Fun, special car 60k

[orangeaddikt]

Recently sold my M140 and looking for a replacement.

Slightly specific criteria:

- feel special (140 never did!)
- 2nd car so no need to be particularly practical
- however, lives outside with no garage
- fun to drive/good chassis
- doesn't have to be an Evo 5* car but I've always found their opinions tend to line up with what I like
- pretty modern with reasonable running costs
- love older cars just prefer newer/lower mileage with warranty
- can do a european road trip and and the odd track day

Currently weighing up

- Alpine A110
- G87 M2 (not special enough?)
- Porsche Cayman GTS
- Lotus Exige V6 (or Elise 220) (needs a garage?)

Wildcards:

- BMW 1M
- M2/M4 Comp
- Older Cayman/Boxster 6cyl
- TVR...

Previous cars have been - Clio 182, RS Meg MK3 and 4, M140i, M240i, Mini JCW, MX5. Out of all them the Renaultsports were the most fun!

[snotrag]

I think you would like a Lotus. They always punch well above their weight in terms of how 'special' or exotic they feel compared to what else is available.

[Feirny]

You sound like myself, serial RS owner. I had an S2 Elise years ago and loved it.

So I'd say Elise/Exige/Emira go test drive them all. Very much doubt you'll be disappointed.

[Freakuk]

You could probably get a 981GT4 with that kind of money to spend.

[baconsarney]

Alfa Quadrifoglia twin turbo left field maybe but yummy

Or Vantage V8…

[Matty_]

baconsarney said:

Alfa Quadrifoglia twin turbo left field maybe but yummy

Or Vantage V8

My Giulia QV was a second car. Not "special" enough IMO. Would be a great 1-car-for-all though if you didn't want two cars.

Agreed with the above on Lotus. Evora, Emira or Exige are all possible.

But...I'd be very tempted by a GT4. I'm not really a Porsche person but would make an exception for those.

[ZX10R NIN]

Leftfield first.

C6 Z06 these are very special & are on par with a GT3 from the same year:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/397147780977?_skw=corve...

C7 Stingray with the Z51 pack, easier to live with & a cracking steer, I'd recommend trst driving one:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202510307...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202510267...

You'll get a nice Evora 400 for your budget & they're a special steer:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202507054...

4C with enough left over to get the Alfaworks suspension setup:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202507104...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202510247...

Alpine:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505152...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202511187...

If you're considering a BMW then the M3/4 CS gets my vote:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202511057...

A smidge over budget but the Track Edition R35 is a very good steer:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202503180...

V12 Vantage:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409214...

MC Stradale:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202510016...

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Thursday 20th November 20:50

[Billy_Whizzzz]

I went M140 to M2 comp (fine as a daily) to a 997.2s and X3M comp to a 981 Spyder and a boring G31 530d. The 981 is much nicer than the 997 and both a million times better (more agile, tactile, nuanced, etc than any of the BMWs. You’d get a 981 GTS or Spyder / GT4 for £60k.

[mikiec]

Gen 1 R8 V10.

Way more special than anything else you've mentioned. Running costs are reasonable but you do want a contingency fund.
Worth trying all 3 gearboxes, I've had both the manual and R-tronic.
Will pretty much be deprecation proof and your getting one of the great engines of the world.

Other choices from BMW, i8 or M Coupe

[DodgyGeezer]

Mach 1 Mustang

if you can cope with LHD, and a little crudity, Hellcat Challenger

[EastStand]

Lotus Exige V6 every time, nothing else like one for the money.

[a340driver]

I'm slightly shocked and impressed that a replacement for a 1 series is a £60K car. Nice one!

I'm trying to get into your mindset and I'm definitely going for the Alpine!

I've had a few BMW's but really enjoyed my Abarth 595c.

I've replaced it with an M4, which I kept and is well below your £60 limit and am very happy with.

[Jonstar]

It really depends on how raw you want to go, caterham would be the most fun but most people can't deal with the lack of creature comforts. A decent compromise is the exige, or go much softer and get an R8 or V12 vantage. Cayman is a decent compromise too. Pick you poison.

[SWoll]

The 4 cylinder DCT drivetrain in the Alpine would put me off. Is it special enough for an occasional use car?

I'd be more tempted by a V6 manual Emira if looking for something new enough to still be under warranty

As

More special than the Porsche, more useable and happier living outside all year than an Exige.

[orangeaddikt]

A lot of love for the Lotuses (Loti?) I think I need to try one.

Some really great options - R8s/Corvettes/Caterhams all fantastic but unfortunately ruling out due to age/running costs, LHD, long distance driving and living outside for the Caterham.

What kicked this off was seeing there's an Alpine A110 0% offer for a new one (and presumably last off the line..), and they are about 60k with a couple of options, so I should caveat 60k is the top end.

And then just wanted to see what else was out there as 60k opens up a lot.

Definitely gravitating towards the bespoke 2 seaters: A110, Lotus, Porsche.

Interesting the BMWs are getting less interest, I do love them and my G42 240i is probably objectively the best car I've had as a daily and a great drive, but it feels like it's misses that 5% that bespoke sports cars (or Renaultsports weirdly) have. I did test drive a G87 to see if that would do it and it's better but still missing a little bit of that purpose built feeling (probably because it's not!). Hence thinking a CS or 1M might just tip into that.

[Magnum 475]

Another (obvious) option:

Ford Mustang V8.

800bhp "Super Snake", £55k:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202511017...

This could be the most fun you can have with your clothes on

[TrevorHill]

If you can go without carbon bucket seats, £60K will just about get you into a 718 GT4. The cheapest on on Autotrader is £65K but there has to be some room for haggling in that.