Undervalued coupes and cabrios of the 90s & 2000s: affordable fun cars with a twist

What makes a car more than just a mode of transportation? Exclusivity certainly plays a role, but so do factors like design, engine, and drivetrain. This is especially true for sports cars from the 1990s and 2000s. While the market is now flooded with SUVs and electric vehicles, these decades saw room for affordable, characterful coupes and convertibles. Many mainstream brands took a shot at these types of models, but some didn't quite live up to expectations due to front-wheel drive.

Fiat barchetta

In the 1990s, Fiat decided to launch a small, two-seater convertible based on the Punto. It was shorter than the Italian hatchback and boasted an attractive design that made it instantly recognizable. Its four-cylinder, 16-valve engine delivered 131 horsepower, sufficient for a car under 4 meters long and under 1,200 kg. In general, the Barchetta was a pretty, interesting, and fun car. However, factors like its front-wheel drive posed a disadvantage compared to models like the Mazda MX-5. Today, you can find used examples for prices under €10,000, or even around €5,000 in some cases.

Peugeot rcz

During the economic crisis, Peugeot decided to create a sporty coupe that stood out from the rest of its lineup. The RCZ was based on the 308 RC Z concept and was designed by Gérard Welter when he was Peugeot's design director. It had a striking appearance, a 2+2 seating configuration, and a range of diesel and gasoline engines. Even the RCZ-R variant with 270 horsepower competed in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and had its own single-make cup, the RCZ Racing Cup. The French coupe had many virtues, such as good handling, but wasn't especially popular. On the one hand, these types of models from mainstream brands don't usually attract many repeat customers; on the other hand, its front-wheel drive deterred some interested buyers. You can currently buy a used one for around €9,000.

Peugeot 406 coupé

When Peugeot launched the RCZ, the brand wasn't a newcomer to creating sporty coupes. In addition to offering the 407 Coupé, it had also launched a coupe variant of the famous 406 in the twilight of the 20th century. It debuted at the 1996 Paris Motor Show and didn't go unnoticed due to details like its Pininfarina design, which earned it the nickname