Few things come close to the euphoria of the wind in your hair and the leather in your hands as you’re whipping around corners in an open-top sports car.
Making it better is the fact you don’t need to be a millionaire to get this feeling.
With a budget of R500,000 there are several attractive used sports cars for sale on AutoTrader, just waiting to bring tears of joy to their next owner.
2016 Audi TT Coupe 2.0TFSI – R379,900
Do not let the fact that this is the little brother to the R8 deter you – the TT is a giant slayer in its RS form and still packs a huge punch as a 2.0-litre model.
Delivering 169kW and 370Nm to the front wheels allows it to reach the 0-100km/h mark in 5.9 seconds, with a top speed electronically limited at 250km/h.
The interior, as expected from Audi, is pristine.
Leather seats and steering wheel, the Audi virtual cockpit – a combination of the instrument cluster and the MMI screen – and all the comforts you will need.
This particular vehicle has 65,000km on the clock and a full franchise service history.
1999 BMW Z3 M Coupé – R395,000
Affectionately known as the clown shoe, the Z3 M is a BMW fanboy favourite.
This is one of the rarer cars in the BMW stable as only 2,999 units were ever built with this specification.
Combining that with the fact that it shares an engine with the E36 M3 makes this Z3 M truly special.
Pushing out 236kW and 350Nm of torque takes the Z3 M from 0-100km/h in 5.3 seconds and allowed a top speed of 240km/h – when the car was new.
The car shown here has 165,000kms on the clock.
1967 Ford Mustang V8 289 – R449,900
Since 1965 the word Mustang has been synonymous with Ford – and love it or hate it, the Mustang is an icon.
This model has 171,000km on the clock, is finished in a beautiful Candy Apple red, and still looks in good condition for a car that’s over half a century old.
Fitted with a 5.0-litre V8 engine and a 4-speed manual gearbox makes this model the pinnacle of 60s American muscle.
The original specification sheet for the 1967 Ford Mustang can be found here.
2010 Lotus Elise 111 R – R499,950
Lotus is a brand known in enthusiast circles for its lightweight and fine-handling cars, with the Elise being one of its most respected models.
This 111R is fitted with a 1.8-litre engine producing 141kW and 180Nm of torque.
That might not sound like much, but with a curb weight of 896kg this car achieves an estimated 0-100km/h time of 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 243km/h.
This places it in line with cars such as the Jaguar F-Type V6 and E46 M3.
The model here has 19,740km on the clock and a full franchise service history, according to the listing.
2018 Mazda MX-5 2.0 RF – R399,900
The Mazda MX-5 is a compact sports car that has garnered quite the following since its debut in 1989 – with the new generation being offered in both coupé and roadster forms.
The MX-5 RF (RF being short for retractable fastback) produces 118kW and 200Nm of torque from of its 2.0-litre engine, and has a 0-100km/h time of 8.6 seconds.
Combining that with sharp handling, a reasonable price tag, and the endless blue sky above your head is part of the reason why the MX-5 is still rolling off showroom floors 31 years and 4 generations later.
This MX-5 comes with a retractable hard top roof that drops in 13 seconds, a full franchise service history, and 39,000km on the clock.
2019 Nissan 370Z Coupé – R489,950
Designed with a long nose and a fastback rear that hearkens back to the original 240Z, this car is pleasing to look at while retaining its coolness factor.
Under the hood there is a naturally aspirated 3.7-litre engine – with a 7,500rpm redline – pushing out 245kW and 366Nm of torque.
This lets you reach the 0-100km/h milestone in 5.6 seconds.
The interior looks somewhat outdated compared to other cars of this era, but the main point of the Z-series has never been comfortability.
Its aim is to give the driver the biggest smile as possible.
The car featured here is almost new – as it only has 4,000km on the clock – and comes with navigation, heated seats, and a reverse camera equipped.
Keyword: The coolest 2-door sports cars under R500,000