We all have that special car growing up. For some, it is a supercar that we first saw in magazines, movies, or games. For some, it is the luxury sedan that makes it feel like we are riding in our own personal palace(think about a Rolls-Royce or a Maybach S-Class). Whatever the case, the car of our dreams is generally the one that many can only hope to see in real life, let alone driving or owning one. As we get older and work hard to make a good life for our family, that dream car is always there in the back of our heads, poking and nudging us whenever we add some hard-earned money into our savings. But those dream cars that we all drool over have the ability to turn heads, produce more saliva, and empty our bank accounts. Eventually, the fact that savings alone aren’t going to cut it unless we win a lottery hits us like a ton of bricks.
That said, over the years, the difference in quality and performance between the most expensive cars and cheaper ones has become less and less distinct and explicit. The automobile industry has more competition than ever before, and the real winner in this race of selling more cars is the people. Can’t afford a Ferrari or a Rolls Royce, well you can buy an Acura or a Genesis that are designed to evoke the same emotions from you for a fraction of the cost. Here are 10 such examples.
10 Ferrari 488 (Acura NSX)
Everyone loves a Ferrari. Even if there is a person that doesn’t like the prancing horse, they can’t deny or ignore the quality, performance, and iconic history of a Ferrari. The 488 Spider, for example, is a $280,900 thoroughbred that is good for 661 hp and has a top speed of close to 200 mph.
You know what else is almost as fast (573 hp but AWD, and 193 mph top speed) and costs just $160,000? The new Acura NSX. It may not be a Ferrari, but it surely gives one a run for its money, and there is also the backing of Honda.
9 Rolls-Royce Phantom (Genesis G90)
So you want a Rolls-Royce. But you or someone in your family isn’t a movie star or a record-selling singer or even a YouTube star (this is 2021!). We reckon $460,000 sounds a bit costly for a car, you can buy multiple luxury sedans for the cost of one Phantom! So the Royce is out of the picture for us common folks.
But if you want a taste of that premium feel, uber-comfort, and a car that looks like it’s built for a person with a certain status, then the $77,000 Genesis G90 might come to your rescue here. The premium version offers almost every comfort and convenience-oriented feature under the sun.
8 Mercedes G-Wagon (Suzuki Jimny)
Mercedes-Benz G-Class is one of the most famous offroaders in the history of automobiles. And the G Wagon’s offroading capability justifies the insanely high price as well. Now there are a lot of off-road adventurers out there who don't want to stop where the pavement does. But not all of them can really afford to buy and maintain one of these.
Enter the Suzuki Jimny. It’s not sold in the US, but you can import it. The Jimny has proved to be a capable off-roader over the world so conquering the lands of the US will not be a difficult challenge.
7 Lamborghini Urus (Audi RSQ8)
People were skeptical when Lamborghini revealed its new SUV. But all of the doubts were quickly cleared when we saw just how fast the Urus was. It’s the cheapest Lamborghini you can buy right now. But still, the $218,000 price tag isn’t low enough for most of us.
Thankfully, we have the Audi RSQ8 for half the price. The German SUV takes just 0.8 seconds more than the Urus’s 3-second 0-60 time. $110,000 is not cheap at all, but for Audi’s top SUV that delivers similar performance and luxury as the Lambo, it’s a pretty good deal.
6 Audi R8 (Audi TT RS)
The R8 is one of Audi’s best offerings in recent years. The R8 is a true supercar that leaves no stone unturned when it comes to providing a true supercar-like experience thanks to its high-revving 532-hp V10 engine. A price tag of $145,000 for the base model and $200,000 for the performance model is considered to be decent/acceptable.
But with the TT RS, although you get 100 less hp and half the cylinders in its engine, the AWD makes sure you get similar torque and that supercar-like acceleration. All of that for half the price of the base R8.
5 Mercedes-Benz S-Class (Volvo S90)
For the people who get a car, hire a driver, and sit in the rear seats enjoying a relaxed ride to the destination, we all know that the S-Class (or the Lexus LS) is one of the best options available in the world. The $107,000 - $173,000 price is usually not a big deal for such people.
Yet, there are some who want to experience such comfort and serenity while traveling but don’t want to doll out such big money. Well, they have the Volvo S90 for that sense of comfort, convenience, and Volvo’s trademark safety. Price? Between just $56,000 to $68,000.
4 Bentley Bentayga (Range Rover Autobiography)
A Bentley SUV seems like one of the best ways to get around places. A super-luxury SUV with the best materials both inside and out and a sea of convenience features make the Bentayga a true dream car to own. But what if you’re about $100,000 short?
Well, the Land Rover Autobiography series might be the one to check out. Instead of $273,000 for the Bentayga Speed edition, you can enjoy a premium-level SUV experience for $145,000 V8 powered Autobiography LWB. It’s more practical and more off-roading capable too! You can watch Jeremy Clarkson explain why he thinks the Autobiography is a better buy than the Bentayga in The Grand Tour's Season 1 Episode 12 on Prime Video.
3 BMW M5 (Chevy SS)
BMW M5 is a big bad sports sedan that can take on most of the sports cars around its price and offer more practicality. The 2016 M5, for example, came with a 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 making 560 hp. 0-60 mph time? 4.2 seconds. Price? More than $50,000. However, there are some of us that don’t want to buy a car for more than say $45,000 to $50,000.
Then they might want to consider the Chevrolet SS. Its 6.2-liter V8 making 415 hp is good enough for the lighter SS, it handles great and is a lot of fun to drive without costing as much as the beemer.
2 Aston Martin V8 Vantage (2016 Jaguar F-Type)
An Aston Martin had to be in a list of dream cars. Never failing to make a jaw-droppingly beautiful car, Aston Martin hit it out of the park with the V8 Vantage. The 2016 Vantage had a 4.7-liter V8 engine making 430 hp, was highly customizable, and very costly at around $70,000.
The 2016 Jaguar F-Type is a well-built, underrated luxury sports coupe with a 3.0 Liter V6 making 380 HP. Not as powerful, but still makes a great value for money for $30,000. And it looks beautiful too.
1 Audi A7 (Kia Stinger GT)
The A7 is a sleek sedan that looks stylish, offers practicality with luxury, keeps passengers comfortable, and still gets a good speed out of the 335 hp 3.0-liter V-6. It is certainly one of the better large luxury sedans. It’s somewhat decently priced at $72,000 to $84,000 depending on the trim level.
But the lovable Kia Stinger GT will make it look a bit overpriced considering what the $44,000 to $54,000 South Koren counterpart offers. Both cars get a V6, but the Stinger GT makes 368 hp at 6000 rpm whereas the A7 makes 335 hp at 5000 rpm. The Audi gives some more luxury features, but the Stinger is also very comfortable at a much lower price.