The sports car market has gone crazy over the past few decades. If you want a decent new sports car, in most cases you must be willing to spend more than $30,000. Even a sports car like the Porsche Boxster, which was originally developed with affordability in mind, now has a starting price of over $60,000, which is a lot more than most gearheads can afford.
Thankfully, the classic cars market is better than it has ever been before, thanks to the internet making it easier for gearheads to find cars. If you look hard enough, you’ll find plenty of affordable classic sports cars that look great and offer superb performance. The following are ten of them.
10 Datsun 240Z – $16,500
When Toyota developed the gorgeous 2000GT in 1967, Nissan knew it had to respond with a worthy competitor. So, in 1969, Nissan rolled up its sleeves and developed the 240Z – the first car in the now-iconic Z-car series.
Like the Toyota 2000GT, the 240Z is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful Japanese cars ever. However, while the 2000GT costs over $1 million due to its rarity, the 240Z remains affordable. However, prices are increasing, so you better hurry.
9 Mazda MX-5 (NB) – $10,000
The Miata is, to many gearheads, Mazda’s greatest achievement of all time. The Miata’s formula of a lightweight two-seater sports car that costs a small fraction of the prices normally demanded for sports cars has worked out great, which is why the Miata has sold over a million units.
The second-generation Miata debuted in 1997, and while it kept its predecessor’s proportions, it notably lacked the NA’s iconic pop-up headlights. However, it was and still is a fun little sports car you can buy for $10,000 or less.
8 Porsche Boxster 986 – $9,000
When Japanese automakers like Mazda, Nissan, and Toyota started flooding the European and North American markets with cheap sports cars, European automakers noticed a sharp drop in their sales. Porsche knew it needed a new way to survive, so it introduced the entry-level Boxster.
The Boxster was a huge hit. Although it was a lot cheaper than the 911, it still had a great design, Porsche’s advanced engineering, and it packed quite a punch. On top of that, it was mid-engined, which gave it superb handling.
7 Chevrolet Corvette C4 ZR-1 – $20,000
The C4 generation served as a major comeback for the Corvette nameplate, which was nearly killed during the horrible malaise era. This is also the generation that Chevy revived the high-performance ZR-1 trim in the Corvette, which had worked out great in the early ’70s.
The C4 ZR-1 debuted in 1989 and impressed everyone with its blistering speed. Equipped with a 5.7-liter V8 belting out 375 hp, the ZR-1 had a top speed of 180 mph.
6 Mercedes-Benz SL600(R129) – $18,500
The Mercedes-Benz SL-class has been produced for multiple generations, but none of them will ever be as revolutionary and impactful as the R129. The R129 impressed many with its advanced engineering and technologies, which is why it’s a Mercedes-Benz legend.
The R129 was powered by a range of bulletproof engines, with the best being a monstrous V12 with 389 hp on tap. With prices below $20,000, the R129 is still among the cheapest V12-powered sports cars.
5 Aston Martin DB7 – $16,500
When Ford owned Aston Martin, it decided to develop a new entry-level sports car that would appeal to the masses and make the British brand profitable again. That’s how the DB7 was born.
Despite being a lot cheaper than other Astons, the DB7 was still a gorgeous grand tourer with a powerful V12 engine under the hood. The DB7 ended up becoming the most-produced Aston Martin model at the time, which is why it’s so affordable today.
4 1990 Mazda RX-7 – $9,500
When the words Mazda RX-7′ are mentioned, the first thing that comes to most gearheads’ minds is the FD generation. We don’t blame them, the FD is the best-looking and most iconic of all RX-7 generations. However, with prices over $40,000 and growing, the FD is well out of reach for most gearheads, which is why you should settle for the FC.
The FC may not look as good as the FD, but it’s still a stylish Japanese classic from the ’90s that’s incredibly fun to drive. It comes with a 1,308cc turbocharged Wankel rotary engine producing over 200 hp, giving it great performance.
3 Porsche 944 – $10,500
The 944 was part of Porsche’s series of front-engine coupes introduced in the ’70s to attract more buyers. The 944 was quite popular thanks to its beauty and low price.
The base model, which costs around $10,000, comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 205 hp. If that’s not sufficient for you, you can add a few thousand dollars and get the 944 Turbo.
2 Honda S2000 – $17,500
The ’90s decade was fantastic for Honda. The Japanese marque kicked the decade off with the iconic NSX and ended it on a high note with yet another fantastic car; the S2000.
For one, the S2000 was a thing of beauty, definitely one of the best-looking roadsters ever made. It also had one of the best naturally aspirated engines; a 2.0-liter F20C inline-four generating up to 247 ponies.
1 1990 Nissan 300ZX – $13,500
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The aforementioned Datsun 240Z was so good that Nissan decided to make it a series called the Nissan Z-car. The 300ZX was the third installment of the series, and, just like its predecessors, it had a great design, enough power to make gearheads smile, and an attractive price tag.
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The 300ZX was produced across two generations. The Z32 is our favorite. It had an updated design and was equipped with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 producing around 300 hp, making it quick.
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