Top 10: Classic super-saloons for under £5000
With the cost of petrol running at an all-time high, the thought of buying a gas-guzzling large-engined saloon might seem a little bit on the silly side - but for those who have the luxury of running one as a second car, or as a low-mileage, cherished classic, there has never been a better time to buy.
We've come up with ten 200bhp-plus saloons that should offer considerable joy for those who like effortless power, a suerb ride and masses of presence. As a Sunday luxury, any of these 1980s and '90s plutocrat-mobiles will make you feel like a government minister on a whistle-stop tour, or a company chairman hurrying to an extraordinary board meeting.
And now, they're all in the reach of anyone with a modest-sized ISA to cash-in...
Lancia Thema Turbo 16V
1995cc, 205bhp, 150mph
£1200-4000
Hard to find it might be, but the Lancia Thema is still a lovely car both inside and out that manages to make drivers and passengers feel special. Roomy inside, and finished in the highest quality wood and leather, it's a proper plutocrat express, but Lancia Integrale power endows it with superb performance once overboost is in full flow. There are downsides, such as the slightly brittle engine, and utter rarity, as well as living in the shadow of the Ferrari-engined 8.32, but find a good Thema, and you'll love it.
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