There is an undeniable appeal to European sports cars that you can’t and won’t find anywhere else. As a result, we have assembled a list of the best used European sports cars you can buy from the last decade or so. Our list includes entries from all the major European automakers you may be interested in, with prices ranging from $25,000 on the low end to over $100,000 on the high end.
As tantalizing as the options on our list are, if you are a penny-pincher, best to look away now, because not a single one of these vehicles could be considered affordable (or even reasonable to own). Yet, despite their cost, when you are behind the wheel of these select few European sports cars, you feel like you are driving the best the world has to offer. Stick around as we detail each entry, one by one, of the ten European sports cars you should buy.
Models are listed in ascending order, from the lowest average used price to the highest.
2015 Audi RS5 Coupe
Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price: $23,442
Kicking off our list is the first-generation Audi RS5 Coupe, which featured a 444-horsepower 4.2-liter naturally aspirated V-8 engine. The 8T/8F generation Audi RS5 Coupe is one of the most timeless examples of Audi’s modern design. The 2015 Audi RS5 Coupe is a shockingly elegant and good-looking sports car even today. Yet, where it really shines is in the emphatic performance of its glorious V-8 engine that sings full-volume up to 8,250 RPM. There is no replacement for the greatness found in this engine in any modern Audi product. The 2015 Audi RS5 may be somewhat of a nightmare to maintain, but its relatively low entry price makes it more appealing than ever before. If you can put up with its quirks, you can have a $100,000 Audi experience for a fraction of the original price.
2020 BMW M340i Sedan
Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price: $32,502
The 2020 BMW M340i still defines itself as the ultimate bang-for-buck luxury performance vehicle. The G20 generation of the BMW 3-Series was introduced in the 2019 model year may not feel as visceral as the 3-Series models of old, but the 3.0-liter turbocharged B58 inline-six will make you a believer regarding its overall performance capability. With the extremely easy and readily accessible help of aftermarket tuning, the 2020 BMW M340i can become a truly terrifyingly fast vehicle. Despite its many positives, sports sedan enthusiasts are rightfully disappointed by the complete lack of a manual transmission. If you hate massive infotainment screens and still yearn for the tactility of physical buttons, we recommend the pre-LCI (2019-2022) models that still offer a more traditional interior.
2017 BMW M2 Coupe
Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price: $35,906
The first generation of the BMW M2 Coupe is easily one of the most underrated performance cars of the last decade. On debut, the F87 generation BMW M2 Coupe got flak for utilizing a beefed-up version of the same 3.0-liter turbocharged N55 engine as the 335i or M235i model. This is until people realized how darn good the N55 engine actually is. When equipped with a six-speed manual, the 2017 BMW M2 Coupe is as good as a modern BMW performance car gets. The BMW M2 Competition, featuring the twin-turbo S55 inline-six found in the BMW F80 M3, came after and offered more power, but at the cost of a significantly worse exhaust note than the predecessor N55. The true cultured pick among the two is certainly the original BMW M2 Coupe; you can thank us later.
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2020 Audi RS3
Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price: $36,185
The 2020 Audi RS3 is the perfect little sports sedan that offers just about everything you could want out of a German sports car. The 8V generation Audi RS3 is one of the most unique sports cars for sale, as it is the last remaining vehicle of any kind that offers an inline-five engine. Nothing is quite as peak Audi as an inline-five engine, and now the German brand is the only automaker still offering this distinct power unit. Despite the unique charm created by the 2.5-liter turbocharged EA855 inline-five‘s distinct sound and character, this outlier engine will soon meet its inevitable end by 2027. While Audi’s future may look bright, we find it hard to believe there will be a worthy alternative to the inline-five beyond the horizon. Thus, there has never been a better time to experience the charming exuberance that the 2020 Audi RS3 has to offer.
2021 BMW M3 Sedan
Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price: $57,313
The G80 generation of the BMW M3 Sedan may be polarizing in its appearance, but its outright performance capability is undeniable. The majority of the current generation BMW M3’s strength lies in the absolute beast of an engine under its hood, the 3.0-liter twin-turbo S58 inline-six engine. Simply put, the S58 inline-six is the greatest turbocharged inline-six engine BMW has ever built. The S58 engine’s price-to-performance ratio is the best of any vehicle in its class, and a little tuning can make this leading platform easily step into the supercar category. Yet, the best part about the G80 M3 is that it truly needs no additional power than what is provided by the factory. This is why our top pick is the standard (non-Competition) M3 model, which is the only way you can still equip the six-speed manual transmission. The available eight-speed automatic is great, but the manual gearbox is just more fun, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
2018 Mercedes-AMG GT S
Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price: $68,139
The 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT S is simply a gorgeous sports car from any angle that offers stunning performance along with true curbside sex appeal. The 503-horsepower 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 is an amazing power unit that takes this grand tourer to an insane three-second zero-to-60 MPH sprint. This car has more motorsports-grade technology and capability than most people understand or give it credit for. The GT S model utilizes an electronically-controlled limited-slip differential, which provides even more engaging dynamics and overall improved grip. The standard AMG performance exhaust system sounds delightful with any modification, and the AMG ride control sport suspension allows for fully electronic on-the-fly adjustability. The Nappa leather-filled interior, along with the performance steering wheel, looks stunning, and the sports seats provide both bolstering and comfort. As far as pure modern sports cars go, there aren’t many competitors that can match up pound-for-pound with the Mercedes-AMG GT S.
