With EVs set to overrun us at any minute, wouldn’t now be the perfect time to buy the special car you’ve always promised yourself? And maybe make a little bit on the side? It sounds too good to be true, but all the cars below offer solid residuals with the chance that, if the moons align, they could even make you money.

Here you’ll find everything from executive expresses to hot hatch royalty and rugged SUVs. We can’t guarantee you’ll make money but you should have a lot of fun owning any one of these cars.

Alfa Romeo 147 GTA

If you were to sum up Alfa Romeo in just one car, the 147 GTA would be that car. Flawed but brilliant, the GTA was an enlightening example of what happens when you put a huge engine in a small Italian hatchback body. The 3.2-litre Busso V6 produced 250PS (184kW), hauled the Alfa from 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds and rivals a Ferrari unit for theatre. The handling deserves no Ferrari comparisons. Under power, the Alfa’s front wheels struggle for grip, it feels nose heavy and the suspension struggles to cope with choppy surfaces. But of course, all of this is a mere character-building initiation to the Alfa experience. And, when you can pick up good examples of the 147 GTA for less than £15,000 – it’s exceedingly hard not to be tempted.

Renault Megane R26.R

With just 159 sold in the UK, the Renault Megane R26.R has already achieved classic-car status with used prices outstripping the £23,000 you’d have paid in 2008. Wedged firmly in the Renault’s buckets seats and pinned by the five-point harness, visions of the BTCC starting grid come to mind as you peer over the Megane’s carbon-fibre bonnet, listening as the exhaust reverberates on the plexiglass rear windows. There’s no stereo and air conditioning was optional. The result is that the roll-caged R26.R sheds 123kg next to a comparable Renaultsport Megane, which was no slouch itself. As a result, the R26.R is lighter on its feet than a ballerina dancing on marshmallows and, with a 230PS (169kW) from a 2.0-litre four-cylinder, it still feels quick.

Mercedes AMG C63 Edition 507

The end of the V8 AMG has been looming for years but the arrival of the new four-cylinder C63 AMG hybrid means its days truly are numbered – if you want to try a ‘proper’ AMG, now’s the time. And the W204 vintage C63 Edition 507 looks like an ideal way to spend your money. It’s the real deal with a 507PS (373kW) atmospheric V8 providing a Days of Thunder soundtrack while the rear-wheel-drive chassis is a delight so long as you get a car with the optional limited-slip differential. Okay, so the Black Series is still the model to have, but the Edition 507 gives you 99 per cent of the feeling for significantly less outlay. A little over £44,000 gets you a mint example with the all-important LSD.

BMW E39 M5

The E39 BMW M5 is arguably the best M5 ever built so it’s easy to see how its values could hold long-term potential. The M5 looks the part thanks to a subtle body kit and meaty quad exhausts but more importantly, it’s also great to drive. Its 400PS (294kW) seems accessible by modern standards (the current M5 CS has 635PS (467kW)) and the E39’s naturally aspirated 4.4-litre V8 needs to be worked hard to get the best from it. With simple electronics and a standard-fit limited-slip differential, the E39 is an easy car to work up to and beyond its limit. Around £50,000 gets you an exceptional example, but £35,000 is enough for a solid car with appreciating potential.

Porsche Cayman R

The Cayman R was Porsche’s first attempt at properly fettling a Cayman, this and its limited sales number (less than 1,500 worldwide) should mean future classic status is all but guaranteed. Leggy automatic examples pop up for less than £30,000, but £40,000 buys you a rarer manual in excellent condition. The Cayman R was a confusing car period. The ‘R’ badge hinted at a stripped-out racer – like its 911 namesake – but instead, the Cayman R made marginal improvements to the already excellent Cayman S. Porsche shaved weight by adding aluminium doors, hard back sports seats and lightweight rims, fettled and lowered the suspension and brought power up from 320PS (235kW) to 330PS (243kW). The result was one of the most exceptional sportscars ever built.

Subaru Impreza P1

In a world where Subaru Impreza 22B STi sells at auction for more than £250,000, it would be easy to assume you’d missed the boat on rare two-door Impreza ownership, but all is not lost – you could buy an Impreza P1. Wisely seen as the connoisseur’s choice, the P1 was produced by Prodrive who used a standard Type R as a base and added, among other things, 20mm lowered suspension, a gearbox short-shift kit and an ECU remap that brought the 2.0-litre flat four’s power up from 215PS (158kW) to 280PS (206kW). Enough to launch the four-wheel-drive Scooby from 0-62mph in just 4.6 seconds. But it’s the P1’s handling that’s most impressive. More softly sprung than the 22B, the P1 is the superior vehicle across the UK’s suboptimal road network. All of this makes the P1 an exceptionally appealing prospect, particularly when good examples can be snapped up for less than £50,000.

Mk1 Ford Focus RS

The Ford Focus, complete with its wacky styling and control blade independent rear suspension, represented a seismic upgrade from the Escort it replaced in 1998. But you’d have to wait until 2001 to get your hands on a proper performance variant. Like any fast Ford, it was called the RS and did its best to ape Colin McRae’s WRC car of the year. Instead of being four-wheel-drive like the Mitsubishis and Subarus in period, the Focus’ party piece was a front-wheel drive chassis kitted out with a limited-slip differential that was, in theory, supposed to help the Ford channel its 215PS (158kW) into the road. The reality was often fistfuls of torque steer and road testers in period commented that one RS could drive quite differently from the next. Nevertheless, it’s hard not to be tempted when nice examples of this motoring icon can still be snapped up for less than £25,000.

Volkswagen Golf Clubsport S (400 made)

While the standard Volkswagen Golf GTI could be accused of being the hot hatch for the pipe and slippers brigade, you wouldn’t dare level that accusation at the Clubsport S. To build the Clubsport, Volkswagen took a standard MK7 GTI, removed the rear seats, added sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tyres and a body kit that cancels out the lift suffered by the standard car. Volkswagen also fettled the GTI’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder to produce 310PS (228kW) – getting it from 0-62mph in 5.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 165mph. It’s even more impressive in corners. New front suspension with aggressive camber means the Clubsport puts up stiff resistance to understeer and the back is known to break traction on the limit. It’s an endearing mixture which makes the Clubsport S worth every one of the £35,000 you’ll need to secure a good one.