The best used sports cars to buy in 2026
Finally decided to invest in a car with very few doors and no back seats? We've something for everyone...
Up to £5,000 | MG F
Very cheap sports cars, not unlike anything bought very cheaply secondhand, ought to be considered with a degree of disposability built into the equation. This is probably not a car to last forever, and unless you’re at the start of a project, nor is it something you want to spend a fortune mending. For the risky side of £5k you’re buying short-term fun. The standard solutions have their merits - old MX-5, MR2 etc - but for the sake of contrariness, we’ve gone for a wildly yellow MG Trophy. Haters gonna hate, but the 160hp 1.8 VVC is more than capable of putting a smile on your face - which is the whole point of a sports car in the first place.
Up to £10,000 | Nissan 350Z
Naturally, things get slightly more serious if you double the budget. Which is an appropriate attitude for the prospect of a 350Z, a rear-drive car considered burly even for its day (the baseline 20 years ago being significantly more hairy-chested than it is today). It was not, and is not, a delicate piece of kit, but it definitely retains a charm of its own, aided in no small measure by the 3.5-litre V6 in its nose - an engine as obviously naturally aspirated as a retired greyhound. Completely standard UK examples are becoming noticeable for their relative scarcity, making this one a pleasing prospect, having been seemingly well cared for while covering less than 80k. A bargain, in other words.
Up to £15,000 | Vauxhall VX220
Of course, if ‘burly’ to you means ‘onerously heavy’, then you’re living in the right country. For many people, there are two levels of British sports car: a front-engined, nicely appointed two-seater for visiting the pub on Sunday, or a mid-engine, stripped bare two-seater for visiting the track on Saturday. Happily, £15k will start to get you into either concept, and, as evidenced by this vividly blue VX220, turn your weekend frown entirely upside down. Less famous and less good-looking, perhaps, than the Lotus on which it was based, but hardly any less terrific to drive, even with the Vauxhall-supplied donkey. This comes with a virtually spotless MOT history and trifling miles. You’re welcome.
Up to £25,000 | Mazda MX-5 (ND)
Does PH like a BBR-ified MX-5? Do bears like honey? It is no coincidence that the combination has appeared numerous times on our auction platform - so much so that it is almost surprising to find one for sale not associated with a seven-day time limit. But here it is, and very nice it looks, too. We could argue all day about whether or not a Turbo conversion is preferable to the atmospheric Super alternative, but the end result is much the same: a faster, more involving Mazda MX-5. Especially if the chassis has also been overhauled, which this one has. Clearly it’s been a labour of love for its last owner, and has been used very sparingly in the last ten years. That accounts for the price, though believe us when we tell you that you’re buying an unputdownable sports car. One for the ages, too.
Up to £35,000 | Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Speaking of one for the ages, welcome to the idea of buying a used Aston. If you haven’t ever considered an old Vantage as a genuine ownership prospect, then you’re either a) here by mistake, b) oddly unaware of the money now being asked, c) very much aware of how much trouble they can be. Certainly there is a reasonable chance that spending 30-ish grand on buying one will not be the last time you shell out - but the upsides remain patently obvious. You will own a V8-powered Aston Martin and it will look great and sound great forever, and put everyone else who spent 30-ish grand on a car to shame. This one has a faultless green record when it comes to MOTs, has the correct number of pedals and an uprated clutch. Bingo.
Up to £45,000 | Porsche Cayman R
There aren’t many price points here that a Porsche Cayman wouldn’t make a very strong case for itself, from early 987s at less than £10k (grab ‘em while you can!) through 981s at £20k and above, then the GT-badged cars, which can be anything from £55k to more than twice that. There’s a Cayman for (almost) any budget, with great handling, Porsche quality and a glorious flat six in (almost) all of them. This time around, the R gets our vote; not only has its residual strength been incredible (this was a £50k car 15 years ago), it’ll feel no less sensational to drive than in 2011. Light, raw, thrilling and yet totally usable, it’s the mid-engined Porsche sports car at its very best. And with the current muddle around the Boxster and Cayman’s future, a decent R is going to be no less desirable in the future.
