8 Supercars You Can Drive Away for a Song

How do you get a six-figure luxury vehicle for the cost of a midsize sedan? Simple: Just wait for it to quickly depreciate.

Author:: Jason Notte
Publish date:: May 22, 2016 8:14 AM EDT

You know supercars when you see them.

You had posters of them hanging in your bedroom when you were a kid. They get their own amusement parks in Abu Dhabi. Fools put them airborne on the streets of London.

To the folks at Kelley Blue Book, they translate to "high-end performance car" or "high-end luxury car," and the crux of their definition is their price. A high-end performance car (think of any Lamborghini) sold for an average of $91,836 in April, up 0.8% from a year ago thanks to increased demand and low U.S. gas prices. High-end luxury cars (think any Bentley) go for a similarly costly $91,729, roughly flat from a year ago.

The key difference? You don't really get a utility version of the Lamborghini. Sales for Jaguar (12.4%), Ferrari (6.1%) and Maserati (10.1%) all rose in April from the same time in 2015, according to MotorIntelligence, though Lamborghini (down 7.6%) is being hampered by the impending arrival of new models. While Rolls-Royce (up 7.5%) and Jaguar (up 12.4%) are also getting a boost, Bentley (down 52%) has seen better years.

What do most of the above have in common, however? Steep depreciation once they come out of the showroom. On that end of the spectrum, cars tend to lose value as they fall out of fashion and drift into the limbo between cutting-edge and classic. The folks at automotive pricing site Black Book have combed through their data and found eight of these prized vehicles that have fallen to a more manageable price as the years have passed.

"These are great examples of cars that were in their prime just a few short years ago, but for a variety of reasons that include supply and changing consumer tastes have seen their values drop significantly in recent years," added Eric Lawrence, specialty editor for Black Book.

The following are just a few examples of the coveted cars you can get with midsize cash. All have more than a few years on them, and "supercar" mileage and credibility may vary:

8. Aston Martin DB7

Original price: $130,000

Current price: $25,000 to $30,000 for models from 1997-2000, $30,000 to $40,000 for models from 2001 to 2003

O.K., so maybe it was always a Jaguar hiding in an Aston Martin's body -- with a whole lot of Ford money hiding behind all of it.

Still, it was a 335-horsepower straight-6 that Jeremy Clarkson took up to 135 miles per hour in fourth gear on Top Gear 13 years ago. While we really can't advise this -- nor can we advise seeking out collector's editions made for Dunhill cigars, Neiman Marcus or Queen Elisabeth's Jubilee year back in 2003 -- we heartily advise picking up the convertible version for maximum effect.

This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned.

Original price: $225,000Current price: $25,000 to $40,000 for models from 1999-2004Bentley had kind of been left to wither on the vine since 1980. Sure, occasionally you'd hear about Mike Tyson crashing one, but before it became a hip-hop icon, it was just kind of an overpowered people mover for the old-money set. It indicated status, but didn't confer it.The Arnage was one of the models that changed all of that. Introduced in 1998, the Arnage and its twin-turbo BMW V8 replaced the longstanding Mulsanne and its ridiculously overpowered 6.75-liter V8. Even with the new engine, it was still one of the most powerful sedans on the road anywhere in the world. When public outcry resulted in the old engine's return, it became even more of a beast. The Arnage went on to become the stretched, bulletproof ride of choice for the global elite (including Queen Elisabeth) and was only taken out of commission in 2009 to bring in a new version of the Mulsanne. This was very much a car for its time: Opulent, overpowered and gas-guzzling. It's a tough fit among today's Tesla-driven world of luxury efficiency, but those prizing aesthetics over all else will get what they're seeking.

Original price: $95,000Current price: $15,000 to $30,000 for models from 2001-2008The SL has already built its reputation as the roadster of choice for the nouveau riche, but it's getting a facelift this year that will make the old versions a little more accessible for those feeling a bit nostalgic. Beyond the new front end straight from the brutalist, angular, "make it look mean" school of body design, the new SL450 comes with a 362-horsepower V6, while the SL550 with a 449-horsepower V8 engine. Naturally, there will also be AMG high-performance variants with up to 12 cylinders.All of that represents a significant uptick in muscle, especially from the 245 horsepower of the base V6 from the SL's debut in 2001. Even the original V8 only managed just over 302 horsepower at the time. In fact, you had to jump to the AMG version to get anything close to what the current V8 offers. However, especially if you manage to get a version made after the 2006 facelift, nobody but you will ever be the wiser.

