Supercars are a dream for many gearheads, one that few will ever get to live out, unless, of course, you take a look at some of the more affordable examples from the last twenty years or so.
Old versus new, mid-engined and conventional front-rear drive layout, the choice is a lot wider and cheaper than you might think. New supercars from unexpected sources still have the potential to top 200mph or more, spring to 60 mph in the low 3-seconds, and still come in at the affordable end. Otherwise, you're on the search for an older, cherished supercar with a few miles on the clock that has been loved, cared for, and more importantly well maintained.
The great news is, anyone, well almost anyone can afford to live out their dreams, all it takes is one of these hidden gems.
10 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (7th Gen)
The latest and greatest Corvette is a stonking bargain, as has been every Vette since its launch almost 70 years ago. Opting for a previous generation Corvette, especially in Z06 guise, is likely to be all the supercar you'll ever need, and deliver the biggest bang for your buck too.
Dipping a toe in the used section with a Vette is a lot safer than European exotics, with cheaper prices landing you all the performance of a Ferrari for around $80k depending on condition. For that kind of money, you get a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 chucking out 650hp and enough torque to haul the Z06 to 60 mph in under three seconds.
9 Porsche 992 Carrera 4
Next up, Porsche's 992 Carrera 4 from 2019 and still wearing the current face of the 991 range. Admittedly it doesn't have the same furious turbocharged performance as the 911 Turbo, but it's not exactly slow with a top speed over 180 mph.
Not a "911 Turbo", but equipped with a 3-liter flat-six and a brace of turbos punching out 370 hp, Porsche making up for power deficits with weight-saving measures, all-wheel-drive, and the stunningly capable 7-speed PDK transmission. Surprisingly, used versus new, the gap is a lot smaller than you might think, budget $80k for a three-year-old example against a dealer fresh Carrera 4 at $102k.
8 Jaguar F-Type R
Coming right up to date, in the process, blurring the lines between supercar performance and luxury GT, Jaguar's recently facelifted F-Type delivers the kind of thrills and excitement you'd expect from something costing twice as much. Under the hood, one of the greatest supercharged V8s money can buy, produces 575 hp powering the big cat to 186 mph.
A physics-warping level of agility belies the F-Type's 4,100 lbs bulk, simply point its nose at any corner, and it grips like a limpet, powering out the far side. However, by far the biggest selling point has to be the noise, prod the throttle, and the Jaguar 5-liter V8 roars, bellows, and bangs, guaranteed to put a grin on anyone's face.
7 TVR Sagaris
All too briefly between 2005-06, this manically styled British supercar represented the finest in low-volume, pure sports car design, TVR had nailed the no-frills supercar recipe once and for all. Like all previous models, fiberglass over a steel chassis played the part in keeping weight to a minimum, coupled with insanely powerful straight-six engines producing over 400 hp.
The Sagaris was different, it not only went like stink with a top speed of 185 mph, but it also handled properly, its suspension fine-tuned by none other than Lee Noble, the genius behind Nobel Cars. The success was short-lived, TVR under new Russian ownership disappeared in 2013.
6 Dodge Viper SRT-10
How to make the Dodge Viper less intimidating and easier for the average owner to enjoy? Softer ride, less aggressive power delivery? Nope, none of that, quite the opposite. Parent company Chrysler opted for more of everything, the Vipers V10 engine growing in size to 8.4 liters chucking out 600 hp.
In many regards it was the perfect solution, sales increased as did the SRT-10s performance, creeping over 200 mph with 60 mph taking around 4-seconds. The initial surge in interest inexplicably waned and production shut down in 2010 only to be revived three years later.
5 Noble M400
Rarity and exclusivity should make the Noble M400 more expensive, but a lack of badge prestige makes this one of the most affordable 200mph supercars you're likely to come across. Effectively a revamped M12 packing a more powerful 425 hp twin-turbocharged Ford Duratec engine, the M400 name reflecting the car's power to weight ratio.
Mash the throttle in one of these rare supercars, and you'll see 60 mph in 3-seconds. Keep it hard against the floor and 200 mph is entirely possible, although, at the time, Noble claimed a maximum of 185 mph. Either way, the M400 is supercar fast for sedan money, used actions values generally however around the $50k mark.
4 Audi R8 V8 Quattro
Baby Lamborghini or steroid boosted Audi TT? We'd hazard a bit of both, the R8 owes its existence in no small part to Lamborghini's Gallardo, which in turn uses a large dose of Audi know-how. Added to which, the R8 sits somewhere in the middle in terms of cost, a bargain when new, a steal on the used market.
At the heart of this semi-sensible supercar, Audi's 4.2-liter V8 TFSi engine kicking out 414 hp drives all four wheels using a Graziano 6-speed manual transmission to achieve a 0-60 mph time of 4-seconds and a top speed of 187 mph.
3 Ferrari 360 Modena / Ferrari 575 Maranello
Both wearing the famous prancing horse badge, and both built-in 2002 costing around $80k on the used market, makes choosing just one a tough choice. The Ferrari 360 is the purist's ride with a mid-mounted 3.6-liter V8 churning out 400 hp promising 180+ mph performance with limit-like levels of grip.
Or the more refined 575 Maranello, equipped with a front-mounted 5.7-liter producing an even more tantalizing 515 hp with a maximum speed over 200 mph. Either choice is sure to make every journey memorable, front or mid-engine, eight verses twelve cylinders is a tricky one.
2 McLaren 12C
Launched in 2011, McLaren's 12C (MP4 dropped before launch) kick-started the UK carmaker's entry to the mass-produced supercar market that has grown to include supercars and hypercars. Construction follows an F1-inspired carbon-fiber chassis fitted with a mid-mounted turbocharged 3.8-liter engine boasting 592 hp.
Despite its highly innovative and user-friendly design, the 12C is often criticized for being too clinical and lacking in the level of driver engagement you'd get from an equivalent Ferrari. We think drawing a comparison of this level is an achievement in itself.
1 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
How much would you pay for a new mid-engined two-seater supercar that can reach 60 mph in 2.8-seconds, topping out at a drag restricted 194 mph? In Europe, you'd be looking at several hundred thousand dollars, but much closer to home, Chevrolet does all the above for as little as $61k, neat, huh?
Unlike the bigger, snooty exotics who sell in smaller numbers, Chevrolet has the advantage of economy of scale, even the humble Stingray sells in ten times the numbers of any European counterpart. Great news for gearheads, especially when you consider the base model still gets a 495 hp naturally aspirated V8 instead of one of the smaller turbo four-bangers other carmakers use.