Supercar Buyer’s Guide

If the performance potential of a car is an important factor to you when you are looking for a new vehicle to buy, then the supercar market is well worth exploring. Here at Magnitude Finance, we can help you with not only buying supercars but also funding these luxury vehicles.

Though the term ‘supercar’ lacks a clear-cut technical definition, many people instinctively know a supercar when they see one. Gorgeous design, impressive power and a prestige appeal are all hallmarks of supercars, helping to explain why buying supercars has become a symbol of prestige.

If you’re interested in buying a supercar, this guide is made for you. We’ll cover: 

• The history of supercars 
• Why financing a supercar is both wise and popular 
• The best supercar to buy 
• Examples of particularly highly esteemed supercars 
• What you should know about buying supercars

History of Supercars

The definition of the word ‘supercar’ has often been more cultural than technical. The first use of the word ‘supercar’ can be traced back to the 1920s — but it was not until the 1960s that supercars as we would recognise them today started to appear.

This was the decade that Ford introduced its motorsport-inspired GT40. Though this is often considered the world’s first supercar, other people prefer to hand that accolade to the Lamborghini Miura — a ‘60s vehicle that, unlike the GT40, was initially conceived as a road car. 

The beautifully designed and mid-engineered Miura epitomised what many people have come to associate with supercars. 

Today, the Collins dictionary continues to define a supercar as ‘a very expensive, fast or powerful car with a centrally located engine’.

However, a broader — and perhaps more fitting — definition is put forward by the Cambridge Dictionary, which describes a supercar as ‘a very fast car, usually, one that is an unusual or rare type’. This particular definition would therefore sensibly include several Aston Martin vehicles. 

Nonetheless, the loose definition of the word ‘supercar’ has led many people to judge a vehicle’s supercar credentials from the feelings of prestige that the product generates rather than a highly technical list of specs and features. 

Good examples of landmark cars that have been released over the decades and given ‘supercar’ status include the Lamborghini Countach of the 1970s and the Honda NSX in the 1990s. That same decade, the McLaren F1 arrived, setting new supercar performance benchmarks.

In the following decade, the world’s first electric supercar — the Venturi Fetish — was released, paving a more eco-friendly path for the supercar market. 

While an array of more traditional supercars have remained on the scene, forward-thinking brands like Tesla and Rimac have demonstrated how easily electric motors are able to match internal combustion engines when it comes to delivering immense, raw power.

Why is financing a supercar a popular choice?

One obvious reason is that, quite simply, buying a supercar in the more traditional way incurs a high upfront cost. However, whether you are interested in buying supercars for investment or leisure purposes, you could have underestimated the full extent of car financing’s appeal.

Supercar finance and lease contracts can give you an impressive degree of flexibility that is elusive elsewhere. Furthermore, as a supercar finance broker, we are well-positioned to provide you with expert advice on how to finance a supercar. 

How you can invest and get the best

People who are engaged in high levels of investment activity tend not to have large amounts of money they would be able to spend upfront on supercars. This is because much of the money these people do have is tied up in investment assets.

Therefore, it is often a shrewd move for a supercar collector to finance their next supercar; in other words, borrow money to pay for it. This person can then use some of their investment profits to help ease the task of financing the vehicle. 

There is another major reason why only using cash to fund the purchase of a supercar would be ill-advised: in many instances, a supercar can depreciate in value over time.

Therefore, if you are keen on buying a supercar for investment purposes, you might want to seriously consider pivoting on this particular strategy — and investing instead in assets that would likely bring you a higher return than the interest payable on a loan.

Nonetheless, one point we will elaborate on later in this article is that the more meticulously and strategically you choose what model of supercar to invest in, the more likely you are to amass a financial return from it later down the line.

Are you more interested in driving supercars than selling them?

For example, you might want to get into the habit of financing supercars simply to give yourself the means of sampling as many of them as possible. For people like you, too, opting for a car finance package can be a good move.

This is because, theoretically, you would be able to trade in a supercar or part exchange once the financing deal on the vehicle has elapsed. Supercar financing can thus enable you to drive a vast range of high-performance vehicles in (relatively) quick succession.

Ultimately, though, regardless of your incentives for wanting to obtain a supercar, you could find that the car finance academy here at Magnitude Finance helps you to make a major breakthrough in your efforts to fund your supercar purchase.

