How to buy the perfect sportscar
If we all bought our cars on a rational basis we’d end up driving a mid-sized family hatchback with a small engine. But for most of us the car we buy is dictated by our heart as much as our head – for many it’s more of an emotional purchase than it is a sensible one. That’s why sportscars are so enormously popular; we want something that’ll impress our friends and neighbours, make us feel better about ourselves and deliver a healthy dose of performance for those few brief stretches of empty road on the daily commute. If you buy a decent sportscar you’ll also get behind the wheel of something that’s great to drive even at low speeds, thanks to the fluency of its gearchange, the precision of its steering, the seating position, the engine noise, the view through the windscreen – and a whole host of other factors that just come together to create a brilliant driving experience. Enjoy even the briefest drive in a Mazda MX-5 or Porsche Boxster and you’ll instantly get why your mundane family hatch will never be truly inspiring to drive – it’s just not designed or built in the same way. But will a sportscar fit into your life?