Home Cars 30 Pricey Sports Cars That Fail To Justify Their Cost

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30 Pricey Sports Cars That Fail To Justify Their Cost

Cameron Eittreim December 18, 2019

via: Motor Trend — Photo Credit: Motor Trend

13. Lotus Evora

Lotus is a brand that never really gets too much attention, but you know it’s there. These are cars that people enjoy driving and that’s why there is such a loyal following. But the Evora has been around in its current form since 2009. That is a long time by automotive terms and there have been many sports cars that came after it. The Evora at one point packed one of the most powerful engines in its class, and the lightweight design was extremely fun. So much so that Tesla-based their original roadster off of the same design. The Evora is long in the tooth and it has gone on without a major redesign for some time now.

Lotus has made no bones about the outdated design and the company stands by the Evora. Automotive enthusiasts are quick to point out the car’s flaws, and the high price tag doesn’t help things out at all. You can expect to pay a pretty penny to get into an Evora whether you own it or lease it. The Evora does have some positive attributes but they are outweighed by the negatives such as the price tag.

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12. Nissan 370Z

With a design that originates from 2003, the 370Z has worn out its welcome. Not only is the sportscar extremely expensive but it’s also outdated. The design is cramped, and while it is still fun to drive, the 370Z is just not practical for today’s consumers. The outdated interior makes living in the 370Z a difficult thing to do. Then you have the naturally aspirated engine, which hasn’t changed much over time.

The 370Z holds to the car’s heritage of being a lightweight and quick-witted sports car. But when you look at the price tag and the outdated design, there are better options on the market. Design-wise, the 370Z has been around the block more than once, and now it’s time to retire. There are far better choices for a sports car that will cost you less and offer more bang for the buck. It’s time Nissan goes back to the drawing board.

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11. Lexus LC

The first Lexus sports car that was released during the 90s broke boundaries. The SC400 and the SC300 were superb sports cars that offered functional interiors and groundbreaking performance. To this day, the SC400 remains a very popular used car with outstanding reliability and features. The Lexus LC, on the other hand, is a bit of an outdated offering that is still stuck in 2010. The car has a whopping price tag which makes it stand out already. For that high price tag, you’d expect to get a car that handles like it. But the LC is not what you’d expect from a Lexus.

The car is quite cumbersome to drive and it can’t tell whether it wants to be a luxury sedan or a sports car. The LC is a big car by sports car standards and Lexus has packed so many electronics into the thing that there’s no denying how heavy it is. The LC might have the Lexus seal of quality behind it, but there are far better sports cars that you can get your hands on. For most automotive enthusiasts the LC is better left avoided. Car shoppers expect a little bit more from Lexus because of the company’s rep for high-quality vehicles.

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10. Audi TT

The Audi TT has some memories that were good, and others were bad. By today’s standards, the TT is severely outdated. The car just doesn’t have anything new to offer. Even the exterior design has remained the same for 20 years. At one point, the TT was considered to be at the forefront of automotive technology. But nowadays, it’s just another outdated German sports car. The TT does offer a backseat which is a usable feature, but overall the car still performs like you’d think it was 2008. Audi is working on an electric version of the TT, so we’ll see what the future holds.

Like the 370Z, the TT is one of the last holdouts from the past automotive generation. If you want a bit of nostalgia or you want to relive the 90s, the TT might be a great option. You still get the bulletproof Audi driving experience which is still a plus in itself. The German-built TT offers a good deal of driving satisfaction, but in terms of an updated design for the price, the car is just lacking.

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9. Maserati GranTurismo

Maserati itself is a brand that has been around for decades, but the recent cars to bare a Maserati badge have been less than exciting. The GranTurismo has been in its current form since about 2009 and the car has seen minimal upgrades. You’d expect a car that is in this price caliber to be updated but overall the GranTurismo is lacking. The overall design is very much focused on speed, which is fine but the rest of the car is outdated. The seats and the interior have seen very little change over the past couple of years. Boasting a Ferrari-derived engine is enough to make the car fun to drive.

But for the price tag, there are many more updated sports cars on the market. Maserati has focused attention on the growing SUV market, which is fine. But this has left the GranTurismo without a major upgrade in quite a long period. Take one look at the car and it’s quite beautiful, but the lacking features for the price make the GranTurismo best left avoided. Maserati as a brand seems to get content when a certain model is selling well, but the company will need to start innovating to remain competitive.

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8. Morgan Roadster

The Morgan Roadster is a rather unique-looking sports car that doesn’t get a lot of attention. And while the unique looks of the car make it a modern-day antique, there has been a lack of updates as well. The car is utilizing an outdated Ford engine, which is very similar to what Chrysler did with the Prowler. When you have a car in this price range, you expect there to be some kind of modern updates every so often. You don’t want to pay a premium for the same car that you could get on the used market for a lot less. Still, the Morgan Roadster is cool to look at and offers a rather unique design.

Time will tell if the Morgan Roadster is upgraded. Enthusiasts have been interested to see if the car will get some sort of a V8 powerplant at some point. The consensus of the roadster makes it a prime candidate for this kind of tuning. For a unique, one-of-a-kind vehicle, the Morgan Roadster stands out from the crowd with its classic design, but it’s time for an upgrade.

