Top used mid-engined sports cars from just £2000

What's more, there’s a host of affordable alternatives to choose from. John Evans picks his favourites:

The R8 has been on sale for a while not, but you’ll still pay £25,000 to join the club - that will get you a leggy example from 2008. The V8 is good for 414bhp, while the 5.2 V10 that followed in 2009 has 517bhp – but prices for those start at £40,000.

Precise handling is common to both. Check the clutch and suspension dampers are okay, that the brakes have plenty of life and that the doors aren’t marked. Pay extra for a full service history.

Today, with prices starting at around £26,000, an X180-generation Esprit is your ‘cheap’ pass to the supercar paddock. A good one will easily do 100,000 miles without serious complaint. These are complex cars so a strong history is vital.

Regular oil changes will protect the engine but expect to refresh suspension and brake parts. Check for rusting suspension mounts and regard a tatty interior as indicative of neglect elsewhere.

You’ll pay from around £50,000 for a new 718, but for half that you could have a 987-gen car. Granted, this generation Cayman is old now, but plenty are in good condition.

Many have a near-full main dealer history. Look for missed oil changes, radiator damage, over-revving, worn gear cables and anything other than N-rated tyres.

About as entry-level as mid-engined ownership gets, the MG F is also a modern classic with all the ups and downs that go with it. Early ones weren’t the best built, but all ages can suffer head gasket failure, a leaky hood, shonky Hydragas suspension and corrosion.

But good looks, an exquisite cockpit, sweet handling and playful performance, especially from the 1.8i VVC, keep man (or woman) and machine joined firmly at the hip. From £1500.

While Vauxhall’s barmy boffin was busy turning off potential VX buyers, Lotus took the wraps off the Elise S2 to universal acclaim. More than just a facelifted S1, the S2 is easier to live with and to drive thanks to its more compliant Bilstein suspension, larger wheels, easier roof mechanism and lower sills.

Today, it’s also better value for money than an S1. However, the S2’s body is made from a glassfibre composite material that absorbs and retains moisture. It’s why you should inspect the paint for blisters caused by water coming to the surface. From £10,000.

Criticising a two-seater for its woeful luggage space would seem to miss the point, but that was the big gripe with this third-gen MR2 at launch. But enthusiasts know it’s a great little dev ice with a flexible engine, sharp handling and a sweet six-speed ’box (from late 2002).

The MR2 resists corrosion better than the MG F, but check the sills, floor and rear subframe for the dreaded tin-worm. Finished in a bright metallic, a tidy example with gleaming alloys still looks fresh out of the box. Decent ones start around £4000.

The model that kept Porsche on life support before the Cayenne got the patient back on its feet has been a common sight for years, but many examples have fallen into the hands of those less able to afford them.

It’s why, to avoid purchasing a money pit, we advise you buy the best Boxster you can afford (obvious, really) and as late a car as possible – preferably, a facelifted one from 2003, when the engines gained more power. Listen for complaints from the intermediate shaft bearing, check for oil from the rear main seal and feel for engine misfires. Decent ones out there from £4000.

If you doubt the ability of the i8’s 228bhp 1.5-litre three-pot petrol turbo engine and 129bhp electric motor to last the course, check out the large number of high-milers out there for sale - and it’s our guess it’ll still feel almost box fresh.

The i8’s butterfly doors creak but can be adjusted and random electrical problems aren’t unknown. Some turbos have failed and overheating can be an issue. Not the car’s fault, but some drivers mislay the charging cable.

Keen for Vauxhall’s cash so it could crack on with the Elise S2, Lotus agreed to design and produce the VX220. Loosely based on the Elise, the VX hit showrooms on the back of a TV campaign featuring a potty professor whose antics only undermined the talented newcomer.

But that was all long ago, and today a good VX is a collector’s item. Check for a rattly timing chain on 2.2i cars (Turbos need a fresh belt every four years), oil leaks from over-tightened spark plugs and a leaky radiator, and scrutinise the body and crash box for repairs or damage. Pay £12,000 or so for a Turbo.

Twelve years since the model’s launch, Lotus’s 2+2 GT is a still rare but wonderful sight. Interior quality isn’t exactly first rank, but the combination of Toyota mechanicals and Lotus handling means a well-maintained Evora should provide years of service.

Lotus remedied sticky gear cables, failing air-con condensers and weak door handles, but crushed seat bolsters, weak lower fascias and easily scuffed leather sill facings were not so easy to resolve, so scrutinise these. Even though they're getting quite old now, they hold their value well and you won't get one for less than £26,000.