TOP 5 BEST SPORTS CARS
PORSCHE 911
THE GOOD: Style, like 911s, never goes out of fashion
THE BAD: The base Carrera now costs more than £97k – yet that’s not enough to stop it being a clear class winner; road noise now up to 11
THE UGLY: To some, it’s now more comfy GT than sports car; canny options list pushes you to spend far, far more
THE ONE TO BUY: Carrera S with the seven-speed manual for £110k on the nose; the Sport Chrono package is bundled in, but you’ll still pay for the Porsche badges on the wheels to be coloured in
AR|EL ATOM
THE GOOD: A beautiful object as well as a thrilling drive; think of it as a modernised Lotus Seven crossed with a high-end sports bike
THE BAD: You’ll need bike-style wet-weather wear if it’s raining. And at least £40k – this is an expensive toy, if a captivating one
THE UGLY: Borderline terrifying at times
THE ONE TO BUY: Do you really need the 350bhp power upgrade option?
PORSCHE 718 CAYMAN/BOXSTER
THE GOOD: Sublime handling; surprising practicality
THE BAD: Less characterful than an Alpine; such an obvious choice it’s almost boring
THE UGLY: Flat-four versions sound like a VW Beetle in a duet with Eeyore
THE ONE TO BUY: Hardcore GT4 RS the most thrilling drive but flat-six GTS 4.0 is a cutprice GT4 at £73k
LOTUS EM|RA
THE GOOD: The first new Lotus in years is fantastically well resolved. Usable, desirable and thrilling
THE BAD: Harder work to live with than a Cayman
THE UGLY: The last petrol Lotus – just as the company gets the financial stability to build on its brilliance
THE ONE TO BUY: Could be the imminent sub-£60k four-cylinder turbo version
ALP|NE A110
THE GOOD: The perfectly formed antidote to a world of excess; a modern classic in every sense of the term
THE BAD: Rear boot gets very warm; not much oddment storage inside
THE UGLY: Who put the handbrake switch next to the window buttons?
THE ONE TO BUY: A110 S adds poise to the handling for £68k but the £52k base A110 is all you need