If you take a look at our article on the most expensive vehicles ever sold, you'll see that there are some absolute gems in there, including the likes of the Ferrari 250 GTO, McLaren F1, Bugatti Divo, and others. While we all love these iconic sports cars, the sad reality is that most gearheads will never see them in real life, let alone drive them.
Thankfully, manufacturers have realized this and have ensured that, for every super-expensive sports car, there's an alternative that can provide similar thrills without costing too much. This list explores these two types of sports cars — five expensive ones that most gearheads will never afford, versus five alternatives that are a lot more affordable in comparison.
10 Awesome Sports Car That Costs A Fortune: Toyota 2000GT ($1 Million)
To most gearheads, the 1960s were the golden age of auto design. This fantastic decade gave us gems like the Jaguar E-Type, Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, Ferrari 250 GTO, and this beauty — the Toyota 2000GT.
Looking at the smooth curves of the 2000GT, it was hard to believe that it was a Toyota. Unfortunately, it was very much a Toyota under the hood, as it had a 2.0-liter six-cylinder engine producing only 148 hp. The 2000GT is one of the rarest Japanese cars, which is why people will pay over $1 million for it.
9 Cheap Alternative We'd Rather Have: Datsun 240Z ($35,000)
If you're interested in buying a drop-dead gorgeous Japanese car from the '60s but can't afford the Toyota 2000GT above, we have the perfect car for you — the Datsun 240Z. The 240Z was the first car of Nissan's now-legendary Z car line, and it's one of the main reasons why the series is still going strong today.
The 240Z had a gorgeous design that rivaled the best from Europe. It was powered by a 2.4-liter six-cylinder engine producing 151 hp. Nowadays, a good 240Z costs around $35,000, which is a bargain in our opinion.
8 Awesome Sports Car That Costs A Fortune: Ferrari 488 ($320,000)
The 488 is a mid-engined supercar produced from 2015 to 2019. The 488 was the replacement for the 458 and was the first mid-engined Ferrari to have a turbocharged V8 engine since the iconic Ferrari F40.
The 488 combines beauty and performance to create the ultimate driving experience, which explains why you need nearly a third-of-a-million-dollars to own it. At the heart of the 488 is a 3.9-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine cranking out 661 hp and 561 lb-ft of torque, giving it a 0-60 of just 3.0 seconds and a top speed of 224 mph.
7 Cheap Alternative We'd Rather Have: Corvette C8 ($60,900)
The legendary Corvette has stuck to the same formula for over six decades - a beautiful design, plenty of power, reliability, and a more affordable price tag compared to its European competitors. The latest generation of the Corvette is just as fantastic as its predecessors.
However, the C8 has one significant change - unlike other generations, the C8 has a mid-engined layout that many sports car fans love. It's also fast, thanks to a 6.2-liter V8 producing just under 500 hp. Though they're currently selling for considerably more than list price, the base price for a 2022 Corvette is just $60,900. At twice that price the C8 Vette is still a huge bargain.
6 Awesome Sports Car That Costs A Fortune: Ferrari F50 ($3.5 Million)
The F50 was the third installment of Ferrari's 'Halo series,' and although it's largely overshadowed by the F40 that preceded it, it was still a fantastic supercar with genuine racing tech. We love the F50's design, lightweight carbon-fiber body, and advanced F1-racing-inspired technologies.
The F50 is propelled by a 4.7-liter V12 engine producing 512 hp, making it one of the most powerful naturally aspirated cars of the '90s. Only 349 examples were built, which is why the F50 can cost over $3.5 million at an auction.
5 Cheap Alternative We'd Rather Have: First-Generation Honda/Acura NSX ($100,000)
In the early '90s, Honda introduced the NSX (as the Acura NSX in the U.S.) and proved to everyone that it could compete with the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini when it came to building world-class sports cars. For starters, the NSX had a gorgeous wedge-shaped design that not only looked great but was aerodynamically efficient.
It was also quite powerful, thanks to a 3.0-liter V6 generating 270 ponies. The icing on the cake is that the legendary Ayrton Senna helped in its development, so you can expect a track-worthy driving feel from this icon.
4 Awesome Sports Car That Costs A Fortune: 2022 Porsche 911 ($101,200)
The 911 is still going strong today. It has been one of the best-selling German sports cars since its introduction in the '60s, and it's easy to see why - the unmistakable design, power, excellent driving dynamics, and advanced Porsche engineering.
The latest 911 model is still as awesome as the rest, and since it still has a mighty flat-six, you can expect it to leave a fat smile on your face. However, it doesn't come cheap, as the base model costs over $100,000 while the others cost much more.
3 Cheap Alternative We'd Rather Have: 2022 Mazda MX-5 ($27,300)
If you are looking for a great driving experience, but you don't have Porsche-911 money, look no further than the best-selling two-seater sports car of all time, the iconic Mazda MX-5 Miata. The Miata debuted for 1990 and instantly impressed everyone with its sporty design, fantastic driving experience and unbelievably low price tag.
Although Miatas don't have much power, they are extremely lightweight and agile, which is why they're still popular today. The Miata is also one of the few cars still available with a manual transmission.
2 Awesome Sports Car That Costs A Fortune: Aston Martin Vanquish ($300,000)
When it comes to building gorgeous supercars, few manufacturers can outdo Aston Martin. The Vanquish shows why. It debuted in 2001 as the marque's flagship model and was produced over two generations until 2018.
As Aston Martin's flagship model, the Vanquish needed a lot of power. As such, Aston Martin equipped it with a massive 5.9-liter V12 making 550 hp, giving it great performance. Like most Astons, the Vanquish's price tag is well out of reach for most gearheads.
1 Cheap Alternative We'd Rather Have: 2013 Nissan GT-R ($55,000)
The Nissan GT-R is already a legendary car, despite having been introduced less than two decades ago. The GT-R simply offers more value for money than arguably any other sports car in the world, which is why everyone loves it.
The latest GT-R costs more than $100,000, which is already a bargain considering it has 565-hp twin-turbo V6 and an all-wheel-drive system. However, you can buy a 2013 model for half that, which almost looks the same and only has slightly less power.