Best sports cars under £40,000

The second generation Porsche 981 Cayman was introduced in 2013 and has to be the best sports car under £40K you can buy in the UK. This is the one to go for if you're looking for one of the fastest cars at this price, and will put a huge smile on your face. 

Well-made and beautifully-proportioned, the 981 Cayman's trump card though is it's driving experience. The mid-engine layout of the Cayman means it's perfectly balanced, delivering sublime handling that excels one both windy B-roads and the track. 

With a £40,000 budget, you have the pick of the older cars with a glorious six-cylinder engine that really do sound the part. The newer 718 Cayman has seen Porsche drop the six-cylinder engine in favour of a turbocharged four-cylinder model that doesn't quite have the same impressive sound. That is unless you buy one of the pricer GTS or GT4 variants, which both feature awesome 4.0-litre six-cylinder engines.  

It might only be a two-seater, but there's a reasonable amount of space that makes it a great daily sports car. A brilliant piece of kit.

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Yes, we’ve already had a Porsche but the fact is the Boxster is every bit as good as the Porsche 718 Cayman tells you something about how well regarded these cars are.

The Boxster gives away some of the Cayman's handling prowess for the thrill of driving with the roof down. You can drop the canvas roof in seconds and while it might not be a metal roof that some rivals feature, the canvas soft-top help keeps the weight down nicely.

While some convertibles can feel like they contort and shudder over poor road surfaces, the Boxster feels nice and sorted, while the handling leaves you full of confidence. 

A budget of £40,000 will mean you can get one of the newer 718 Boxsters that were introduced in 2016, though you might want to look at the older 981 Boxster that sported the better-sounding six-cylinder engine (your budget will also go further). 

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The BMW M2 is based on the BMW 2 Series – so it’s pretty practical – but gets pumped up looks and a serious performance boost thanks to a turbocharged six-cylinder engine.

Because it’s based on the 2 Series the M2 has space for two up front and a pair of seats in the back which even adults can use on short journeys. The interior has a driver-centric layout, is made of high-quality materials and feels well screwed together.

The M2’s powerful engine means it can be a tyre-smoking monster if you want it to be or nimble and precise if you don’t. Its quiet on the motorway and its optional eight-speed automatic gearbox makes town driving less of a pain. 

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Made by Renault and originally co-developed with the boffins at Caterham (who know a thing or two about lightweight sports cars), the Alpine A110 is a cracking little car that can rival the likes of the Porsche Cayman. 

This Gallic sports car has an all-aluminium construction, making it very light something you really appreciate when you get behind the wheel. It just feels so agile and is a real joy when you chuck it into corners. The weight of the Alpine A110 (or lack of it) has allowed the engineers to equip it with relatively soft suspension, meaning it can soak up a lot of ruts and bumps in the road. Don't discount the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine either as it gives it a serious turn of speed and sounds great. 

Inside and you'll love the deep bucket seats that complements the low driving position, while the quilted leather upholstery and trims are a nod to its French heritage being based on the tricolour French flag. 

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While the preceding cars all have an element of finesse, the Mercedes SLK 55 approach to performance involves lumping a huge naturally aspirated V8 into the front of its small body. 

The results are impressive, with a sub-five-second 0-62mph time delivered with a heavy artillery soundtrack. It's awesome. The downside is that the SLK feels comparatively inert in corners and it has an old-school unresponsive automatic gearbox.

Admittedly, the Mercedes is more luxurious than your average sports car - its folding metal roof feels cosy in winter and the car's headrests can blow hot air down the back of your neck when the roofs down. It's a different way of doing sports cars but definitely not a bad way.

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If you're looking for something a little old school that wears its heart on its sleeve, then you can't go wrong with a Ford Mustang. 

America's classic muscle car is also a brilliant sports car for under £40,000, packing a bruising 5.0-litre V8 engine in a large and brash coupe body. This latest generation car is also available with a 2.3-litre V6 motor, but it just doesn't suit the car and Ford dropped it a few years ago from the range. 

While you might think the Mustang is only good for long, straight roads, this Mustang gets independent rear suspension, so it handles that bit better when you sling it into a bend. Compared to some cars on this list, the interior is more functional on the Mustang, but more than comfortable enough for long journeys. 

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When we now think of a hybrid car, it's normally an SUV or small city car that springs to mind. Things weren't always that predictable though, with the stunning BMW i8 the world's first attempt at building a hybrid sports car.

Just like the i3 city car, the i8 is cloaked in a futuristic body that has to be one of the best looking BMWs  in recent years. Nestling under this sculptured design is a ground-breaking powertrain, with not only a mid-mounted engine borrowed from MINI, but also two electric motors and a battery pack. While this might sound a little underwhelming, it'll get the BMW i8 to 62mph in just 4.8 seconds, but can also run on electricity alone if you're running round town. Ideal if you live in a low-emission zone like London. 

There's plenty of nice touches as well - the scissor doors add plenty of drama, while the interior is a little different to any other sports car, with plenty of recycled materials put into use. 

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The Nissan GT-R shows you exactly what Japan can really do when it puts its mind to it. It's a twin-turbocharged four-wheel-drive missile that can ruin most supercars around a circuit. 

Its straight-line performance - 0-62mph takes less than three seconds - is unreal but its trademark is its ability to make me mortals feel like driving superstars as it divvies out power to all four wheels for long controlled slides. There really is nothing else like it.

The GT-R's stealthy looks won't grab stares like other sports cars but those who know, know. Anyway, it's sensible styling means it's reasonably practical with a usable back seat and useful boot. 

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The Audi TT might have a reputation as the pretender's sports car but the TT RS is a different kettle of fish and it's all down to its warbling five-cylinder engine.

It produces 400PS – in a car the size of a Volkswagen Golf – to give the TT RS supercar performance. It will get from 0-62mph in just 3.7 seconds and because power’s sent through Audi’s quattro four-wheel-drive system, it’s all completely manageable.

Inside, the TT RS gets a digital dashboard as standard which – as it takes the place of a central infotainment screen – gives the Audi’s cabin a classy uncluttered design. It’s even pretty practical with a large hatchback boot that’ll swallow a surprising amount of luggage. 

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All the best Alfa Romeos are flawed which means the Alfa Romeo 4C must be one of the best Alfas of all time. It’s certainly stunning looking. Imagine a Ferrari that had been put through a 90-degree wash cycle and it would probably look something like this.

You get junior Ferrari performance, too. The Alfa’s 240PS 1.7-litre engine gargles and splutters on startup and can launch the 4C from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds. The Alfa’s lightweight and mid-engined but the flaw comes in the form of unassisted steering that can be far too lively in your hands – chasing cambers and surface changes with alarming regularity.  

Inside, the 4C feels simple and its cheap-looking plastics don’t exactly shout ‘premium’ but you do get lots of exposed carbon fibre – because that’s what the Alfa’s body is made of – and a small boot. 

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