The Ford Puma is a car that comes in two distinct versions: the modern 1.0 EcoBoost Hybrid, priced from £26,580, and the original 1997-2002 model. The older Puma is a front-wheel drive three-door with four seats, and its price ranges from £2,000 to £6,000. It is a perky and fun car to drive, although the new model is safer and more practical.
The Toyota GT86 is another car that offers a similar driving experience to a more expensive model, in this case, the Aston Martin Vantage. With a 2.0-litre boxer engine and rear-wheel drive, the GT86 is a fun car to drive, and its price is significantly lower than the Vantage, with nice examples available for under £15,000.
The Toyota MR2 MkIII is a mid-engined roadster that offers a similar driving experience to the Porsche Boxster, but at a lower price. With a 1.8 VVT-i engine and rear-wheel drive, the MR2 MkIII is a lightweight and fun car to drive, and its price ranges from £3,000 to £6,000 for well-cared-for examples.
The Ford Mustang 5.0 V8 is a muscle car that offers a lot of power and driving excitement, with a 5.0-litre V8 engine and rear-wheel drive. Its price is significantly lower than the BMW M2, with examples available from £40,000. The Mustang is a beautiful car to look at and a lot of fun to drive, making it a great value for the money.
Cheaper Alternatives to Luxury Cars
The Jaguar F-Type V8 is a car that offers a similar driving experience to the Aston Martin Vantage, but at a lower price. The Audi TT RS is another car that offers a lot of driving excitement, with a 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive.
The TT RS is a fast and agile car that’s a lot of fun to drive, and its price ranges from £16,000 to £50,000 for examples in good condition. The Audi A2 1.4 is a small and efficient car that’s ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) compliant and offers a lot of value for the money, with prices ranging from £800 to £4,000 for late models.
The Jeep Cherokee (XJ) is a car that offers a similar driving experience to the Land Cruiser 250, but at a significantly lower price. With a 4.0-litre straight-six engine and four-wheel drive, the Cherokee is a capable and rugged car that’s a lot of fun to drive, and its price ranges from £5,000 to £10,000 for examples in good condition.
The Bentley Continental V8 is a car that offers a lot of luxury and driving excitement. Its price is significantly lower than the new Continental, with examples available from £30,000 to £100,000 for well-cared-for models.
The Ford Focus RS is a car that offers a lot of driving excitement, with a price around £20,000, making it a great value for the money.
The E39 M5 is a subtle and manual car that’s a lot of fun to drive, and its price ranges from £10,000 to £50,000 for examples in good condition. Some 20,482 E39 M5s were made, and they are known as a connoisseur’s car, rather than just the most expensive version of a 5 Series.
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More Affordable Options
Audi S4 TDI Avant is another option, with a 3.0-litre turbo V6 petrol making 362bhp. The most recent TDI still managed 342bhp and 516lb ft of torque.
The S4 TDI can hit 62mph in 4.8secs, and it is precise and decent sounding. Very low mileage 2024 cars with all the options can be had for under £50k, but earlier S4 TDIs are now well under £30k.
Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow is the Phantom’s great-grandad, with over 30,000 made. A good Silver Shadow would be well under £30k, offering class and elegance at a lower price.
Porsche 911 Carrera is a basic 911, listing at £103,700 incl VAT, with 390-ish bhp and a 183mph top speed. The best thing about a basic 911 is that it is engineered for the GT3 RS, so you get 75 per cent of the vibes, for £90k less.
Fiat Panda City Cross gets the looks of the 4×4 for less hardware, with underbody protection, lifted height, and extra fogs. The City Cross was quite popular, and £8k+ will get you a low-mileage 2020 car with FSH and low miles.
Renault Clio RSi had a 1.8-litre 4cyl and only weighed 955kg, so it was decidedly nippy, with handling to match. The RSi wasn’t as collectible as a Williams, so there’s more choice, and you can get one that works for a couple of grand.
VW Golf GTD is a hot hatch that gets 60+mpg driven carefully, but provides 80 per cent of the thrills of a full fat petrol GTI. They are cheaper than a GTI, and you can pick up a MkIV PD180 for a grand.
BMW 318iS has 138bhp, fizzy revs, and is RWD. Some 191,053 E36 318iS were made, compared to the 71,241 M3s at the same time, making them more plentiful, cheaper, and retro cool. Anything from a couple of grand for a rough one, right up to £20k for low miles minters.
Alternative Vehicle Options
The Jeep has a unibody with a boxed-in frame, making it more advanced. It came with either a 4.0-litre straight six or a 2.5-litre four-pot turbodiesel. The BMW 318iS has a 16V head and a variable length intake manifold.
