This really....

[thinfourth2]

An ultima

I want my super car to be super not some fat thing with satnav

But best sportscar for under 100K then i would be looking at caterham

[NadiR]

Nissan GTR gets my vote because it's pretty much the best all rounder supercar there is, and it's one of the quickest.

[ViperDave]

Or the Viper SRT10 ACR because it IS the quickest.

[AndyBrew]

Nissan GT-R the only bad thing about this car is that since owning mine I have no desire to own anything else!

[RevHappy]

MaserGT-S MC shift for style and sound
GT-R for speed and handling.

[Sline]

AMV8 on looks alone it beats anything sub £250k hands down!

I couldn't really care less how fast it goes round a track so that dismisses the fugly GTR straight away. I guess it would be a toss up between a 996 GT3 RS (even though I hate 996s!!!) or the AM.

[Petrolhead95]

Ultima easily, stupidly quick and dangerous. Perfect.

If not I'll have a Ferrari California if they're under £100,000 GBP?

[crazy about cars]

Depends on what you intend to do with the car to be honest. If you want razor sharp performance and track day enjoyment, I definitely vote GTR. If you want some refinement then Aston Martin (has to be V12 imo...) and if you want a balance between the two I would say R8 V10.

[Dalto123]

No point buying a new car in my opinion. I think this is as good as it gets :

http://pistonheads.com/sales/3632149.htm

[David87]

For me it's still the 911, specifically in GT3 form. Nothing surpasses its blend of qualities, I'd say.

[white_goodman]

Dave Hedgehog said:

go drive them and get the one that rings your bell

I would love to be in that predicament but my budget is more Austin Metro than Aston Martin! You don't see many teachers driving Aston Martins or Maseratis but I guess the XKR or a 911 of some description may fall into my budget one day!

[Roman]

Superformance Coupe

Coolest & best looking (in my opinion), exclusive, likely to age well & depreciate little - particularly now they carry an official Shelby chassis number.

[waremark]

white_goodman said:

Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Jaguar XKR
Audi R8
Nissan GTR
Maserati GranTurismo

Jag and Maserati more GT than sports car

Nissan unbelievably, stunningly capable, , great value to buy but not to run, and somehow does not charm me

Aston sounds wonderful, makes you feel good inside and out, but has a horrid gearbox in auto mode (the only one I have driven) and probably not quite as sharp as

Audi R8 (the only one I have not driven) apparently still superb, but neither as practical, nor quite as superb, as

911 - which in my very controversial opinion lacked only a bit of refinement in 997 versions to make the greatest sports GT.

[waremark]

California, R8 V10 and V12V all outside price range.

No-one suggested any Lotus products.

[GroundEffect]

It must be a tie-up between the Evora S and the Carrera S, Shirley?