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7. Alfa Romeo 4C

The Alfa Romeo brand came back to a crowded marketplace. Carving out a niche was not going to be easy. The 4C is a sports coupe that looks to build on the sports car heritage of the Alfa Romeo brand. When you think of Alfa Romeo, you think of fast little Italian sports cars that are fun to drive and cheap to own. The 4C looks beautiful from an exterior point of view, the car is very reminiscent of a Lotus in terms of design. But when you get into the interior, you’ll see that the car is quite outdated compared to other models on the road. Compared to other sports cars the 4C has been on the market for some time now.

There is nothing to report that is amazing in terms of performance. The car is just a naturally aspirated sports car with a high price tag. There are comparable cars on the market that cost a lot less. The 4C offers a good amount of pep off the line, but the lackluster interior makes the car a pain to live with. There are better choices in this price range than the 4C for someone who wants a lightweight sports car.

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6. Porsche 911 Carrera

The Porsche 911 in its current form has been on the market for a while now. In that time, there have been several new Porsche models that hit the road. While the 911 holds to its general demeanor that has made the car famous, its price tag and the features that you get for that price tag are way out of proportion. The Carrera has always been a blazing sports car thanks to the legendary Porsche design. When you compare the Carrera to other sports cars within this price range the 911 is a tad bit overpriced for what you get. What drivers are paying for is the prestige of driving a Porsche.

That’s not to say that the 911 Carrera is a boring car by any means. It still provides a serious amount of fun and performance. Yet there are better sports cars that you can get to tackle the track or the weekly commute. Porsche itself has a couple of other models that rival the 911 in-terms of fun attributes.

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5. Toyota 86

What began its life as the last Scion sports car has morphed into a Toyota. Sadly, the 86 hasn’t seen a real update in years. The only Toyota sportscar to share its sheet metal with a Subaru, the 86 left enthusiasts with high expectations. The car is satisfying to drive and it offers exceptional rear-wheel-drive performance. Designwise, though, the 86 is showing its age, with not much being changed from the Scion version of the car. The interior is cramped like you’d expect and the infotainment center is outdated as many of the current Toyota models.

The 86 commands a premium price tag for something that is quickly becoming outclassed. Toyota has not announced a redesign of the 86 yet as the Supra has already been on the market. Likewise, the Supra has been critically panned as well. Still, if you must have a Toyota sports car, the 86 will have a loyal fanbase of Toyota enthusiasts.

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4. BMW M3

The M3 sits high on the hog like many BMW sports coupes, with a loyal following that enjoys driving the legendary “beamers”. Sadly, though, the M3 needs an update just like much of the BMW lineup. The current M3 has been in one form or another since 2006, although the body has been updated from time to time. The performance of the M3 is still fun, but it falls short of exhilarating. To justify the high price tag BMW builds a lot on the reputation of the brand, but the M3 leaves a lot to be desired.

Fast and fun German cars are getting more scarce as the industry turns toward crossover vehicles. The M3 is one of the last holdouts. But the car needs a redesign quite badly. In terms of driving characteristics and the overall experience, the M3 is falling behind the competition. For the high price tag, there are comparable vehicles on the road.

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3. Subaru BRZ

A BRZ is a lot like the Toyota that it shares its sheet metal with. The design has become outdated in the last couple of years. Minimal updates have made the car more of an enthusiast thing above all else. The benefit of the BRZ over the 86 is that you get the AWD powertrain whereas the Toyota is RWD. BRZ owners are treated to the usual Subaru interior treatment. BRZ is targeting a different audience than say an Outback, but the car is still nicely appointed. Yet the price tag is still high for what you get, and the engine is outdated at best.

The BRZ was a great concept since Subaru hasn’t had its own sports car since the 90s. But with a lack of serious updates, the BRZ is not in-line with the current crop of sports cars. Features are everything in today’s well-appointed vehicles and the BRZ needs an upgrade. The car has lost a lot of its initial buzz.

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2. Mazda MX-5 Miata

The MX-5 Miata has been on the market for a long time, and in its current form for almost a decade now. Mazdas philosophy with the MX-5 is if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. Mazda had a hit on its hands when the company originally launched the Miata. The car was fun to drive and lightweight, offering a pleasant mixture of features for the price. There has been a constant flow of enthusiasts who have followed every generation of the Miata. But the current model has become dated and in need of an upgrade. Granted, the Miata is one of the few cars like it in the class, there are more updated options on the road now.

The marketplace for these lightweight roadsters is very slim, which might be why the Miata hasn’t seen an update in a good period. Still, the car could use a refresh as more buyers are coming to the forefront and looking for fun to drive cars. The MX-5 will continue to be a historical part of the automotive community, but a redesign is to help keep the car competitive.

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1. Volkswagen GTI

The GTI has followed pretty much the same formula for success as it did some 30 years ago when the car was launched. Offering a pleasant mixture of turbocharged power and lightweight design, the coolest thing about the GTI has always been that it was a hatchback. In-terms of unique design the GTI stands alone and that’s okay. But Volkswagen has left the GTI largely untouched for the last couple of years. A refresh is due for the compact hot-hatch so that it can remain competitive. Volkswagen relies a lot on the reputation of the GTI line, but in reality, the car needs to be updated as well.

The interior has aged and there are other aspects to the car that make it worth an update. Although there are a lot of fun automobiles on the market, the GTI is one of the most original. But without a major overhaul, the vehicle is going to continue to become an aged feeling. There have been talks that Volkswagen is working on an all-electric version of the GTI, and we have to wonder how well it would perform.

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