Up to £55,000 | Jaguar F-Type
Not unlike the Cayman, there’s a plethora of Jaguar F-Types out there, from £15k high milers all the way to six-figure Project 7s. Similarly, the Jag appeals almost regardless of budget; the case to make for a £20k V6 Roadster is as easy as that for an all-season V8 hot rod at twice the cash. And with nothing like the F-Type ever coming again from Jaguar, the temptation is hard to ignore. While £55k is a lot to spend on a car launched in 2013, the final facelift really smartened the look, and introduced the 5.0-litre P450 model, which was a great compromise: V8 thunder and supercharged silliness aplenty, without the ludicrous (perhaps unnecessary) performance of the 575hp R. At launch, this 4WD 75 (the run-out edition) was at least £83,290. More than £25k off after fewer than 20,000 miles shouldn’t need much explaining…
Up to £75,000 | Lotus Emira
And while we’re on bargain British heroes, it would be remiss not to mention the Lotus Emira. There’s simply no escaping the fact that the RRP of a new one has climbed to a point that’s hard to justify. What was once meant to be the £60k Lotus sports car now kicks off at £80,000 for the Turbo; you can add another £10,000 to make that a Turbo SE. The V6, in flagship Racing Line spec, is £99,500. The Emira is fantastic to drive, no doubt, but it’s not that fantastic. Given that, it’s probably little surprise to find nearly new ones with significant savings; bad news for the original buyers, but a pleasing turn of events for those who want a brilliant Lotus sports car for less. This First Edition has covered just 5,000 miles, was registered in 2024, and pairs the supercharged V6 with a six-speed manual - it costs £61,750. Rude not to, right?
Up to £100,000 | Ferrari F430
While the F430 was a brilliant junior supercar 20 or so years ago, times change. And pretty drastically as far as mid-engined Ferraris go: the new Speciale boasts a twin-turbo V6 and a hybrid helping hand to almost 900hp. This is still going to give you the supercar feel-good factor (and running costs), but the performance will be more familiar to a contemporary sports car. Which, frankly doesn’t sound like a bad place to be, especially with the 490hp peak made at 8,500rpm. Speed will have to be earned and not simply doled out, with that epic flat plane crank V8 providing all the required encouragement. At less than £100k, you’ll have to make do with an F1 'box rather than an open gate, but then nothing is quite so mid-'00s as an automated manual - call it authentic. This one has less than 20,000 miles, is getting four new tyres for sale, and is on offer at £5k less than a new BMW M3. Yeah, really.
Sky’s the limit | Singer 911
The world’s most famous sports car, made the best it can be. Little wonder, really, that Singer Vehicle Design has enjoyed such phenomenal success over the past decade and a bit. Folk had been modifying their Porsche since pretty much day dot, of course; Singer didn’t invent that. What they could claim for themselves was a level of attention to detail, obsessiveness and flair that the Porsche community hadn’t really seen before. A 964 reimagined by Singer looks stunning, drives exquisitely and is built beautifully, which is why everything they make sells out in not much time at all. The car that started it all, the Classic, is no longer available to commission, as Singer has moved on to ever more ambitious Porsche-shaped projects. Handy, then, that a few are now for sale secondhand, looking more desirable than ever: this early car (number 14, delivered in 2015) benefits from an upgrade to the 4.0-litre engine and just 3,000 miles. It even comes with a warranty. A sports car undoubtedly worthy of any jackpot win.
Cayman R looks good, holding it's value well.
The rest doesn't really interest me, apart from the Singer obviously.
Budget wise I'd pick the 350Z because I've always wanted one, and with a bit more cash it would be a toss up between the F-Type and the Emira for me.
I really like the Aston too, because of the manual and the V8.
Of the other cars, no need to pay anywhere near £10K for a decent 350Z (yet anyway). I think they make a great weekend car but be careful of buying post March 06 and the near £800 tax. For a hobby car you won't care about not getting the HR engine.
Dodgy times ahead. I wouldn't want to be putting £50K or more into a depreciating asset right now. That Jag in particular.
With hindsight I wish that I'd gone for a V8 rather than a V6 for my weekend car really, because at least you can justify the high tax in your head for a V8 more I think in comparison.
I’d prefer a tidy Chimaera instead of the Vauxhall.
I’d love the Vantage - they re not as troublesome as the article makes out from what I ve read and they look and sound absolutely fantastic.
Singer is going to be silly money behind that POA sign - yes it s amazing but I could think of a dozen cars I could probably have for the same dosh with enough money left over to build a shed to put them in.
Quite fancy the Singer, but only if the POA includes a cabin re-trim – it’s a bit too Sound & Vision imho – plus the side-stripes need to be repainted to match the colour of the lettering (or vice versa).
The way these people assume it’s reasonable to inflict their ghastly taste on the next buyer, while also charging a hefty premium, is beyond delusional. Arrogant tosspots.
With hindsight I wish that I'd gone for a V8 rather than a V6 for my weekend car really, because at least you can justify the high tax in your head for a V8 more I think in comparison.
I'm open minded about V6 vs V8. If the engine suits the car, I like it.
The VX220 looks good value.
And that Aston. Are they honestly a more ruinous proposition than a comparable 911? An R8 would certainly seem to be comparably costly.
I’d sub in an F Type SVR for the 75 as it just seems a bit more special.
The Aston has always been tempting, especially at that price. As the article says, the looks and noise alone is enough for me. I’m old school, so the Nissan gets a nod from me too.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff