The new choice: Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (from £87,055)
The Alfa we waited literal decades for – stunning to behold and with a stonking engine, and every bit as good to drive as its German rivals – the appeal of the Giulia Quadrifoglio has only grown over the years, as said rivals have become heavier, more complicated and magnitudes more gopping. Sadly, the Quad’s price has grown, too.
The used alternative: Maserati Quattroporte V (from £6,000)
Happily, for a good £80k less than a brand-new Quad will cost you these days, you can get yourself the last Italian hyper-saloon to dynamically equal the Germans while blowing their charisma out of the water – the Ferrari V8-powered, transaxle-gearboxed, almost deliriously cool Maserati Quattroporte V. You’ll want a big contingency fund, mind. Our advice? Do it. Save us from ourselves.
The new choice: Alpine A110 (from £58,000 approx.)
The Alpine A110 is a left-field mid-engined sports car unlike anything else concurrently on sale, with a small displacement turbo engine, gloriously communicative handling and an unwavering dedication to saving weight, whose only real dynamic flaw is the lack of a proper manual gearbox. Gordon Murray, father of the McLaren F1, even daily drives one.
The used alternative: Smart Roadster (from £2,500)
The Smart Roadster was a left-field mid-engined sports car unlike anything else concurrently on sale, with a small displacement turbo engine, gloriously communicative handling and an unwavering dedication to saving weight, whose only real dynamic flaw was the lack of a proper manual gearbox. Gordon Murray, father of the McLaren F1, even used to daily drive one. We rest our case.
The new choice: Ferrari Purosangue (from £313,000 approx.)
Nearly all the discussion around the Ferrari Purosangue hinged around it being Maranello’s first SUV, with less airtime given to the fact that it effectively ended Ferrari’s illustrious lineage of elegant, V12-powered 2+2 grand tourers, which culminated in the bizarre but excellent FF and GTC4Lusso shooting brakes. This made us very sad, but the market wants what it wants.
The used alternative: Ferrari 456 (from £35,000)
Superseding the Mondial for the dubious honour of Cheapest Ferrari You Can Buy, the 456 is part of that lineage that was brought to an abrupt halt by the Purosangue. It remains one of the more unloved Fezzas, which we think is a shame – it’s got understated styling, a glorious 5.5-litre V12, and can be bought nowadays from as little as £35k. What’s not to like? What’s that? Running costs? Oh.
The new choice: Porsche 911 Carrera (from £103,700)
With the 718 consigned to the history books for now and a replacement still a way off (especially with petrol power), the 911 Carrera now returns to its old position as the entry point into a Porsche sports car. Which brings us on to the fact that a boggo 911 Carrera, with zero options, is now £103,700. Flipping, and indeed, heck.
The used alternative: 987 Porsche Cayman (from £9,000)
Even as prices begin their inevitable upwards creep, the original Porsche Cayman still represents a hugely compelling used buy. Just like a new 911 Carrera, you get a flat-six – this one unburdened by turbos, and hooked as standard to a manual – and a beautifully balanced chassis. The people who still write it off as the Porsche for people who can’t afford a 911 don’t know what they’re missing.
The new choice: Porsche 911 GT3 RS Manthey (from approx. £290,000)
The Manthey upgrade for the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, developed by the factory-affiliated Nürburgring-based outfit with a penchant for Porsche performance, takes an already extreme car and turns it into just about the closest thing you can get to a fully-fledged GT3 racing car that can still have number plates. It’s about as extreme as road-legal track cars get.
The used alternative: a Renault Clio 182 and a set of track tyres (from £2,500)
Here’s the thing, though: you’re not Porsche factory test driver Jörg Bergmeister. Unless you are, in which case ignore this part, Jörg. Assuming you’re not, though, you’ll probably run out of talent long before a Manthey-kitted GT3 RS does – and anyway, who’s got that much to spend on a track day toy? You’ll have just as much fun with a ratty Clio 182 and a set of half-decent track tyres. Trust us.
The new choice: a posh Mercedes Sprinter 4×4 camper (from many, many pounds)
Take your pick of whichever aftermarket converter you like – let’s take the £88,340 Hymer Grand Canyon S as an example. These go-anywhere, sleep-anywhere Sprinters are the ultimate status symbol among the £350-flannel-shirt-wearing, ‘we gave up our day jobs in finance to find nature’ crowd, largely because they’re the only people who can afford one.
The used alternative: Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear (from £6,000)
Enter the Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear as our budget alternative hero, essentially the rugged running gear from a Shogun shoved into a people carrier. People were importing these and turning them into go-anywhere campers long before Instagram turned hashtag van life into a thing, but the social media effect means demand is rising. You can still get them for comfortably under £10k, though. Some curtains and an airbed later, you’ll be laughing.
