Coupes are cool, 2-doors with a fixed roof, and enough performance to bridge the gap between sports cars and sedans. The question is, how much cooler can you get for under $10k?

Whether you're a fan of imported metal or prefer American machinery, the choice under budget is sure to have something for every gearhead. By far the biggest selection comes surprisingly courtesy of BMW. From the small and agile 1-series through to the underrated 6-series, you'll be spoiled for choice. Similarly, the Ford's Mustang over several generations comes up trumps.

Sadly, any gearhead dreaming of a Toyota Supra Mk. IV is going to be disappointed. More of a grand tourer/sports car than a coupe, that and some crazy sticker prices puts this one off the wish list. However, coming in on the cheap side there are plenty of Japanese coupes with enough cool to grab your attention.

RELATED: A Look Back At 50 Years Of BMW's M Division

10 Nissan 370Z

Blue Nissan 370Z on the road
Nissan

It might have been overlooked in terms of updating its interior, but the 370Z is still a fantastic used buy. As ever, Japanese build and reliability mean gearheads can spend more time behind the wheel enjoying the front-rear drive chassis.

Nissan 370Z - Side
Via Nissan

Nissan recognizing they were on to a good thing left the drivetrain largely untouched, throughout production sticking with the VQ37HR mill. That means a dependable yet fun 3.7-liter V6 cranking out 332 hp pushing the Japanese coupe to 60 mph in a fraction under 5-seconds.

9 BMW 128i M-Sport Coupe

BMW 128i Coupe - Front
via: Bring A Trailer

A BMW M-Sport for under $10k is entirely possible with a little patience. Despite the famous propellor badge on the nose, used BMWs are plentiful and cheap. Naturally, mileage and condition do vary at ten years plus. However, BMW's legendary N52 3.0-liter straight six is among the brand's most reliable engines and delivers a trouble-free 228 hp.

BMW 128i Coupe - Side
Via Bring A Trailer 

Cool M-Sport tweaks in this instance are not about big power gains. Supplied as an upgrade rather than a separate model, the BMW 128i M-Sport added sports suspension for better handling. And if we're brutally honest, a sub-six-second dash to sixty is plenty quick enough.

8 Ford Mustang V6 Premium

Mustang V6 Premium - Front
Via Car Gurus

The Mustang epitomizes everything cool about American coupes. Ever since Ford struck gold with the original in 1964 the Mustang has been in high demand. The fifth incarnation arrived in 2005 sporting several styling clues harking back to the Fastback and could be had with a wide range of engine choices.

Mustang V6 Premium - Rear
Via Car Gurus

Engine choices are sure to divide opinions, V8s versus the cheaper and less powerful V6. But, in terms of curb appeal and boulevard cruising, the 4.0-liter V6 with 210 hp on tap is just as cool, and ships with a manual transmission as standard.

7 BMW 335i Coupe

BMW 335i - Front
Via Cars & Bids

Another cool BMW performance coupe for cheap. The BMW 335i was one of the first 3-series to drop naturally aspirated engines in favor of turbo power. The results speak for themselves with the NB54/NB55 straight six kicking out 302 hp, propelling the 335i to 60 mph in 5.4-seconds.

BMW 335i - Rear
Vi Cars & Bids

There is a reason why the 335i comes up so cheap for such strong performance, and reliability. In the earlier N54 engined cars BMW dropped the ball with engines ancillaries causing some worrying failures. However, BMW quickly rectified the faults soon after its launch.

6 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 RWD

Hyundai Genesis Coupe - Front
Hyundai Media

Cool and Korean isn't a combination gearheads would have accepted before the new millennium. In recent years Hyundai has undergone a radical transformation that encompasses some of the best SUVs on the market. As for sportier models, the Genesis Coupe flies under the radar and goes largely unrecognized.

