We’ve all dreamed of raiding Porsche parts bin to build our very own Stuttgart special, but the GT was well beyond anything we could imagine. Born from the ashes of the canned LMP2000 Le Mans racer and powered by a 5.7-litre V10 which can trace its roots back all the way to Porsche’s stillborn Formula 1 project with Footwork, the Carrera GT looked as though it’d be a delight on track but a nightmare to live with on road. That’s on paper, at least. The reality is that the Carrera GT was squarely focused on delivering genuine motorsport DNA in a road-friendly package (save for a tricky clutch). The fact that it was only available as a manual has no doubt helped its cause here, too. While the CGT market was lukewarm a decade ago, most – like this 2004 model listed at DK Engineering – are now commanding seven-figure sums. Bet you’re kicking yourself for not pulling the trigger sooner…

The ‘last of’ Ferraris are always going to be collector magnets. Think the 599 and (likely soon to be) 430 for being the final manual examples of their respective bloodlines. The 458 Italia, meanwhile, was only ever flappy paddle, but being the last naturally aspirated V8 model to come out of Maranello carries a fair bit of clout. This is arguably peak Ferrari mid-engined supercar, mixing a 4.5-litre V8 that screams all the way up to 9,000rpm with a gloriously agile chassis. Doesn’t hurt that its Pininfarina design is just as jaw-dropping today as it was back in 2009, devoid of the flicks and complications that adorned its turbocharged successors. Naturally, it’s the Speciale that’s taking the brunt of 458 appreciation – and has done from the get-go – but it won’t be long before prices for the ‘regular’ Italia start to climb. Grab this Rosso Corsa-over-crema leather example for £134,950 and bask in its un-turbocharged glory. Forever. 

There are plenty of carmakers who sneak into the supercar world by simply paying someone else to do all the hard work, so long as they can slap their badge on the final product. The LFA, however, is all Lexus (and its Toyota parent, of course), which is the very reason why it’s a masterpiece of engineering. A bespoke naturally aspirated V10 designed to mimic the noise of a Formula 1 car (which it absolutely nailed) is obviously the major draw here, but it’s the fact that the motor was subject to the same vibration standards as other Lexus engines – in a lighter package than most V6s – that really boggles the mind. As will the going rate. Some are fetching north of a million these days, so better jump on this one-of-three Pearl Brown model for ‘only’ £650,000. Over-engineered supercars are usually a death wish, but in the LFA’s case it’s a godsend. 

On the subject of engineering tour-de-forces: the McLaren 720S. We were well accustomed to McLaren Automotive’s way of doing things by the time the 720S appeared in 2017. Namely, extracting silly amounts of power from a twin-turbo V6 and defying the laws of physics with its magic ‘proactive’ suspension. In that sense, the 720S was more of the same. The company’s now signature twin-turbo V8 was enlarged to 4.0 litres, which saw power swell to 720hp and 0-62mph times fall to just 2.9 seconds. What the 720S mastered, though, was usability. Few supercars are as fast, comfortable and – yes – as frugal as the 720S. And at nearly £210,000 new, it represented a bit of a bargain. Not that you wanted one new, given the depreciation that has afflicted some McLaren’s for the past decade or so, but that does make them an absolute steal as a used buy. This 2017 car is crammed with expensive MSO bits and can be had for £144,950. That’s hypercar performance for less than a 911 Turbo’s list price. 

We thought long and hard about what constitutes a supercar when piecing together our shortlist. For instance, the Ferrari Enzo is so utterly extreme that it’s arguably an example of what we now know as a hypercar. And while some may consider the original NSX to be a touch underpowered to feature on this list, for us it was a no-brainer. If not for (once again) a Pininfarina design that refuses to age, but because it follows a similar principle to the car at number three. A wonderfully over-engineered, mid-engined supercar with an all-aluminium monocoque – the first production car of its kind – and a bespoke 3.0-litre (later increased to 3.2) naturally aspirated V6. Then there’s ‘that’ Aytron Senna video at Suzuka, which has gone down in motoring folklore. Live out that Senna fantasy with this manual targa for £74,950 and, with it, one of the purest driving experiences known to mankind. 

Is there such a thing as ‘too much power’? Nobody’s going to turn their nose up at 650hp and 590lb ft of torque, but those are hardly Earth-shattering numbers in a world with 1,000hp electric saloons. Yet, that’s all the 992-gen 911 Turbo S needs to make you question everything you know about speed. The slightest brush of the accelerator will have you in licence-losing territory, with 0-62mph coming about in just 2.7 seconds before hitting a 205mph top speed a few moments later. Once you get over the initial shock, mind, there’s an incredibly rewarding driving experience to be had. Body control is kept very much in check despite a 1,640kg kerb weight and the steering is brimming with feedback. If it’s an all-round supercar you’re after, rear seats and all, then get a load of this 2020 model for £165,995. Probably best to bring a spare pair of trousers along for the first few runs (pun intended).

