5. Mercedes AMG GT (2014-2022)
Believe it or not, a few of these creep into our budget with middling mileages, full service histories, and high specifications. But choose wisely.
AMGs historically let their dynamic flourishes come to life with low-slung, top-rung GTs like this. And the AMG GT gets off to a good start, possessing all the hallmarks of a well-balanced driver’s car that also wants to be a grand tourer.
Up front is a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 with cylinder deactivation, so it’s claimed to achieve 30mpg when you want to drive efficiently, and when you don’t you get 503bhp, 479lb ft, a top speed of 193mph and 62mph delivered in a raucous, snarling 3.8sec. That power is sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
All utterly purposeful figures for a car which produced an equally purposeful, thundering baritone of noise to make you wince at the surging cacophany of soft limiters and catalytic converters that strangle most cars nowadays.
Is that character something you could live with? Well, it’s not present everywhere. Owners complain of some interior fittings and finishes feeling too C-Class and a ride quality that feels more akin to Monza than the motorway. But it is generally usable and, as long as they are looked after, it shouldn’t become an enormous hassle.
Cheaper, poorly maintained cars are likely to suffer electrical/wiring issues. Check, too, for bad scuffs, scrapes or scratches because this low-slung machine is quite difficult to see out of. We strongly recommend you only buy one with a full service history, given the likely hard life some cars will have lived, especially at this price.
