The humble sports car: a carefully crafted machine that has developed into quite an extraordinary feat of engineering over its years of development. The advancement of the sports car has been propelled almost entirely by mankind's fascination with one simple thing: driving. Paired with an insatiable curiosity to see just how far a simple concept can be refined and perfected, the sports car has seen incredible improvements since its genesis.
For just about as long as cars have been around, there are people who use cars for almost anything except practicality. This has led to the creation of a very specific kind of machine: the sports car. A car that is designed for drivability, performance, and speed almost exclusively. Cars hold a special place in the very fiber and culture of almost every country around the globe, even creating its own culture within them.
These people who love cars are often referred to as "gearheads," in the US, or in Britain "petrolheads." Car lovers are often called car-aficionados, enthusiasts, or in German "auto besessen," which means auto-obsessed.
It was once the case that for the average Joe, owning a sports car was a pipe-dream. The engineering involved in creating these masterpieces of practical art was often hugely expensive. But that is no longer the case, as the motoring industry has advanced magnificently. It's now easy to find an affordable sports car that's also incredible to drive. Let's take a look at 25 affordable sports cars that that will turn anyone into a gearhead.
25 BMW Z3
The BMW Z3 is a fantastic driver's car that is more often than not completely overlooked for other more advanced versions, i.e. more expensive options. While this may not be a top line model of anything, that doesn't make it a bad sports car.
And fantastic is most assuredly what it is, light, balanced, zippy, and most importantly great fun to drive. A car doesn't have to have fantastic specs on paper to be an absolute hoot to drive. Featuring an incredible straight six, one of every gearhead's favorite iterations of an engine, this car has a great sound and plenty of power to keep that grin on your face.
24 Fiat 500 Abarth
The latest Fiat rides seem hardly like the kind of car that should be on the list, especially the 500, which seems like a different iteration of the SmartCar. While that is true of the normal 500, things change a lot with "Abarth" on the end.
The Abarth treatment makes this little thing a pocket rocket screamer of a car, a road legal go-cart on steroids. It features a turbocharged in-line 4 cylinder, pushing out 160 horsepower. Which, while that doesn't sound like much, with the featherweight of the car and the precise handling, this thing is a riot to drive, providing endless fun.
23 Lotus Elise
Perhaps one of the most exceptional cars on this list is the Lotus Elise, which struck a beautiful chord of perfection from the moment it was put into production. The Elise is a pretty small car, but its combination of power to weight ratio and absolutely legendary handling means this car is a phenomenal choice.
They're pretty cheap these days, too, picking one up for around $20,000 is a pretty normal thing. What you get is virtually priceless, though, a car that handles like nothing else, in perfect symphony with a supercharged in-line 4 pumping out 250 horsepower. Can it get better?
22 Ford Mustang GT
It seems strange for a Ford Mustang GT to find itself on this list of driver cars, considering it's more well known as a brute muscle car that's more for yahoos who only care about power in a straight line.
But, with recent improvements to the drivetrain and handling, this car is actually a solid performer in many ways, more than just a straight line. They are, as is well known, incredible cheap, too, especially a used model. For a simple choice, it's hard to go wrong with a Mustang GT.
21 Subaru BRZ
There are three different iterations of this car, but they are all almost identical, save the label and badge. Which means that all of them perform the same, and they perform incredibly well, especially for their value.
With a fair amount of power coming from a 200 horsepower engine, preppy handling and a secret weapon featured on Top Gear, strangely thin wheels that allow for some serious drifty fun at nothing more than legal road speeds, the formula creates an awesome car that's endless fun to drive. Definitely not the greatest on the list, but a great car for an even better value.
20 Porsche Cayman (987)
The Porsche Cayman 987 is a little hidden gem in the Porsche world that, unlike a lot of its other counterparts, is worth significantly less nowadays, subject to steeper depreciation. There is less demand, and a stigma around the only "true" Porsche being the 911 makes the inherent value of the Cayman and Boxster models significantly less.
But that's only for purchase price, and if you can look over the somewhat uglier design and the name, this is a spectacular driver car that will make anyone a gearhead in a matter of a few turns. With an incredible Porsche flat six, it sounds incredible and performs even better.
19 Honda Civic Si Hatchback
While the average Honda Civic isn't really much more than a run of the mill practical sedan for millions of people around the globe, every once in a while Honda comes out with a version that's a step above the average, and far from just a normal sedan.
This is the Civic Si hatchback, a pretty great little driver's car, with zippy handling, plenty of aftermarket options, and a solid engine that pumps out 160 horsepower. The driving experience is phenomenal, and if you want to enter the wide world of sports cars, this is a great choice.
18 Porsche 911 (996)
If you're already into the idea of sports cars, and are a self-professed gearhead but want to enter the ranks of the elite, buying a Porsche, especially a 911, may be a sort of initiation that will garner all kinds of respect from every car lover around.
The problem is that almost every 911 is highly expensive, either brand new, or a collector's item. This one, though, is the exception, due to Porsche snobs unfounded hate of the styling, along with a blown out of proportion engine failure problem that is fairly simple to get fixed, albeit a bit expensive. The bargain of getting a 911 for so cheap is well worth it.
17 Honda Integra Type R
The Honda Integra Type R is a bit of a forgotten gem in the motoring world, a car that most people recognize, but don't know anything about. But as is true of most Type R models from Honda, they're pretty great cars.
