European cars are adored by gearheads worldwide for their style, luxury, advanced engineering, and superior performance. However, despite all these advantages, European cars typically have the worst depreciation rates, making them terrible investments. However, not all European cars are worthless investments.
If you check European used car statistics, you'll find plenty of models that have actually gained value over the years, and the best part is that many of them are still affordable. We did some research and found ten affordable European cars that make great investments.
10 Porsche 944 Turbo - $20,000
About four decades ago, Porsche built several front-engined sports cars to attract buyers who couldn't afford the 911. The 944 was one of them, and it was pretty awesome. The 944 was a huge hit for Porsche thanks to its design, advanced engineering, and affordability, which is why it sold over 160,000 examples.
The base 944 was awesome, but many gearheads wanted more power, which is why Porsche built the 944 Turbo in 1986. Thanks to the increased power, the 944 Turbo could hit a top speed of 164 mph. With prices still in the $10,000-$20,000 range, the 944 Turbo is one of the cheapest Porsches available today.
9 Alfa Romeo 4C - $42,000
Alfa Romeo knows a thing or two about building drop-dead gorgeous sports cars, and the 4C is a perfect example of that. The 4C has been one of the most popular Alfa Romeo models over the last two decades, and it's easy to see why.
Gearheads love the 4C's beauty, affordable price, and even though it has a tiny 1.75-liter turbocharged engine making 237 hp, it weighs less than 2,000 lbs. The 4C was recently discontinued, which is the main reason why we think its prices will grow.
8 BMW M3 (E46) - $20,000
The M3 is BMW's pride and joy. Since the first M3 hit the streets in 1986, gearheads have been in love with everything about it. Of all the M3 generations ever built, the E46 is arguably the best.
The E46 M3 has a timeless design that still blends in with modern cars and is powered by a masterpiece of an engine - a 3.2-liter inline-six engine making 338 hp. The E46 M3 will always have a cult following in the auto industry, which is why we think it's a fantastic investment.
7 Mercedes-Benz SL500 R129 - $25,000
If you ask any gearhead what Mercedes-Benz is known for, one of the top answers will be engineering excellence. One of the cars that cemented the German marque's reputation as the king of engineering is the R129 generation of the SL Class.
The R129 was introduced in the '90s and was praised for its superb design, luxurious interior, and range of powerful and reliable engines, including a V12. The R129 is still among the cheapest V12-powered sports cars available today, but not for long.
6 Aston Martin DB9 - $37,000
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The 'entry-level' DB7 broke Aston Martin's sales records largely thanks to its affordable price. Aston Martin knew it had to build a worthy successor, which is exactly what the DB9 became when it debuted in 2004.
As you'd expect from Aston Martin, the DB9 is an absolute gem. It's gorgeous and has a luxurious interior to match. It is powered by a 5.9-liter V12 blurting out 450 hp, and as you know, the V12 is an endangered species.
5 Porsche 911 (996) - $20,000
The 996 generation of the iconic Porsche 911 was quite controversial when it debuted in the '90s. It was the first water-cooled 911 and had a notably different design compared to previous generations, particularly in its lack of rounded headlights.
Due to the hate it gets, the 996 is super cheap, with some examples costing less than $20,000. However, we think it will blow up soon when gearheads start realizing just how good it is.
4 Lotus Elise - $33,000
Lotus has been very quiet in the 21st century, but it still gave us an absolute gem in the form of the Elise. The Elise debuted in the late '90s and received a lot of praise for its fun driving experience.
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The Elise was not powerful, as it only had a 118-hp four-cylinder engine under the hood. However, an aluminum chassis and fiberglass body kept its weight at just 1,500 lbs, making it a blast to drive. Since the Elise was recently discontinued, prices should start going up soon.
3 Audi TT RS - $35,000
Japanese automakers introduced many affordable sports cars in the '90s, forcing European automakers to change their strategy. Audi was among the first European automakers to respond when it unveiled the TT in the late '90s.
The TT was a huge hit, loved for its unique design, solid build quality, and affordability. However, it was seriously underpowered, which is why Audi's RS division introduced the TT RS in the late 2000s. The TT RS was equipped with a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five engine dishing out 330 hp, giving it exhilarating performance.
2 Bentley Continental GT - $37,000
Bentley almost didn't make it to the 21st century, as the legendary British marque was struggling to sell enough cars to stay afloat. Thankfully, Volkswagen swooped in and saved the company when it introduced the Continental GT in the early 2000s.
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The Continental GT sold so many units that it single-handedly saved Bentley, which is why it's still in production to date. Gearheads love its strong presence, spacious and comfortable cabin, and monstrous W12 engine.
1 2008–2015 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG - $30,000
If you're looking for the cheapest way to join the Mercedes-AMG family, the W204-based C63 AMG is it. The 2008-'15 C63 AMG was the first Mercedes-AMG model to be built from the ground up, as earlier C-Class AMG models essentially had bolt-on performance upgrades.
The C63 AMG was powered by a superb 6.2-liter V8 making around 450 hp, giving it excellent performance. On top of that, the C63 AMG still has the quickest, most responsive steering in any Mercedes-Benz vehicle.