10 Cheap Sports Cars That Can Embarrass A BMW 4 Series

These cheap sports cars can easily embarrass a BMW 4 Series, be it on the street or the track.

For years, the BMW 4 Series lineup has been a companion model of the 3 Series sedan. However, BMW started offering multiple variants of the 4 Series, including a coupe, convertible and a new four-door Gran Coupe. The modern 4 Series lineup boasts a distinct front-end style, making it brasher looking than its 3 Series sibling.

BMW offers three variants of the 4 Series coupe, including a 430i, M440i and M4. The base 430i has a reasonable entry price of $49,100. However, it doesn't offer performance to match, with a 0 to 60 mph time of 5.3 seconds for the fastest trim. These cheap sports cars can easily embarrass a BMW 4 Series, be it on the street or the track.

Despite coming to an end after 2023, the Challenger offers old-school muscle car vibes and impressive straight-line speed. Dodge offers multiple engine options with the Challenger, including the base 305 hp 3.6-liter V6. The base engine has enough performance, making the Challenger enjoyable to drive. Dodge offers two V8 engine options for more performance, a 375 hp 5.7-liter V8 and a 485 hp 6.4-liter V8.

The R/T features a 5.7-liter V8 engine with 375 hp with the manual option or 372 hp with the automatic. These impressive power figures provide solid performance and the impressive acceleration enthusiasts expect from a muscle car. The V8 motor also helps the Challenger R/T outperform the BMW 4 Series with its 4.8 seconds 0 to 60 mph sprint.

Audi finally decided to grace Americans with the TT RS in 2012. The RS is the performance variant of the TT sports car, sitting at the top of the lineup. It has more performance, desirability, and price. Among the enhancements that the TT RS got over the TT were unique 19-inch wheels, side sills, a more aggressive-looking front fascia, a rear diffuser, and a larger rear wing.

The main improvement over the TT was power, with the TT RS featuring a 149 hp bump thanks to its unique turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-5 engine with 360 hp and 343 lb-ft of torque. Audi offered the TT RS with a 6-speed manual transmission as standard, helping it rocket from 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds.

Related: The 2023 TT RS Iconic Edition Is The Last Hurrah Of Audi's Sports Car

The Mustang is among the most recognizable cars of all time. It's an iconic muscle car with an eye-catching style and great driving excitement. Ford offers the Mustang multiple performance and personalization options, making it enjoyable for all enthusiasts. The base Mustang uses a turbocharged 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine, making it affordable and enjoyable.

Ford offers more performance with the V8-powered GT trim. The V8 motor produces 450 ponies and a thunderous roar with the active exhaust option. As standard, the GT sends power to the rear wheels through a standard 6-speed manual or an optional 10-speed automatic for quicker acceleration. The result is an impressive 0 to 60 mph sprint of 4.5 seconds.

The 2009 Porsche Boxster was an impressive mid-engine roadster with plenty of mechanical and technological updates that made it more modern. While it was a little bit different from its 1997 predecessor, the 2009 Boxster remained a fun-to-drive character. For the 2009 model year, Porsche added the 7-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission, commonly known as the PDK gearbox.

The transmission replaced the Tiptronic automatic, helping make the Boxster more obedient during upshifts and downshifts. It had supremely smooth shifts, making it fun to drive, especially when using manual mode. The base Boxster had a 6-speed manual transmission and a 2.9-liter flat-6 engine with 255 hp and 214 lb-ft of torque. Porsche stepped up the power in the Boxster S variant thanks to a direct-injected 3.4-liter flat-6 engine with 310 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque.

Related: 10 Things We Expect From The New Electric Porsche Boxster

BMW 2 Series is a fun-sized coupe, available in only two impressive models, the 230i and the M240i. Both models are impressive to drive despite having vastly different power levels. The BMW 230i uses a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, producing 255 hp – similar to that in the base Toyota GR Supra. BMW packs a more entertaining engine option in the M240i – a turbocharged inline-six.

