There are thousands of cheap used cars out there now that the pandemic price bubble has burst. Not to mention the amount of shockingly affordable lease deals on EVs these days. But what if you want something with a bit more edge—an exotic sports car that won't break the bank?
While most of us can't afford a brand-new sports car, a handful of used exotics in the five-, 10-, and 20-year-old range aren't as pricey as you might expect. I'm not talking about the obvious $9,000 Maserati Quattroporte, either. These cars come from brands like Alfa Romeo, BMW, and Jaguar, and nearly all of them are well worth the money.
We perused the Kelley Blue Book classifieds to get an idea as to what these used sports cars are really worth. Maybe one of them could be in your garage soon.
Alfa Romeo 4C
The Alfa Romeo 4C was an interesting car. It got a bad rap due to some handling quirks and the fact that it lacked a manual transmission. But boy was it pretty. If it weren't for another vehicle on this list, a used 4C might be the cheapest car you can buy with a carbon fiber chassis.
Produced between 2013 and 2020, the 4C was reasonably priced when new at just under $60,000. But a used model can be had for as little as $35,000 these days. With only around 9,000 built, it's sure to be a head-turner in your neighborhood.
Aston Martin DB9
Aston Martin is an exotic brand by definition, but like any luxury car, they depreciate heavily. Astons also have those mechanical quirks that come along with seemingly every British brand. The DB9 is no exception to the rule, but some used examples are very cheap.
DB9 production ran between 2004 and 2016, and a lot of them are floating around in the $30,000 range. That's of course not what they'll actually end up costing, but you do get a 5.9-liter V-12 with 450 horsepower. It's worth noting that the automatic transmissions in these aren't great, though, and manuals are all in the range of $70,000.
Aston Martin Vantage
The Aston Martin Vantage is still around—and better than ever. The generation that debuted for the 2005 model year was a completely different vehicle, but not less interesting. Production lasted until 2018, and prices have dropped precipitously since then.
You can expect to pay anywhere from $35,000 to $60,000 for a cheap Vantage from that era, which comes standard with a 385-horsepower V-8 engine. Unfortunately, the manual and V-12 versions will likely be out of reach forever.
Audi R8
Perhaps the worst-kept secret on this list is the Audi R8, which was a good value when it debuted back in 2006—almost 20 years ago. These days, V-8 examples can be had for anywhere from $50,000 to $60,000, with desirable options like a manual transmission increasing that number.
The V-10 models and the manual are the most desirable—and still the most expensive. Well-kept examples tend to go for more than $70,000. Still not cheap, but hey, technically it’s the most affordable V-10 supercar around.
BMW i8
To me, this is the real sleeper on the list. Yes, the BMW i8 only had 357 horsepower, and yes, a lot of the other cars on this list come in at around the same price. But there’s something about the i8 that’s so perfect. It looks great, it gets good gas mileage, and it has a carbon fiber tub. Plus, there's no way it’s as expensive to maintain as many of the other cars on this list.
BMW i8 prices fall into the range of $30,000 to $50,000, with $45,000 looking like the sweet spot. This is not going to be an especially fast car, and frankly, it’s a bit flashy for my tastes. But it is unique and it would make a great daily driver. Of all the cars on this list, this might be the one to get.
Jaguar F-Type
The Jaguar F-Type was unceremoniously executed only recently. Cars that received the latest facelift (which made it look worse) are still too expensive, but early versions of the F-Type are very cheap. If you want a V-6-powered automatic, you're looking at starting prices of as little as $16,000 in some cases.
Now, you know what they say about high-mileage British cars. Don't listen to those people. They're terrified. Just generally afraid. Just look at this thing; The last gasp of a brand fighting for relevancy that's now doing… something else. For $16,000, there's not much value left to escape out of what might be the British brand's very last ICE-powered sports car.
Jaguar XKR
You know what? Let's stay on the theme of Jaguar coupes. XKRs arguably aren't as nice as F-Types, but they are all powered by V-8s. Older models can be had for very cheap, but even the newer, higher-trim stuff is still affordable. A supercharged 4.2-liter engine with around 400 horsepower and less than 50,000 miles will run you under $30,000. Beat-to-death examples are as cheap as around $15,000.
The top-of-the-line XKR-S is still a little pricey thanks to its supercharged 5.0-liter, which puts out between 503 and 542 hp. They run in the range of $45,000 to $70,000 depending on use. Still, those are pretty reasonable prices for such a stunning sports car.
Lexus LC500
The Lexus LC500 is one of the sharpest cars on sale today, and its V-8 power cashes all of the checks its styling writes. They are expensive vehicles new—$100,600—but used examples are getting cheaper.
LCs with between 50,000 and 100,000 miles can be had for about $50,000, which is still a lot of money, but a huge discount from its original MSRP. Backed up by Lexus reliability, an LC could be a great GT car for the long haul.
Mercedes-AMG GT
The AMG GT coupe is a gorgeous high-performance car that's entering the realm of sanity in terms of price. It should be said, though: I have never seen so many examples of a vehicle with multiple accidents, title issues, and several owners despite low mileage. These are all tell-tale signs of a powerful car that's expensive to maintain—which is not necessarily unique to this list.
That said, with at least 456 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8, AMG GTs are still great deals. They're suddenly as cheap as $55,000, too. Sales of the first generation started in 2014, and you can expect prices to drop further as early examples inch towards 15 years old.
Polestar 1
The Polestar 1 is another interesting option due to its extremely low production figures—only 1,500 were made. Unfortunately, that means prices are bound to stay relatively high. That said, they have come down pretty significantly.
The low end of the price spectrum for the Polestar 1 is about $75,000, but most seem to be in the range of $85,000 to $90,000. That makes it the most expensive car on this list, but it's no doubt the rarest as well. Like the i8, it's a car that you don't buy for sheer performance, but because it's extremely interesting and likely a very pleasant machine to drive around every day.
