Old-school thrilling cars – from just £1000

Very soon, cars like this won’t be made any more. In a world that’s going electric, the smart money will be hoovering up the last of the great analogue cars. The sort of cars you’ll want to buy now and keep for that automotive rainy day.

These are our favourite affordable driver’s cars, from hot hatches to bargain supercars:

The F430 is one of the most evocative supercars of recent years and is the last of the manual mid-engined Ferraris, giving it instant collector status. Only 10% of F430s were sold with a proper manual gearbox and used examples start at £70,000, rather more than the ‘electro-hydraulic’ F1 version.

The MX-5 might lack the power and performance of some roadsters, but few come close to matching it for raw driving appeal. The MX-5 will go down in history as one of the greatest sportscars ever. First-gen models are starting to appreciate in value but bargains can be had on the Mk2, with prices starting at around £4,999.

The Lotus Elise was an instant classic the moment it came out. In a world of cosseted luxury the Elise stuck to the guiding principle for which Lotus was renowned: lightness. Cars don’t get any more analogue and as a result the Elise is highly sought after. Prices start from £13,000 – and they’re only going to go one way.

Every Caterham model ticks the analogue box in a big way. The word simple doesn’t do it justice. There really is nothing more than a couple of seats, a manual gearbox and engines of varying degrees of power up front. Prices are fairly reasonable at £12,000 for a used model to give you ten-tenths motoring at its finest.

Flat out, everywhere. That’s the basic premise with a small, nimble, low-powered car like the Suzuki Swift Sport. You can drive one of these on the edge, leaning on its great chassis, and stay relatively close to the limits of you, the law and the car. Prices start from a very modest £1,000 in the classifieds.

Buoyed by Subaru’s WRC success, the first and second generation Impreza WRX STis were big hits among fans with turbo charged engines, four-wheel drive and rally-esque styling cues. Noisy, fast, and a lot of fun, prices for the hardcore STi versions start at £7,000 in the classifieds.

BMW did a great job reinventing the Mini, capturing the image and driving appeal of the original. The Cooper S, with its supercharged 1.6-litre engine, was a real hoot to drive, with lovely pops and bangs on the overrun, great steering and sublime handling from its wheel-at-each-corner chassis. Prices start at around £1,300 but shop carefully as they don’t have the greatest reputation for reliability.

Any 911 is worth seeking out. Despite becoming more digital in recent years they are still hugely involving. Prices have been rocketing for older models while special 911s like the 964 RS are outrageously expensive. We’d be looking at a 996 or 997 from around £22,000, but for those who could quadruple their investment to £80,000 a 997 GT3 is within reach. The 997 GT3 was the last of the manuals and is hugely desirable as a result.

The MK1 Honda S2000 had a reputation as a bit of a trouble maker. With no traction control, it was liable to catch out the unwary when the high-spinning VTEC engine kicked in. But with classic roadster proportions, one of the slickest gear changes in the business and its digital rev counter, it’s now starting to go up in value. You’ll need to spend at least £7,000 and that will get you a 2002 car with around 90,000 miles on the clock.

Audi’s first bona fide supercar had all the ingredients for success. A choice of a V8 or V10 engine, an open-gate six-speed manual as standard and an interior that made the R8 really easy to live with. Even now all these years on, it’s a car that gets a lot of attention. These days, you can pick up a first-gen R8 for around £27,000 though try to avoid the modified ones - every journey will be an event.

Unlike the Mazda MX-5, which had its engine over the front wheels, Toyota went for the more exotic approach of putting the engine behind your head. As a result, the MR2 is a sublime car to drive. Low-powered it may be, but it’s still utterly engaging and a testing car to drive on a slippery road. Prices for decent ones that haven't been messed with and have reasonable mileages start at just over £1,800.

Every M3 is an intoxicating car to drive but an E46 or an E90 with a manual gearbox makes a strong case for itself as a car to buy now and keep for the future. Right now, prices are reasonably affordable. The six-cylinder E46 starts at £11,000 while the V8 E90 begins at £16,000 and is available as a coupe or a saloon.

The 205 GTi may go down in the annals of motoring history as probably the greatest hot hatch ever. Prices start at a peaky £11,000 but you can be fairly confident this will go up if you look after it. The 205 is a pure, unadulterated, raw driving experience that’s about as far removed as you can get from the safe, sanitised world of electric and autonomous cars.

Only 500 Peugeot 106 Rallyes came to the UK, and that number has since dwindled to 103 or so cars currently on the road. Unsurprisingly, there aren’t many for sale, and there's currently one up for just under £12,000. Built for homologation, the 106 Rallye is light and very agile, with a screaming little 100bhp, 1.3-litre engine and painted steel wheels.

The original Fabia vRS was a discreet hot hatch with a secret weapon: a diesel engine. It’s 1.9-litre unit pulled with gusto but was impressively fuel efficient. With the MK2 Fabia, Skoda switched to a 1.4 petrol engine and it instantly lost its mojo. Prices seem to have bottomed out now - an 120,000 mile example can be had for £4,000.