Sadly, both 2 Series models have an 8-speed automatic transmission – no stick shift for manual enthusiasts. While the base 230i Coupe models have 5.5 seconds and 5.3 seconds sprint time, the M240i offers a neck-breaking acceleration of 4.5 seconds in its base configuration and 4.1 seconds in the xDrive trim.

The RC F was the third performance Lexus to join the stable, after the introduction of the LFA supercar and the IS F sports sedan. It used the RC 350 Coupe as the base but got the looks of a high-performance machine thanks to Lexus' aggressive styling and quad exhaust tips. Additional changes over the base RC included a carbon fiber roof panel, an actively deploying rear spoiler, and 19-inch wheels.

In addition to the aggressive styling, the RC F retained the fantastic interior of the RC 350 with a contemporary and attractive cabin. All surfaces had high-quality materials, and the seats were comfortable and supportive enough for daily driving. Under the hood of the RC F sat a 5.0-liter V8 engine with 467 ponies and 389 lb-ft of torque. This resulted in an impressive 0 to 60 mph sprint of 4.4 seconds.

Related: Why The Lexus RC F Is The Most Underrated V8 Sports Car

For the 2012 model year, Mercedes introduced the new C Class coupe to the lineup. It helped give the Mercedes enthusiasts a more affordable variant, unlike the old CLK model. The entire lineup also got revised styling, featuring better integrated LED turning lights and more curvaceous headlamps. The interior also received quality materials, a fixed display screen, and a more visually interesting design.

The AMG C63 Coupe lineup offered enthusiasts the most power, thanks to a 6.2-liter V8 with 451 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. Adding the AMG development package upped the horsepower to 481. At the top of the lineup sat the C63 Black Series with a more powerful variant of the 6.2-liter V8 engine producing 510 hp and 457 lb-ft of torque.

In recent years, automotive manufacturers have gifted enthusiasts with impressive sports cars, including the revived Toyota Supra and a new mid-engine Corvette. Nissan also tried getting a share of the cake with the revised Nissan Z, a successor to the outgoing 370Z. The Z rocks a 400 hp twin-turbocharged V6 engine, sending power to the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual or a 9-speed automatic.

This new sports car also offers zippy acceleration and playful handling, making it an excellent option for most enthusiasts. The Z also draws design inspiration from its predecessors, giving enthusiasts a glimpse into the future with a modern interior and updated technology.

Related: The 2023 Nissan Z Is A Bargain Manual Sports Car With 400 HP

The Chevrolet Corvette is a fantastic and iconic sports car. Chevrolet introduced the C6 generation in 2005, with the 2008 model year giving the Corvette major improvements in the interior and performance department. As standard, the Corvette had sufficient power, thanks to the 6.2-liter V8 engine with 430 hp. The track-ready Z06 got more performance and less weight, making it a more impressive option for enthusiasts.

Unlike the base variant, the Z06 used a 7.0-liter V8 with 505 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. As if that wasn't enough, Chevrolet also added a new model, the ZR1. It was the most powerful production Corvette ever, thanks to a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 with 638 ponies and 604 lb-ft of torque. All models used a 6-speed manual transmission.

Chevrolet offers the Camaro in two body styles, a two-door convertible or coupe. Both models pack some serious personality, thanks to the available powertrains and modern chassis technology. The Camaro has two main competitors, the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger. The 2023 Chevrolet Camaro has three power tiers, a 275 hp turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, a 335 hp 3.6-liter V6, and a 455 hp 6.2-liter V8.

The three engines get a 6-speed manual transmission as standard, but Chevrolet offers an 8-speed automatic for the base model and a 10-speed automatic for the V6 and V8 models. Chevrolet's V8 engines offer better performance, making the LT1 the go-to choice for most enthusiasts. It's the lowest-priced model with a V8 engine and one of the quickest accelerating sports cars on this list, with a 4.0 seconds 0 to 60 mph sprint.

Brian is a husband, father and freelance writer. He's also a tech and automotive junkie passionate about cars and motorcycles. Brian is also an F1 fan - team Mercedes (LH). When he's not writing, Brian goes for impromptu drives and walks.