All hail the Porsche 911 Carrera S! It has been reborn and is now better than ever, so much so that it might be all the average person needs in a sports car. Compared to its previous rendition, the new version gains a noticeable power increase and a host of changes to its formula to increase its appeal.
Positioned squarely between the 911 Carrera and the 911 Carrera GTS, the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera S comes at a hefty price of between $146,600 and $159,600, depending on the body style. These are ten performance vehicles that we've found on the used market with more power than the 473-hp Carrera S for half the price.
For this list, we've used the MSRP of the most expensive 2025 Porsche Carrera S: the Cabriolet at $159,600. Every model on this list costs half of that price or less on the used car market; used car values have been carefully soured. The models are arranged from the most expensive to the cheapest.
For roughly half the price of a new 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera S, someone could get their hands on a used example of one of the greatest cars in Nissan's catalog. The 2016 Nissan GT-R is a powerhouse, with the Black Edition distinguished from the Premium model by several visual elements in the interior. At the core of this muscular supercar killer is the famed 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, hand-built by a master engine builder, resulting in neck-straining, performance. It's the ultimate evolution of Nissan's VQ/VR engine family.
Engine | 3.8L twin-turbocharged V6 |
---|---|
Horsepower | 545 hp @ 6,400 rpm |
Torque | 463 lb-ft @ 3,200 rpm |
0-60 | < 3 seconds |
Some examples used in this model year go up to roughly $82K, while others drop to $75K in the used market, which is a considerable dip considering the MSRP for this model year was $113,205.
We're going to be looking at some of our favorite applications of the Nissan VQ/VR engine over the years, and where you can find them in 2024.
The Dodge Viper SRT10 has the Porsche Carrera S beat in power because it has 5.4 liters more displacement and four more cylinders than the Carrera S' turbocharged flat-six. Raw, visceral, and untamed, the Dodge Viper SRT10 is a machine of epic proportions with the single goal of propelling itself to breakneck speeds in tandem with a thunderous roar from its mighty aluminum V10 engine.
Engine | 8.4L naturally aspirated V10 |
---|---|
Horsepower | 600 hp @ 6,100 rpm |
Torque | 560 lb-ft @ 5,00 rpm |
0-60 | 3.5 seconds |
The example we've selected for this article is finished in a bright red with silver wheels and a big rear wing. Compared to other examples on the used market, this is offered at a much higher price than average, with most examples ranging between $73k and $79k.
Engine | 3.6L twin-turbocharged flat-six |
---|---|
Horsepower | 480 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
Torque | 460 lb-ft @ 1,950 rpm |
0-60 | 3.7 seconds |
We promised a performance car with more power than the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera S at half the cost, and this example of the 2007 Porsche 911 Turbo ticks all those boxes. Not only is it an athletic sports car, but the 997 was also the first Porsche 911 Turbo to utilize the automaker's Variable Turbine Geometry technology in its turbocharging system, which was a singing contributor to its increase of power compared to the previous iteration.
The 911 has been a long standing nameplate in Porsche's lineup. These are what each generation costs in 2024.
Alongside an improvement to its engine, this iteration of the Porsche 911 Turbo also relied on an updated all-wheel-drive management system that featured an electromagnetically controlled multiple-plate clutch responsible for distributing power from the front to the rear.
Engine | 3.0L twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder |
---|---|
Horsepower | 503 hp @ 6,250 rpm |
Torque | 479 lb-ft @ 2,750 rpm |
0-60 | 2.8 seconds |
The BMW M4 Competition xDrive is more powerful than the 2025 Porsche Carrera S and can reach 60 mph from a standstill half a second quicker. This impressive sprint time results from its highly capable xDrive all-wheel-drive system, which effectively puts down the power from the twin-turbocharged S58 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine.
Save your money and buy one of these instead.
In the three years since this particular example of the BMW M4 debuted, its asking price has dropped by just $1,000. Although it is not quite the level of refinement that Porsche's 911 model offers, the M4 Competition, with its trick xDrive system, is guaranteed to put a smile on anyone's face as it distributes the power to all four corners with ruthless efficiency.
Engine | 6.2L naturally aspirated V8 |
---|---|
Horsepower | 490 lb-ft @ 6,450 rpm |
Torque | 465 lb-ft @ 5,150 rpm |
0-60 | 3 seconds |
The indomitable Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is an easy pick for this list, as its MSRP and powerful naturally aspirated engine are why we feel confident it's a good choice. Its mid-engine configuration and highly capable components strewn throughout its frame result in supercar-rivaling performance.