Dodge Viper RT/10Original price: $75,000Current price: $20,000 to $30,000 for models from 1993-2004The folks at Chrysler really didn't like hearing that the U.S. couldn't make a supercar. They weren't thrilled that Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Maserati their ilk were making U.S. muscle look flabby by comparison.That's when they got creative. They decided to make a version of the company's fabled Cobra that would be more suited to the modern enthusiast and decided to load it up with the biggest beast of an engine they had: An 8.0-liter, V10 Dodge truck engine. Since Chrysler just happened to own Lamborghini at the time, they asked the company to give their bulky truck engine an aluminum makeover. "Team Viper" did its thing and, by 1991, a Dodge Viper was turning heads as the pace car at the Indianapolis 500.Despite Chrysler's various ownership issues, bankruptcy, bailout and subsequent takeover by Fiat, the Viper has remained. The new Italian owners are so enamored of it that they've kept it going as the SRT Viper. Its current 8.4-liter, V-10 engine cranks out 640 horsepower and tops out at 206 miles per hour.That first version, however, was a revelation. Its single-minded performance focus and six-figure asking price were reserved for European models before that point. The Viper opened the door for the U.S. supercar and has been pushing automakers to up the power and tweak design ever since.

Original price: $70,000Current price: $7,500 to $10,000 for models from 1997-2003, $10,000 to $20,000 for models from 2004 to 2008From the curvy exterior to the leather-and-walnut interior, this was just an absolutely gorgeous vehicle.That it could top out at 155 miles per hour was certainly impressive, but to get that performance and adaptive cruise control in the late '90s and early 2000s was nothing shy of miraculous. It's built on the same platform as the aforementioned Aston Martin DB7, which isn't surprising since that's basically Frankensteined out of a Jaguar XJS, but the supercharged engine and independent rears suspension not improved handling, traction and the overall ride.If it weren't for Jaguar's notoriously turbulent history of reliability, we'd actually consider tracking down an older model and basically stealing it for less than you'd pay for a hollowed-out base Nissan Versa today.

Original price: $45,000Current price: $7,500 to $10,000 for models from 1997-2001, $10,000 to $15,000 for models from 2002 to 2005When the Porsche Boxster was first released in 1996, it wasn't struggling to fend off the Mazda Miata -- it was challenging it. Yep, the Miata actually has more than a few years on this car, and during the first generation there wasn't a whole lot separating the two.The 2.5-liter six-cylinder engine eventually became a 2.7-liter engine, but it only increased horsepower from 200 to 225 (though top speed jumped from 149 miles per hour to 157). The 3.2-liter version kicked things up a notch, though, and the mid-engine layout made it a fun ride -- if not always reliable one. Where the Boxster lost to the Miata on value, however, it made up for it in prestige. It was Porsche's best-selling car until the Cayenne sport utility vehicle was released in 2002. That $45,000 price was well shy of "super," but for those who played it frugal and went for a Miata instead, this is your chance to reconsider.

Original price: $45,000 to $50,000Current price: $15,000 to $20,000 for models from 1997-2004, $25,000 to $35,000 for models from 2005 to 2013Chevrolet hadn't produced a Stingray version of this vehicle since 1986, but it brought back that iconic design for 2014. That put the C5 and C6 somewhere between the late '80s Corvettes -- aka the Barbie dream cars -- and the Vettes that just rejuventated the whole line.It wasn't as if the '90s and 2000s Vettes were duds, mind you. Corvette collectors are incredibly loyal and these cars retain their resale value far better than many of their sporty competitors. However, the C6 was a notorious gas guzzler even by Corvette standards and had exposed headlights -- which no Covette had since 1962. That said, you'll note the price on those newer Vettes hasn't come down all that much. With a V8 cranking out nearly 400 horsepower, this car will never lack for a market.

7. Bentley Arnage

Original price: $225,000

Current price: $25,000 to $40,000 for models from 1999-2004

Bentley had kind of been left to wither on the vine since 1980. Sure, occasionally you'd hear about Mike Tyson crashing one, but before it became a hip-hop icon, it was just kind of an overpowered people mover for the old-money set. It indicated status, but didn't confer it.

The Arnage was one of the models that changed all of that. Introduced in 1998, the Arnage and its twin-turbo BMW V8 replaced the longstanding Mulsanne and its ridiculously overpowered 6.75-liter V8. Even with the new engine, it was still one of the most powerful sedans on the road anywhere in the world. When public outcry resulted in the old engine's return, it became even more of a beast. The Arnage went on to become the stretched, bulletproof ride of choice for the global elite (including Queen Elisabeth) and was only taken out of commission in 2009 to bring in a new version of the Mulsanne. This was very much a car for its time: Opulent, overpowered and gas-guzzling. It's a tough fit among today's Tesla-driven world of luxury efficiency, but those prizing aesthetics over all else will get what they're seeking.