The best used supercars to buy in 2026

A debate over what actually constitutes a “supercar” would continue long after internal combustion engine wedges are even available to buy new. So think about the genre being roughly defined here, not least because it’s much more fun to talk about cars you can get a loan for than not needing a new mortgage. We kick off with the original four-cylinder supercar (we said it), the Lotus Esprit. In many respects it meets the requirements: mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-seater, beautiful to look at and also a pleasure to drive. Rare too. But it wasn’t until the V8 that it really got supercar performance. Still, for the price of one or two options on a new exotic, an Esprit offers a lot of style, speed and sense of occasion, even with a modest four-cylinder turbo. This S4S is a unique (very nice) spec, comes with plenty of history and retails for £1,250 under budget. Pop-up headlights for victory.

And for those who believe that a supercar can only be called so with a large-displacement multi-cylinder engine, here is the Dodge Viper. No one would call its 8.0-liter V10 exotic, or refined, or wildly melodic, but it delivers excitement like no other. Frankly, this is an engine that comes with a car attached to it, so wholeheartedly and unapologetically, raw combustion dominates the Viper experience. And if a supercar requires all your concentration for every kilometer, look no further. The interior may look like something out of a kindergarten, and parts for a 30 year old Yank tank may be hard to come by, but what a statement. A wonderfully crazy machine, exactly what an old school supercar should be. Interestingly, this was supplied by the UK, has only covered 25,000 miles and has recently been returned to service after spending some time in storage. The cobwebs, both yours and the car’s, are blown away like never before.

For a more modern take on the V10 drop-top, the Audi R8 continues to look like very good value indeed. Slowly but surely, the price of good V8 engines is rising, as the market realizes how much they offer for so relatively little. However, it’s the V10 you want, complete with 525 horsepower, for the full supercar experience. The 5.2 is the exact opposite of the Dodge’s, revving above 8,000 rpm and exciting to listen to. Amazingly too, £50,000 now buys an example of the facelifted first-generation R8, which means an S Tronic DSG instead of the nasty old computerized R Tronic manual. So that’s an 8,500rpm naturally aspirated V10, dual transmission, 200mph potential and a good dose of Audi design, for the price of a Golf Edition 50. Obviously you’ll have to budget for the running costs of a car that would have cost at least £120,000 in 2014, but the R8 still looks like remarkably good value for money – a badge of the premium market that may have put off some, but it remains a boon for savvy second-hand buyers. Fix those wheels, install CarPlay and away you go.

No one can accuse AMG of not giving the first GT its all. In addition to the dual-clutch gearbox in a transaxle, an electronic limited slip differential and an interior design that was intended to evoke the V8 layout, a slew of models were introduced during the GT’s life. From its relatively humble beginnings of 476 hp, the AMG spawned hot rod convertibles, special editions, four-wheel-steer ring rockets, coilover GT3 wannabes and exotics with more than 700 hp. They all got the mighty 4.0-liter V8, they all looked fantastic, and they all featured a kind of precision and discipline that AMGs weren’t really known for a decade ago. Far from just a sniveling hooligan, this was a serious (and seriously capable) super sports car. Another one that blurs the lines a bit with its front-engine layout, but an AMG GT like this will always turn heads; With that gigantic hood stretched out in front and people staring at it, it will feel like a supercar. Just a 27,000 mile, £62,000 supercar…

Time for a V12. To this day, nothing says power, panache and performance like a dozen cylinders under the hood. The sound and smoothness mean an experience like no other, cool and cultured when needed, while also (hopefully) screaming its way through higher revs. We all know that the Aston Martin 5.9-litre V12 was an icon of the 21st century; maybe it didn’t howl like a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, but it always fit in so well with Gaydon’s supercars that it didn’t really matter anymore. The twin-turbo 5.2 that replaced it was a great achievement for a forced-induction V12, though it’s inevitably slightly less charming than the naturally aspirated unit. And if you’re looking for charm in a modern Aston Martin (at a fraction of the cost of a new one), the old Vanquish will do a great job. Still handsome, still very fast, still extremely likeable. Like many VH era models, of course, just a little… better, in a Vanquish. The specs on this are certainly grim, but four owners have driven less than 40,000 miles, it was serviced just before Christmas and a warranty is included in the £75,000 asking price. New it cost £207,410. Great, indeed.