The 1M Coupe was a cut-price M3 but didn’t feel like the poor relation. With a 335bhp, twin-turbo straight-six and a slick six-speed manual gearbox, it was a thrilling little car to drive and looked suitably aggressive. Ten years on, and prices have held firm with the 1M still commanding £41,000 on the used market - and it doesn't look like prices are ever going down from there. Look after it and go easy on the miles and you may well get yourself a car that will retain nearly all of its value for a very long time indeed.

The Puma nameplate is back as a funky and popular compact SUV but it’s the original car that’s really worth seeking out. Despite the love it or loathe it styling, this was a car built at a time when Ford really knew what they were doing in the chassis department. It drives with a sense of purpose that is just so lacking these days. Prices start at £900 for tatty models but look for a Ford Racing Puma (as pictured) from about £15,000.

Not only has Alpine started making cars again after 20 years, but it’s making one of the most highly rated sports cars on sale. The A110 is a lightweight, focused, spirited driver’s car that’s a good alternative to a Porsche Cayman. Prices on the used market start at £42,000, and pleasingly, thus far it doesn't seem to depreciate very much - which is good news for any potential buyer who wants a good place to store money as well as a great car.

The TT has been around for more than two decades and it’s easy to snap up a bargain. The V6 models have always been less involving to drive than the turbocharged four-cylinders but for the ultimate thrills we’d seek out the limited-edition Quattro Sport, the run-out version of the TT’s first generation. It was 75kg lighter, had the rear seats removed and front buckets installed, and more power. The cheapest we’ve seen is a 2006 car at £7,000.

Regarded as one of the best-handling front-wheel-drive cars ever made, the Integra Type-R is now getting on for 20 years old and it’s much in demand. With a five-speed manual gearbox, a screaming VTEC engine and a limited-slip diff, it’s a car that’s invigorating to drive. The engines are bullet proof, but watch out for rust. It’s a common issue on sills. Prices are on the up and you’ll need to spend at least £16,995.

Renault has been making fast Clios for years but it’s the 172 and 182 versions from the early noughties we’d seek out. They’re incredibly well balanced and powerful and are brilliant track cars. Many have been crashed, and for the few remaining, collector status means prices are rising. We spotted a decent-looking 182 from 2003 with 97,000 miles for £2,000.

Alfa Romeo managed to shoehorn its 3.2 V6 with 250bhp into its smallest car, the 147. As a result, the 147 GTA was the most powerful hot hatch when it came out in 2003. Plenty of torque steer ensued, but the 147 was a fine-handling car with a loose back end and fun mid-bend adjustment. You’ll need to spend £15,000, which might seem a lot for a an old hot hatch, but this is already a classic.

With 213bhp and a limited-slip differential, the first-gen Focus RS was a car with mixed reviews. Torque steer was its chief problem, and it would squirm its way down the road if you gave it too much throttle. But today, it is rawness is a breath of fresh air. Ford only built 4501 of them and today a handful exist in the classifieds from £16,000.

The venerable Golf GTi has been around for seven generations and a new one arrives next year. The Mk4 GTi was a bit of a dud but that all changed with the MK5: fast, involving, easy to live with - it was the ultimate sensible hot hatch, and it seems they last: the classifieds are chock-full of Mk5 GTis with intergalactic mileages. A bit closer to earth, we just spotted a tidy 81,000 miler from 200 for £6,000.

The Porsche Cayman was an instant hit when it arrived 16 years ago. Some argued that it was a better car to drive than the 911, but that’s a debate for another time. With precise steering, a sweet manual gearchange and almost-perfect weight balance, the Cayman was a driver’s delight. You can pick up an early car from around £7,000.

The BMW M2 is a getting on now and is starting to look interesting. Higher mileage cars start at £22,000 but £27,000 will get you a low-mileage M2 with a manual gearbox. With a turbocharged straight six, the M2 feels every inch a proper M car.

The baby Aston Martin has been around since 2005, and used prices today start at a reasonable £21,000. The V8 Vantage still looks gorgeous and it’s old school to drive with a chunky manual gearbox and muscular performance - but you'll meed muscles too as the clutch pedal is mighty heavy on early models. Obviously an exotic like this can turn into a money pit so choose wisely. We spotted a nice looking 2006 one in grey with 71,000 miles and a FSH for £30,000.

Any Evo is a joy to drive but it’s not a car for everyday use. The styling is too lairy, the exhaust is too noisy and the ride too jarring. On the right road, though, little else comes close. Evo VIs are getting pricey now, so look for an X, with prices starting around the £26,000 mark.

The hottest Fiat Panda might have only 99bhp, but it’s a riot to drive. Light, grippy, eager, it’s a car that’s incredibly easy to drive quickly. Just watch out for the ride. The Panda 100HP’s stiff suspension means it doesn’t so much glide down the road as bounce. Prices start from a very tempting £3,000.