Hyundai Genesis Coupe - Rear
Via NetCarsShow

Questions about its identity alone make this one of the best budget coupes you can buy today. And it isn't just a case of understated good looks, Hyundai packed the Genesis with a coupe with a range-topping 3.8-liter V6 cranking out 348 hp. Any gearhead still not convinced the Genesis is cool should take a look at Bisimoto Engineerings' take on the Korean Coupe.

RELATED: 8 Reasons Why We Love The Hyundai Genesis Coupe (2 Reasons Why We'd Never Buy One)

5 Acura Integra Type-R Coupe

Acura Integra RS - Front
Via Bring A Trailer

Honda/Acura is no stranger to cramming high-revving motors in regular cars. In 1995 the front-wheel drive Integra underwent the VTEC treatment resulting in arguably the coolest small performance coupe of the '90s.

Acura Integra RS - Side
Via Bring A Trailer

By no means the fastest car here, but if speed were based on noise alone it would be right up there. Under the hood, a tiny 1.8-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine turned out 195 hp at a peaky 8,000 rpm urging gearheads to shift up at the last moment. Finding one under budget will most likely be an import needing some TLC.

4 Pontiac GTO

Yellow 2004 Pontiaco GTO  Parked Outside - front
Mecum Auctions 

Seriously cheap at under $10k the Pontiac GTO is an all-American muscle car/sports coupe bargain that flopped. Pontiac launched the GTO hoping to recapture the glory days of its predecessors, but gearheads were not convinced. The GTO's cool reputation deserves a second chance, not least for the effortless way it drives and handles.

2004 Pontiac GTO - Rear
Via Mecum Auctions

In full-on hooligan mode, the GTO will smoke its rear tires with ease thanks to a 6.0-liter LS2 V8 upfront chucking out 400 hp. However, the GTO was more than a one-trick pony. Once you're done playing burnouts the GTO will effortlessly cruise home in near silence. Cool, capable and cheap the GTO is notoriously underrated.

3 2012 Chevrolet Camaro LT

2012 Camaro Lt - Front
via: BringATrailer

We can't imagine anyone taking a disliking to the Mustang. But, if you're looking for an alternative, the Camaro after a few mistaken sports car blips went back to its coupe roots. In 2010 Chevrolet returned to the successful two-door coupe format that had been missing since the Camaro's first 60s outing.

2012 Camaro LT - Rear
Via: Bring A Trailer

Following an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach the Camaro from 2010 is little changed. As a result, telling models years apart is tough going. However, familiarity is a good thing for the used market, few gearheads will know you're driving an older Camaro. As for value, the V6s will be cheaper, the V8s louder and both can be had for $10k or less.

RELATED: Here's What Made The 2012 Camaro ZL1 So Special

2 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe

Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe - Front
Cars & Bids

In hindsight, Ford should have stopped at the cool 10th-generation Thunderbird. Sadly, they didn't and the 2002 re-launch tanked. If you're craving a stylish performance coupe on the cheap, you could do much worse than one of these Super Coupes.

Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe - Rear
via Cars & Bids

No prizes are given for guessing "Super" refers to the supercharged Essex-based 3.8-liter motor under the hood putting down 230 hp. Unfortunately, Ford dropped the Super Coupe in 1995 due to dwindling sales, with gearheads preferring the lazier, and slower V8 model.

1 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT

Silver Mitsubishi Eclipse GT on the road
Via Mitsubishi

Rounding off with the Mitsubishi Eclipse GT proves you don't need deep pockets for a sporty coupe. Sure the Eclipse in earlier years wasn't all that fun to drive thanks to some lackluster engine and chassis set-ups. But by 2005 the Japanese Coupe finally came of age and joined the cool club.

Mitsubishi Eclispe GT - Rear
Via NetCarshow

Cool in an understated way. The Eclipse GT is more go than show which if you're tired of endless sprint challenges to the next set of lights is a good thing. Unlike the majority of budget Japanese imports, the Eclipse GT came with a 3.8-liter MIVEC V6 cranking out 265 hp. It's not perfect, but with prices for good examples starting at $5k, what's not to like?