How we at Magnitude can help you with supercar financing

As we specialise in securing funding for prestige vehicles, we have an in-depth insight into the mindsets of people who are interested in buying supercars. As we can provide bespoke financing packages, we can accommodate the peculiarities of each client’s financial situation.

Still, we emphasise that we are not a lender; instead, we are a credit broker. When you apply with us for a supercar financing deal, we will liaise with multiple lenders in search of a finance product that closely meets your particular needs.

With our genuine passion for supercars, we are intimately familiar with — and, with our service, can factor in — a range of concerns specific to supercar buyers. 

It is a reflection of our dedicated interest in supercars that, as a company, we sponsor SC:UK — a major Sports & Supercar Owners Club. SC:UK regularly arranges supercar-related drives, tours, factory visits and other events exclusively for its members.

As we operate completely independently, you can rest assured that the supercar financing product we do offer you will have been chosen with your needs — rather than those of a supercar manufacturer or dealer — in mind.

What is the best supercar to buy?

You don’t have to look far for lists of supercars that have proved historically influential. However, if you want the tangible experience of actually driving a supercar, you might not quite be in the mood to read a history book.

Of those supercars that are currently on the market, it can be hard to pick out a ‘best’ model — especially since this would be a subjective judgement. However, here are various supercar models that all have strong claims to be the best of their kind…

McLaren 720S 

Since we have only just mentioned history books, we might as well acknowledge here that McLaren is one supercar brand you can expect to see mentioned in quite a few of them.

One compelling reason for this is the McLaren F1, a ‘90s pioneer on the supercar scene. The F1 has long ceased production, but the same can’t be said of the McLaren 720S, a good all-rounder due to the speed with which it is able to move forward, stop and get around corners.

Aston Martin DBS Superleggera

The ‘Superleggera’ appellation is Italian for ‘super light’ — and, indeed, this Aston Martin is 70kg lighter than the brand’s DB11 model. More importantly, though, how does the Superleggera actually feel when taken onto the road?

Fortunately, the 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 engine does a lot of legwork to make driving this DBS a thrilling experience — especially as 100mph can be reached in just 6.7 seconds. The maximum speed possible with the Superleggera, meanwhile, is 211mph.

Ferrari 812 Superfast 

What’s in a name? There’s actually quite a lot in this Ferrari’s name, which refers to the vehicle’s super speed — the maximum possible here is 211mph — as well as the 800PS power output and V12 engine. Yes, those are where the ‘8’ and ‘12’ in the name come from…

You might remember the Ferrari F12berlinetta, which the Superfast supplanted in the Ferrari lineup in 2017. Ferrari fans could potentially still find the F12 on the used supercar market, while another cut-price option from the Italian brand would be the Ferrari 488.

Ford GT

This two-seater sports car was introduced in 2017 as a descendant of the pivotal Ford GT40 mentioned earlier in this article. However, the ‘40’ part of the name failed to make the transition due to a trademark licensing issue.

As the Ford GT units have been built in very limited numbers since then, around £750,000 is a realistic purchase price for a GT. However, if you do succeed in obtaining one, you could come to see it as a very valuable investment asset.

Honda NSX

If you fancy dipping your toes in the electric supercar waters but don’t quite feel ready to go all-electric, the Honda NSX could warrant your close consideration.

This innovative supercar represents a bridge between the history and future of this particular vehicle class since a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine is included here with a trio of electric motors.

You don’t even have to wait three seconds for the NSX to reach 62mph from a stationary position, while this supercar’s top speed surpasses 191mph.

Ferrari Roma

The Roma has both brains and beauty. Not only has it got modern traction and stability controls to go with a twin-turbocharged V8 engine ready to unleash 620PS of power, the Roma also has a clean, crisp design, with vents and creases kept to a minimum.

Consequently, it’s yet another Ferrari supercar model worth considering if you are already thinking about seeking our help in your mission to land a Ferrari supercar financing deal.

McLaren Artura

We have mentioned the proud past of McLaren, in the form of the landmark McLaren F1. However, what could the future of the brand look like? The Artura provides us with a few tantalising clues, not least its plug-in hybrid system.

The Artura pairs a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor — and you have the option of switching to electric-only mode for short-distance journeys.

Maserati MC20

According to rumour, the MC20 was originally conceived as an Alfa Romeo until Maserati took over development duties. However the MC20 did come about, and the result is pretty stunning.

At the heart of this supercar is a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine with a 621bhp capacity. The vehicle’s carbon-fibre tub and double-wishbone suspension also deserve respect, as does the top speed of 202mph.

