Affordable Mid-Engine Sports Cars Tested on Glorious Roads

You don’t need to be a millionaire to enjoy the affordable Alfa Romeo 4C, Porsche Cayman, and Lotus Elise.

Placing the engine in the middle of a vehicle is something engineers and designers save for the best, fastest, and usually, most expensive cars in their lineup. But there are a few automakers out there that dare to build mid-engined sports cars that are actually affordable. And EverydayDriver got three of them together to put them to the test on some of California’s best roads.

In the video above, a Lotus Elise, Alfa Romeo 4C, and Porsche Cayman go up against one another on a lengthy road trip. The Elise is the oldest vehicle out of the trio, but it’s also the purest. The 4C takes a chapter out of the Elise’s book by attempting to see what drivers can live without — while keeping a hint of modern touches and a much prettier body. And the Cayman, well, that’s just an incredible blend of luxury and sportiness.

CHECK OUT: What Forum Members Are Saying About This Road Testd

So which car wins? We don’t want to spoil the video for you, especially since it’s 23 minutes of pure goodness. But EverydayDriver does end up choosing one vehicle above the rest, and it’s kind of surprising. One vehicle, as the video claims, has the looks of a supercar, and the driving dynamics of one, as well. Which is why they chose it as the victor.

Let’s be honest, though: all of these cars are amazing and would work perfectly as daily drivers or canyon carvers. So sit back, enjoy the video, and make a mental note to save a moderate amount of money so as to buy one of these cars in the future.