Class Leaders
Here is our selection the best cars available today (new or used)
in each of the eight categories below. Class leader is shown first, followed by
three runners-up which are highly recommended in that class.
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Hypercars
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| McLaren F1 |
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McLaren's mission was to
produce the fastest, most complete supercar the world had ever seen, money no
object. The extraordinary F1 was the result. 0-60mph in
3.2 sec and a verified 240mph top speed had rivals
crumbling in it's wake. Just 100 were made at £635,000 each, with the odd example
appearing on the used market at around the £½m mark.
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| Ferrari F40 |
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Pagani Zonda C12S |
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Bugatti Veyron |
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The Enzo may have it licked for performance but the F40 is the purists
choice for it's looks and exceptional handling - and at 'just' £150k,
in this company it's a bargain! |
Although a newcomer to the supercar club, the Zonda has managed to
outdo it's established Italian rivals. It's pricey at £300k but most
agree this is good value for money. |
Could this be the car to finally topple the F1? With 252mph from a 1000bhp
W16 it certainly has the credentials. Only time will tell. Sadly, at
£750k, only billionaires need apply!? |
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Supercars
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| Porsche
911 Turbo |
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Some say the engine is still in
the wrong place but after 30 years of development the latest 996
Turbo is simply the most complete supercar around. Unbeatable
real world performance and good looks are coupled with low
depreciation and bullet-proof reliability to make this £80k
Porsche an owner's dream.
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Mercedes SL55 AMG
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Lamborghini
Gallardo
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Ferrari F430
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A supercar, a luxury cruiser and a convertible all rolled into one.
200mph, an electric folding roof and a £90k price tag make it nigh on
irresistible. Only let down by a perceived quality issue. |
Baby brother to the Murcielago, the Gallardo is, in real terms, just
as fast, better looking and best of all £50k cheaper. Audi build
quality also adds bulletproof reliability. |
With the F430 Ferrari have moved the goalposts on what is required in
the £100k supercar market. Great looks, superb performance &
unmatched desirability explain the huge waiting list. |
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Super Saloons
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| BMW
M5 |
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The best just got better with the
introduction of the new E60 BMW M5. Power? How about 500bhp.
Performance? 0-100mph in under 10 seconds. Handling? Good enough
to see off most supercars. Add to this refinement, desirability
and class leading depreciation and you have (in most experts
opinion) the best car in the world!
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Mercedes E55 AMG
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Jaguar XJR
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Lotus Carlton
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A few years ago the best part of 500bhp was only found in the most
exotic of hypercars. Today it can be found powering the £55k AMG
E-class, one of the fastest 4 door of all time.
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Universally praised for it's prestige
and refinement, the new XJR is the best Jag yet. More cabin space, more performance and even higher
quality put the £55k Jag right back at the top of the pile.
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Over 12 years old but the Carlton's twin turbo flat 6 can still show a
clean pair of heels to most of today's rivals. Lotus reliability is
fragile but from just £12k, it's very tempting!
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Sportscars
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Porsche 911 Carrera |
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Regardless of your
affiliations, it's difficult to argue against the 911. No
other £50k sports coupe delivers performance, handling,
retained value and reliability like the Carrera. It may have
lost a little character but the looks of the latest 997 are
a definite improvement. It's safe to say, it is the best 911
to date. |
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BMW M3
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Porsche Cayman S
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Aston Martin DB7
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A superb all round proposition, the M3 is equally at home on the track
as it is on the school run. Early E30 examples go from well under
£10k, making it a true enthusiasts bargain. |
All Porsches are known for their handling but the new Cayman S
promises to be a serious driver's tool. Priced between the 911 and the
Boxster, this could well be the best of both worlds. |
With used values now reaching sensible levels, the cachet of a DB7 is
no longer the reserve of the rich. Just £35k gets you behind the wheel
of one of the most beautiful cars on the planet. |
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Track Specials
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| Radical
SR4 Clubsport |
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190bhp doesn't sound like a lot in
this era of 500bhp saloon cars but when it is powering the
450kg Radical SR4, you will be lapping your favourite circuit as fast as a Formula 3 racer!
It may look like a mini Le Mans car but it's fully road legal,
and can be yours for a very reasonable £25k. |
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Caterham R500
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Porsche 911 GT3RS
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Ariel Atom 2
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The R500 represents the ultimate evolution of the Lotus 7 concept,
recently setting new records for the 0-100mph-0 sprint. Used ones are
rare but even £35k new is good value. |
Arguably the greatest drivers 911 to date, the RS combines ultimate
handling and rapid performance with good looks thrown in. £85,000
puts you in the driver seat. |
It may look like it's held together with a ladder, but the
supercharged Atom leaves it's competitors for dead with a rabid 3.2sec
0-60mph sprint. Just £30k lets you match a McLaren. |
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Hot Hatches
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| Nissan
350Z |
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The new 350Z puts Nissan right back
at the top of the Hot Hatch heap. Following a long line of
illustrious 'Z-cars', the 350 couples strong performance with
exciting handling. It may be slightly outpunched by the Evo and
Impreza but it's stunning looks give it top spot in this highly
competitive sector. |
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Mitsubishi Evo
VIII
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Subaru Impreza
WR1
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Ford Focus RS
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The remarkable Evo VIII is a technological tour de force. Gizmos such
as Active Yaw empower the Lancer with crushing cross country capability.
Used Evo's are yours for just £20k. |
With the dodgy looks now sorted, the Impreza can now go back to it's
rightful place alongside the Evo. The Evo is ultimately more
rewarding but the WR1 is the best Impreza yet. |
There can be no doubting it's pace and value (under £20k in the UK)
but the RS' handling divides opinion. Keen racers will love it but
ride quality is too harsh for most. |
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Luxury Cruisers
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| Bentley
Continental Flying Spur |
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The saloon equivalent of the highly desirable Continental GT seems
to have it all. Luxury interior, 200mph+ performance and the provenance of a true historic
marque. Best of all however, is the Bentley's asking price of just £120k. Never
before has so much been offered to so many (?) for so little! |
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Mercedes S600
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Maybach 62
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Rolls Royce Phantom
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The Mercedes S Class has long been the choice for pampered
executives with it's good looks and vast 500bhp performance. Quality is
getting back on track but still not what it once was. |
For those for which a 'standard' S Class is not enough, Mercedes have
produced the opulent £280k Maybach, complete with reclining rear
seats and (probably) a chauffeur! |
The gargantuan looks split opinion but BMW has certainly got the
technical side right (60mph in under 6 sec). Whether it can recapture
past RR glories is another question. |
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Classics
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| Jaguar
E-Type |
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The E-Type Jag seems to personify the
classic car. The effect it's introduction had on an astonished
public has not been equaled to this day. The early Mark I
roadsters are the most sought after but any model whatsoever
would leave you with a smile on your face. |
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Lamborghini Miura
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Ferrari 250 GTO
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Lamborghini
Countach
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A combination of stunning good looks and huge performance make the
world's first supercar, the Miura, a wise investment (especially in S
or even rarer SV guise). |
At £5m the world's most expensive and perhaps most desirable
classic. The 250 GTO embodies everything that made Ferrari truly great
during the timeless 1960s. |
The definitive supercar of the 70's and 80's, the Countach has matured
into a highly collectable classic. The LP400 has the purest lines but
those in the know take the Qv. |
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