Feature
The Cars That Defined Our Era — And Why We’re Collecting Them Together
Two organisations built around a shared belief in exceptional cars are coming together to create something new.
March 13, 2026
Proof that great driving isn’t about numbers. These 10 cars on the market right now deliver pure enjoyment where it matters most — on the road.
Even the most prolific of supercar owners can’t deny the allure of driving something less exotic. Something that doesn’t cost as much as a family home, something that doesn’t scrape its way along the tarmac, that doesn’t have 800 horses you have to gently tickle in order to stay out of a tree, that doesn’t have the visibility of a letter box.
The Toyota GR Yaris proved just how appealing a truly good drive in a modestly-priced-and-powered can be, and it’s the same story when I drive cars like that or semi-sensible sports cars too. I push them harder because they don’t have crazy power, wringing out every last rev, and I drive with a smile on my face rather than an expression of stern concentration.
With that in mind, today’s marketplace piece is all about non-supercars we’d love to take for a Sunday morning drive. Whether it’s a standout chassis, analogue thrills or a spectacular engine, each of these cars have something that just makes you want to drive
Top 555
2024 (24) | 112 Miles | £89,950
The Alpine A110 R takes everything that already made the standard A110 such a joy and turns the focus even further towards driving purity. With carbon wheels, a stripped-out interior and a kerb weight that barely nudges past the one-tonne mark, it’s the kind of car that reminds you just how much fun lightness can be. The turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder might not sound exotic on paper, but 300hp and a 1,082kg kerb weight result in a 3.9 second 0-62 sprint, and paired with that delicate chassis, it delivers exactly the sort of accessible performance that encourages you to drive the car properly.
The A110 R would also be right at home on track, but what makes the A110 R so appealing for a Sunday morning blast is the way it flows along a road rather than simply attacking it. At just under £90k it isn’t cheap, but it’s box-fresh with just 124 miles on the clock and is believed to be the only one in special order Ash Green metallic — a £5,250 option. The Alpine is all about being playful rather than intimidating, and it feels refreshingly focused on the simple joy of driving.
Auto 100
2020 (20) | 7,000 Miles | £69,980
Right from the moment the F87 M2 was launched in 2016, it was lauded as one of BMW’s greatest driver’s cars — a car that captured much of the brand’s old magic in a relatively compact, focused package. The CS turns that formula up to 11. Its twin-turbo straight-six produces serious performance, but what really makes the CS special is the chassis tuning. There’s a sense of immediacy and balance to the way the car turns into a corner that feels increasingly rare in modern performance cars, and the rear end is as constantly willing to play as an excitable puppy.
I daily drove an OG M2 for four years and it was an absolute hoot, plus I think it’s one of the most purposeful looking cars on the road. The ‘proper M’ S55 engine of the CS doesn’t sound anything like as sonorous as the N55 in the OG, but the added power and more serious adaptive suspension setup are said to make the CS a real treat.
With values hovering around the £70k, the CS is roughly double a good M2 Competition, underlining just how sought-after these cars have become. With relatively low production numbers and a reputation as one of the most engaging M cars of the last decade, the CS offers a nice sweet spot of something you really want to drive, but that could well be a future classic.
Hilton & Moss
2018 | 19,000 Miles | £83,995
So many Lotus models could have made it into this list, and in the end I settled on two, including this, the most powerful Evora produced. The Evora GT430 is widely considered one of the finest road cars Lotus has ever built. With 430hp pushing a lightweight chassis and a huge focus on aerodynamic grip, it sits right on the edge between road car and track weapon, but in a more usable package than the uncompromising Exige. The supercharged V6 that started life in a Toyota Camry might not be the most exotic engine on paper, but Lotus’ calibration gives it a wonderfully urgent character and magnificent sound.
Where the GT430 really shines is in its chassis. Lotus has long been the benchmark for steering feel and balance, and the Evora carries that legacy proudly. It’s a car built for people who love driving above almost anything else, but with production limited to 60 cars worldwide, of which just 25 were UK cars, the investor in you might just take interest too.
Auto 100
2025 (25) | 10,000 Miles | £56,980
This is quite the opposite of a lightweight driver’s car, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t a hoot to thrash around on a Sunday morning. Bar the insane GTD, the Dark Horse represents the most focused version of the latest Mustang generation, and crucially it still centres around a big naturally aspirated V8. In an era where turbocharging and electrification dominate, the idea of a 5.0-litre engine revving out through a proper Detroit exhaust note feels wonderfully rebellious. It’s not a delicate sports car, but that’s part of its charm.
What the Dark Horse lacks in outright dynamics, it makes up for in its sense of theatre and occasion, plus you can use it for a family day out thanks to its rear seats and big boot. Don’t underestimate it though; the chassis is far sharper than Mustangs of old, yet the car still retains that unmistakable muscle-car personality with the option of a rear-tyre-generated smoke screen always readily available.
