For most youngsters – excluding lottery winners or residents of Dubai – the dream of driving a supercar remains just that: a hazy fantasy to while away the time in maths class. Those lucky enough to eventually put a deposit down on their most coveted set of wheels usually do so once they’ve become grandfathers, captains of industry or in other words: old. And herein lies the problem – most supercars are hard and uncompromising, designed to be driven (and even just gotten into) by those with the skill and fitness of an F1 driver. So where does this leave the performance car enthusiast whose best years are er…behind them? Below are our top five supercars for those with hair in their ears.
Bugatti Veyron
At first glance, the former world’s fastest car might not seem the ideal candidate for older drivers, with its near 1000bhp and ability to sprint from 0-62mph in under three seconds. However, unlike rival supercars that offer a similarly rip-roaring turn of speed, the Bugatti Veyron is as easy to drive as a VW Golf – something which is perhaps unsurprising since the two cars actually come from the same parent company. It’s got four-wheel-drive so you won’t come a cropper if you’re not paying full attention, its automatic gearbox makes light work of the traffic on the way to the bingo hall and it’s got leather clad seats and air conditioning, just like a Rover 75.
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Mercedes SLS AMG Convertible
Another car that on the face of it would seem wholly unsuitable for elderly drivers, being fitted with a raucous 6.2-litre V8 engine and being notoriously tail-happy. However, beneath the brashness the SLS is simply a Mercedes-Benz, meaning it won’t overheat if you’re sat in traffic, has seats that won’t give you backache and will mooch about town all day should you want it to. The convertible model even does without the coupe's gullwing doors, so you won't slip a disc trying to get in.
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Porsche 911 Turbo S
Some would argue that there’s nothing more clich?d than a silver-haired gentleman at the wheel of a Porsche. Tosh, we say. Owning a 911 marks you out as a discerning individual who values engineering integrity over look-at-me styling. For those wanting a little more kudos amongst their peers we’d recommend the bonkers Turbo S version, as it blends the everyday ease-of-use of lesser models with a forced-induction punch to match the best supercars on the market.
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Bentley Continental GT Supersports
The more serious drivers out there might argue that the Bentley GT Supersports is not a real supercar. They’d say it’s too heavy, the engine is in the wrong place and that it boasts too much in the way of luxury accoutrements to be a real performance machine. They may have a point, but the numbers simply do not lie. Despite being decked out better than most houses, this bruising Brit will crack 0-100mph in 11.1 seconds and go on to 205mph – enough to ruffle the tobacco in anyone’s pipe.
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Rolls Royce Wraith
The statesman-like exterior styling will appeal to your boules buddies, and the exquisitely trimmed seats will do wonders for your slack hips, but there’s no denying the Rolls-Royce Wraith is something of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Endowed with an enormous 624bhp 6.6-litre V12, it has the power to shrug off most well-driven sports cars. However, while it’ll do the business on the straights, it’ll struggle somewhat in the corners. ‘Sporty’ is something of a dirty word at Rolls, meaning you’ll find yourself adopting a more dignified driving style. Something which is perhaps just as well – you don’t want to be labelled a boy racer at your age, do you?
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