The Integra Type R is often referred to as one of the best front wheel drive cars ever made, and with good reason. The tachometer reads up to 10,000 rpm, which is insane, and that's thanks to its engine, a nigh perfect four cylinder 187 horsepower cast in perfection. They're rising in value, too. Seems people are catching onto a pretty big secret.
16 Honda S2000
Honda has made some pretty incredible cars in their time, and have consistently done so for a long while now. The Honda S2000 is just one of these cars, a competitor of the similarly amazing Mazda Miata.
But, for many, the S2000 is most assuredly the better option, and with good reason. Carrying an incredible engine underneath the hood, one that can rev up to 9000 RPM before redline, this car has a little spark of life that draws any and all gearheads. Because of its weight distribution, handling, and engine, there's pure magic created.
15 BMW M3 E46
Over the years, BMW M3 has been the holy grail of BMW fanboys in almost all of their iterations. Every one of them will cite this one or that one as the best, the pinnacle, the most worthy collector and best iteration ever made. This has led to rocketing values of certain models, like the E39, for instance. But, to be perfectly frank, many are fairly comparable.
So, if you're looking for a better deal, but still desire a fantastic sports sedan, the E46 is a fantastic choice. It has the truly drool-worthy BMW in-line 6 engine with 333 horsepower, paired with all the sportiness of the best M3 models.
14 Hyundai Genesis 2.0T
It might seem a bit counter-intuitive to feature a Hyundai on our list, a car brand hardly known for high performance or really much anything beyond practical sedans. But, they have their own line of sports cars, like the Tiburon, a funky car that wasn't worth much of anyone's attention.
But the sports car that replaced it was, the Genesis 2.0T. Paired with a turbocharged four cylinder engine, this thing outputs a pretty respectable 210 horsepower. Combine that with a great driving experience, this car is a worthy entry, a car that could turn anyone into a gearhead.
13 Honda Civic Type R
This is the Type R Civic, which has recently received an almost endless amount of praise and love from the motoring community. That's because it is so good, one of the best out there. According to Road and Track, it's one of the fasted front wheel drive cars to ever make it around their track.
The value is what sets it apart, especially for what kind of performance you'll get. Over 300 horsepower is available from a remarkably efficient four cylinder engine, and the handling is truly great. It'll keep you exhilarated and giddy all day long.
12 Kia Stinger GT
The Kia Stinger has proven to be one of the most recent additions to a lineup of cars that true gearheads have come to love, and without a lack of significant surprise, too. This luxury sports sedan came out of nowhere, from a company that isn't known for sportiness.
Things have changed, though, with this V8 sports sedan that really lives up to its name. Providing significant practicality and drivability, you can get a taste of a true car without sacrificing the practicality you might need.
11 Mazda Miata
With a nigh perfect 50/50 weight ratio, the Mazda Miata has been a serious hit since its debut almost two decades ago. With a focus more on handling and drivability, and not on raw power or performance, the Miata has been one of the go to choices for many gear heads.
It's a car that's all about ease of driving, with a top down and some sunshine, a mountain road is turned into an impossibly incredible experience, one that is impossible to forget. If you're looking for a low-key, simple, and affordable car, this is one of the best.
10 Subaru WRX
The Subaru WRX has a pretty intimidating culture and community around it, one filled with all kinds of punks, mods, and irreverence. While this has been true for almost as long as the car has been around, there's no getting around the fact that this car is a spectacular thing.
The Subaru WRX has phenomenal handling, and a great, iconic boxer engine underneath the hood, good for sounds as much as it is for power. An absolute pleasure to drive, even stock, the WRX will have you smiling and loving cars like never before as soon as you get behind the wheel.
9 Mazda RX-8
The Mazda RX-8 made quite the splash when it came out, proving to be one of the most practical fusions of sports car and practicality out there. The swinging doors made access to the back seats very easy.
Apart from this, the performance was truly legendary as well, with incredible feedback from the steering and plenty of acceleration to keep most anyone happy. Especially for those who are car enthusiasts and loving working on their cars, this is a great switch into the sports car world.
8 BMW M2
The BMW M2 is the entry level M series model, and the smallest you can buy from BMW. That doesn't mean it isn't a great car, it just means you can get some seriously great deals on them.
They're great cars, too, often highly underrated. They perform phenomenally, have great handling and acceleration, making for a spectacular driving experience, and have enough practicality to make them great daily drivers. They've got an enviable in-line 6 engine, too, boasting over 400 horsepower. What's not to love?
7 Nissan 370Z
The Nissan 370Z gets a lot less credit than it should, and is often completely overlooked as a car worth anyone's time. But the opposite is true, especially for those looking for a simple, affordable sports car to get them into the game.
With rear wheel drive and a good weight ratio, this car handles pretty well, and has a pretty good engine too. Definitely a solid choice. It is feeling more and more dated as the years pass, even the new ones, but it has solid performance for the value.
6 Pontiac GTO
The Pontiac GTO is perhaps one of the last great cars to have ever been produced by the late car manufacturing company Pontiac. With the shutting down of all Pontiac factories, Pontiac is an extinct company now, to slowly fade away in history.
Along the way, many of their cars will skyrocket in value, while many will be completely forgotten. The GTO is likely to rise in value, as it's a classic, rear wheel drive beast of a car, with raw power and endless fun. With a 6 Liter V8 pumping out 400 horsepower, if it's power you want, get this.