A CAR expert has picked out a selection of cut-price luxury motors that are surprisingly cheap to buy but will make you look rich.
YouTube star and car expert Jonny Brighton of Cars With JB has made five sports car recommendations that he thinks “look way more expensive than they actually are”, including an Aston Martin model that was produced to take on the Porsche 911.
The speedy Aston Martin Vantage, with its 4.3-litre V8 engine, was built to “take on the Porsche 911 in the more agile sports car market,” according to Jonny.
Produced between 2005 and 2017 in its V8 form, he believes the Vantage is one of the more affordable Astons currently on the market.
He added: “Alongside the DB9, it offers some of the cheapest routes into Aston Martin-ownership.
“Overall, I would go for the DB9 if you prefer wafting around, and the advantage if you prefer something a little bit more aggressive.”
For the Vantage, you’re looking at £20,000 at the lowest, while £30,000 would be enough for 2006 iteration with 50,000 miles on the clock.
Jonny also recommened getting a pre-purchase inspection on one before buying.
He added: “Genuinely they’re known to be relatively reliable when looked after properly but replacement parts that typically go wrong like clutches are crazy expensive.”
Jonny picks out the lovely Porsche Cayman as it shares the same chassis as the more recent 718, meaning they look very similar and doesn’t look dated, all the while helping it to look more expensive.
At cheapest, these can be found for around £26,000 with £30k enough for a 2015 model that’s done 50,000 miles.
That’s good money for a motor that can produce 310 bhp.
The sixth generation Ford Mustang has only recently ended production and was the first gen to be specifically built with the UK market in mind.
That means you’ll be able to get a right-hand drive example with no issues.
With a 5.0-litre V8 engine, the Mustang one of only a handful of american muscle cars available in the UK.
Jonny added: “That makes them great head-turners despite the more humble Ford badge.”
He also notes that the interior “looks great” with nods to the classic Mustang while still being modernised.
Jonny says the sixth-gen Mustang can be bought for as low as £21,000, with £30k enough for a 2016 model with low mileage.
Described by Jonny as a “genuinely special Jag”, the XFR-S boasts an aggressive body-kit with carbon fibre used throughout and additional aero features like the wing and diffuser – giving it an unusually aggressive look for a Jaguar.
Its power matches it looks, as like the Mustang it comes with a 5.0-litre V8 engine – but is supercharged up to 542 bhp.
However, Jonny reveals the super saloon does come with a catch, saying: “It’s an incredibly rare car with just over 110 out there on the roads here in the UK right now – so in my head I wouldn’t even mind calling this car a bit of an exotic.”
If you’re lucky enough to find one for sale, they start at just around £24,000 with under £30k enough for a model with 45,000 miles on the clock.
The incredibly good looking Giulia Quadrifoglio brilliantly combines style with speed.
When waxing lyrical about the impressive Alfa, Jonny said: “Often new cars get criticised for not having souls, Alfa have cleverly combated this by giving this an insane amount of power all going to the rear wheels with no driver AIDS when you whack it in race mode.”
The monstrous motor comes with a 2.9-litre twin turbocharged V6 engine which makes 512 bhp which Jonny says is “genuinely mind bending performance out of a rear wheel drive super saloon.”
At the lowest, these can be found for around £29,000 for something from 2017 that’s clocked 70,000 miles.
Elsewhere, bargain-hunting motorheads might be interested to know Wheeler Dealers host Mike Brewer recently gave his “top choice” for a modern classic motor that only costs “a few grand.”
And Subaru revealed their “fastest ever WRX” at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed – some 32 years after the iconic model’s first release.
