The internet, with its vast collection of cars for sale of every discernible type and price range, is at once the casual car buyer’s greatest friend and most hated enemy. On the one hand, the wealth of new and used car deals available means finding that elusive perfect next car at a great price becomes a real possibility. On the other hand, the endless scope for car enthusiasts to waste hours upon hours mulling over the latest listings poses the serious risk that they’ll never actually get anything constructive done in their day-to-day lives.
Thankfully, the evo team has come to the rescue. Once again we’ve diligently wasted hours of valuable time scouring the internet in search of the best sports and performance cars out there for sale at the moment. You can thank us later but for now, scroll down to explore the best car deals of the week…
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As always, these stone-cold bargains were intermingled with others that are overpriced and/or potential money pits waiting to swallow your savings, so you need to keep your wits about you at all times. Should you really splash out on that BMW M3? Is it wise to take the plunge on that Honda NSX? Well, that’s ultimately down to you, but we’ve taken steps to help you make the right decision.
> Browse our used buying guides here
Best used car deals of the week
Below are our best used car spots of the week...
BMW M3 (2012)
£21,545
The V8-powered E92 has made quite a few appearances in our Used Car deals, but with good reason – they’re getting too cheap to ignore. Boasting a 4-litre eight-cylinder powerplant as opposed to the M3’s trademark in-line six, it sits in an unusual spot in BMW’s performance coupe line-up. Some purists might wish its demise, but we say you can’t have too many naturally aspirated V8s, and the M3’s S65 unit is a rather good one too. Some 414bhp and 295lb ft of torque are sent to the real wheels through a dual-clutch transmission, firing it from 0 to 62mph in 4.8sec, and on to a 155mph limited top speed.
The price you’ll pay for this car is £21,545, but it’s no bog-standard, questionably maintained, CAT D example with six figures on the odometer... Instead, you get a tastefully specced Competition Package car, with a reasonable 38,803 miles on the clock. What’s not to like?
Vauxhall Lotus Carlton (1991)
£59,950
Renowned as the world’s first supersaloon, the Vauxhall Lotus Carlton first hit our roads in 1990, fast becoming the car of choice for those who needed to depart from the scene of a crime in a hurry. You can understand why, too, as its 3.6-litre turbocharged in-line six gave it 377bhp and 419lb ft of torque, good for a 5.2sec 0-62mph time and 177mph top speed – figures comparable to today’s performance cars, even three decades on.
High prices, and a decrease in demand due to their criminal-attracting tendencies, mean just 320 examples were produced. But at least with this 95,776-mile example you’ll get a car fresh from a Lotus service, complete with a full body respray (with the factory Imperial Green colour), new brakes, new suspension, a turbocharger refresh and more.
Honda NSX (1991)
£51,900
The first-generation Honda NSX doesn’t offer tarmac-tearing performance, but thanks to its advanced, lightweight construction, it’s still an accomplished driver’s machine to this day. Some 270bhp and 210lb ft of torque come from its VTEC-equipped 3-litre naturally aspirated six-cylinder, enough for a 6.9sec 0-62mph time and a 162mph top speed.
Untouched, manual examples are hard to find in the UK, and so prices reflect this – for around the price of a new Alpine A110, you could have yourself this 98,000-mile, manual Honda NSX finished in Formula Red. The listing claims that over £12,000 has been spent over the last two years, through repairs, new parts and general maintenance. Though almost entirely factory, it does feature the red NSX R manifold cover and a carbonfibre engine compartment cover, the latter of which can be swapped for the OEM part, which is also included.
Volkswagen Golf R (2016)
£16,995
Despite its newfound reputation for being a car driven more by criminals than law-abiding car fans, it doesn’t change the fact that the Mk7 Golf R is a solid performance machine. Powered by Volkswagen’s EA888 2-litre turbocharged four-pot, it produces around 300bhp and the same in lb ft of torque, pushing the hatch from 0 to 62mph in 5.1sec (4.6sec for the DSG) and on to a 155mph top speed.
> 2019 Volkswagen Golf R review - the art of having your cake and eating it too
Thanks to the magic of depreciation, this 39,500-mile, manual, white example can be yours for a smidge over the price of a new Volkswagen Up GTI, and at half its price when new in 2016.
Toyota Yaris GRMN (2019)
£19,495
Understandably, most won’t be keen to jump into a Yaris GRMN following the recent launch of Toyota’s latest performance hatch, but deliveries are still yet to begin, and it doesn’t detract from the fact that the previous car is a rather fun machine. Boasting an unusual 1.8-litre supercharged power plant, the GRMN sends 209bhp and 184lb ft of torque to the front wheels through a limited-slip differential. A substantial revision to both the suspension and kerb weight also contribute to its strong performance.
> Toyota GR Yaris revealed in full – return of the homologation special
Though it was sold in very limited numbers and was priced from £26,295, this example can be in your hands for £19,495. A nice stopgap until you receive your new GR Yaris, perhaps?
Bentley Mulsanne (2015)
£79,990
The Bentley Mulsanne is not an awfully evo car, but with production of it, and its 60-year-old 6.75-litre V8 coming to a close, it only seemed right to include one in this piece. Though it has received plenty of revisions since, the 6.75-litre unit first made an appearance in the 1959 Bentley S2, but in this application produces 505bhp and 752lb ft of torque, good for a 5.1sec 0-62mph time and 184mph top speed.
