In March 2005 Autocar set out its manifesto for the £100-per-week second-hand performance hero.
For that sum, which equates to a purchase loan budget of £25,000 borrowed over five years, our writers and testers explained you could buy your very own mid-engined supercar, a modern-day muscle car, one of the most beautiful automotive shapes of the past few decades, a V8 super-saloon – or whatever else tempted you.
Eleven of the era’s most appealing but affordable performance cars were laid out in detail, with an underlying message that there had never been a better time to throw caution to the wind and buy a dream performance car.
Thirteen years later we’re revisiting the idea. In the years that have elapsed the values of those 11 cars have fallen, stayed more or less the same and even, as in a number of instances, risen dramatically. But in every case a more modern alternative has since fallen into the £100-per-week bracket. This time around we’ll look at how the values of each of the cars have shifted in 13 years and suggest a newer model that might now be a smarter purchase.
The message, as it was then, is that you needn’t continue dreaming about owning a desirable performance car. Check out our guide at the end of the feature for some loan options that might just draw such a purchase into realistic range.
Ferrari 348
Autocar’s David Vivian had it right when he wrote that the 348 “may not be the greatest baby Ferrari ever built, but you’ll wake up in a better mood with one on your drive”. And had you heeded his advice and bought one, you might even have turned a profit.
Join the debate
Add your comment
Travel
Thank you very much. Incredible car. Very pleased. I used this car to travel to Vegas. More about this on the site. Respect to the author.
Your £100-a-week performance heroes
When you make up your List it would be a good idea to check on the Cost of Warranties for your Selection's as I'm sure it would greatly increase the Cost of ownership for most of your selection's.
Bad advice. R8 and M5.
Audi R8 of the early era crack their chassis around the front suspension mounds, where later ones had extra plates fitted to strengthen them. Once broken insurance companies write off the car, which is a strike against your insurance for something you have no control over. Your only option is to get the work done by an independent garage either to fix it, or put those plates in to avoid this.
M5 V10 engines are famous for exploding! Hoovie's garage just showed one where they're having to do $5,000 of preventative maintenance alone, before fixing all the car's faults. Famous BMW reliability.
This is shockingly bad advice to be recommending cars which could easily wipe out your investment in them!