The 7 best sports saloons money can buy
If you need to transport multiple people in comfort and at speed, then you need to get your hands on a sports saloon.
Here, we take a money’s-no-object delve into the world of sports saloons, covering everything from one-off concepts to cars you can buy new today. Keep reading for a guide to the best sports saloons money can buy.
Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf
If you find the Aston Martin Rapide just a little too common for your tastes – they were built in the low thousands after all – then help is at hand in the form of the Lagonda Taraf that was released in the mere hundreds. Or 200 to be exact.
Unlike the Rapide, the Taraf doesn’t look like any other 2000s Aston. It features an extra pair of doors, although ironically it’s built on a stretched Rapide chassis. Its chiselled lines are more concept than road car and you’ll be unsurprised to learn it was originally built for the flamboyant tastes (and large cash reserves) of the Middle Eastern market, although sales were eventually extended to the UK.
And we’re glad they were. Despite being bigger and roomier than the Rapide, the Taraf weighs about the same (just under 2,000kg) thanks to carbon-fibre body panels. Power comes from a proper 6.0-litre V12 that rockets it from 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds. And the price? About £500,000 for an as-new example.
BMW M5 CS
If a BMW M5 is like the bottled essence of a sports saloon, then the CS is its concentrated parfum goodness. Eyebrows were raised when BMW branded its ultimate super saloon the CS – a badge usually reserved for lightweight specials – and whispered that it would cost 50 per cent more than a standard M5.
But then everyone drove it and all was forgotten. Performance is formidable thanks to a lightly tuned version of the standard M5’s 4.4-litre V8 pumping out 635PS (467kW) for 0-62mph in three seconds dead and a 189mph top speed. But it’s the handling that stands out, the CS has expertly judged damping and superb body control that lets you throw it about like a hot hatch.
Factor in its clever selectable four-wheel-drive system and, with prices starting from around £140,000, this could be the best money you’ve ever spent.
Bugatti EB112
If you’re going to buy the ultimate sports saloon, Bugatti – builder of the 305mph Chiron – looks like a solid place to start. The EB112 predates the Chiron and the Veyron, but the DNA in its horseshoe grille design is clear for all to see.
Instead of the W16, under the bonnet you’ll find a 456PS (335kW) 6.0-litre V12 that, with the help of four-wheel drive, gets the big saloon from 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds and onto a 186mph top speed. The motor’s location far behind the front axle means the Bugatti shouldn’t suffer from the nose-heavy antics of other VAG products.
Finding one to buy will be more of an issue – just three cars were ever built and you can expect to pay more than £1million to get your hands on one.
Mercedes 300SEL 6.3
The Mercedes 300SEL 6.3’s combination of subtle looks and prodigious pace saw it nicknamed the ‘hot rod for bankers’ when it was first revealed in 1972, and its badge would go on to inspire a generation of AMG models years later.
As with the new cars, the SEL’s driving experience was dominated by its engine. With 253PS (186kW) and 500Nm (369lb ft) of torque, it still feels quick all these years on – capable of lighting up its tyres in a way that’s quite at odds with the appearance of this regal classic. Tight body control and a pampering ride were made possible by the innovative air suspension.
Sadly, the SEL’s complex mechanicals can throw up some truly horrifying bills, but a budget of over £100,000 will give you the pick of some of the best examples currently available.
Tucker 48
You only have to look at the Tucker 48’s torpedo shape and Cyclops headlight design to know that this is one interesting car. Just 50 were ever produced and their hand built nature means no two cars are the same.
Designed to be fast but also safe, the Tucker offered innovative features like a rollover bar, padded interior and a shatterproof windscreen designed to pop out in an accident. Any doubts that this could claim to be a sports saloon are rebuffed by its rear-mounted helicopter engine. The 5.5-litre flat-six was converted from air to water-cooled and produced up to 150PS (110kW).
Sadly, the Tucker’s rarity, pioneering design and oddball (in a good way) looks mean you can pay well over £1million to add one to your collection.
Ferrari Pinin
Built to celebrate the 50th birthday of Pininfarina, Ferrari’s future (which now includes the Purosangue SUV) could have been very different if it had gone ahead and built the Pinin concept car.
The Pinin has the scrape-your-jaw-off-the-floor styling you would expect of one of the world’s admired styling houses. A flat-12 engine meant its bonnet could be kept as low as possible, while a styling line connected the front to the back, where you found tail lights hidden in the bodywork.
The Pinin never ran but eventually fell into the hands of Ferrari dealer Gabriele Candrini, who recommissioned it for road use. Ferrari’s reluctance to build a saloon may not have been unfounded as the car failed to sell twice at auction, before being snapped up by an American collector.
Chevrolet Corvette four-door
The Chevrolet Corvette has never been what you could call practical but, back in 1980, California Custom Coach had an answer with its four-door Corvette C3. But just five were ever built.
CCC’s concept was 762mm longer than the standard Corvette, freeing up all the room needed for a pair of plushly appointed rear seats, complete with their own T-top roof. Power came from the same 200PS (147kW) 5.7-litre V8 in the standard car although, with an extra 225kg to shift, you can expect performance to be blunted.
But, as sports saloon statements go, the four-door Corvette is hard to beat if you’re willing to stump up the £150,000-plus you’ll need to buy one.