Grand touring cars are great vehicles that have the singular purpose of making road trips as comfortable as possible. These luxury cars are used to cross entire continents and feature luxurious interiors and fancy technology.
Due to the inherent nature of the GT car, many are quite expensive when purchased new – easily costing upwards of $100,000. Most enthusiasts do not have this kind of cash just lying around, so we check for older and more affordable alternatives. Luckily for us, luxury and GT cars depreciate faster than a crashing stock market, so picking one up for under $30,000 is pretty easy. Granted, these cars have technologies that require specialized maintenance, and getting a hold of parts could pose a problem, but they are worth it – especially when they cost a fraction of the price of a new model. In addition to being great for road trips, GTs make great daily drivers as they are comfortable, and the various gadgets keep occupants busy while stuck in traffic.
Most GTs cost well above what anyone is willing to pay for a car, but depreciation makes it possible for any enthusiast to afford one on the used market. Here are the ten best grand tourers we could find to buy on a budget in 2023.
10 2007 BMW 650i - $11,300
The BMW 6 Series E63 was the spiritual successor to the 8 Series of the 1990s, which was replaced by the 8 Series in the late 2010s, and will again be replaced with a 6 Series in the near future. While the segment strategy is a bit difficult to follow, the car itself is not.
The 650i featured a 4.8-liter V8 engine mated to a smooth 6-speed automatic. The styling may seem a bit weird, but the car drives fantastically, gliding over bumps and imperfections in the road. The V8 power gave it ample punch and this great GT car is now a bargain – on the used market for around $11,000.
9 1999 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 - $19,000
The Porsche 911 is considered by many to be the best sports car on the market. When the 996 generation debuted in the late 1990s, enthusiasts scoffed as it was the first water-cooled 911 – breaking the long-standing tradition.
As a result, the 996 is the cheapest of the 911 generations, costing around $20,000 for a good one. The Carrera 4 offers all-wheel-drive security while the flat-6 in the back produces enough power to cruise along the highway or rip around a twisty backroad in style.
8 2017 Ford Mustang GT - $20,000
The Ford Mustang is technically a muscle car, but the S550 generation moved further into the sports car and cheap GT spectrum – after all, the V8-powered model is called the Mustang GT. The 2017 Mustang GT is among the cheaper of the trims, but still has everything needed for a GT car.
The V8 under the hood provides ample power and an excellent naturally aspirated noise coming from the exhaust. The interior is a bit plastic, but it has a good infotainment system and an automatic transmission – although a manual is available for a more engaging experience.
7 2005 Cadillac XLR - $21,800
The Cadillac XLR is nothing more than a Chevrolet Corvette C6 in drag, but it was a pretty great idea. The Corvette C6 is an excellent car, only let down by the feel of its materials – which are cheap plastic. Putting a Cadillac badge on the car elevated it to a more elegant stance.
The XLR featured two V8s – one of which was supercharged in the XLR-V – and had an exterior styling much like the CTS and BLS of the era. It also incorporated some styling elements from the Cien Concept. The XLR is a great vehicle and is quite rare as few people actually bought one.
6 2010 Jaguar XKR - $23,900
The second-generation XKR was Jaguar’s last attempt at the large grand tourer, which they discontinued in 2015 when the F-Type arrived on the scene. The XKR featured a supercharged V8 and a silky-smooth automatic transmission, with power going to the rear wheels only.
The XKR is a great-looking machine that is not only able to blast its way across a country at top speed but can also thrash its rear tires at a racetrack. It is a blend of elegant cruiser and hooligan, emulating the German sports sedans – but from a British perspective.
5 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG - $24,000
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The Mercedes-Benz CL-Class was the coupe version of the S-Class before Daimler change the naming strategy and the model just became the S-Class Coupe. The CL came in various trims, but only ever featured V8 or V12 engines.
The best of the lot was the CL63 AMG, powered by the naturally aspirated V8 from the C63 AMG. It may have AMG badges, but the CL63 was still a luxurious cruiser at its core – just with a fire-breathing V8 which makes one of the best sounds of any car, ever.
4 2005 Maserati GranSport - $25,500
The Maserati GranSport was the go-to Maserati model before the GranTurismo arrived on the scene. The GranSport morphed over the years from the 3200GT. The GranSport featured the V8 from the Ferrari F430, but with a cross-plane crankshaft instead of a flat-plane one.
The GranSport was one of the first Maseratis to feature a flappy-paddle gearbox – the same as in Ferrari’s cars – but still offered a manual transmission. The GranSport may be a bit outdated, but it still looks and drives fantastically.
3 2004 Bentley Continental GT - $26,500
The Bentley Continental GT is probably the best car on this list as it is the one grand tourer known for its abilities. The first generation Continental GT arrived in 2003 and debuted with a new twin-turbocharged W12 engine, greatly increasing the desirability.
The Conti GT features an all-wheel-drive and clever air suspension which levels the ride, no matter how harsh the road surface. Thanks to the terrible depreciation, Conti GTs are now available on the used market for around a fifth of the price when it was new – an absolute bargain.
2 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL600 - $27,900
Like the Bentley, the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class was specifically designed for one purpose – to be the best convertible on the market. The SL achieved its goal and the R230 generation is probably the best of the lot.
The SL had AMG trims, but the most luxurious model was the SL600, which featured a twin-turbocharged V12 for buttery-smooth driving and engine response. The SL600 got some unique wheels and is softer sprung than its SL65 AMG twin.
1 1999 Aston Martin DB7 - $28,700
The Aston Martin DB7 was the model that saved the company from ruin. The DB7 debuted with a supercharged inline-6 borrowed from Jaguar before the facelifted DB7 Vantage model received a big V12.
The V12-powered DB7 is the best by far, showcasing sportiness and comfort in equal amounts, but never overreaching. The DB7 Vantage became quite popular and as a result, the model is now available on the used market for the price of a new Toyota Camry. Not a bad choice at all.