Cheap for a reason? We'd aim a little higher up the food chain and splurge a little. It's a trick that could save you bucketloads of cash in the long run. One of the best value sports cars money can buy, the Porsche 718 is a good example. Undercutting its bigger brother might seem like a good deal. That is until you read of the niggling persistent issues owners suffer. This is why the extra sales premium makes perfect sense.
Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. The premium-priced Chevrolet C8 Corvette comes last in consumer surveys, in the process marring the supercar's reputation and highlighting the Camaro's better value. Carmakers, by and large, do head off cost concerns with longer warranties. However, free-of-charge fixes are still going to annoy the hell out of owners. Ownership is a minefield.
10 Lightweight Thrills - Caterham Seven 620R
Removing everything that doesn't help the Seven 620R stop-and-go makes this a winner. With minimal weight, the 620R can hit sixty in 3.2-seconds. Supercar owners should be wary. Those retro lines hide a potent 2-liter Ford Duratec and blower combo punching out 310 hp.
Sports cars don't come much cheaper, the 620R in a ready-to-run form will set you back $62k, less in kit form. The simplistic design comes with the added bonus of reliability. The Ford Duramax engine can last 500,000 miles.
9 The Ultimate Driving Machine - BMW M2 CS
How much power is too much in a small 2-door coupe isn't a question BMW asked itself when making the M2 CS. It's an approach more carmakers should adopt. The M2 CS upgrade includes a slew of transmission and suspension tweaks. But, gearheads only buy the CS for its engine, in this instance BMW's N55B cranking out 444 hp.
At close to $100,000, the M2 CS might seem a bit on the pricey side for what is after all a two-door coupe. But, putting things into perspective, you'd need to double that figure to go faster, the M2 tops out at 174 mph. The BMW's durability comes with a 3-year unlimited mileage warranty.
8 Better Value Than A Huracan - Audi R8
Alongside the $300,000+ Huracan, the Audi's R8 is a bargain at $161,000. Both cars ship with a 5.2-liter V10s cranking out power figures north of 500 hp. On appearances, which is the better-looking car comes down to personal choice. On a track, the Audi R8 has to play second fiddle to the Italian, but who has regular access to a track?
For daily use, the Audi is a more useable prospect, backed by Audi's 3-year/50,000-mile warranty. The only downside is that vocal V10 does like to drink premium gasoline.
7 Old School Noise - Jaguar F-Type Convertible
Big Jaguars attract big bills is a common misconception. The F-type might be on its way out with Jaguar ending production in 2023. But there's still good reasons to buy one. Nothing delivers the same vocal range as the F-Type's V8 supercharged engine. The only engine remaining in the entire range cranking out up to 575 hp.
It's an old-school approach that stands the Jaguar in good stead, the F-Type is at its most thrilling with a V8. Yet, gearheads have long memories, and Jaguar build hasn't always been the best. Allaying those concerns, the F-Type ships with 5-year free servicing.
6 User-Friendly Supercar - Porsche 911 Carrera
Porsches "widow maker" reputation is a distant memory. The 911 has come of age making the Carrera one of the most usable, thrilling sports cars money can buy. But what might surprise gearheads is for 102 grand you get surprising durability. In the 2022 JD Power survey, the Porsche 911 came out on top.
Worried that budget prices reflect a compromise in performance? Don't be, even entry-spec Carreras are potent sports cars. Slung out back, the Porsche's flat-six dishes out 379 hp ensuring a top speed of 182 mph.
5 Too Cheap To Pass Up - Factory Five GTM
Build it, and they will come. Factory Five is best known for turning out Cobra replicas of the finest quality. Yet, few gearheads will be aware for the tiny sum of $25,000 they can build their own GTM supercar. The only extra costs are time and a suitable motor.
Two things will decide how cheap the GTM is to maintain. Adeptness at bolting things together and the engine choice. We suspect the former will be the bigger challenge. Factory Five developed the GTM with LS1/LS6 motors in mind. During testing with a 450-hp V8 under the hood, the car posted a 3-second 0-60 mph time.
4 Crazy Fast, Crazy Cheap - Ultima EVO Convertible
At $122,000 for a kit build, the Ultima EVO isn't cheap. It is money well spent, however. The EVO is a 240-mph carbon fiber track car for the road. Subtle it isn't. You only have to spy the two oversize tailpipes to understand that the EVO is all about speed.
Unlike other performance kits, Ultima supplies everything needed to complete the EVOs build. Including a range of engines and power levels. Most EVOs ship with dependable V8s boasting 480-700 hp. If that's not enough, Ultima offers a supercharged version cranking out 1020 hp.
3 More Horses, More Thrills - Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
Muscle car, pony car, or sports car? We'll let you decide. What counts most is how many horses the GT500 has under the hood. Since the GT500 launched in 2020, Shelby tweaks have given the Ford 5.2-liter V8 a mighty punch unlocking 760 hp.
Fast-forward to 2022 and Ford's "Predator" remain the Blue Ovals' most potent. In the GT500, gearheads can expect a 0-60 mph time of 3.4-seconds. Reliability concerns rarely crop up. But with Ford's 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, you're in safe hands.
2 Chevrolets Best Sports Car - Camaro ZL1
Another sports car vs muscle car debate. The Camaro ZL1 makes a case for itself with a retro-modern shape and enough grunt to tear its tires off. While the Corvette has a mid-engine layout, we'd take the classic rear-drive Camaro any day. Not because it's cheaper, but thanks to a supercharged 650 hp 6.2-liter V8. It's almost as quick.
The ride hasn't always been a smooth one. In 2021, the ZL1 suffered three recalls. However, Chevrolet has gotten on top of its gremlins, and so far in 2022, the Camaro has been faultless.
1 Europe Only - Alpine A110R
Gorgeous to look at and cheap for a pure two-seater sports car, the A110s is an excellent entry-level sports car. The bad news is that US gearheads will most likely never experience the A110s performance. For reasons unknown, Alpine/Renault sadly has no plans to export the A110 to US shores. Personal Import anyone?
Alpine's first all-new sports car since the 1990s. The A110R recaptured the French carmaker's previous sporting form. Everything you see here is carbon fiber goodness and little else. However, the A110 isn't lacking with a 1.8-liter turbocharged unit cranking out up to 300 hp.