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2023 Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon
Classic.com Average Sale Price: $83,926
There are cool cars, then there is the 2023 Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon. The E63 S Wagon is the last E-Class AMG model featuring Mercedes’ iconic twin-turbo V-8 engine, and it will get you to 60 MPH in about 3.4 seconds with 4MATIC+ AWD capability. The 604 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque from this hand-built powerplant provide a cinematic experience every time you coax the pedal. Is it the perfect driver’s car? Not exactly. However, you’ll be forgetting about that when you feel the relentless thrust produced by this AMG-powered grocery getter. While there is just a touch too much piano black in the interior, it is otherwise gorgeous and befitting of its premium price point. Never has practicality been so outlandishly fun. You will never find the same experience in a new Mercedes-AMG as the most powerful and most expensive AMG wagon is now powered by a less powerful and entertaining mild hybrid turbocharged inline-six.
2016 Porsche 911 GTS
Classic.com Average Sale Price: $94,332
At just under the $100,000 mark, you can experience one of the greatest modern sports cars ever created, the 2016 Porsche 911 GTS. The 991.1 generation 911 GTS was the last application of the brand’s iconic naturally-aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six in the 911 chassis before moving on to smaller turbocharged flat-six engines. While the twin-turbo flat-six found in the 991.2 911 models is amazing in its own right, it is a different beast. If you enjoy the characteristics of a screamer engine that rewards you by revving it out, this 3.8-liter flat six’s peak power output of 424 horsepower is found at a lofty 7,400 RPM. Every performance accouterment you could imagine, the 991.1 Porsche 911 GTS comes equipped with it. From the sports exhaust to the 10mm lower than standard PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) setup, the 991.1 GTS has it all. The cherry on top is the mean stance of the Turbo-style widebody that crafts the GTS into what essentially is a true, daily drivable Porsche GT car that any driving enthusiast would fall in love with.
2020 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4
Classic.com Average Sale Price: $95,385
The 2020 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 is undoubtedly one of the best ways you can spend about $100,000. At the center of the mid-engine heart of the Cayman GT4 is a 414-horsepower naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six derived from the 992-generation Porsche 911‘s twin-turbocharged flat-six engine. This 4.0-liter wonder of an engine greets you with an 8,000 RPM redline, and every tap of the throttle begs you to test the upper end of its limits. A six-speed manual gearbox is not optional, but standard. It was not until the 2021 model year that the seven-speed PDK transmission became available.
In every aspect of performance, the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 excels and flexes its capability. This is emphasized by details such as 50 percent more downforce than the previous generation GT4, as well as the long list of GT3 and GT3 RS-derived upgrades it comes equipped with. Out of all the intoxicating European sports cars on this list, the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 is the one that feels the best behind the wheel. Carbon ceramic brakes are also available as an option, and prospective buyers should definitely keep in mind the significant difference in price when replacement time comes around.
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2016 Audi R8 V10 Coupe
Classic.com Average Sale Price: $118,553
The 2016 Audi R8 V10 Coupe is a bona fide supercar that still shocks us with its impressive sex appeal and dazzling driving dynamics. The 533-horsepower V-10 engine found in the Type 4S generation R8 is famously shared with the Lamborghini Huracán, and it is every bit as amazing as you’d hope it would be. 8,000 RPM? No problem. Don’t be surprised as you feel spine-tingling sensations every step of the way as this engine resonates across a broad range of harmonic frequencies. It is a bit of a shame that the manual transmission is no longer available in this generation, but it is a detail we understand. Purists do not fret, however, because there is an RWD variant of the Audi R8 also available, which saves an additional 110 pounds of weight compared to the quattro AWD-equipped variant.
The simple yet sweet interior of the 2016 Audi R8 is not marred by any form of infotainment screen, a truly refreshing detail that contrasts with our current tech-hungry landscape. While the smaller Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 may provide more feedback, it may be a bit too hardcore for most. The Type 4S Audi R8 V10 Coupe is just spicy enough that you have to respect its power at every moment, but docile enough that it feels livable as opposed to an all-out no-compromises supercar. We love the V-10-powered Audi R8 dearly, and knowing that there will never be another Audi R8 that can provide the same sensation as this timeless sports car makes our love grow fonder day by day.
Sources: Kelley Blue Book, Classic.com