Driving any one of these performance machines is a dream for most automotive enthusiasts. evo was able to drive, not one but all four of these dream cars.
The Porsche 911 GT2 RS, Ford GT, Lotus Exige Cup 430 And Mercedes AMG GT R are all cars that are as at home on a track or on a twisting back road. These are all made to go fast, but they use different methods to achieve that goal.
The Porsche 996 GT2 and 996 GT3 RS are blue chip collector cars. While the 996 generation of the 911 is one of the least loved incarnations of the rear engined sports car, these are important cars for the brand.
The GT2 and GT3 RS both represent the top performance variants of the 996 generation 911. The 911 GT2 is the top performing turbocharged 996 and the 911 GT3 RS is the fastest naturally aspirated 996.
When manufacturers like McLaren, Porsche or Ferrari make ultra exclusive vehicles, not just anyone can purchase them. It takes more than massive amounts of cash to become a VIP with one of these automakers.
Now a large amount of cash and loyalty are the two first things to becoming a VIP. You need to become loyal to a marquee and essentially become a brand ambassador.
The 986 generation Porsche Boxster is possibly the best value in the current sports car market. This will likely be the case for the next 5-10 years, but the 987 Boxster and Cayman are starting to get down to the extreme bargain level.
The 987 Boxster represents a big update for the roadster. One big styling update is the use of more rounded headlights, replacing the controversial fried egg headlights.
Certain years of the Lotus Esprit provide supercar ownership for a very affordable price. For as low as $13,000 you can find a decent Esprit from the late 70’s and early 80’s. The later V8 cars tend to command premium over their earlier four cylinder counterparts, but with a budget between $15,000 and $20,000 you can easily find a very good example of an earlier Esprit.
The Lotus provides a spirited driving experience and a classic wedge shape, popular in supercars of the 70’s and 80’s. The reliability can be an issue, but there are things that can be done to improve that.