Coupes under $50k

  1. Home /
  2. Best coupes under $50k

Whether you’re just starting to drive or heading into a mid-life crisis, coupes appeal to all of us. Luckily, these days you don’t need to spend big money to enjoy the thrills of the swept-back driving experience.

While you are able to buy a Subaru BRZ or Toyota 86 for less than $40,000, choices start to expand once you’re shopping under the $50,000 so let’s start there.

Toyota 86

It is getting a little long in the tooth, but the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ combo still offers sports car thrills for an affordable price. Available in manual or automatic with a choice of specification levels, the Toyota 86 has stood the test of time despite external pressure to fill it with extra power.

Mazda MX-5

Mazda MX-5

With the nameplate just celebrating its 30th birthday, there’s small wonder why so many flock to the Mazda MX-5 for an engaging top-down drive. Even if you’re more of a hard-top fan, Mazda now offers the RF version which includes a folding metal roof.

Hyundai i30 Fastback N

A relatively new player to the coupe game, Hyundai’s i30 N was transformed into a four-door coupe following the success of the hatchback. Sleeker styling marries with everything that made Hyundai’s first true hot hatch great

BMW, ute, Brisbane, dealer, V8, Holden, Ford, first, one-off
News

A BMW…ute!?

No this isn’t a joke. What you’re looking at really is a BMW X5 utility.

Audi, e-tron, killed, not, making, Tony Stark, Iron, Man, Nurburgring
News

Audi kills R8 e-tron supercar

Iron man has one, but it looks like production of Audi’s R8 e-tron could be limited to just one unit, after the company announced it will no longer build the electric supercar.

Mercedes-Benz, SLS, AMG, Electric, Drive, Nurburgring, record, Audi, R8
News

Electric Merc smashes record

Mercedes-Benz has shattered the record at the Nurburgring for an electric car.

old, women, greenest, safest, environmentally, friendly, study, AAMI
News

Older women Australia’s ‘greenest’ drivers

Women who are aged 50+ are officially Australia’s most environmentally friendly drivers, a new study has found.

motor, home, expensive, flying, private, jet, million, German
News

The $3 million motor home

Hate flying but need to cover long distances? Then this is the motor home for you.

Ford, Mustang, Shelby, Need, For, Speed, movie, adaptation
News

Ford Mustang lands NFS movie role

Ford has landed a major movie role, with its new Mustang Shelby GT500 to star in the upcoming movie adaptation of the popular video game Need For Speed.

audi, recall, australia 2013, models, Skoda, VW, Volkswagen
News

Total recall

Volkswagen’s embarrassing product recall has spread. Wheels can confirm that VW company cousins Audi and Skoda will have to recall thousands of vehicles due to a gearbox problem.

Ford Transit, Ford Commercials, vinyl wraps, Miley Cyrus, Essendon, Kevin Rudd, Tony Abbott, Wheels magazine
News

Ford wraps up custom commercials

Ford in the USA has created an online graphics tool that allows prospective commercial vehicle customers to overlay their company design, and get a quote for a vinyl wrap of their artwork prior to purchase.

Kia Niro, Kia, Frankfurt Motor Show, Wheels, Wheels magazine
News

Kia’s Frankfurt hero is Niro

Kia has taken the wraps off a sinister new concept, developed for this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show (Sept. 12-22), called Niro.

Usain Bolt, Nissan GT-R, Usain Bolt Foundation, gold GT-R, Wheels magazine
News

Bolt’s golden GT-R to Aussie auction bidder

One of two gold Nissan GT-Rs made for Olympic gold-medallist Usain Bolt, has been delivered to its Melbourne owner, after he paid $US187,100 for the eye-popping car in a charity auction late last year.

Abarth 595, Abarth 595 50th Anniversary, Abarth, Frankfurt Motor Show, Wheels, Wheels magazine
News

Abarth’s fifty year tribute to iconic ‘595’

Fiat’s performance arm, Abarth, is marking the 50th anniversary of the unveiling of its original Abarth 595, with a tribute version, based on the current, re-born Fiat 500.

Meet Caterham’s vision for its future car range – the all new AeroSeven concept.
News

Caterham AeroSeven concept revealed!

Meet Caterham’s vision for its future car range – the all new AeroSeven concept.

Forget the Peel P50, there’s a new king of the tiny automobile – everyone meet the world’s smallest car.
News

Meet the ultimate muscle car mash up – the Equus Bass 770

This is what you get when you jam the world’s greatest muscle cars into a blender, add an extra dose of ‘all-American patriotism’, and hit ‘Churn’.

Ferrari, 250 GTO, rare, world's, most, expensive, car, sold, auction, America
News

Infighting tears through Australian Motoring party

Civil war is threatening to undermine the unexpected success of the Australian Motoring enthusiast Party

BMW, new, model, convertible, 4 Series, coupe, local, launch, Australia
News

BMW’s new model goes topless

Want a BMW 4 Series with a million miles of headroom? Here it is – the new 4 Series convertible.

Alfa Romeo, 4C, sportscar, Nurburgring, lap time, record, new, Porsche, BMW, Renault
News

Alfa 4C scorches the ‘Ring

It’s getting rave reviews around the globe, but now we have numerical proof Alfa’s sexy new 4C isn’t just a pretty face.

Bugatti Veyron, legends, limited edition, past, coupe, muscle, performance, new, coupe, local, launch, Australia
News

Bugatti’s third legend revealed!

Bugatti has ripped the covers off the third instalment in its ‘Legends’ series – this one dedicated to double Targa Florio champ and former head of Bugatti’s motorsport arm, Meo Costantini.

maserati, concept car, bora, McLaren, Alpha 6c, Jaguar C-X75, Ferrari Enzo, Alex Imnadze
News

Gorgeous Maserati Bora concept

We reckon this mid-engined Maserati Bora concept is pretty much perfect in every way, expect one – it doesn’t exist.

FPV, Ford, Ford Performance Vehicles, XR8, V8, performance vehicles, FPV axed
News

FPV is dead; long live the V8!

Ford Performance Vehicles is dead but the XR8 returns. Good and bad news for performance fans as Ford shuffles its V8 line-up.

BMW, Bavarian Benz B-Class, Australian launch, front-wheel drive
News

BMW confirms front-wheel drive for Oz

Bavarian Benz B-Class basher confirmed for late 2014 Australian launch

W Motors, 745kW SuperSport, Lykan, Dubai
News

Arabia’s latest thoroughbred to trot out 1000 horsepower

Dubai-based manufacturer W Motors has unveiled its 745kW SuperSport

AMG racer, SLS, sneak peak, playstation 3, Gran Turismo, tokyo motor show,
News

Virtual AMG racer points to SLS replacement

MERCEDES-Benz has released images of its PlayStation 3 Gran Turismo 6 star, the AMG Vision Gran Turismo, and there’s a strong hint that the real SLS replacement, due late in 2014, lurks beneath the digital car’s wild exterior.

honda, vezel, new, cr-z Wheels, Japan, Tokyo Motor show
News

Honda Vezel: new baby SUV has high hopes

Honda has joined the baby SUV market with this — the all-new Vezel

Honda, Civic Type R, Turbo, VTEC, Tokyo Motor Show, Japan, Wheels
News

Honda reveals turbo future

Honda has revealed plans for a turbo-powered future