There has never been a better time to be a filthy rich automotive enthusiast. From the $3 million Gordon Murray T.50, perhaps the most pedigreed and purist-oriented hypercar in human history, to the astounding new $5.5 million Bugatti Tourbillon with its purely mechanical instrument cluster and 276-mph top speed, the diversity and sheer opulence of upscale performance cars are greater than ever before. So if you’ve recently won the lottery or found a flash drive filled with Bitcoin, you can stop reading this article and go shopping.
Alright, now that those folks are gone, let’s talk about a situation that isn’t quite as well-known: It’s also a pretty good time to be an enthusiast on a budget. The used-car bubble of 2020-24 has well and truly burst. A broad variety of interesting new vehicles has the dealer auctions and second-hand lots filling with inventory. And the return-to-office mandates have a lot of people reluctantly trading in their COVID dream cars for something better suited to the daily grind.
What follows is a list of great sporting cars (and an SUV or two, for those of you who need one) that shouldn’t break the bank, sorted by price and purpose. The emphasis here is on vehicles that can be found in reasonable condition and enjoyed responsibly on the road rather than within the exclusive confines of a racetrack. Reliability is important, as well, because most of us don’t have the time or expertise necessary to be our own exotic-car mechanics. We will start at 10,000 bucks and work our way up. And, as always, your mileage may vary.
$10,000
The two-seat choice: 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata
We love the original Mazda Miata, sold globally from 1990 to 2005 with one major revision along the way, but it was always a bit of a “parts-bin” car, a quick-and-dirty effort that used as many existing pieces as possible and made life awfully tough for the average American-sized driver. The third-generation Miata, available from model year 2006 to 2014, fixed all of that. It’s a purebred sports car with unique suspension, brilliant high-speed handling, 50% more power than the 1990 Miata, and plenty of room for grown-ups. They’re durable and easy to fix. Early 5-speed examples can be had for $6,000 or less, while the 2014 “Club” model is still a $20,000 proposition. The sweet spot is in the middle.
Four or more: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro RS
When the Mustang got its retro restyle in 2005, it set the enthusiast world on fire. And if you want, you can find a good V-8 Mustang GT from that era for this kind of money. But let us clue you in on a secret: The 2010 Camaro RS goes just as fast with its standard V-6, gets better gas mileage, and is more thrilling to drive. It shares a lot of components with other GM cars, and it’s proven pretty reliable, with plenty of examples reaching the 200,000-mile mark. The “Transformers Movie” styling makes the Camaro a little hard to see out of at times. But when you look this good, who cares?
$20,000
The two-seat choice: 2012 Nissan 370Z
You should be aware up front that there are certain stereotypes about 370Z owners, namely that they are young men with sky-high testosterone levels and an inexhaustible appetite for mayhem. In this case, the stereotypes are often true, and just ten minutes in a 370Z might make you feel quite a bit of kinship with them. These are extremely serious cars that can humble an entry-level Porsche in a straight line and hang with Ferraris in the corners. The engine is dead reliable. Rust is the only enemy. That, and the highway patrol.
Four or more: 2015 BMW 335i
Let’s be honest for a minute: These are not perfectly reliable cars in the manner of a Nissan or Toyota. But after 10 years of use (and abuse) on the part of their owners, most of the common mechanical problems are fairly well understood and may have been addressed by previous owners. Now for the good part. The 335i is commonly thought of as Peak Small BMW. It’s handsome, it’s fast, and the interiors are better than nice. Be warned that you might not find the current four-cylinder BMW 330i very compelling after you’ve owned and enjoyed this straight-six-cylinder, 300-horsepower thoroughbred.
$30,000
The two-seat choice: 2025 Mazda Miata
We will miss this one when it’s gone. The fourth-generation Miata is one of history’s great sports cars. It looks gorgeous, is built like a Grand Seiko chronograph, and offers real-world back-road pace that can humble supercars. There is arguably no finer or purer two-seat car for sale at any price. And you can get it brand-new, with a warranty, for the price of a Honda HR-V.
Unlike the Miata, Subaru’s elite-tier STi variant of the WRX sedan is already gone from these shores. Which means interest in late-model examples is only going to increase. Of all the great cars on our list, only the STi can do it all: from rallying to autocross to racetrack work to dropping the kids off at daycare. Nothing sounds like an STi. Nothing looks like it, either. (Consult your significant other as to whether that’s a good or bad thing; opinions differ.) Dead stock, these are compelling, charming vehicles. Modified, they can be terrifying. In a good way.
$40,000
The two-seat choice: 2019 Corvette Stingray Z51
These could be had for just about $45,000 six years ago. Today, they command similar money. There’s a reason for that. The new mid-engined Corvette is a lot of things to a lot of people, but in the eyes of the True Believers, it’s not really a ‘Vette. This one is — and how. Nearly 500 horsepower from an engine that sits way out in front of you. Ultra-macho styling. Removable top. Seven-speed manual transmission as an option. It’s the last car to follow the Corvette template set in 1953. Some say it’s the best.
Four or more: 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC43 Coupe
Have we got a car for you: a twin-turbo Mercedes-Benz, breathed on by the famous tuners at AMG, with a cost-no-object interior and an on-road presence that makes the left-lane blockers ahead of you disappear. 362 horsepower, 9-speed transmission, faster in the quarter-mile than a lot of 1995-2005 Ferraris. Oh, and it’s got all-wheel-drive. And it’s a sport-utility vehicle. And you can get it with a certified pre-owned warranty at the local Mercedes-Benz dealer. The regular GLC43 SUV is pretty neat, but if you only need room for five people and some luggage, the coupe version is sleeker, tastier, and a bit sportier. Is it an irresponsible Autobahn burner or the world’s greatest school-run SUV? Yes to both.
$50,000
Two-seater: 2017 Jaguar F-Type SVR
For the price of a new Toyota RAV4 Plug-In, you can get a 575-horsepower Jaguar coupe or convertible that looks like a million bucks, pampers its occupants like English royalty, and inspires envy in everyone who sees it. The F-Type in all of its variants is a bargain in the used-car market, because people think they’re more trouble to run than they really are. The SVR, however, is the double espresso, NC-17 version that swallows Corvettes at the dragstrip and spits out Lamborghinis on the boulevard. Everyone should own at least one Jaguar in their life. If you can afford to, make it this one.
Four-seater: 2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
Take the mighty V-8 from the million-dollar Ferrari SF90. Remove two cylinders. Add two turbos. Put it in a sensuous, unmistakable body that makes every other sedan on the market look like a brick. Now let it run to … 191 miles per hour. (Some YouTubers have gotten it to 200, but we don’t advise you to try it.) This car is fast enough to hang with Teslas in a drag race, and in the corners, it leaves them behind like yesterday’s news. Expect to spend a bit of money to keep it going, but although it’s got a Ferrari heart, the costs are more in the used-BMW range. The Giulia (you will never get tired of saying “my Giulia”) is fast, it’s beautiful, and there is nothing else quite like it on the road.
Jack Baruth was born in Brooklyn, New York, and lives in Ohio. He is a pro-am race car driver, a former columnist for Road and Track and Hagerty magazines, and writer of the Avoidable Contact Forever newsletter.