8 Best Value-for-Money Supercars: Feel Free To Forget About Any Other Exotics

Of course, value for money in the supercar realm is not solely restricted to outright exotics. Consider the Chevrolet Corvette C8, a mid-engined American sports car that challenges the notion that top-tier performance must come at an astronomical cost. In fact, with its balance of looks, great handling characteristics, and potent V8 engine, the C8 Vette can be a great choice for people looking to strike a perfect balance between performance and financial shrewdness.

Others, meanwhile, will always be seduced by the ideal of owning a limited-edition model as some type of status symbol, thus overlooking the appeal of more reasonably priced alternatives that might even be quicker in a straight line. This type of scenario is more common than you might think.

The issue isn’t necessarily that you end up overspending – if you can afford one Italian exotic, odds are you can afford any Italian exotic. However, it stands to reason that if you can attain comparable (or even better) performance for a lot less money, but you choose not to, then maybe you’re more of a collector than a driving enthusiast. Or maybe you’re just not as well-informed as you think.

With that in mind, we put together a shortlist of supercars that won’t break the bank (in comparison to most of their counterparts), while offering you pretty much the same performance as models that tend to cost two or three times as much. We’re also ranking them in terms of how amazing a deal you’re getting, performance-wise and value-wise.

I’m sure some of these choices will surprise you, while others might seem rather obvious. Overall, I’m quite happy with this list, and I think supercar buyers might consider adhering to it should they fancy themselves clever.

#8. Maserati MC20

I realize the Maserati MC20 is a bit of an odd choice. It’s certainly not cheap, but that’s not necessarily the point here. We’re after solid bang for your buck and the MC20 is a lot of “car” for entry-level exotic money.

Buying one today will set you back around $220,000, without any optional extras. Of course, nobody’s going to order a bone-stock MC20, but the fact remains these cost just as much as your run-of-the-mill Lamborghini Huracan, on paper. The MC20 is a great car, and we’ll get into why that is in a second, but there’s no way we could ever place it higher on this list, because while it is fast enough, some may not consider it quick enough (0-60).

The best it can do, officially, is hit 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, and that’s a great time as far as I’m concerned, but remember that previously mentioned Corvette C8? It too will hit 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, but with less power, and for three times less money.

Powering the Maserati MC20 is an F1-inspired twin turbocharged V6 engine, good for 621 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque. You most certainly can’t accuse this car of being slow, even though it might lose a drag race or two against top tier competition. Bottom line, it offers excellent value-for-money, but at the same time, there’s no way it’s getting ranked higher than this.

#7. Nissan GT-R

When did Godzilla become “old faithful”? Well, about a decade ago actually. These Nissans are tremendously quick and cheap by supercar standards, and if you’re somewhat strapped for cash (using that term loosely), know that you can purchase a brand-new 2024 GT-R for just $120,999.

That amount of money will land you the entry-level car, of course, but that’s all the GT-R you’ll ever need, relatively speaking. Its 3.8-liter twin turbocharged V6 engine is rated at 565 horsepower and 467 lb-ft of torque, with everything going to all four wheels via a dual-clutch six-speed automatic transmission.

This is a quick-shifting beast, capable of getting you to 60 mph in about 3 seconds flat. It’s fast off the line, but it will trail off at high speed when compared to anything with a Lamborghini badge, or even that Maserati we just talked about.

Still, all this performance for the price of a new S-Class? It should be damn near irresistible, unless you truly want something that’s a little more exotic badge-wise. Otherwise, you might find the 2024 Nissan GT-R to be the perfect companion, and you’ll probably still have money saved up to buy a little something else on the side.

#6. Chevrolet Corvette

I know the C8 Corvette isn’t an exotic supercar, nor is it as fast as any of the other vehicles on this list. Instead, it’s the cheapest model here, and it packs supercar-like performance to go with its sports car-like price tag.

Here’s all you need to know about the 2024 Corvette Stingray. It costs upwards of $68,300, and it can do 194 mph. It can also hit 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds, and that’s supercar territory all day, every day.

The way it goes about its business is by using a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8, good for 490 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. It also comes with an 8-speed dual clutch automatic as standard, with paddle shifters. Meanwhile, the optional Z51 package adds a performance exhaust, resulting in an extra 5 horsepower and 5 lb-ft of torque.

Add it all up and you get that highly coveted sub-3 second 0-60 time, at a fraction of the cost of some Italian exotic. Heck, this costs half as much as a GT-R and it’s pretty much just as fast.

Now, the only reason why the Vette is on this list is because of its tremendous price/performance ratio. Otherwise, don’t expect me to recommend it over any of these other cars. Yes, I’d rather have the GT-R. Wouldn’t you?

#5. Maserati GranTurismo Folgore

Maybe this is cheating, seeing as how the all-new Maserati GranTurismo Folgore has yet to reach any customers in the United States. We’re also waiting on an official MSRP for 2024. Still, we expect pricing to start from around $215,000.

It’s quite a lot, I know, but how could our list not feature what is arguably the world’s first reasonably priced fully electric supercar?

The second-generation GranTurismo is available in three specifications. You’ve got the base Modena, the Trofeo, and the battery electric Folgore, all of which feature a larger footprint than the original GranTurismo, even though the wheelbase is shorter.

Powering the Folgore is a triple-motor setup with four-wheel drive, putting down 751 horsepower and 996 lb-ft of torque. Those are tremendous numbers, and on paper, they allow for a 0-60 time of just 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph.

Now, this car wouldn’t get anywhere near this list if Maserati would have asked for something crazy like $300k or $400k for it – as most carmakers do (they value their EV models higher than comparable gas-powered ones). But even in the absence of an official MSRP figure, all reports point to this costing as much (or as little) as the MC20. Could be a real steal.