However, what could most impress you about this Maserati is how its steering and agility make it feel on the road.

Ferrari SF90 Stradale

If you have a need for speed, you can certainly take comfort from the fact that the Stradale achieved a record quick lap time on Ferrari’s own Fiorano Circuit test track. However, that’s hardly the only reason for you to seriously consider this plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

Another reason is that the electric part of the equation makes the Stradale a relatively eco-friendly affair. It can get as far as 15 miles just on electricity — and the vehicle’s three electric motors leave it with an overall power output of 986bhp.

Chevrolet Corvette C8 

In the British mind, Corvettes can feel more American than bald eagles. For this reason, you might not have paid close attention recently to what the Corvette product line offers.

However, you would be overlooking these Chevrolet-made supercars at your own peril, as the C8 generation has plenty to offer. This includes a centrally-located V8 engine, an 8-inch infotainment screen and, in a first for a Corvette, a right-hand-drive configuration.

Ferrari 488 GTB 

The Ferrari 488 GTB is the 661bhp successor of the Italian company’s 458, resulting in a newly turbocharged sports car that easily outclasses the earlier model in both power and torque.

These improvements definitely evidence themselves when the 488 GTB is actually driven. When driven not only in straight lines but also around corners, the vehicle will emit slightly less carbon dioxide than the 458.

Since succeeded by the F8 Tributo, the 488 still holds its own against its younger sibling.

Lamborghini Huracán Evo 

As an entry-level model, the Lamborghini Huracán is at the lower end of the cost scale as far as supercars come. However, you shouldn’t underestimate what it has to offer in terms of either aesthetics or functionality — especially when it comes to the Evo version.

The standard Huracán already has a naturally aspirated V10 engine capable of smashing expectations in the speed and responsiveness stakes. However, the Evo gets a facelift as well as torque vectoring and rear-wheel steering.

All of that and the Evo has even been handed a 631bhp powertrain recognisable from its inclusion in the old Huracán Performante. All of the added features of the Evo have brought the Huracán line closer to parity with similar offerings from McLaren and Ferrari.

Audi R8 V10 Plus 

Though the Audi R8 was once available with a V8 engine and a manual gearbox, when it comes to the newer Audi R8 V10 Plus, both of these features have been axed in favour of, respectively, a V10 engine and an automatic gearbox.

Compared to its predecessor, the V10 Plus is lighter and faster while packing more power under the hood. There’s no shortage of options when it comes to financing for the V10 Plus — and we can assist you in securing an especially cost-effective Audi supercar financing plan.

What is the most sold supercar?

It can be hard to establish what the bestselling supercar actually is — whether that is ‘bestselling’ in an ‘all-time’ sense or you are limiting your focus strictly to supercars that are currently in production. Besides, even a big-selling supercar might not quite be the best for you specifically.

Sales figures can, however, act as a public endorsement of a given car — and knowing that the vehicle has won this kind of backing can make you feel more comfortable about buying the product. 

Here are details of some popular supercars as well as who would most suit them…

Best supercar for aesthetic timelessness

The Porsche 911, due to its historical impact as well as the vehicle’s continuous production run going back to the 1960s, has cemented itself as an example of iconic supercar design.

The 911’s development over the decades has very much been a case of ‘evolution, not revolution’. The eighth generation of the Porsche 911 was unveiled at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, with this model having preserved its predecessors’ familiar round headlamps.

Best supercar for Instagram users

It might sound superficial, but it’s hard to deny that much of a supercar’s appeal is in its visual appearance. There are plentiful examples of supercars that pack a definite ‘wow’ factor, but the Lamborghini Aventador is tough to beat on this score.

You might have noticed pictures of the Aventador popping up often on Instagram, and that would be for good reason: with the sharp and intricate lines on its exterior casing, the Aventador has a design that looks like it was always meant to be repeatedly shown off.

It reflects well on the Aventador that, even with a price that is high by supercar standards, its yearly unit sales have numbered in the thousands since the Aventador first hit the market in 2011. 

Best supercar for film fans

Given their reputation for speed, it should hardly be surprising that supercars have become increasingly prominent in Hollywood films. One good case in point is the Audi R8, which has been driven by Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

However, perhaps espousing an even stronger cool factor is the McLaren 720S, which debuted in 2017 and appeared in the 2019 film Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.

