There are a few iconic British brands that should always be mentioned when looking for a new sports car. These brands include the likes of Jaguar, Aston Martin, and even McLaren. While these sports cars are the very definition of luxury performance, muscle cars quite often have them beat.
McLaren and Aston Martin are known for their performance, but there are tons of muscle cars on the market that can outperform them with ease. To make the deal even better, muscle cars come with the same luxury and technology you may expect from high-end sports cars.
Interested in learning why you should buy a muscle car? Here’s why we would encourage you to go local instead of buying any of these British sports cars.
10 Aston Martin DB9
The Aston Martin DB9 was launched back in 2003 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This iconic car was produced in an all-new facility for the British brand, highlighting the transition into the modern era of British sports cars. The DB9 was around 25% lighter than its predecessor by also incorporating tons of aluminum in and around the vehicle.
The DB9 came with a V12 engine that could produce around 540 HP and 457 lb-ft of torque. This made it a great combination of both luxury and performance. While this was rare back in the day, modern muscle cars come with leather seats and soft interiors that can match and even beat the likes of Aston Martin.
9 Jaguar XE
When it comes to British sports cars, you cannot overlook Jaguar. This iconic brand has changed hands over the years but has finally found its feet within the Tata Group. This saw the brand expand into a wide range of consumer vehicles including the F-Pace SUV.
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The XE is the classic sports sedan, offering premium interiors with an impressive performance at the same time. The new XE was a slight upgrade that offered new engine options and interior finishes. The XE offers 296 HP, significantly lower than the previous model’s V6 powertrain option. This makes the XE less powerful than most of the modern muscle cars on the market.
8 Aston Martin Vantage
The Aston Martin Vantage is another major model to be redesigned in the last few years. While the V8 and V12 Vantage models of the past have been incredibly noteworthy, the new Vantage takes a massive step forward for the entire brand.
The new Vantage comes in both a V8 and V12 configuration, with the V12 offering being the more modern, performance-focused version of the iconic sports car. The V8 version of the Vantage comes with 430 HP while the V12 extends that to 690 HP. This makes it an impressive option, but it comes with a hefty price tag to match.
7 Jaguar XF
Jaguar is known for making impressive sedans. The XF is their top-of-the-range offering that comes with the very latest and greatest the brand has to offer. This executive sedan comes with leather interior finishes and impressive powertrain options for every occasion.
The modern facelift includes a digital gauge cluster and a massive touchscreen infotainment system to match. This pairs perfectly with the leather seats and soft-touch interior to create a comfortable and professional interior environment. While the XF is designed to be luxurious, it does offer significantly powerful powertrains as well. The most powerful option is a 296-hp engine that can also produce 295 lb-ft of torque.
6 Lotus Elite
The Lotus Elite is a classic British sports car that was initially released decades ago. The first edition of the sports car was released back in 1957, with a new Elite concept being released in 2010 to highlight a possible return for the iconic sports car.
The original version of the Lotus Elite came in a two-door configuration that boasted a 75 HP powertrain. This iconic sports car was powered by a 1.2-liter engine that proved more than enough power for much of the 60s. While this car has remained an icon, it does not compare with some of the classic muscle cars on the market today. This makes classic muscle cars the better option.
5 Jaguar F-Type
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Jaguar does not just make luxury family vehicles, they also went all-in on a compact sports car. The Jaguar F-Type was the brand’s attempt at making a two-door sports car that could rival the likes of the iconic Porsche 911.
When designing the F-Type, Jaguar did not hold back on the performance and sound of the car. They included an iconic exhaust system that is on par with supercars around the world. This makes the F-Type close to an American muscle car in design and drive. However, the F-Type starts at around $73,400 for the baseline model. This is significantly more expensive than most standard muscle cars on the market.
4 Ariel Atom
The Ariel Atom is one of the most iconic track cars money can buy. This road-legal performance car was designed for track days and racing in mind, making it one of the most popular track-focused cars in the world. The raw performance of the car is what gearheads seem to love.
While the Ariel Atom is insanely powerful, it’s also very limited in what it can do. The design of the performance car is very track-focused. This means that you have to sacrifice comfort, luxury, and space for the added performance. Muscle cars offer even more performance in a far more practical package. Some muscle cars are even four-door sedans, making them ideal family cars at the same time.
3 Aston Martin DB7
Launched in the early 1990s, the DB7 was one of the most popular sports cars in Britain. Designed around the brand’s iconic V8 powertrain, the DB7 came with impressive performance figures in a compact and sporty design.
The performance of the DB7 was noteworthy as the brand leveraged the powertrain for a DB7 GT race car. The GT version of the car was intended to be a gentleman’s racer as it came with a 350 HP engine that could also produce 368 lb-ft of torque.
2 AC Cobra
Known as the Shelby Cobra in the United States, the AC Cobra is a British sports car that has stood the test of time. This two-door roadster dates back to the 60s as they were hand built with a steel tube frame and aluminum body panels.
The iconic sports car came with a V8 engine that could produce 250 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. This makes it less powerful than many of the classic muscle cars on the market today. The two-door sports car is also limited in the luxury department, with modern muscle cars outshining the Cobra there as well.
1 Jaguar XJS
Jaguar has a long and rich history of making impressive sports cars. While the E-Type is by far the most popular, the XJS is another impressive classic that may be worthy of a second look. The XJS model came in both a coupe and roadster configuration, offering impressive performance in a luxurious package.
The XJS was designed to be a luxury cruiser, coming standard with the very best in driving technology at the time. The sports car came with a V12 engine, offering dynamic performance at the same time. While this makes the XJS stand out, classic muscle cars can drive circles around the XJS with ease. Classic muscle cars are also more affordable, making them the better, all-around sports cars as well.