> Bentley Mulsanne 6.75 Edition launched to mark end of production
A £230,000 starting price excludes all but the super-rich from the ultra-refined experience the Mulsanne offers from new, but just 22,248 miles later, this Midnight Green car can be yours for £79,990. This, or a bog-standard 2020 diesel S-class?
Porsche Cayman R (2012)
£39,995
The Porsche Cayman GT4 - two-time winner of eCoty, and one of the best driver’s cars we’ve tested to this day. Up until its reveal in 2015, the Cayman R was the alternative, 55kg lighter and marginally more powerful than the standard car. Though not quite the 911 GT3 unit, its 3.4-litre NA flat-six produced a healthy 330bhp and 273lb ft of torque, good for a 4.6sec 0-62mph time and 175mph top speed.
This example is not finished in the traditional Cayman R Peridot green, but instead, a classy, understated silver shade, complete with contrasting black wheels. Just 27,000 miles have been covered since it left the factory 8 years ago, and it could be in your garage for less than the price of a new Mercedes-AMG A45.
BMW M3 CSL (2004)
£67,990
We won’t turn down an M3 of any generation, but you’ll struggle to find anyone who doesn’t believe the E46 is the best of the bunch, offering as it does the raw, driver-machine connection of its elders, but with a dash of the refinement and capability of more modern machines – and, of course, no turbochargers. The ultra-rare CSL took the formula up another notch, bringing more power, less weight and further-honed handling.
Under the bonnet is a fettled version of the standard car’s 3.2-litre naturally aspirated in-line six, putting 355bhp and 273lb ft of torque to the rear wheels for a claimed 4.8sec 0-62mph time and 155mph top speed. This particular example is finished in the desirable silver shade – 316 of the 422 units that made it to the UK were silver – drawing the eye to its carbonfibre roof.
Now, it’s not awfully cheap, but it’s a price that’s justified in our eyes, and we can’t see the rate of appreciation slowing down any time soon.
Jaguar XJ220 (1991)
£399,995
The XJ220 sat amongst the likes of Ferrari’s F40 and Bugatti’s EB110 as a no-expenses-spared turbocharged, flagship supercar. Of course, it also had a (somewhat sour) relationship with the legendary McLaren F1, the Woking hypercar having snatched the title of world’s fastest production car from under its wheels.
Should you enjoy a spot of auction ogling from time-to-time, you’ll be aware of the incomprehensible sums affluent bidders will cough up for an F1. Although it holds a number of desirable accolades to its name, its current prices only make the XJ220 look like an incredible deal. Dramatic ‘90s supercar styling and an equally-’90s turbocharged powertrain can all be yours for the price of a factory respray for the McLaren F1.
Lexus LC 500 (2017)
£48,490
We’re rather fond of the LC 500 at evo, largely thanks to its glorious naturally aspirated power plant. The 5-litre V8 puts 470bhp and 398lb ft of torque to the rear wheels, creating an increasingly rare orchestra of NA eight-cylinder intake and exhaust sound in the process.
> Lexus LC500 Convertible takes GT formula open-air
With only 11,900 miles since it left the factory, this example has lost around £25,000 in value, making it an excellent used buy. Twenty-one-inch wheels, an uprated Mark Levinson sound system, a carbonfibre roof and deep metallic Sonic Red paintwork all feature.
Alpina B3 (1999, E46)
£14,980
Alpina’s latest B3 saloon has just been uncovered, so it only seemed right to include this E46 variant from 1999 in this week’s deals. Under the bonnet is the same straight-six you’ll find in an E46 330i, pumped up to 300bhp and 266lb ft of torque – 0-62mph comes in a respectable 6.3sec and top speed at 164mph.
This example is finished in Alpina Green Metallic, a near-£2000 option, with a contrasting Montana leather interior. As with all B3s, the Alpina bodykit sets it apart from a standard car, alongside the 19-inch wheels. Only 43,000 miles have been covered from new, and with just a single former keeper on the books, it sounds like an excellent buy to us.
Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMG Black Series (2008)
£99,990
Black Series. A name we haven’t seen attached to an Affalterbach machine in quite some time, and one you very rarely see out on our roads. Turning an already-mad AMG up another notch is what the Black Series division is about, adding a widebody kit, exclusive, ball-polished wheels and a whole host of performance-enhancing modifications, in the CLK’s case. Peak power of 507bhp comes from a 6.2-litre NA V8, providing the 0-62mph sprint in 4.3sec and a 188mph top speed.
Unfortunately, Black Series prices are rather high in 2019, putting this CLK 63 just £10 under the £100,000 mark. This example is a rather good one, however, making it a prime candidate for an investment car. Only 14,000 miles have been covered in its 11-year life, and it has maintained a full Mercedes service history, including a recent service at Mercedes-Benz World.
Porsche 911 GT3 (997, 2010)
£82,980
Stuttgart’s GT3 was a success right from its inception in 1999. Though three generations of cars have only improved on one another, the second-generation 997 car is still a force to be reckoned with in 2019. Granted, Gen 1 997s look a tad dated, but punt for a Gen 2 equipped with centre-lock lightweight wheels, and you have yourself an excellent buy.
This example is just that, a Gen 2 with motorsport-inspired centre-lock wheels, the 3.8-litre NA flat-six, Carrera White paint, front axle lift and much more. At just over £80,000, don’t think this is an undesirable example, either, as it has a respectable 35,570 miles on the odometer and a manual gearbox.