#4. Lamborghini Huracan Evo

The Lamborghini Huracan Evo is one of the best all-round supercars in the world. Yes, it costs around $250,000 to purchase, but keep in mind that it will launch harder and better than say, the Aventador, which used to cost roughly twice as much. If that’s not value for money, I don’t know what is!

Of course, you could get an even cheaper Huracan Evo if you went for the RWD Coupe variant, but that one isn’t as quick as the standard AWD model, also known as the LP 640-4 Evo.

This Lambo comes with a Performante-derived engine setup, giving you 631 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque, which in turn gets you to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds – some people swear it’s even quicker. Also, compared to the original LP 610-4 Huracan, the Evo boasts a refined exhaust system, rear-wheel steering, improved torque vectoring, a better interior, revised suspension, and loads more.

In many ways, this is a perfect car by Lamborghini. It may not be their most bonkers-looking model, but it delivers on everything it promises, and then some. It nearly made it into our Top 3 here, but I reckon you get more value for money with this next supercar, which hails from Germany.

#3. Porsche 911 Turbo S

Ask anybody who knows anything about drag racing and they’ll tell you – there was a time (not that long ago) when you absolutely shouldn’t have messed with a 911 Turbo S in a straight line. It used to be the unwritten rule of drag racing. If it says Turbo S on the back of a 911, just stay away my guy, because you don’t want any of that action. This goes for any generation of the Turbo S, not just the 992 model.

So, what makes this car so formidable, you ask? To this day it’s one of the fastest-accelerating supercars in the world, thanks to its twin turbocharged 3.7-liter flat-six engine, rated at 641 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. It’s not just the engine though, but the entire drivetrain that’s a work of art.

With the help of its quick-shifting 8-speed PDK gearbox and optional Sport Chrono Package, the Turbo S can rocket to 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds, before maxing out at 205 mph. All this for a little over $230,000. Tremendous value.

Its predecessor, the 991.2 generation Turbo S, was equally impressive, needing 2.8 seconds in order to hit 60 mph.

Now, remember when I told you that you didn’t want any part of the 911 Turbo S over a quarter mile? Things changed when McLaren introduced the 720S (2017), which is no longer in production, yet you can still purchase a used one today for about the same price as a new 992 Turbo S, maybe even slightly less.

#2. McLaren 720S

Why not the 750S? I’d love to feature the 720S’ replacement on this list, the problem is that it’s too darn expensive for what we’re trying to do here. The 750S retails from upwards of $320,000, and it’s not like it’s that much quicker than the 720S ($250k used).

I think there’s an argument to be made for the McLaren 720S being the greatest supercar ever to come out of Britain. What the boffins at Woking managed to achieve with this thing is nothing short of amazing.

What’s crazy is that as impressive as this car sounds on paper, it’s even more incredible once you get it out on the road. Power comes from McLaren’s M840T unit, which is an evolution of the engine used in the 650S back in the day. It’s a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, generating 710 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. Here’s the kicker though – people dyno tested the 720S and found that it put down more than just 710 hp. Not a lot more, but more.

Also, its aerodynamic properties are on a whole different level, compared to most rivals from back then. Once the 720S got up to speed, it cut through the air more efficiently than any Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, you name it. Even if it lost the 0-60 battle, it would often go on to win the quarter mile or half-mile race. There was no beating this thing. You needed a Chiron to put it in its place. Plain and simple.

Here are the official numbers: 0-60 in 2.8 sec, 0-124 mph in 7.8 sec, 212 mph top speed, 10.3-second quarter mile time. Strap on a stickier set of tires, and this thing will easily do a 9.9 or even 9.8-second quarter mile.

Ultimately, it’s incredible to think that this is now an affordable supercar, but it is – compared to just about anything else from its segment. It also could have been no.1 on our list, if it wasn’t for Ferrari stepping up to the plate and knocking it out the park.

#1. Ferrari 296 GTB

The Ferrari 296 GTB is arguably the best exotic supercar money can buy today. It’s incredibly expensive at $320,000 – it basically costs as much as the McLaren 750S, which features similar performance. However, when you’re thinking about value, you need to put everything into perspective, which means you’ll inevitably end up comparing the 296 GTB to its more expensive sibling, the SF90.

The latter costs upwards of half a million dollars, so one would think that in a straight line, it’ll absolutely destroy the 296, seeing as how it’s got more power, and an all-wheel drive system. It’s also the more prestigious of the two, so how could it not end up dominating its “lesser” sibling?

Powering the 296 GTB is a twin turbocharged V6 engine, working alongside an electric motor for a combined 819 horsepower. On paper, this can hit 60 mph in as little as 2.4 seconds, despite being a rear-wheel drive car. If you race it against the half a million dollar 986 hp SF90, you’ll likely lose the quarter mile battle, but if you keep going, or race from a 30-50 mph roll (this eliminating the latter’s AWD advantage), it’ll become impossible to tell which is the more expensive/better car.

This is what makes the 296 truly great. It’s as fast as any flagship supercar in the world (if not faster), despite not costing you flagship supercar money. It’s basically a mid-tier supercar, capable of putting down flagship numbers. It would be like if the iPhone 15 was somehow just as good as the 15 Pro.

The only downside with the 296 GTB, as far as I’m concerned, is the fact that it’s not exactly the best-looking Ferrari ever made. It’s quite lackluster from certain angles.

Hold up

You know what, I’m going to pull an old-school Jeremy Clarkson and change my mind last-second. I’ll leave the rankings just as they are, but I’m officially dropping the 296 to second place and advancing the McLaren 720S to no.1. How’s that for a plot twist? There’s no way the 296 GTB is $100,000 better than the 720S. The performance gap is imperceptible, and the latter looks infinitely better.