10 Used Sports Cars That Still Compete Against The New BMW 4 Series

The Ultimate driving machine? In M-trim, BMW’s 4-series is a formidable benchmark, throwing down some serious performance figures. But can you do better for less on the used car market?

Firstly, addressing the white elephant in the room. If it’s looks that concern you, the 4-series is not one of BMWs best efforts. All the following used Sports Cars are better looking, cheaper, and in most cases, faster. Used versus new also opens up the doors to a myriad of past heroes from a time when car designers cared more about speed than safety. As any designer will admit, adding more features impacts speed and handling.

How does the BMW stack up? Opting for the M440i is not an unreasonable goal, coming in at a fraction under $60,000. For this attractive sum, BMW offers up a turbocharged motor kicking out 382 hp. With the promise of sixty in under 4 seconds, flat out, the M440i posts a limited top speed of 157 mph. Pretty impressive! That is, until you realize, save for one car listed below, most are cheaper and often quicker.

Want to have fun for less but fear the BMW will be better? Not everything is as it first seems. Cheaper and more interesting, these used cars can still compete with the 4-Series.

10 2005-2006 Porsche 987 Boxster S

Used Values: $10,000-$25,000

What better place to start than with a rival German brand? Porsche is famously associated with rear-mounted engines. The 911 easily has the legs of the BMW’s 4-Series. But taking a few steps down, the 987 Boxster appealed to budget-conscious buyers and was no slouch. In Boxster S trim, the Porsche outguns the BMW with a top speed of 169 mph.

While the Boxster S still used a flat-six engine, Porsche mixed things up by adopting a mid-engine layout. The Boxster as a result is better balanced through the corners. Yet it’s not the speed that impresses or the agility, but the fact that used examples are so cheap. Bargains around $10,000 are possible.

9 2011-2014 Jaguar XKR-S Coupe

Used Values: $30,000-$45,000

While going fast is cool in a lightweight sports car, there is a lot to like about fast luxury coupes. Enter the Jaguar XKR, like every Jag, used prices border on the unbelievable. Even mint low milers are within reach for $30,000, less if you like the wind in your hair. Oddly, it’s the convertible that is the more tempting. With the roof down, the XK-Rs supercharger augmented soundtrack is intoxicating.

Despite the XKRs heavier mass, the BMW doesn’t stand a chance in a straight. Jaguar’s all-alloy 5-liter V8 more than makes up for its bulk with a top speed of 186 mph.

RELATED: Here’s Why The Jaguar XKR Is Now A Performance Bargain

8 2001-2004 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

Used Values: $20,000-$45,000

Even when new, the Corvette Z06 was a bargain. Chevrolet’s economies of scale, and in some areas cheaper building costs, makes the C5 hard to overlook. Several generations later, the Z06 is even better value for money. Scouring the auction sites turns up dozens of examples from $20,000. At these prices, finding another sports car able to break 170 mph is near impossible.

In part, the small block 5.7-liter LS6 motor deserves all the credit. But remember, aside from the Corvette’s steel chassis, everything else was fiberglass. It won’t win any refinement comparisons with BMW 4-Series, but speed is about less weight and more power.

7 2017-2021 Honda Civic Type-R

Used Values: $34,000-$42,000

Keen-eyed gearheads will recognize the Honda Civic Type-R isn’t your typical sports car. Sports cars by accepted standards are two-door coupes dressed in sleek bodies with rakish noses. The Type-R is none of these. But how else do you categorize it? It’s an enigma for sure, and one that leaves the BMW 4-Series eating its dust.

So confusing image aside, what’ll she do mister? Thanks to a clever front-wheel-drive layout and turbo four-cylinder engine, the Type-R lays down a real challenge. Blasting to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds and running to 170 mph, not a sports car? Tell that to Honda.

6 2008-2013 Dodge Challenger SRT8

Used Values: $22,000-$35,000

Small turbocharged engines, as good as they are, lack the visceral appeal of a V8. Good thing that the used car section is full of Challengers, then. How much Challenger you crave is another matter. Hellcats and Demons crank out power figures to make any supercar bush. But you don’t need to go to extremes to take on the BMW. Enter the SRT8, a mid-range offering capable of 60 mph in under 5 seconds, flat-out bellowing to a top speed of 170 mph.

