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Now is the perfect time to invest in one of these rare and criminally underrated sports cars.
Most of us dream of owning a sports car not because it might generate a future economic profit, but rather because of the fun it will provide us. But in some rare instances, both of these boxes can be ticked, and your fun can also become a wise investment. It's a no-brainer that limited-edition sports cars manufactured by sought-after brands like Ferrari and Lamborghini will go up in value over the years, but you don't need to spend an arm and a leg to afford a special and scarce sports car.
And for that exact reason, we've compiled a list of sports cars that were either manufactured in small quantities or as the years have gone by, have become excruciatingly difficult to find alive and well. Therefore, these sports cars we're going to mention today won't just make you money in the long run and give you heaps of fun, but because they're so rare, you'll probably be the only one driving one on the road.
Ah, the forgotten Porsche, the 968. Yes, that's right, it's called the 968, and it's even rarer than the 928. The 968 was only put into production for 4 years (1992 to 1995), and it was also the last front-engined sports car that left Stuttgart.
Unlike the 928, and all 911s at the time, the 968 was powered by a naturally-aspirated 3.0-liter inline-four that developed nearly 240 hp, and as a result, could catapult the 968 to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds. Used 968 models aren't all that common on the used market, but we managed to find a 1994 Cabriolet for under $18,000 on cars.com.
When talking about Subaru sports cars, very few people know of the SVX's existence, and those who do, know how quirky and unique this car truly is. There were two different drivetrains offered within the SVX, namely front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive; but all of them came fitted with the same 3.3-liter six-cylinder boxer engine that produced 231 hp—although in the Japanese models, this number was bumped up to 247 hp—and all SVX models came with a mandatory 4-speed automatic transmission.
These aren't as scarce as the aforementioned Porsche, but they are rapidly increasing in value, so better grab one of these while you can. And to make matters even greater, we've found a 1997 model, which is the scarcest model year of them all with only 640 units produced that year for $12,000 on CarGurus.
One of the main selling points of a Mazda Miata is its rev-happy naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine—even the latest generation contains the same attributes—but once upon a time, Mazda's so-called "racing team", Mazdaspeed, who is also responsible for the Mazdaspeed 3, took the NB Miata and added a turbocharger into the mix. The result was that its 2.0-liter four-pot now produced nearly 180 hp, which was 40 horses more than the standard MX-5, and a 0-60 time of just 6.7 seconds.
Overall, there were less than 7,000 Mazdaspeed Miatas conceived between 2004 and 2005 that came to the U.S. but if we were you, we'd go after one that left the factory in 2005, since just 1,500 were manufactured that year. We've found a 2005 model listed on CarGurus for just under $14,000 and reckon it's worth every penny.
Related: Auction Dilemma: Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata Vs Honda S2000
The E46 generation M3 was produced between the years 2000 and 2006, and the hardtop variants are selling for extreme prices already. Why you might ask? Well, the E46-generation M3 was the last M3 to make use of naturally-aspirated straight-six power, in contrast to the newer turbocharged M3 models. And lucky for us, convertible M cars, especially M3s are much more affordable than their hardtop counterparts.
Don't worry, they didn't get an inferior powertrain, since all of these M3s came with a 3.2-liter inline-six that sent 333 horses to just the rear wheels with a redline of 8,000 rpm. Throughout its lifespan, more than 56,000 E46 M3 Coupes were built, but fewer than 40,000 Convertible models, so we'd reckon if it's uniqueness you're after, going topless is the way to go.
Related: Big Tires Require Big Wheels On This Beefed Up BMW M3 E46
When people see the "RX-7", everyone immediately thinks of the FD-generation RX-7 which came fitted with a 1.3-liter twin-turbo twin-rotor that produced around 240 hp, but the generation most often overlooked is the first-generation FB model.
It too came with a rotary engine, albeit much less potent with a displacement of either 1.1 liters or 1.3 liters and a power output between 100 and 135 hp. We've found a 1983 model for sale in CarGurus with just 76,000 miles and a 1.1-liter engine that costs just under the $12,000 mark.
Related: 10 Things Everyone Forgot About The Mazda RX7
The Audi TT has had three different generations thus far, but the first-gen TT is still sought-after, especially if you find one equipped with a 3.2-liter V6 engine mated with a 6-speed manual gearbox. But we were only able find an automatic one on CarGurus listed for just under $14,000.
Not only is MK1 TT a gorgeous, bubbly sports car with a retractable roof in some cases, but it's also seen as one of the most influential sports cars ever built paving the way for a whole new breed of fun sports cars that didn't have rear-wheel-drive, but rather all-wheel-drive or front-wheel-drive.
Related: 10 Reasons Why We Will Miss The Audi TT
Not everyone's a fan of the Chrysler Crossfire, but that's also partially due to them not completely understanding what it was. See, underneath its controversially styled body, it wasn't actually a Chrysler by heart, but rather a Mercedes-Benz SLK. Therefore, it also had a Mercedes-derived engine, which in the SRT6 trim level was a supercharged 3.2-liter V6 that mustered out 330 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque which was sent to the rear wheels.
There were just over 4,000 of these muscular German-powered Chrysler Crossfires ever built, so you'll almost never come across one, especially if it's a roadster since just 1,500 of them were built. However, we have searched far and wide, and found a convertible Crossfire that only costs $15,000—what a steal!
If the name Pontiac Solstice doesn't ring a bell, perhaps its platform mate and brother will, the Saturn Sky. Both of these cars are relatively cheap on the used market today, and fairly common too, but they both have a performance-orientated version; the Pontiac's being the GXP and the Saturn's being the Redline. All Solstice GXPs came equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, which is enough to rocket it from 0 to 60 mph in a rapid 5.5 seconds.
The GXP was offered in two different body styles, namely a coupe and convertible; there were about 13,000 roadsters built, but less than 800 coupes. However, we'd still recommend buying the soft top Pontiac because the hardtop GXPs are excruciatingly rare, and sell for well above $50,000.
Marnus Moolman is a young aspiring automotive writer from South Africa who is making a name for himself, despite his young age. Currently, he is studying to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting to pursue his lifetime dream of running his own automotive detailing establishment.