Interested in buying a supercar? Here’s what you should know

If you are reading this in the first place, then you are probably inexperienced with buying supercars and so would like some expert guidance. Our advice is this: when buying your first supercar, it’s a good idea to buy something simple and conventional.

In order to buy a supercar that is only just coming off the production line for the first time, you will need to start by selecting the car model as well as the dealer you wish to buy it from. Theoretically, you can then order that vehicle and pay a substantial deposit in the process.

It can take months for a supercar specced to your requirements to finally be delivered to you — at which point, you will pay the final balance at last.

However, if you have not formed a long-term relationship with the dealer or manufacturer before seeking a supercar from them, you might be denied your first choice of supercar model — perhaps because established, loyal customers have already been assigned all of the available units.

This is why it is generally a good idea to settle for an easily obtainable supercar model before you turn your attention to one where demand more heavily outstrips supply.

How much does a supercar cost?

Of course, the answer to this question will depend — to a large extent — on what model of supercar you buy. The word ‘buy’ deserves to be underlined there, as the biggest contributor to the overall cost of owning a supercar is the initial asking price. 

Given the absence of a formal definition for the word ‘supercar’, it is also difficult to pin down a specific price range for supercars. Vehicles of this type can therefore be as cheap as around £50,000 or, at the other end of the scale, about ten times that amount.

Also, various other costs come with supercar ownership and making the most of it. Car insurance is one obvious expense — and, if your home lacks garage space in which to keep a supercar, you could need to rent a secure storage facility. The monthly rental fees applicable here could be about £250.

If you will be regularly driving that supercar rather than simply leaving it in storage for lengthy periods, there will also be the matter of fuel. Naturally, though, exactly how much you pay for this will depend on how many miles you drive in the supercar.

Then there’s the cost of an annual service, which is never cheap for a supercar, no matter what mileage you clock up in it. Depending on the model of supercar, the price of an annual service for it can range from around £1,000 to more than £4,000. 

Which supercar is the most reliable?

The answer to this question has long been elusive, as supercars are such a specialist category of vehicle that reliability statistics for them are not abundantly available. This is why many assessments concerning the reliability of different supercar models rest on anecdotal reports.

One trusty indicator of a supercar’s reliability is the brand’s reputation. This would be a good reason for you to consider the Honda Acura NSX, which Honda has decided to discontinue but could remain a feature of the used supercar market for some time to come.

Honda cars in general have proven so consistently reliable that you can certainly feel comfortable with pouring your money into an Acura NSX. This model is renowned for its 500hp twin-turbo engine as well as the included VTEC mechanism that enhances the engine’s efficiency.

Other supercar models you can have a lot of faith in when it comes to their staying power include the Hennessey Venom GT Spyder. This is largely due to its LS7 V8 engine, with the ‘LS’ tag having become synonymous with reliability in race engines.

Then there is the Nissan GT-R, which is largely manufactured by Nissan’s in-house tuning company Nismo — a group with an impressive track record in making durable cars.

Buying supercars: Is it worth it?

Many people are happy to buy supercars simply to show them off. For these people, it might not be a major concern how likely the vehicle is to hold or grow its value over time. However, what if you are more interested in buying supercars as part of an investment journey?

In this situation, you have to tread carefully, as how likely you are to get a return on your investment in supercars can depend on many different factors. These unsurprisingly include exactly what supercar models you buy in the first place.

When a supercar does increase in value, it is usually because this particular model has become harder to find and yet remains desirable among collectors. A supercar of this description, especially when in pristine condition as well, can command an enviable premium in value.

However, this would also depend on the vehicle being from a brand with a prestigious image, such as Lamborghini. You also need to remember that, while the car is still yours, you will need to store and maintain it in a way that safeguards its condition and all-round quality.

Your best chances of thriving in supercar investment could thus come with classic or limited-edition models. When you act quickly to snap up examples of these models as they become available for you to purchase, you could potentially sow the seeds of long-term success.

One important takeaway from all of this is that supercar investment of any kind needs to be seen as a ‘long game’ — one where you carefully judge when to spend and when to sell.

Supercar finance packages to suit every wallet

We have access to an exclusive panel of supercar financing lenders. On your behalf, we can approach multiple lenders and, from them, source a selection of supercar finance products for you to choose between. You can consequently select the one that you reckon would work best for you.

The supercar financing packages available from Magnitude Finance can be sorted into various broad categories. Below, you can find details about various types of supercar financing solutions, enabling you to learn more about what each one entails and thus make an informed decision.