Toning down the Challenger a few notches, still come with a HEMI V8 engine under the hood. While there is no blower on top, the Challenger sounds all the better for it. Now for the good news, low mileage cars are easy to come by around the $30,000 mark.

5 1992-2002 Toyota Supra Turbo

Used Values: $60,000-$100,000

Needing no introduction, the Supra A80 is perhaps one of the most famous sports cars of all time. More so considering Toyota until the fourth Supra was about small cars and not speed. It proved to be a winning transformation of speed and power. While the Supra is getting on for 30 years old, it still has the edge over the BMW 4-series.

Forced induction transformed the Supra from good to great. Twin turbochargers spooling up sequentially all but eliminated turbo lag. In stock trim, the 2JZ punches out over 300 hp, giving the Supra supercar levels of performance. Despite the once-affordable price tag, used cars rarely dip below $60,000.

Related: This Is Why Toyota Supra MKIV Turbo Prices Have Skyrocketed

4 2002-2007 Maserati Coupe

Used Values: $18,000-$34,000

Sports cars, either through fame or notoriety, come from all corners of the world. Each marque brings its quirks and can vary hugely in desirability and price. On reflection, bagging a Maserati conjures images of near-endless mechanical maintenance bills. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Bad reputations make the Maserati Coupe unbelievably cheap. Aside from a few weak areas around the front sub-frame and Maserati is no worse than other exotics.

Taking the plunge kicks off around the $18,000 mark. For so little, you get Ital Designs’ best efforts with one of the most famous badges in the business. Sure, the Coupe format does mean agility won’t be the car’s strong point, but it’s hard to argue with a 170+ mph top speed.

3 2005-2016 Aston Martin DB9

Used Values: $35,000-$70,000

As Jaguar’s XKR mentioned before, the DB9 suffers from shocking depreciation. Following a similar pattern of convertibles over coupes, going topless will set you from $30,000. Either way, the DB9 is a steal. What other car for the money delivers a 6-liter V12 experience?

There are some warning signs you need to be aware of. While the Ford-funded AM11 V12 engine is reliable, you need to keep on top of the maintenance schedule. Perhaps this is why the DB9 can be had for so little. In a direct face-off with the BMW, Aston’s DB9 wins in both looks and speed.

RELATED: 2005-2106 Aston Martin DB9: Prices, Specs, And Features

2 1999-2009 Honda S2000

Used Values: $17,000-$45,000

This one is a little too close to call, comparing top speeds. But Honda’s approach wasn’t solely about how fast the two-seater went or how much power it produced. The S2000 plays a trump card in power delivery. Until the car’s 1999 launch, most engines run out of puff at speeds around the 6000 RPM mark. At similar speeds, Honda’s VTEC engine was just getting into its stride.

The harder you revved the 2-liter engine, the better. Peak power arrives at 8300 RPM just short of the motor’s limiter, making the S2000 sound faster than it is. Not that 150 mph is anything to hide away, give or take a few miles per hour, the S2000 can easily hold on to the BMW.

1 1990-1996 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo

Used Values: $20,000-$30,000

Z-cars have always been a popular choice among gearheads. Their speed and comfort make daily use a reality. The 300ZX is no exception. Thanks to a pair of turbochargers ramping up the six-cylinder engine output to 300 hp, the Z is quick. Here lies the only chink in the car’s reputation. Nissan, in a bid to lure more customers, added more standard equipment, in turn adding weight.

Despite Nissan’s best efforts to rein in the 300ZX, gearheads won’t bemoan a top speed of 155 mph. Yet there is more performance to be had. Like the current Z, Nissan fitted the 300ZX with an artificial limiter. Whatever the reason, the ZX can tell hold its own against the BMW.

Sources: Hagerty, Classic Driver, GM, Aston Martin, Stellantis