A sleek two-door with the right badge has always held appeal, promising comfort and performance to go with the good looks. Although not everyone can afford a brand-new coupé from a premium marque, thankfully there are plenty of smart two-doors on the used market that are distinctly more affordable.
With buyers currently obsessed with SUVs, prices of older coupés are becoming surprisingly reasonable – yet the cars look as stylish as ever. And in most cases, the vast majority of the public won’t have a clue how little you paid.
So, if you fancy living a champagne lifestyle on beer money, here are the cars to consider. There’s one for every budget and each will make you look – and feel – a million dollars. Plus three that look good but aren’t worth considering.
£2,000
Audi TT (Mk1)
Even though the TT is almost 30 years old, it still turns heads like few others, and that agelessness makes it look much pricier than it is. Granted, for this budget you’ll have to consider a high-mileage example and/or scruffy around the edges, but the mechanicals are hardy and, with a decent service history, a TT should provide stylish motoring on a bargain budget for years to come. It’s destined to be a future classic, too, so you never know – you might get lucky if values start to rise.
Pros: Style, build quality, pretty robust.
Cons: Not that exciting to drive, lots of poor examples.
We found: 2005 TT 1.8, 139,000 miles, full service history, £1,995.
£5,000
BMW 3-Series (E92)
An E92-generation 3-Series makes the perfect bargain two-door – as long as you avoid the potentially troublesome four-cylinder models. Creamy, torquey power from the six-cylinder engines makes driving a pleasure, while comfortable seats and high specification levels – as well as the original owners’ tendencies to add a slew of options – make the E92 a car that you can use every day. And its refined styling means it looks the part in any environment.
Pros: Suave looks, great to drive, glorious six-cylinder engines, some great colour and spec options.
Cons: Four-cylinder engines can be unreliable, build quality not as good as its predecessor.
We found: 2006 325i SE, 92,000 miles, full service history, £4,895.
£10,000
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (C207)
This large coupé is brilliant if you want something that looks sharp but has space for four; the back of the E-Class is a far nicer place to be than many other coupés. In the front, driver and passenger benefit from plenty of room and a smart dashboard with lots of neat details. On the outside, however, the rear-seat space dictates a slightly elongated roofline, but this is still a handsome car, with its wide haunches and bustle-back tail. Go for an E350 CDI – they’re plentiful, gutsy, reliable and surprisingly economical.
Pros: Extremely comfortable, surprisingly roomy, excellent V6 diesels.
Cons: Not particularly sporting to drive.
We found: 2015 E350 CDI AMG Line, 70,000 miles, full service history, £8,990.
£15,000
Jaguar XK (X150)
Grace, pace and space: the three hallmarks of a Jaguar. Although the company is a shadow of its former self, it doesn’t take too much cash to bag one of the best cars it has ever made. The second-generation XK starts at less than £10,000, but for £15,000 you get the pick of supercharged XKR models with low mileages and decent service histories. Few cars for the price offer such a beguiling combination of style, power, elegance and sheer character.
Pros: Gorgeous, potent, luxurious, delightful to drive.
Cons: Not as sharp as some rivals, some fragile electronics.
We found: 2010 XKR, 77,000 miles, full service history, £14,995.
£20,000
BMW 6-Series (F13)
This large BMW seems a lot of car for the money now that values have taken a tumble; few onlookers would suspect that it cost less than 20 grand. The engines are large capacity, gutsy six cylinders or V8s, and all are lovely to drive. The 640d is especially good for long distances, while the 640i has the most dependable of the petrol power plants. Inside, BMW’s build quality had returned to respectable levels by the time this generation appeared, so the big 6 feels solid, and equipment levels leave nothing to be desired.
Pros: Smart styling, solid interior quality, beautiful engines.
Cons: Feels big on the road, 650i can be unreliable.
We found: 2017 640d M Sport, 47,000 miles, full service history, £18,990.
£30,000
Porsche 911 (997)
There’s an argument that the second generation of Porsche’s water-cooled 911s marked a peak – better built and more modern than the previous 911, but smaller, lighter and more involving than its tech-heavy successor. So it comes as something of a surprise to find how affordable they are now, and a good Carrera – the 911 in its purest (and some would say best) form – is easily attainable for this budget. It will be whatever you want it to be – comfortable over long distances but scintillating on a challenging road. And now that the 997 is in the nadir of its values, depreciation will be almost non-existent.
Pros: Sublime driving experience, enormous breadth of talent, holding its value.
Cons: Early cars need careful maintenance to avoid reliability concerns.
We found: 2007 911 Carrera S, 82,000 miles, full service history, £29,995.
£50,000
Bentley Continental GT (Mk2)
Early Continental GTs are often advertised at less than £20,000, but beware: cars at the bottom end of the market can be money pits. Besides, this second-generation model is a great improvement. Quite simply, for this sort of outlay it doesn’t get more luxurious, and to cover great distances in sensational style and sybaritic splendour, a Continental GT is about the best way to do it. Go for a V8 – it isn’t as smooth as the W12, but it sounds better and it’s more affordable to buy and run.
Pros: Gloriously opulent, delightful to drive, roomy in the back.
Cons: Potential for terrifying repair bills.
We found: 2016 Continental GT V8 S, 42,000 miles, full service history, £50,000.
And the premium coupes to avoid…
BMW 1-Series E82
Pert and nimble, but spoilt by reliability woes. Many of the engines suffer from timing chain issues which can result in costly bills.
Mercedes-Benz CLC
Merc’s answer to the BMW Compact was to cut the boot off a C-Class and call it a coupé. The result was warmed-over and served up again as the CLC when the next generation of the C-Class arrived. It was therefore already dated inside and to drive when it was new.
Infiniti Q60
Rarity might pique your interest, but specialist knowledge and parts aren’t easy to come by. And it’s not really worth the effort; the Q60 was decidedly uninspiring to drive.