Hire Purchase Finance

If you are reticent about the idea of using a personal loan to obtain a supercar, a Hire Purchase Finance deal can make a more convenient — and delightfully simple-to-use — alternative.

Here is how it fundamentally works when you make a Hire Purchase Finance agreement with us: you agree to hire a supercar for a pre-specified period in the region of 2-5 years. Then, over this period, you will pay monthly instalments to eventually meet the full cost of that vehicle. 

Though a deposit will be payable at the start of the plan, once you have made the final monthly payment, the supercar will be yours to keep.

Personal Contract Purchase

What if you are considering a traditional Hire Purchase but would prefer a lower fixed monthly rate? The best option for you could be what is called a Personal Contract Purchase, or PCP for short, and would let you switch to a new supercar sooner.

With a PCP plan, you would first pay a flexible deposit of 10-20% before making fixed monthly payments over a term of a pre-agreed length, like 36 to 48 months. As this term eventually finishes, you will be able to consider taking up one of the following three options: 

• Return the car 
• Keep the vehicle 
• Part exchange so that any outstanding equity can go towards a future supercar purchase

Hire Purchase with Balloon

You might currently be eyeing a vintage supercar — in which case, a Hire Purchase with Balloon agreement can help you confidently meet that supercar’s price. That’s because no age limit would be imposed on the vehicle upon the agreement’s conclusion.

In this respect, the HP + Balloon option differs from many PCP packages. Though a flexible deposit of between 10% and 30% would apply at the start, a HP + Balloon deal would let you pay for the automobile over the course of 36 to 48 months.

You can then decide whether to go down the part exchange route or instead refinance the car’s outstanding value.

Balanced Payments

If you are experienced with buying supercars for investment purposes, you could be particularly enticed by a Balanced Payments plan offered by our supercar financing specialists.

This kind of plan is well-suited to our customers who are experienced with investment opportunities and know the risks that these entail. 

Though a Balanced Payments plan would give you fixed monthly payments to keep up with, the interest you pay will not be fixed; instead, it will be driven by national interest rates.

How to buy a supercar: Your questions, answered

Are there certain questions you are eager to ask us about buying supercars? Below, you can read frequently asked questions — and, especially crucially, informative answers — on this subject.

Best supercar of all time?

There are many strong contenders for this accolade. Ultimately, though, any supercar that is no longer in production needs to be judged in the context of its own time, which helps to explain why ascertaining the ‘best’ supercar ever made can be difficult.

It is a testament to how fluidly the word ‘supercar’ is defined that the 1913 Mercer Type 35-J Raceabout has recently been classed as a supercar. It was the speediest sports car of the Brass Era — and, according to reports, remains fun to drive today.

In any case, the earlier-mentioned Lamborghini Miura deserves a lot of credit for being the first successful mass-produced supercar, while the Ferrari Testarossa, which debuted at the 1984 Paris Motor Show, housed what was then the world’s most powerful in-production engine. 

However, in a public vote, the McLaren F1 was recently voted the ‘best supercar ever’. The F1 was introduced back in 1992 and captured a massive 30% of the vote, holding off tough competition from supercars including the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 and Jaguar XKSS. 

Buying supercars – Is it easy?

We know that, as a successful person, you are bound to be pressed for time. For this reason, once you have identified the supercar you would like to buy, you don’t want to find yourself stumbling in your attempts to put together the funding you need for purchasing it.

Fortunately, our customers can easily apply to us for supercar financing packages, such as by phoning or emailing us or having face-to-face meetings with us. We can interact with you at times that would be convenient for your busy schedule.

Financing your supercar with Magnitude

Our standing as a credit broker independent from the lenders we work with means that we can meticulously peruse the market on your behalf. We can look for a supercar financing deal that would meet your particular requirements as shared with our team at the enquiry stage.

The more than 20 different lenders to which we have access include leading UK banks offering exclusive financing solutions for cars worth in excess of £25,000. Meanwhile, our sophisticated tools you can benefit from include our car finance calculator and car finance settlement calculator.

These tools can give you a quick idea of how much you would pay for — respectively — a supercar financing plan provided afresh or an early end to an existing supercar finance agreement. However, for more reliable, precise figures, you may need to contact us directly.
To get in touch with a member of the Magnitude Finance team and learn more about how we could help you, please call 01943 660703 or use the contact form on our website. Our calculators and concierge sevrvices can ease your efforts to unravel much of the complexity surrounding car finance.