10 Very Affordable Alternatives To The Porsche 911

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10 2008 Bentley Continental Flying Spur

Starting Used Price: $12,274

On the outside, the first-generation Flying Spur looked like a stretched Bentley Continental GT – and it was. Peel back the car’s shell, however, and the mechanical underpinnings of the failed but brilliant Volkswagen Phaeton revealed themselves. Volkswagen had failed to build a luxury car that pleased the market, so it handed the job over to Bentley, a company under its wing that was an experienced luxury car manufacturer.

Specifications

The Flying Spur’s interior finish screamed Bentley: it featured acres of leather and wood and high-end features like rear-seat cooling. Computer-controlled shock absorbers and air springs ironed out road surface imperfections, guaranteeing smooth rides for the occupants.

The standout feature of the Flying Spur was its turbocharged W-12 engine producing 551 horsepower. It accelerated the nearly three-ton boulder to 60 MPH from naught in 4.6 seconds (!) and up to a top speed of 205 MPH. When the car debuted, only a few could afford it. Now, you can get one for just over $12,000.

9 2008 BMW M3

Starting Used Price: $16,000

In 2008, BMW went rogue with the M3. The car no longer had its usual inline-six engine. Perhaps to match rivals who’d switched to V-8 power units, BMW bolted a 4.0-liter V-8 on the chassis of the M3. BMW based the lightweight engine on the V-10 powering the M5. The new-gen M3 was expectedly bigger than the model it replaced.

Specifications

However, thanks to clever engineering by BMW, the 2008 M3 only gained 250 pounds. The extra weight didn’t really matter, as the car’s V-8 produced 81 more horsepower than the ditched inline-six. BMW limited the vehicle’s top speed to 155 MPH. With the electronic limiter disabled, the 2008 M3 could hit a top speed of 193 MPH.

8 2006 BMW M5

Starting Used Price: $16,250

The fourth-generation M5 truly was a special car. BMW built an all-new 5.0-liter V-10 specifically for the M5. In normal mode, the engine produced 400 horsepower; with the ‘power’ button triggered, horsepower output increased to 500. The M5, a big sedan, accelerated faster than most dedicated sports cars at the time due to its high-revving (8.250-rpm red line) V-10.

Specifications

A downside of the M5 was that it was too complicated. BMW touted the highly customizable MDrive system as a means for the driver to tune the car to their specific needs. 279 possible combinations, however, were overkill. Regardless of the settings you chose, the BMW M5 hit a limited top speed of 155 MPH. With the optional M-driver’s package installed, and the limiter removed, the M5 could hit 200 MPH.

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7 2005 Alpina B5

Starting Used Price: $20,000

The 2000s were a glorious time for BMW enthusiasts. BMW-Alpina’s version of the (E60) BMW M5 had a V-8 engine, producing eight less horsepower than the V-10 in the M5. However, the supercharged V-8 out-torqued M5’s V-10 by 133 pound-feet. The engine was a revised version of the 4.4-liter V-8 previously found in a 545i.

Specifications

Despite having mountains of power, the Alpina B5 wasn’t necessarily an all-out performance machine quite like the M5 was. It was tuned to deliver power smoothly, in a manner that disguised the ferocity under the vehicle’s hood. Alpina took years to calibrate the car’s suspension to provide optimum ride quality. Compared to the B5, the M5 looked unsophisticated. However, the posh B5 could still go toe-to-toe with its performance-oriented sibling. At full tilt, the B5 maxed out at 195 MPH.

6 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG

Starting Used Price: $22,500

At its release, the Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG was the most potent Mercedes model sold in North America. It was an SL500 imbued with luxury and tons of power by the engineers at AMG. In terms of performance, the SL500 and the SL55 were light years apart, which wasn’t surprising, considering the AMG was 55 percent more potent than the SL500.

Specifications

It featured a supercharged 469-horsepower engine that powered the car to a limited top speed of 155 MPH. Mercedes claimed that a delimited SL55 could hit a top speed of 208 MPH. However, given the car’s 4,400-pound curb weight, it was impossible to reach such speed without pulverizing the tires. Therefore, delimited SL55s were limited to 186 MPH.

5 2009 Maserati GranTurismo S

Starting Used Price: $23,680

In terms of beauty, the 2009 Maserati GranTurismo S was a cut above the competition. The curvaceous, low-nosed GranTurismo was a work of art. Maserati provided a myriad of interior customization options, allowing owners to design the GranTurismo to their specific tastes.

Specifications

Outside, the exhaust sang tunes produced by the excellent Ferrari-built V-8 under the hood. The car’s melodies were best enjoyed by the vehicles it left in its wake as it accelerated to 60 MPH from zero in 4.8 seconds. The 2009 GranTurismo S topped out at 183 MPH. However, the GranTurismo didn’t perform as well as its competitors around a track: the manufacturers made the GranTurismo an easy car to live with at the cost of handling performance.

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4 Chevrolet Corvette C6 Z06

Starting Used Price: $25,300

The Z06 was a high-performance variant of the C6, and it made no secret of it. A proper bang for the buck modern ‘Vette, under the hood, lay a 7.0-liter V-8 producing 505 horsepower, 105 more than the base C6’s engine. The expectation was that the Z06 would weigh more than the base car due to the extra fortifications needed to handle the raging monster under its hood. However, the Z06 was lighter by 141 pounds.

Specifications

The lightweight Z06 featured an aluminum frame, a magnesium roof, and carbon fiber front fenders. To prevent the car from lifting off as it accelerated to a top speed of 198 MPH, Chevy added a rear spoiler and a deep front spoiler.

3 2005 Aston Martin DB9

Starting Used Price: $27,500

Bankrolled by Ford, Aston Martin designed the DB9, the DB7’s successor, on a clean sheet of paper. The DB9 styling was classic Aston Martin, but everything under the skin was new. A heavily-revised version of Aston Martin’s V-12 lay under the hood, coupled with a six-speed automatic. The car lay on an aluminum platform, and the exterior, except the composite hood and front fenders, was aluminum.

Specifications

Aston Martin engineers placed the engine deep inside the engine bay in their search for 50/50 weight distribution. The DB9 was superbly engineered, gorgeous, and rapid. Small wonder Aston Martin had such high hopes for it.

2 2006 Bentley Continental GT

Starting Used Price: $28,000

The Bentley Continental GT, the first new car produced by Bentley following its acquisition by Volkswagen, was a masterpiece. The Continental GT stood out with its curious yet sexy exterior and a luxurious, expertly-designed interior. It seemed like a luxury sports coupe, but the car’s 5,500-pound curb weight cast doubt on its alleged sportiness.

Specifications

Under the car’s hood, however, lay a W12 engine that imbued the Continental GT with performance credentials its rivals could only dream about. The engine sent 552 horsepower and 479 pound-feet through a six-speed automatic to all wheels, shooting the bulky car to a 198 MPH top speed.

RELATED: The Best Used Porsche Sports Cars You Can Buy

1 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG

Starting Used Price: $30,000

Featuring a 518-horsepower V-8, the base CLS63 AMG was already an impressive car. However, Mercedes offered a $7,300 package that transformed the car into an asphalt-shredding sports sedan. Dubbed the AMG Performance package, it added a lip spoiler, sport suspension, and red brake calipers. It also increased power to 550 horsepower and 590 pound-feet.

Specifications

Most importantly, it unleashed the CLS63, increasing the car’s top speed from 155 MPH to 186 MPH. The CLS63 was fast and functional. Mercedes offered a host of customizable (and costly) options for the customers. Furthermore, Mercedes and AMG didn’t compromise the ride in search of performance.