’90s GTs you can buy for half the price

Live the jet-set lifestyle for less

With most of the 1990s headlines grabbed by hot hatches, performance saloons and supercars, it’s easy to forget that the decade turned out a host of thrilling GTs.

As the biggest marques continued to do battle for the attention of the supremely well-off, they produced cars that could tackle huge distances at staggering speeds.

In fact, the ’90s ushered in a new wave of technology-laden tourers, complete with striking designs, ultra-high performance and ludicrous levels of comfort.

The best news? Whether your tastes are Italian, German or British, several of these mighty machines can now be grabbed at a fraction of their original price. Here are four of the best.

Aston Martin DB7

Price new: £79k
Price now: £22-40k

After the visual brutality of the V8 years, Aston Martin went back to its svelte glory days with the DB7. It also proved to be the model that saved the marque, propelling it towards the new century and kicking the previous decades’ financial struggles firmly into touch.

Blessed with fine lines penned by Ian Callum, it remains a worthy pin-up today – and it has the grunt to match: under the hood sits a Tom Walkinshaw Racing 3.2-litre straight-six engine, another nod to its DB forefathers.

Aston Martin DB7 (cont.)

Fire it up and you might not get the same sense of aural theatre as from its Italian contemporaries, but the supercharged motor offers instantaneous throttle response and a titillating whine.

The four-speed auto ’box shaves the edge off the car’s sporting bent (it’s a similar story with the ride), but on straights the DB7 remains a supremely relaxed, capable GT.

Aston Martin DB7 (cont.)

From the walnut-wrapped cabin to the sinuous front end, this is one seriously evocative tourer – which probably explains why, by the time the V12 Vantage replaced it in 1999, the DB7 had become the marque’s best-selling model of all time.

It’s relatively rare today, cheaper to run than the V12 and an excellent entry point into Aston Martin ownership. While it’ll require appropriate levels of care and expenditure, every drive will remind you why you bought it.

Maserati 3200GT

Price new: £63k
Price now: £12-20k

Feral. That’s the only word to describe the 3200 in Sport mode. Climb into it after the DB7 and you’d think that the GT world had gone mad – and you’d be right, for this is an aggravated hornet of a car.

Clothed by Giugiaro, the cowled headlamps at the front gave the 3200GT more than a passing resemblance to the DB7, but with sweeping lines, hunched shoulders and truncated tale, it was much more aggressive.

Maserati 3200GT (cont.)

On the hoof, it’s fierce: the fly-by-wire throttle takes a bit of getting used to as you swing wildly between all-out attack (turbos whistling, quad exhausts blaring) and timidly caressing the accelerator.

Find the middle ground, though, and the twin-turbo V8 delivers shattering performance. Blip the throttle and it spins like a wind turbine in a force 10 gale – and the automatic transmission takes barely anything off the performance.

Maserati 3200GT (cont.)

Later models dialled-down the hair-trigger throttle, but the original still delivers an addictive punch. Steering could do with more feel, but it’s only too happy to attack corners – even if the rear end can come unstuck.

If you want to ramp it up from spirited to bonkers in a car with a finish to match a Ferrari, this is your motor. At £20k for the best examples, it’s verging on a steal.

BMW 850CSi

Price new: £78k
Price now: £35-70k

Presented at the 1989 Frankfurt International Motor Show, the new BMW 8 Series looked sharp and fresh – yet it went out of fashion quicker than the bowl cut.

What’s appealing about the 850CSi? It’s an M car in all but name: hit the throttle, blip through the six manual gears and you’ll experience an explosion of torque from the V12 through the rear wheels.

Sure, it’s lardy at almost two tonnes, but that performance is like a sledgehammer – not to mention velvety smooth.

BMW 850CSi (cont.)

Visually, it possesses a gloriously louche pillarless profile and, save for a front air-dam, a rear skirt with diffuser and a ‘Powered by M’ logo on the engine, there’s little to identify it as a product of that exalted department. 

Inside, it’s similarly discreet. Other than the badges on the gearstick and steering wheel, plus special red instrument needles, it all appears relatively standard – though standard here means lots and lots and lots of switches. This car is techno to the core.

BMW 850CSi (cont.)

One such high-tech example is the four-wheel steering: a hydraulic setup that allows the rear wheels to react to the car’s speed and steering angle. Paired with stability and traction control, it means the brute handles better than it has any right to.

If you wish to conquer continents in a single sitting, then this potent, low-slung Beemer is the car for you. Values are climbing but fair prices are out there; your most difficult task will be finding a good example.

Ferrari 456GTA

Price new: £147k
Price now: £40-80k

Car makers have always raided their back catalogues for inspiration. The only surprise was that it took Ferrari so long to rustle up a spiritual successor to its Daytona. 

Launched at the 1992 Paris Salon, the 456 offered a return to a more conventional set-up, with big V12 up front, driving the rear wheels via a transaxle. 

And, with a long bonnet, pop-up headlamps and quad tail-lights, the comparisons with its predecessor were more than just mechanical. 

Ferrari 456GTA (cont.)

If you like your GTs hardore, this one might just be too easy: the V12 is so under-stressed around town that it sits barely above idle, while the variable-assistance steering is light, automatic gear changes imperceptible and suspension supple.

Find an empty road and nail the throttle, though, and the big beast goes through a transformation, as its 442 horses bellow it forward with a pace that seriously belies its weight.

Ferrari 456GTA (cont.)

Because of those impeccable manners, it’s easy to find yourself fast approaching your first corner at an altogether inappropriate speed, prompting a sharp stab of the brakes. Bring matters back within limits and it displays mammoth levels of grip.

The most expensive Ferrari ever at launch, it remains the steepest of our selection (the days of a good £30k example are gone) – yet it’s also probably the best one to plough your money into, given its stratospheric levels of performance in an almost discreet package.