What's up with British sports cars? Every true petrolhead has a goal to own a British sports car at least once in their lives. It's like owning a piece of art and letting everybody know that you have a very classy taste for cars.
Of course, our opinion may be influenced by our love for Top Gear, where such cars were very admired. For example, there were multiple British car challenges, where show presenters tried to prove how good these cars are. And it's not a secret that most cars in these challenges failed – these cars were totally unreliable, had poor build quality, poor performance, etc. But even with these apparent problems, British sports cars get lots of attention simply due to how cool they are.
The best thing about British sports cars is that they are cheap, good-looking, and charming. Most budget sports cars from Great Britain aren't very powerful, but they sound good thanks to the popularity of V8s. Sadly, most owners will tell you the biggest issue with British sports cars isn't their price or performance - it's the reliability.
10 1974 Jensen Healey – $5,000
The Jensen Healey's body lines often remind of Ferrari Daytona, which was featured in the Miami Vice series. This two-seater sports convertible was unveiled in 1972 and more than 10,000 of these were sold during 4 years of its production.
But it's nothing like the MG Midget or the Triumph Spitfire. Jensen Healey was a fast and luxurious sports car, which could be a rival even for a Jaguar E-Type. The engine was made out of alloy, creating the sweet 50/50 weight distribution. The car was powered by a 2,0 liter 4-cylinder engine, but it was still capable of doing 0-60 mph in just 7,8 seconds.
9 1978 MGB GT – $5,000
This MGB GT is a truly special sports car. First of all, this little coupe had a Rover 3,5-liter V8 engine fitted in it, which, at that time, was the lightest mass-production V8 engine in the world, weighing only 144 kg.
Even though it's a coupe, the MGB GT also reminds of a shooting-brake. Not everyone may like this design, but it's a true sports car from the 70s, reaching 60 mph in less than 8 seconds. Sadly, they chose not to make left-hand-drive versions.
8 1995 Jaguar XJR – $3,000
Yes, you can get this beauty for about $3,000 today! In 1995, the Jaguar XJR was the fastest sedan ever made. It features a 4,0-liter supercharged inline-6 engine, which produces 326 horsepower and can do 0-60 mph in less than 6 seconds.
The X300 was the last version to have an inline-6 engine, which was praised for its reliability. Later models had 3,2 and 4,0 V8 engines, which weren't so efficient and reliable, so you'd better off with this one instead.
7 2007 Vauxhall VX220 – $14,000
Also known as the Opel Speedster, the British equivalent called the Vauxhall VX220 is a very nice sports car, which looks like that it should be worth a few times more than $14,000. One of the main reasons for this price to be so low is the badge – not many people want to drive a sporty Vauxhall.
But when it comes to sportiness – VX220 is great. It is built on the Lotus Elise Series 2 platform, which is capable of dealing with turns very well. Even though it only had 198 hp, it's worth mentioning that it weighs only 930 kg.
6 1985 Jaguar XJS – $6,000
There were two engines available in 1981-1991 models – a 3,6 inline-6 and a 5,3 V12. These were very luxurious and beautiful cars, offering a comfortable ride and lots of leather inside. However, like most British cars, not reliable.
Later models had 4,0-liter inline-6 engines, which were probably the only great engines that Jaguar has made. Others, especially V12 ones, had numerous cooling problems, various systems kept failing, etc.
5 1977 MG Midget – $4,500
Unlike Americans, British car manufacturers loved small cars like Mini, Lotus, and the MG Midget. This one is a truly interesting piece as it weighs only 740 kilograms and features small, agile engines, producing from 46 to 56 hp. And it also can do 34 miles per gallon!
The MG Midget's length is only 3,5 meters (11,4 feet) and width is 1,4 meters (4,5 feet). It's a small two-seater roadster. This, the MGB GT, and the Triumph Spitfire were closely related in terms of technical features.
4 2003 Jaguar XK8 –$8,500
The Jaguar XK8 never was a popular sports car. The late '90s and early 2000s was the era of great new sports cars from Audi, BMW, etc. However, the Jaguar XK8 seemed a bit bland for the price. That's why its sales weren't great.
Early versions had 4,0-liter V8 engines that suffered from Nikasil coating problems. Even though most of these engines are fixed already – it really didn't help to go up in sales. That's why you can buy this exotic sports car for less than $10,000 now.
3 2000 Lotus Elise S1 – $14,000
Those who don't know the value of the Lotus Elise, usually think that its price is similar to an Aston Martin or Ferrari. The good news is that even though the Lotus Elise is a proper rear-wheel drive, mid-engined roadster, you can get one for about $15,000.
It is very light and features 150-190 horsepower from its 4-cylinder engine. Sure, it is nothing compared to the most expensive exotic sports cars, but it handles as great as it looks.
2 1988 TVR S2 – $8,000
When unveiled in 1986, the all-new TVR S series attracted so much attention that the car went into production in less than one year. Many preorders were made too, and some models even featured V8 engines.
However, the most popular engine was a 2,8-liter Ford Cologne V6 (which was used in the S1) and a 2,9-liter (which was used in later models). Latter engines produced 170 hp. People often admire the TVR S2 for its great design.
1 2007 Jaguar XKR – $13,000
Actually, this is the same Jaguar XK that was mentioned earlier, but this one is a newer model, featuring a more aggressive design and more powerful engines. This second-gen XK debuted in 2005 and lasted until 2015.
All chassis and body panels are aluminum, which guarantees not only lighter weight (almost 220 lbs less) but a corrosion-free experience too. The XKR version is more powerful, featuring a supercharged engine and 0-60 mph in less than 5 seconds. And all that for just a little over $10,000!
Sources: Jaguarforums, Motor1, Wikiwand, Collectingcars, Supercars