27: Mercedes-Benz C-Class C 230
Luxury automakers have tried to market an affordable customer base for years but seldom have any success. At the start of the new millennium, the Mercedes brand was trying to get entry-level buyers into the showroom and the C-230 was the way to do it. This two-door Mercedes was a compact car but it still offered all of the characteristics that you’d expect from a Benz. These cars didn’t sell very well and thus they are hard to come by, but pricing is generally affordable.

You have the benefit of owning a Mercedes-Benz that people don’t see very often, and that tends to create a lot of attention. The performance was not amazingly fast, but the short wheelbase and targeted handling helped the car to drive quite well. Mercedes kept the model on the market for a few years and you can also look for the coveted sport model. While it has been panned by the automotive press the C-230 is an affordable luxury car worth checking out.