10 Best Used Luxury Sports Cars

2013 Chevrolet Corvette rear taillight ・ Photo by General Motors

We define sports cars by their performance. We value luxury cars for their comfort. When the two worlds meet, great things can happen. Of course, the combination of performance and comfort breeds high prices in new cars with the latest in high end technology under the hood and in the cabin.

Sure, used luxury sports cars are not the latest and greatest, and they’re not yet classics. They’re not the quickest, and may not have the trendiest luxury features. But they can be screaming deals. For the same price as an ordinary new car, they deliver great looks, performance and comfort. Clever buyers can swoop in for great deals on the 10 best used luxury sports cars that we’ve listed here.

Audi R8 (2007–2015)

Audi’s mid-engine luxury sports car, the R8, stunned the world when it came out as a 2007 model. The normally staid Audi pulled out all of the stops, creating an affordable supercar with extensive use of carbon fiber, a sleek, low profile and the magic of a mid-engine car with all-wheel drive. Add to that Audi’s flair for interior design and comfort, and you’ve got a very special vehicle. The first generation R8 was initially offered with a 4.2-liter V8, then bumped up to a 5.2-liter V8, with the choice of a 6-speed manual or 7-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. Though R8 can run with the pure sports car crowd, it is supremely comfortable and drivable on an everyday basis.

Bentley Continental GT Coupe (2004–2011)

British luxury commands attention. Combined with gorgeous styling and impressive performance, you’ve got the makings of a luxury sports car. The Continental GT Coupe is a big 2+2 Grand Touring car. It’s got tremendous presence on the road, with a long hood and pronounced grille. Inside, real wood and metal trim, plush carpeting, supple leather seats and an all-around feeling of quality make the Continental GT feel like a chamber in a deluxe men’s club. Under that long hood, there’s a potent engine willing to propel all that luxury at an assertive clip. It doesn’t shy at being tossed into corners, either. And best of all, a used Bentley costs a fraction of the price of a new one.

BMW 8 Series (1989–1999)

Long and low, the BMW 8 Series was a unique car in the BMW lineup. A victim of a slow global economy, the 8 Series sold in fairly low numbers, so it is rare to see one on U.S. roads nowadays. With grand touring styling and a 2+2 coupe layout, the 8 Series has a classic profile with a long hood and swooping low roofline. Inside, the 8 Series’ cabin is particularly roomy, and very well-suited to taller drivers with plenty of legroom and headroom. Over the course of its production, the 8 Series got fitted with a 4.0-liter V8, a 4.4-liter V8, a 5.0-liter V12 and a 5.4-liter V12, and was rated for an unlimited top speed of 196 miles per hour.

BMW Z4 M (first generation, 2003–2008)

Available as a coupe or as a convertible, the BMW Z4 is a compact 2-seater that represents a luxury sports car alternative to the popular Mazda MX-5 Miata, Honda S2000 and other, more raw vehicles. The classic profile has a retro look that hearkens back to the 1960s, but with modern-looking crisp details and lines. Inside, comfort and luxury appointments elevate the Z4 above its lower-priced competitors. Suspension, steering and performance upgrades on the M version of the Z4 add some zip and slash to the driving experience. The coupe version adds utility, with a surprising amount of cargo space behind the front seats, a great bonus for weekend getaways.

Photo by BMW

Chevrolet Corvette C6 (2005–2013)

The latest Chevrolet Corvette, the C7, may be the best Corvette ever. But the previous generation, the Corvette C6, is still a fantastic luxury sports car. As rumors swirl about the next generation (C8) model possibly featuring a mid-engine layout, the classic Corvette formula of big front-engine/rear-wheel drive is irresistible. Pick a high-performance variant like the Z06, and you’re driving a rocket ship. Even the base Corvette came with a 6.0-liter V8 LS2 engine that put out 400 hp. C6 was the first Corvette since C1 to do away with the flip-up headlight assemblies, a weak point in many used Corvettes of earlier generations. C6 prices have plummeted since the introduction of C7 in 2014.

Ferrari 550 Maranello (1997-2002)

What would a list of luxury sports cars be without a Ferrari? Incomplete, that’s what. When it comes to pure sports cars, Ferrari is a gold standard. But they have also built some grand touring vehicles that emphasize luxury over pure performance, and the 550 Maranello was one of the best recent examples, and a great buy as a used luxury sports car. Though low and long, the 550 is roomier and easier to get in and out of than most Ferrari sports cars, which are tailored to the driving experience. The 550 is the weekend getaway Ferrari, with a front-engine/rear-wheel drive that allows for actual cargo space. A potent 5.6-liter V12 engine assures the sport part of the equation.

Photo by Wikipedia

Jaguar XKR Coupe (2006–2010)

Developed and built during Ford’s ownership of Jaguar, the XKR Coupe was a callback to the Jaguar sports car heritage. With a long hood and shape vaguely reminiscent of the timeless Jaguar E-Type, the XKR was unmistakably British and elegant. The XKR featured a supercharged V8 engine (an upgrade over the XK8’s normally aspirated V8), along with a wire mesh grille and other exterior enhancements. Inside, it’s all Jaguar, with beautiful leather and wood appointments, real metal trim and a lush atmosphere. Jaguars of this period were maligned for questionable reliability and build quality, but a well-maintained example can be a bargain in the used luxury sports car market, with some selling in the mid-$20,000 range.

Photo by Jaguar Land Rover

Mercedes-Benz SL Roadster (third generation, 1972–1989)

There was a time when the Mercedes-Benz SL Roadster was the epitome of luxury sports cars. The “sports” part of the equation fell off a bit, but the “luxury” was always top-notch. The third generation has been neglected in the used market, with prices dipping down to the low teens for some years and models. That’s an incredible bargain for a car that offers a rare grand touring experience, with Mercedes-Benz luxury in a compact 2-seat package. A removable hard top supplements many examples, and the 450 SL and 500 SL models deliver surprisingly good performance from V8 engines. Don’t overlook this underpriced classic.

Photo by Bill McChesney via Flickr

Porsche 928 (1978–1995)

It’s hard to remember, but there was a time when Porsche feared that its rear-engine/rear-wheel drive 911 was an endangered species. The front-engine/front-wheel drive 928 was Porsche’s answer to a question that few had asked. It featured a roomy 2+2 fastback layout with a bulbous greenhouse and long hood. The design was shunned at the time, but now looks timeless and elegant. 928 performed beautifully, with excellent balance, handling and a low center of gravity, and it coddled its passenger and driver with a high level of luxury, fit and finish. As prices of used 911 cars skyrocket, the 928 offers an affordable entry into the Porsche family, and a supremely comfortable sports car experience.

Porsche Boxster S (second generation, 2004-2012)

The baby Porsche came into its own in its second generation, adding performance options and improved luxury appointments to a car that many believe is the best-handling Porsche on the road. While the Boxster doesn’t have the overwhelming power of a Turbo S 911, it does have a more balanced mid-engine/rear-wheel drive layout that is much nimbler and more forgiving to drive. The spiritual descendant of the roller skate-handling 914, the Boxster is the ideal companion for twisty public roads and fun road trips. A tailored, crisp interior conveys quality and provides comfort in a way that a luxury sports car should. Early Boxster S models can be found in the $20,000 range.