Fast, fun and affordable, the RenaultSport Twingo might not boast the power outputs of some hot hatches but with deft handling, a playful chassis and an eager little engine that loves to be worked, the Twingo is a great device for discreet B-road blasts. Prices start at around £2,000.

The Boxster sold in huge numbers and there’s an abundance for sale in the classifieds. Time and uncaring owners have taken their toll and you’ll want to avoid the very cheapest cars sub-£3000 with 2.5-litre engines. Find a good one though and you’ll discover that the Boxster is a delight to drive with a lovely flat six and a manual gearbox. We spotted a 2.7-litre from 2001 with 95,000 miles for £4,250.

Z4s are a classified bargain right now. A couple of grand will get you into an E85 roadster, sold between 2002 and 2008. But it’s the rarer E86 coupe we’d seek out. Prices start at £5,000 for a car with around 90,000 miles and a 2.0-litre engine and a manual gearbox.

Now that there’s a new Defender in town, the iconic previous version, a design that barely changed in decades, is becoming a cult classic. You’ll pay £7000 for a tatty one but prices go up to £300,000 for customised versions.

It’s hard to lose money on a Defender, one of the most enduring British cars ever made. The Defender represents the end of an era and is one of the most enduring cars ever made. How about a Defender 110 van from 2001 with 143,000 miles for £9,850?

It’s getting on a bit now, the E39 M5, but this is the car that kicked off the whole German super-saloon power war. With 394bhp from its 4.9-litre V8, a six-speed manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential, the M5 knew how to party. But it could also be sensible too, with room for the family. Prices start at £22,000 in the classifieds and are heading north.

The NSX name lay dormant for a decade until a new one was launched in 2016, but it’s the first-gen car we’re interested in here. With fighter-jet styling, Ayrton Senna development input and a screaming V6 VTEC, the NSX is highly sought after and is already a future classic. You’ll pay £80,000 for an automatic with around 50,000 miles clocked up..

Aside from the XR2i, fast Fiestas had never really warmed our cockles until the ST came along. That peaked with the MK7 version, a turbocharged 1.6-litre Ecoboost with a slick six-speed manual and the sort of chassis balance that makes it a proper supercar hunter on a British B-road. Prices start at £5,500 in the classifieds.

With skinny tyres, a naturally aspirated 197bhp engine and no clever tech spoiling the fun, the GT86 is one of the most refreshing sports cars of the modern era. You have to work the engine hard to make progress, but that’s part of the appeal, while a wet road and a three-stage traction control system means fun is easy to come by. There’s even seating for four. Prices start at £8,500, while we spotted a very tidy 46,000 miler from 2015 for £14,995.

The Barchetta never sold in the same huge numbers as the MX-5, so there’s much less choice. Prices reflect this. The Fiat roadster starts at £2,000 and we only found six cars for sale. It isn’t the most engaging car to drive either but it’s a fun alternative to a MX-5, MR2 or Z4 for the price. They start at £3,000 today, but they don't do many miles so finding a decent one should be easy.

The barmy Clio V6 was a spiritual successor to the Renault 5 Turbo. It was based on the standard Clio, but shared few parts. The rear seats were removed and replaced with a 3.0-litre V6 and a wider body to give the Clio a menacing, track-focused look.

That engine and layout made the Clio V6 heavy, so in a straight line it wasn’t much quicker than a 172 Cup, but it made a great noise and had a significantly higher top speed at 146mph. It’s already a classic. Prices start at £59,000 but this should be a safe place to invest your cash.

Inspired by fast Australian utility cars, the VXR8 is a sensible-looking and spacious saloon car with a Corvette engine up front. Power is huge and it’s a car that’s big on sideways thrills. The VXR8 is the last of a breed, and with prices starting at £12,500, should be a safe place to put your money for future fun. But its thirst will be epic to behold...

The 3-Wheeler is a recreation of Morgan’s founding model and it’s as bonkers as it is brilliant. It not a car for everyday use, but for a weekend blast it’s a lot of fun and will bring with it attention like very few other cars. It’s pricey, though, and they don't depreciate. Used ones start at a hefty £37,000.

Honda started getting serious about hot hatches from the sixth generation of the Civic, but any still offer the rawest, purest driving experiences you can get for the money. Prices start at £5,000 but for £1,000 more you can get into a good example of the later model (as pictured). It’s still a riot to drive but looks more modern and is easier to live with.

With used prices starting at just over £3500, the 350Z looks too good to be true. Even when it launched the 350Z was great value for money, offering big performance from its V6 engine and real-wheel-drive chassis. We’ll not see cars like this again, which makes the 350Z look like a fantastic future investment at this price. How about a 2008 one with 65,000 miles for £13,495?

The Ariel Atom is the closest thing to motorbike thrills on four wheels. With a screaming Honda VTEC engine and a couple of seats surrounded by scaffolding, it makes a Caterham look sensible and practical. Prices are punchy: the cheapest we found was £31,000 but you won’t lose money on one.