10 Best Supercars for the Money

2017 Acura NSX ・ Photo by Acura

The fact that you can afford a supercar doesn’t necessarily mean that you want to pay extra for performance or features (or a brand name) that you don’t need. You still have to pay to play, but if you’re looking for the most bang for your buck, we’ve got you covered with our list of the 10 best supercars for the money. In order to qualify as a supercar, we’ve arbitrarily decided to limit the list to cars with more than 400 horsepower and a top speed of at least 180 miles per hour, and we’ve sorted them by cost per mile per hour of top speed, with the best value earning our number one spot.

10) Ferrari California T: ~$200,000/196 mph = ~$1,020.41/mph

It might be the most expensive car on our list, but if you can afford it, the Ferrari California T is worth every penny. The California gets its thrust from a turbocharged 3.9-liter V8 that makes a healthy 552 horsepower backed by a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. That adds up to a sprint to 60 miles per hour that takes around 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 196 mph. Along with the typical great Ferrari looks and handling, you also get the option to drop the top when the weather is nice, making the California T one of the 10 best supercars for the money.

Photo by Ferrari

9) McLaren 570S: ~$185,000/204 mph = ~$906.86/mph

The McLaren 570S might be missing the advanced suspension found in other McLaren models, but it still features supercar performance and handling. Power comes from a mid-mounted turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 that develops 562 horsepower, sent through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission to the rear wheels. The sprint from zero to 60 miles per hour takes around 3 seconds flat and top speed is 204 mph (the highest on our list). If you’re looking for something a little more comfortable, the 570GT is designed as a grand tourer and offers similar performance. No matter which of the models you choose, you will get one of the 10 best supercars for the money.

Photo by McLaren

8) Audi R8 V10: $162,900/199 mph = $818.59/mph

The Audi R8 V10 is a relatively affordable supercar that is also practical enough to be used every day (an important consideration if your budget is tight and this is your only car). Power comes from a 5.2-liter V10 that serves up 540 horsepower, which is sent to all four wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and the quattro all-wheel drive system. Top speed is 199 miles per hour, and you can hit 60 from a stop in 3.5 seconds. The R8 V10 Plus is also available for those who want a power bump, but for most drivers, the less expensive regular version will be more than enough.

Photo by Audi

7) Porsche 911 Turbo: $161,800/198 mph = $817.17/mph

It might not be cheap, but once you look at the specifications, you’ll realize that the Porsche 911 Turbo is one of the 10 best supercars for the money. The rear-mounted turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-6 engine pumps out 540 horsepower and is backed by a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. That power is then sent to all four wheels, which helps the 911 Turbo hit 60 miles per hour in less than 3 seconds before going on to reach a top speed of 198 miles per hour. Sure, the more powerful Turbo S model is available with 580 horsepower, but it’s significantly more expensive and only marginally quicker.

Photo by Porsche

6) Acura NSX: $156,000/191 mph = $816.75/mph

The Acura NSX is an affordable hybrid supercar that uses a combination of electric motors and a mid-mounted turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine to produce 573 horsepower. Power is sent to the road via a 9-speed dual-clutch transmission, and while the electric motors help the NSX hit 60 miles per hour in around 3 seconds before going on to reach a top speed of 191 miles per hour, they also help the car go around the corners thanks to front-axle torque vectoring. Despite being a hybrid, the NSX isn’t all that economical; we wonder how much slower (and how much cheaper) it would be without the batteries and electric motors.

Photo by Acura

5) Mercedes-AMG GT: $111,200/189 mph = $588.36/mph

You might not have expected to see the Mercedes-AMG GT on our list of the 10 best supercars for the money, but it offers a surprising amount of performance at a relatively good price. The turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 generates 456 horsepower, which is sent to the rear wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, which means that the run from zero to 60 miles per hour is over in 3.9 seconds and that top speed is 189 mph. A more powerful GT S version is also available, but without a stopwatch, few drivers will notice the difference in performance (though they might notice the difference in their pocketbooks).

Photo by Mercedes-Benz

4) Jaguar F-Type R: $105,400/186 mph = $566.67/mph

While the Jaguar F-TYPE R might share its attractive good looks with the other models in the F-Type lineup, the R packs a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that punches out 550 horsepower. Backed by an 8-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system, the F-Type R can hit 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds and go on to a top speed of 186 mph. The F-Type SVR is marginally more powerful and slightly faster, but we’re not sure it’s worth the added expense over the already great F-Type R (and really, our favorite in the lineup might be the slower and even cheaper F-Type S, with its supercharged V6, rear-wheel drive layout and manual transmission option).

Photo by Jaguar

3) Nissan GT-R: $109,990/196 mph = $561.17/mph

The Nissan GT-R is one of the most affordable supercars available, and it would be impossible to compile a list of the best supercars for the money without including "Godzilla." The 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 generates 565 horsepower, which is sent to all four wheels via a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission and an advanced all-wheel drive system. That means a top speed of 196 miles per hour and a sprint to 60 miles per hour that’s over in less than 3 seconds. A Nismo version is available with more horsepower and some aerodynamic tweaks, but it probably isn't worth it unless you plan on tracking your GT-R regularly.

Photo by Nissan

2) Porsche 911 Carrera S: $105,100/191 mph = $550.26/mph

While 420 horsepower might not sound like much, the Porsche 911 Carrera S can still hit a respectable top speed of 191 miles per hour. Where you might notice the lack of horsepower from the rear-mounted turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-6 engine is during the sprint to 60 miles per hour, which takes around 4 seconds. That said, the rear-wheel drive Carrera S never feels slow when you’re behind the wheel, and it handles like a dream, allowing you to make the most of the relatively meager power. Being the second most affordable car on our list helps make the 911 Carrera S one of the 10 best supercars for the money.

Photo by Porsche

1) Chevrolet Corvette Z06: $79,450/196 mph = $405.36/mph

You might not think of the Chevrolet Corvette as a supercar, but in Z06 guise it offers performance that’s competitive with cars two or even three times its price, making it the best supercar for the money. Power comes from a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine that makes 650 horsepower, backed by either a 7-speed manual transmission or an 8-speed paddle-shift automatic. The run to 60 miles per hour takes less than 3 seconds (with the auto), and top speed is 196 mph. The Z06 comes standard with a magnetic ride suspension, and with with Z07 package, you get Brembo brakes with ceramic rotors and a unique aerodynamic package that adds even more downforce.

Photo by Chevrolet