BEST BUYS SPORTS COUPES

THEY WERE ONCE THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE PERFORMANCE car world, with new models featuring regularly in the pages of the very magazine you're reading

- YOUSUF ASHRAF

But affordable new coupes are getting rarer by the day. Nissan's latest Z car isn't available in the UK, Audi's TT will soon bow out after 25 years on sale, and Mazda's legendary rotary engine is now fulfilling a role as a range extender in one of its EVs, rather than powering an RX. Shame.

You might argue that hot hatchbacks have got you amply covered when it comes to obtainable performance, but there's something deeply alluring and purposeful about a quick coupe. The good news is that such cars are still around - albeit with a few miles under their belt. This means that a desirable, engaging coupe can now be bought for as little as £6000, while some fivestar evo heroes are mere family-hatchback money. Spend a bit more and you can even bag something with eight cylinders and a high-ticket badge. Here are four suggestions for your shortlist.

PORSCHE CAYMAN S (987)

The obvious choice, perhaps, but for many very good reasons

EVERYTHING FEELS IN HARMONY BEHIND THE wheel of a 987-generation Porsche Cayman S. The push from its mid-mounted flat-six, the precise shift action of its six-speed manual gearbox and the fluidity of its chassis meld together to create what is a wonderfully balanced coupe experience. It was good in 2005, and with new compact, naturally aspirated sports cars now few and far between, it feels even better today.