If you’ve never driven a Lamborghini Aventador, you’ve more than likely seen (and heard) one bouncing off the limiter in the middle of a city near you. Sound good, don’t they? Still looks unlike anything from our planet, too. The thing is, though, there’s a lot more to the Aventador than meets the eyes and ears. Its 6.5-litre V12 is situated in the centre of a carbon fibre monocoque, with 691hp being funnelled to each corner through an electronically controlled Haldex all-wheel drive system. There are even Ohlins dampers and hydraulically assisted steering, further proof that Lamborghini wanted its flagship to be just as good to drive as it is to look at. You want one now, don’t you? £216,950 gets you this Aventador S – and its uprated 740hp V12. 

Any fears that Audi would dilute Lamborghini’s signature madness were quickly brushed away the moment the Murcielago was revealed. The styling was just as attention-grabbing as Diablo and Countach – if not more so – while a 6.2-litre, 580hp naturally aspirated V12 was enough to convince us that Lamborghini was in the right hands. Where Audi’s influence was felt, however, was in the considerably more refined interior and a user-friendly (if rather jerky) e-Gear automated manual released a couple of years into the car’s lifecycle. We’ve all dreamed of driving a Lamborghini, but the Murcielago was arguably the first one that didn’t seem quite as daunting as an ownership prospect. The formula was refined with the LP640 and the ballistic SV, but this early manual example is all the Murcielago you’ll ever need.

There’s a bit of a theme going on here. Great supercars are multifaceted, with engineers sweating over every millimetre to deliver truly exceptional driving experiences for the lucky few who can afford them. So while the R35 Nissan GT-R doesn’t resemble the other cars here, it thoroughly deserves a spot on this list. Devastating pace is guaranteed throughout the range, even on early cars. While the R34 Skyline GT-R officially produced 280hp (cough), the R35 lobbed an additional 200hp into the mix less than a decade later. And despite weighing a hefty 1,740kg, active dampers keep a level platform by scanning the road and adjusting the suspension every one hundredth of a second. Heck, the tyres were filled with nitrogen to keep pressures stable during a track day. Give this Black Edition a whirl for £44,995 and never get beaten around a racetrack ever again. 

Can you think of a more versatile British sports car than the Aston Martin Vantage? The old one, that is. The brawler, the GT cruiser and the lap time chaser. The Vantage wore many hats over its 13-year run, though none brought it all together quite like the V12 Vantage S. It’s easy to think of the S as a slightly faster, less flimsy version of the regular V12 Vantage – yet it’s so much more than that. A power hike from 510hp in the base car to 565hp in the S is merely scratching the surface, with new three-way adaptive dampers fixing the standard model’s ultra-firm ride while a lighter backbox and seats help remove some 15kg. Early cars are even lighter as they were fitted exclusively with the seven-speed Sportshift III automated manual ‘box, though the company saw the light of day a few years later and introduced a proper manual – which is obviously the one you want. A bit like this one right here for £139,990. More expensive than most Vantages, but well worth it for one of the finest examples of an all-time Aston great.

Ford never intended for the GT to be a racing car like the GT40 it pays homage to, and it’s for that reason that it’s arguably looked upon more favourably than its Le Mans-winning successor. No ultra-efficient turbocharged powerplant here, just a good ol’ fashioned 5.4-litre supercharged V8 plucked from a pick-up with a few tweaks to eke out 558hp and managed through a Ricardo six-speed manual. Of course, everybody expected the GT to be highly effective in a straight line – and deafen onlookers in the process – but no one could have predicted that it was surprisingly fun in the twisty stuff. Word got out about just how good the GT is to drive and now prices are closing in on half a million – with this 2,000-mile car coming in at £439,995. But as homages go, this was absolutely the modern-day GT40 we were hoping for. 

Many arguments have been had over whether the original Audi R8 is a sports car or a baby supercar, particularly when a V10 was thrown into the mix. No such debate was needed with the follow-up model, with Audi sharing the same platform and 5.2-litre V10 as the Lamborghini Huracan. A giant leap in performance ensued, with the full-fat V10 Plus serving up the Huracan’s full 640hp output to all-four wheels. Acceleration was blistering, hitting 62mph in just 3.2 seconds, before charging off to a top speed of 201mph. Truly impressive numbers when you factor in an initial £134,000 price tag – with the 570hp non-Plus model some £16k cheaper. And being an Audi, the interior has been built to withstand a nuclear blast and it’s as easy to drive as a Golf. Really. Depreciation has worked its magic, meaning you can pick up this pre-facelift (and pre-WLTP) V10 Plus for just £86,991. No car on this list ticks off all the budget supercar boxes like the R8. Be sure to get hold of one before it’s too late…