Tom Hartley
2005 (05) | 20,000 Miles | £69,950
The Vanquish S represents a fascinating point in Aston Martin’s history — still unmistakably analogue, but stepping into the modern era. Beneath that long bonnet sits Aston’s glorious naturally aspirated V12 that delivers its performance with a cultured roar and a swell of torque rather than brute aggression. The automated manual gearbox might not be the fastest thing by modern standards, but work with it, and in a Sunday-driver context, it adds to the sense that you’re operating something mechanical and substantial. I did once drive one of these with an Aston Martin Works manual conversion though, and that was an absolute joy.
At around £70k, the Vanquish S offers a remarkable amount of theatre for the money. Few cars at this level combine such visual presence with a truly special engine, and on the right road it strikes a lovely balance between grand touring comfort and old-school muscle. It’s less about chasing apexes and more about enjoying the rhythm of the road, ideally with that V12 echoing off the hedgerows. I find it very hard to think that these won’t rise into six figures in years to come.
DD Classics
2000 (V) | 16,900 Miles | POA
Few cars look quite as distinctive as the Z3 M Coupe. Often affectionately referred to as the “clown shoe” or “bread van”, its shooting-brake proportions might divide opinion, but behind the quirky styling lies a properly serious driver’s car. Early cars used the S50 straight-six from the E36 M3, while later versions gained the more potent S54 from the E46 M3, but both deliver that raspy naturally aspirated BMW soundtrack and a genuine sense of urgency.
What really makes the Z3 M Coupe appealing today is its rawness. The short wheelbase, muscular engine and manual gearbox combine to create a car that demands your attention but rewards you with huge character. As analogue sports cars become rarer, cars like this continue to gain appreciation, both emotionally and financially.
Better Performance
2013 (63) | 49,000 Miles | £39,991
Before turbochargers took over the AMG range, there was the naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 — an engine that has already achieved legendary status. The Edition 507 represents one of the ultimate versions of that formula, squeezing even more power from the M156 engine thanks to forged internals from the SLS.
What makes the car such an appealing Sunday driver is the sheer character of that engine. The noise, the throttle response and the sense of old-school muscle make every journey feel like an event. At around £40k today, the Edition 507 has softened a little from some crazy prices a few years ago, and it offers one of the most charismatic V8 experiences available without spending six figures on a Black Series.
I daily drove a W204 C63 Coupe for a year. Sadly it was a financially painful experience tainted with bad luck, and yet, I still look at these things with almost more lust than I do any supercar, and that sums up the C63. It’s the girl you should stay away from, but you’re not going to, are you?
Premier GT
2018 (18) | 13,510 Miles | £77,995
Lister’s take on the Jaguar F-Type turns an already dramatic car into something properly devlish, hence the name. Also hence the name, power climbs to 666bhp (up from 542) from the vocal supercharged V8, while the chassis benefits from fully adjustable KW dampers, and the exterior receives a healthy dose of carbon fibre and aggression. In one sense unapologetically loud, in another sense under the radar in a very Jaguar way — if you know, you know.
Beneath the theatrics, the F-Type platform remains a superb driver’s car and you’d suspect the damping upgrades should only enhance that. This car’s four-wheel drive system means it should behave itself much more than early rear-wheel-drive R models were notorious for, and it also helps achieve a 0-62 time of just 3.2 seconds. With just 99 produced — the LFT-666 combines rarity with one of the great modern performance car soundtracks, so why not be different?
Auto 100
2019 (19) | 28,000 Miles | £63,880
If it’s uncompromising you’re after, the Exige Sport 410 distils the Lotus philosophy down to its purest form: light weight, sharp responses and minimal distractions. With the same supercharged V6 architecture as the Evora but wrapped in a smaller, even more focused package, the Exige feels every bit the junior race car.
It’s a machine that rewards commitment. The steering is razor sharp, the chassis feels alive beneath you, and every input has an immediate effect on the car’s attitude. If you’re getting a little bored with modern machinery, one of these is your antidote, and at just over £60k, it represents a compelling way into one of the most intense road-driving experiences available.
Lakeside Classics
2008 (08) | 51,246 Miles | £69,991
When it came out, the 997 Turbo was a true supercar killer, and even 20 years later (yep, time flies!), it’s still savagely fast in the real world. Powered by the legendary Mezger-derived twin-turbo flat-six, it delivers enormous pace while retaining the solid, mechanical feel that defines older 911s. Four-wheel drive means you can deploy that performance with confidence, even on less-than-perfect roads, and this generation was the last to offer a manual gearbox in a 911 Turbo, so cars with a stick are on a steady climb.
Showing the importance of that manual gearbox, examples like this sit at roughly the same price as newer, lower-mileage Gen 2 PDK cars. As a Sunday driver, it offers that rare combination of devastating speed and genuine usability — a car that feels just as happy devouring a back road as it does crossing a continent, and given there will never be another manual 911 Turbo, they’re looking ever more appealing.
