A Guide To Buying Your First Sports Car

Red sports car parked on a cobbled road.

With hundreds of models to choose from, buying your first sports car can be equal parts exciting and daunting. Should you go for the classic stylings of a Porsche Cayman, or would an Audi R8 perhaps be more your style? Our team of experts at Prestige Vehicle Insurance have put together their tips and advice to help you choose the best first sports car for your needs.

Body Style

The first question you should ask yourself is what body style you’d like – a convertible or a coupe? Each comes with their own unique pros and cons, but it’s worth bearing in mind that car insurance for sports cars with a soft-top convertible roof will often be more expensive. This is because they’re generally seen as being easier to break into, although this isn’t necessarily the case for newer models. For more information on sports car insurance, read our helpful guide.

Another downside for convertibles is that their roof-design can occasionally result in excess cabin noise, while a solid, retractable roof can limit the capacity in your boot. That said, you may decide this is a price worth paying in exchange for the pleasure of driving with the roof down and experiencing the world around you.

At the end of the day, there’s no right or wrong answer here. If you want your first sports car to be a convertible, then there are a number of great options to choose from – just make sure you understand the possible negatives first. If you don’t mind either way, opt for a coupe instead.

Engine Size And Performance  

Another consideration for choosing the best first sports car is vehicle performance. Do you want a top-end engine with responsive steering that can fly through corners? Or is comfort and elegance more important for your needs?

As with choosing your preferred body style, it’s important to remember that the more high-performance a vehicle is, the more expensive it is likely to be too. Engines with peak horsepower and lightweight frames are costly for manufacturers to produce and this will be reflected by their price tags.

Likewise, a top-end sports car with a large amount of power requires greater skill to drive, which in turn can also affect the insurance premium. Here at Prestige Vehicle Insurance, we offer specialist sports car insurance to cater for any engine size, and at competitive prices to ensure you’re not paying over the odds.

Front-Wheel, Rear-Wheel Or Four-Wheel Drive?

In the past, sports cars have typically been designed to be rear-wheel drive as this tends to lead to more precise, sporty handling. However, rear-wheel drive sports car can also be more difficult to drive, with a tendency to spin-out when cornering around right corners at high speeds. With that in mind, they may not be the best choice for your first sports car.

On the other hand, front-wheel drive cars are certainly easier to drive, but they’re arguably less fun too. Fortunately, there’s a good middle ground that we’d recommend for the best first sports car: four-wheel drive vehicles. These distribute power between the front and rear wheels, giving them a greater grip and more pulling power.

Specialist Sports Car Insurance

The last thing to consider for your first sports car is finding the right insurance policy. You’ll want your vehicle to have the best protection in case of any accidents or damage, and that’s where taking out specialist sports car insurance comes in.

At Prestige Vehicle Insurance, we aim to find you the most suitable cover for both your vehicle and your unique requirements. For example, if your car is stolen or in the garage for repairs, we can help you get a courtesy car similar to your own.

Are you interested in taking out specialist sports car insurance for your own vehicle? Get in touch with us today and speak to one of our expert advisors. Call us on 01202 754900 and we can tailor a quote to your needs, or fill out an online quote form and we will get back to you at another time.