Audi RS3
Audi’s uber-hatch displaces last year’s winner, the Mercedes-AMG A45, in just one crucial scoring field – resale. According to Glass’s, the furious five-pot Audi will shed a third of its value in three years, while the Benz will drop 47 percent – a $10K difference. And the RS3’s relatively low purchase price with stout resale goes a long way against its sleeker rivals. So it seems financially smart to choose a weapon-quick, practical point-and-shoot machine over mid-engined coupe purity, at least for those who can use the turbo five-pot’s 270kW sparingly.
Lotus Elise S
Colin Chapman’s ‘Simplify, then add lightness’ philosophy has positive effects beyond chassis dynamics; it helps the 870kg Elise S deliver real-world fuel, tyre and brake savings, too.
Alfa Romeo 4C
The 4C and Elise S are neck-and-neck across the scoring categories, but being $4K pricier hurt the Alfa given identical resales, despite the fact it costs a bit less to fuel and insure.
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