Chevrolet reveals 0-60 mph and quarter-mile times for the 2025 Chevy Corvette ZR1. You'll want the ZTK package.
The Corvette focuses on putting down its tire-punishing power from its pushrod V8 engine as efficiently as possible, getting it to 60 mph in less than three seconds, even with the base powerplant. It makes for an exciting driving experience with direct handling characteristics.
Engine | 4.4L twin-turbocharged V8 |
---|---|
Horsepower | 617 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
Torque | 553 lb-ft @ 1,800 rpm |
0-60 | < 3 seconds |
Before the BMW M5 switched from its brawny V8 engine to one paired with a hybrid drive system in the new BMW M5, the powerful Bavarian sedan had enough power to dispatch a quarter-mile sprint in less than eleven seconds, an impressive feat considering it relied solely on the power of its twin-turbocharged V8 engine to motivate its sizable frame.
The all-new BMW M5 is coming to America in both sedan and station wagon forms, and here's everything we know so far.
It also benefited from an all-wheel-drive system that allowed it to disable the front wheels, so it could send power exclusively to the rear axle. Although the BMW M5 Competition is a luxury sedan with a hulking frame at its core, the performance derived from its many M-bred components made it a force to be reckoned with, even today, and at an affordable price.
Engine | 4.0L twin-turbocharged V8 |
---|---|
Horsepower | 503 hp @ 5,500 rpm |
Torque | 516 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm |
0-60 | 3.8 seconds |
The famous Mercedes-AMG BiTurbo V8 engine is the centerpiece of the 2020 Mercedes-AMG C63 S, whether in a coupe, sedan, or cabriolet configuration. For this article, we selected a 2020 model-year coupe offshoot of the Mercedes-AMG C63 S. The "S" suffix denotes a greater affinity for performance, with the entry-level example mustering only 469 hp, while the S derivative sees a bump in power to over 500 hp.
Learn more about the full history and story behind the in-house tuning division of Mercedes-Benz.
While the BMW M5, a worthy adversary for the German performance model, relies on an all-wheel-drive system, the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S delivers all of its grunt directly to its rear wheels. Aiding performance is an electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential and AMG's Ride Control suspension system.
Engine | 5.2L naturally aspirated V8 |
---|---|
Horsepower | 526 hp @ 7,500 rpm |
Torque | 429 lb-ft @ 4,750 rpm |
0-60 | 4.3 seconds |
The Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 is powered by the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 engine ever fitted to a road-going Ford. The high-revving naturally aspirated Voodoo V8 engine has a flat-plane crankshaft and punches out 526 hp, while the strapped-down suspension makes for a driving experience characterized by surprising agility and grip through corners. It's an overall package that stuns in regular traffic and on a racetrack.
The Blue Oval brand is capitalizing on its pony car monopoly, with a plan to introduce more variants of its world-famous nameplate.
While it does take a back seat to the GT350R derivative, the price point of a used example of the Shelby GT350 makes it a compelling option for those with enough money even to consider stomaching the MSRP of the 2025 Porsche Carrera S.
It is an impressive feat to be this "cheap" and have one of the highest power outputs in this list, putting Herculean models like the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 to shame. Despite debuting more than five years ago, the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has held its value incredibly well.
Engine | 6.2L supercharged V8 |
---|---|
Horsepower | 650 hp @ 6,400 rpm |
Torque | 650 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm |
0-60 | 3.5 seconds |
A brand-new 2024 example would have required shelling out $63,795 last year, and a used example with a very few miles clocked only drops that price by less about $1,000. The components added to the Camaro ZL1 result in a machine that offers straight-line speed, track-dominating poise, and an undoubtedly intimidating appearance.
Engine | 6.4L naturally aspirated V8 |
---|---|
Horsepower | 485 hp @ 6,100 rpm |
Torque | 475 lb-ft @ 4,100 rpm |
0-60 | 4 seconds |
The price of this entry is peculiar. This example of the Challenger R/T Scat Pack was produced just two years ago, and its asking price has already decreased by nearly $10,000. Granted, this example of the Challenger has a significant number of miles clocked; it's a steal for a model that has nearly 500 hp and looks as good as this widebody model. Although it doesn't have the same poise as other cars like the track-ready Mustang Shelby GT350, the Challenger's forte lies in straight-line brawls.
2025-01-14T04:43:57ZSources: Dodge, Chevrolet, BMW, Ford, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche, Nissan, CarMax.com.