7 Italian Sports Cars You Can Buy For £5000 And Under

The Italians have always managed to make their sports cars special (we’ll gloss over the sketchy electrics and reliability issues for now). They’re infused with enough passion to make you fall so hopelessly in love, that you won’t care that it’s eating into your savings and making you late for everything.

So with that in mind, we’re here to give you a run through of seven Italian sports cars that could give you the perfect foothold into a world full of engine blow-outs and catastrophic wiring failures, balanced out by beauty, passion and soul.

1. Alfa Romeo GTV

This stunning 2+2 coupe could be yours for less than £1000. For that cash, you’re looking at the spritely 2.0-litre Twin Spark model, while £2000 bags you the stunning 3.0-litre V6.

If you’re tempted - you know you are - then be prepared to splash out £500 for frequent cambelt replacements (recommended every 36,000 miles).

2. Fiat Coupe

With striking angular body work and an interior designed by Pininfarina, this Italian coupe will prove to be a future classic. Prices for the N/A car are floating around £2000, while the five-cylinder, 220hp 20V Turbo models will cost you around £4000.

Performance is brisk for the Turbo: 0-60mph takes 6.3 seconds and you’ll see a top speed of 155mph if you’re brave enough. Like the GTV, cambelts need to be changed every 36,000 miles and the turbos have a tendency to fail, so be prepared to dig deep when something goes wrong.

3. Lancia Beta Coupe

Made famous by Clarkson and a certain Top Gear Africa Special, the Beta Coupe had a rough time of things since its launch in 1973. Plagued with an unrelenting thirst for rust, finding a clean car will be a struggle, especially in the UK.

The Beta 2000 sporting the range-topping 2.0-litre engine will set you back between £4000 and £5000, which I’d say is a small price to invest in a brand with the greatest record in World Rally Championship history.

With only 13 Beta 2000s left in the UK and other derivatives in similar numbers, this Lancia would be a car meet favourite.

4. Alfa Romeo Spider

Sales figures of over 120,000 units prove that the Alfa Spider was a huge success for the oft financially troubled brand. With styling by Pininfarina and a keen 1.6-litre Twincam powertrain, the Spider dominated the convertible market in Europe and America for decades.

With a kerb weight of 990kg and a spritely 109bhp output, a Series 1 can be snapped for under £5000.

5. Fiat Barchetta

Italian for ‘little boat’, the Fiat Barchetta is a curvaceous convertible that unfortunately had to compete with the stupendously popular Mazda MX-5. Older, high mileage cars are up for sale at around £5000 (a lot compared with an MX-5), but are worth every penny.

Despite its 130bhp output, there’s one thing that will be a deal-breaker for many petrolheads: it’s FWD, where the MX-5 is RWD. Still, it’s the rarer car and for that reason, will prove to be a decent investment.

6. Maserati Biturbo

With a screaming 2.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 (the model in our price range) from one of the most desirable Italian marques, the Biturbo was produced during the eighties and nineties with the main attraction being its internals rather than its somewhat understated looks. 0-60mph takes just over six seconds, making this a seriously tempting left-field option for £5000.

As with most of the cars on this list, be wary of classic Italian electrical faults, blown turbos and a common tendency to overheat.

7. Alfa Romeo Brera

Another potential future classic is the Alfa Brera thanks to its jaw-dropping good looks and fruity V6 engines. Unfortunately, our £5000 price range only gets you the 2.4-litre, five-cylinder diesel model, but here’s a car that we’d happily buy for its beauty alone.

If you’re willing to pay around £8000 and up, you’ll get the desirable 3.2-litre V6, with 260hp and a soundtrack hot enough to match its looks.