Nik has a 2010 Aston Martin Vantage that he really likes, but he is getting the bug for something different. He wants something with style and exclusivity like the Aston and therefore doesn’t want to get one of the typical brands. With a budget of around $100,000 what car should he buy?
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Here is the scenario.
Well i am in a slight conundrum. I have an 2010 Aston Martin V8 Vantage that i love to bits, as my fun car. i have owned it for the last 4 years. However, i am getting an itch to buy something different. Guilty pleasure. I am a massive Mustang fan but i only like the ‘special’ ones. I have owned a GT500/Saleen/Roush all manual and have been eyeing the GT350.
I own a older RR l322 i use for camping/off-roading/hiking and shuttling friends to/from the bar and a E-class(extremely boring and slow) for my daily commute. Might sell and daily drive the Rangie.
Anyway, so im looking to replace my Vantage for something similar or better in excitement. Not interested in any EV/truck/BMW product…also would prefer no Porsches
I want something with style and exclusivity the Aston brings. Budget 100k.
Quick Facts:
Budget: $100,000
Location: Arizona
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Style, Speed, Uniqueness
Doesn’t want: An EV, truck, or “predictable” choice
Expert 1: Tom McParland - Speed and Style
Nik, so you really like you Aston but you are also drawn to the high-end Mustangs. You want something that looks the part and has the power to back it up as well. What you need is a Viper. Sure, you could get the quicker Challenger Demon or a Shelby SuperSnake, but those will just be more powerful versions of “regular” cars. If you want to turn some heads, a Viper will still draw a crowd. Personally, I would go for a late 90s GTS coupe but I’m a sucker for nostalgia, if you don’t care for something that old a $100,000 budget will get you an SRT-1o coupe or roadster from 2005-2010.
I like this 2006 with the classic white stripes over blue. Under the hood is the massive 8.3 liter V10 with “only” 510 horsepower, but you will be hard-pressed to find any normal driving scenario where that is inadequate. The interior is typical mid-2000’s Dodge, but no one will care when the outside looks this good and the sound of that V10 can be heard from down the road. Vipers are holding value well, so you can check this one off your bucket list and move on to something else with little depreciation.
Expert 2: Bradley Brownell - You Gotta Get The ‘Vette
You’ve messed around with some pony cars and lux British trash, but it’s time to get a real American sports car. While I think Tom’s suggestion of the Viper is a great idea, there’s no replacement for the speed and sophistication of a Lingenfelter-tuned Corvette. The Michigan-based tuner started with the already incredible C7 Corvette Grand Sport with pretty much every option on it, including the ridiculously cool carbon aero pack. Then it built the engine to produce 650 naturally-aspirated horsepower. You can’t ask for better.
This bad machine is on eBay right now with a buy-it-now price of just $72,997. I don’t think there’s anything else on the planet that would offer this level of speed for that kind of money. Unlike your Mustangs or Astons, this thing isn’t afraid of a corner, and has the tires and downforce to negotiate a track at max attack. Buy it, and don’t look back.
Expert 3: Amber DaSilva - A Life Of Luxury
Nik, you strike me as a person of taste. You’ve got your Range Rover, you’ve got your $100,000 budget — you appreciate the finer things in life. Well, how about one of the finest things I’ve ever had the good fortune to drive? I present to you, the Lexus LC500.
The LC is of course sleek and fast, these things are givens with a V8-powered six-figure coupe, but the car has a truly incredible amount of character hidden in its drivetrain and chassis. It’s raucous, aggressive, it wants nothing more than to hug corners or kick the tail out and slide through them — all without making your country club arrivals look like a midlife crisis. I assume all people who can afford $100,000 cars have country club memberships.
Here’s a beautiful convertible in Scottsdale within your budget, but you’ve got the budget to look for new models as well. Go for Copper Crest if you can find it.
Expert 4: Daniel Golson - AMG Stands For ‘Amazing, Must Get’
Speed, style and exclusivity? What you need is a Mercedes-AMG GT. There are a bunch for sale within your price range, including some of the later facelift (what you really want is a GT C), but I’ve chosen to go with this 2017 GT S because of its blue-over-brown spec. Currently listed for $89,000 with less than 14,000 miles on the clock, it’s got the desirable Dynamic Plus package that adds adjustable dampers, dynamic engine mounts, a wider rev band and Race mode.
First of all, the GT looks phenomenal even nearly a decade on from its debut. The hood is impossibly long and the stance is excellent; it’s just a gorgeous car overall. Sure, these things are a pain in the ass to see out of, especially if you’re trying to park, but isn’t that part of the fun? Plus you’ve got a very practical hatchback cargo area, and the interior is just as luxurious as you’d expect from a Mercedes.
The GT’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 is one of the greatest turbocharged engines of the modern era, and in GT S trim it pumps 503 horsepower and 473 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels through a nice 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. It hit 60 mph in 3.0 seconds in Car and Driver’s testing, which is still damn quick these days, and its front-mid-engine layout provides great weight distribution and handling characteristics. While it’s not the most agile sports car out there, it’ll more than hold its own on a good backroad and surely make you smile. And with only around 1,500 sold in the U.S. each year, it ticks the rarity box, too.