1. Affordable sports cars and depreciation trends in 2025

2. Market context: Sports and supercars

3. Models with the highest depreciation

4. Affordable sports cars with strong value retention

5. Models with near-average depreciation

6. Conclusion

Affordable sports cars and depreciation trends in 2025

Buying an affordable sports car in 2025 while minimizing depreciation remains a realistic goal, provided that the market data is interpreted carefully. Strong residual values are often associated with high-end brands such as Porsche or Ferrari, yet it is not necessary to spend several hundred thousand euro to limit value loss. A broad range of sports cars priced below approximately €80,000 also demonstrate meaningful differences in depreciation behavior.

This analysis considers both newer models and older performance cars, including some vehicles approaching 15 years of age. The objective is to identify which affordable sports cars should be avoided due to rapid depreciation, and which models perform relatively well from a value-retention perspective.

Market context: Sports and supercars

The wider sports and supercar market has stabilized after a period of sharp corrections. Average annual depreciation previously reached nearly -12%, but rates have since normalized. By late 2025, the average year-over-year price change across the market stood at approximately -0.7%, with most models ranging between -4.5% and +1.9%.

This average includes a wide variety of vehicles, from early Porsche Boxster 986 models to limited-production cars such as the Ferrari 458 Speciale. Against this backdrop, affordable sports cars showed an average annual decline of around 1.6%, although individual results varied significantly.

Models with the highest depreciation

The most value-sensitive buyers should be cautious with models that lost more than 5% year-over-year. At the top of this list is the Nissan Z Nismo, which depreciated by approximately 14.6% in the past year. Prices fell rapidly after launch, with current median values near €51,000. The standard Nissan Z performed slightly better, but still declined by roughly 9.5%.

Another consistent underperformer is the Jaguar F-Type range. Both four-cylinder variants and the P380 V6 experienced double-digit depreciation, despite their relative maturity in the market. Similarly, older luxury models such as the pre-facelift Aston Martin DB9 continue to trend downward, although incomplete data suggests the decline may be overstated.

Additional models with weak short-term performance include:

• Toyota GR86

• BMW M4 F82 (base and Competition variants)

• Mercedes-AMG GT

• Audi R8 V8

• Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray

While some of these cars show early signs of price stabilization, they remain less attractive for buyers prioritizing short-term value retention.

Affordable sports cars with strong value retention

In contrast, the top 25% of affordable sports cars showed price stability or appreciation of more than 1.4% year-over-year. The strongest performer in this group was the early Nissan GT-R, which increased by an estimated 10.8%, although recent data remains partially projected.

Several Porsche models performed particularly well. The Porsche Boxster 981 S recorded a statistically significant increase of approximately 8.6%, indicating a clear reversal from earlier declines. The Porsche 911 997.2 base model also recovered during 2025, rising by about 7.1%, although this increase was not statistically confirmed.

Non-Porsche models with solid performance included:

• Ford Mustang Bullitt

• BMW M4 CS

• Alfa Romeo 4C

• Honda S2000

The Toyota Supra 3.0 also posted a modest average increase of 2.9%, driven primarily by older model years, while newer examples continued to depreciate slightly.

Models with near-average depreciation

A large group of cars depreciated close to the market average, losing less than 5% but failing to achieve meaningful appreciation. This category includes vehicles such as the Aston Martin V8 Vantage (4.3 L and 4.7 L), Lotus Evora variants, the Mazda MX-5 Miata, and the Lexus LC500. These cars offer balanced ownership costs and relatively predictable depreciation.

Conclusion

The gap between the best- and worst-performing affordable sports cars reached nearly 25 percentage points in annual depreciation, making model selection critical for value-conscious buyers. Models such as the Jaguar F-Type and Nissan Z continue to lose value at above-average rates, whereas many Porsche models, along with the Mustang Bullitt, BMW M4 CS, Alfa Romeo 4C, and Honda S2000, demonstrate comparatively strong price behavior.

None of these vehicles should be considered true investment cars. Instead, the objective is to maximize enjoyment while minimizing financial loss. Short-term depreciation trends can provide useful guidance, but long-term values will continue to depend on supply, demand, mileage, and broader market dynamics.

Inspired by the analysis of our friend @fourwheeltrader. Make sure you check his other videos

https://www.youtube.com/@fourwheeltrader

 

 

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