No arguments about this, certainly. Everything McLaren Automotive has made over the last fifteen years unequivocally qualifies as a supercar: the carbon structure, a high-revving, massively powerful mid-engine, a ride height to chisel gum off the road (but still with a lush ride) and doors that lift. Nothing, as we all know, screams supercar like doors that lift. Under new ownership and with the oversupply issues of a few years ago largely resolved – a 750S will still cost you £200,000, because the launch was better managed than the 720 – things will hopefully look better for McLaren going forward. Also, don’t underestimate the good feeling that comes with having an F1 champion racing a McLaren. But for those looking for second-hand supercars rather than a new jackpot edition, McLaren still has plenty to offer. Although an incredible number of examples of the 650S exist for just over £70,000 (!), pushing the budget almost into six figures, there are cars like this available: very low mileage, great spec, nice options and the kind of visual drama that a front-engined car can only dream of…

The 458 Italia, the template for all the beautiful Ferrari berlinettas of the past fifteen years, was a brave new dawn for Maranello – one that remains relevant and desirable to this day. That’s why they still need more than £100,000. The 430’s replacement used F1 gearboxes, conventional interior levers and a traditional design; Introduced a dual clutch, key controls on the steering wheel and a futuristic new look for the mid-engine Ferrari, which continues to attract admiring glances. And while much would change for subsequent models, with turbos and Side Slip Control and the like, the 458’s influence was still palpable. And it still felt absolutely brilliant, all the way to the F8 Tributo. Indeed, you could argue that the way the 458 does things – hyper-alert steering, uncannily sorted technology, the best box in the business – continues to characterize Ferrari supercars to this day. So yeah, it’s pretty significant. Rosso Corsa may be a bit predictable, but with good reason. Honestly, what would you change?

The second-hand supercar bargain of the moment (everything is relative) that we will continue to talk about. The MC20 was as good as anyone could have hoped a mid-engine Maserati supercar for the 2020s could be: stunning to look at, stunning to drive, downright stunning in reality. This from a company that actually had no recent experience in the sector. Maserati might have wanted to make an association with the MC12, but that was a street-legal racing car with an Enzo V12 in it. This was a Maserati supercar, complete with custom platform, a high-revving turbo V6 and a DCT. And it was brilliant: fast-paced, exciting, rewarding, a little different from the norm and all the more likeable for it. Although the interior was spartan and the MC20’s carbon fiber turned out to weigh a lot more than claimed, that didn’t detract from a fantastic experience (and if a Temerario now weighs 1,900kg, who’s to complain?) This one cost £80,000 new, or just 8,000 miles ago, and it’s now on sale for 911 GTS money.

Lamborghini really saved the best for last when it came to the Huracan. While early versions continue to circulate around the £100,000 mark, they were never quite the ticket when it came to a suitably exciting, memorable Lamborghini experience. They looked great and sounded even better, but the driving experience was strangely simple. It didn’t take long for these issues to be addressed: the Performante was epic and the Evo facelift for the standard car improved the experience in every way. The STO could compete with the very best track cars in the world, the Sterrato was probably the nicest Lamborghini ever, and then there was the Tecnica: a very last Greatest Hits edition that beautifully depicted the V10. It had the power of a Performante, the ease of use of the Evo, some lessons from the STO on the track and two-wheel drive as the icing on the cake. Huracans really haven’t gotten any better. Somehow, this Verde Mantis example has been on sale for £195,000 for six months, so a deal could even be struck…

Do we need to say anything more about the Porsche Carrera GT? After all, it is PH’s favorite supercar of the past 25 years. There were certainly obvious things that contributed to this – a sublime engine with its roots in motorsport, beautiful design, extraordinary reward for the driver – but also a great story to enjoy. Carry along. For a while the CGT was the undervalued supercar, considered too much work by some due to its carbon linkage, too scary by others due to a number of highly publicized incidents, or too ordinary by those who worry about things like chassis numbers. These once sold for less than the asking price of £300,000. Slowly but surely, values ​​rose as people realized what an amazing Porsche it really was. Now, with better tires than were available at the time and manual supercars hard to come by, CGT stock has never been higher. This is one of the UK-supplied cars and the recent recall – complete with a new set of Cup 2s – was completed 100 miles ago. Which means it can now display 7:12 around the ring…