VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL: 2-Seater Cars At Attainable Price Points

The aerodynamic, long-nosed 2 seater car was, and can still be considered a concept that stirs emotions. You sit closer to the tarmac, pick your favourite stretch of road and get into the groove of driving. While manufacturers are not entirely discounting this form factor yet, it won't take long for replacements of “electrified” nature to flood the market, registering blistering sprint times in deathly silence.

But unless manufacturers engineer a way to package battery packs away from occupants’ “behind”, a low slung driving position will be tough to achieve, defeating the true purpose of a low-slung sports car. A quick filter through Carousell’s used car classifieds revealed a couple of striking 2 seater cars at varying price points. Although “attainable” can be subjective, these ballpark figures can also get you decent crossovers and SUVs, which we figured is fair game for those placing greater importance on rarefied appeal of smaller cars over mainstream offerings.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, perhaps it requires less effort to convince your other half on that emotion-led shortlist you’ve created. Let’s compare notes - our list of 2-seater cars might not be far off from what you envisioned…

Mazda MX-5 (NA)

Depreciation: $10,909 Per Year

Perhaps one of the worst kept secrets - there’s no better value 2-seater roadster than the OG Mazda MX-5. The manner in which it delivers performance makes us wonder if cars have gotten too complicated for their own good. It weighs 30% of a BMW i7 and musters well over 130bhp - effective enough to pilot it with pure, unbridled joy. Oh, it’s the only generation of Miata to feature these funky pop up headlights, too. Given how ridiculous prices of JDM cars are nowadays, we’d never imagine that one of the cheapest tickets towards 90s JDM ownership is also one that oozes charm in its own simplified, yet distinct way.

Mercedes-Benz SLK (R171)

Depreciation: S$13,943 Per Year

It might have been largely accused of prioritising style over substance in the mid 2000s, but those who still kept hold of the 2nd-gen SLK-Class might have the last laugh. Sure, the SLK is not the most practical car and does not tread corners with razor sharp effectiveness. But time has been kind to the retractable hardtop roadster - its sleek, hunkered down silhouette a refreshing sight in a field of crossovers on stilts. A 3.5-litre V6 sits beneath the hood of this SLK350. It’s even going for similar depreciation than that of its 4 pot SLK200 siblings. The time is right to pull the trigger.

MG T Series Roadster (TC)

Depreciation: S$16,232 Per Year

Around 10,000 MG TCs were produced from mid to late 1940s, and it’s the first MG model built after the war. A bulk of them were exported to the US even though all units were right hand drive. This example, seemingly perfect for history buffs, remained in the UK and was imported to Singapore 30 years ago. It can still be converted to a “regular” black plate any time upon payment of the full COE as it was registered under the now defunct vintage (restricted) scheme, unlike cars that are now imported. Imagine rolling up to Raffles Hotel in one of these…

Lotus Elise (Mk2/3)

Depreciation: From S$16,680 Per Year

If you’re after hard-edged, driver-centric motoring, Lotus’ Elise will supply them in spades. They might be featherweight having weigh well under 1 tonne, but it maintains composure even when pushed beyond the edge of grip. Its naturally aspirated motor with a flat torque curve (backed by Toyota-led reliability) allows you to push the chassis to its limit of adhesion, tempting you to keep it on the boil even in mid corners. It could take some convincing though, because it does not have the most comfortable, roomy cabin. That’ll turn into a positive given that it’s a V-Day special shortlist…

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