Awesome Coupes That Were Lost To Time

Though it is by far the most expensive car on this list, the Bentley Brooklands in still a bargain in some ways. Bentley sold the Brooklands from 2008 to 2011, and only 550 were built during its four-year run. When it was new, the Brooklands cost around $340,000, but we found a used 2009 model selling for less than $140,000. Even today, the Brooklands' luxury and performance is simply mesmerizing. Power comes from a 6.75-liter twin-turbo V8, much like the one found in the current Mulsanne. Power was a massive 530 hp, and torque was an awe-inducing 730 lb-ft. The Continental GT is a very comfortable luxury cruiser, but it cannot match the presence and opulence of the Brooklands.

Mercedes is one of the few companies that hasn't backed down from building luxury coupes. The company still sells two-door versions of the C, E, and S-Class, though it is the previous generation E-Class that caught our attention. The E-Class Coupe we are referring to was sold from 2010 to 2013 and was given a facelift in 2014. E350 models came with a 3.5-liter V6 producing a healthy 302 hp, while E550 models packed a 4.7-liter V8 producing 402 hp. There was no AMG version, but the V8 E550 was no slouch. Even the more powerful E550 can be found for well under $30,000 on the used market.

It is hard to remember a time when Acura had a full range of cool models in its lineup. The NSX is impressive, but the rest of the Acura lineup could use an injection of fun. We particularly miss the CL Coupe, which was sold from 1996 to 2003. Acura finished off CL production with a high-performance Type S model, which was powered by a 3.2-liter V6 producing 260 hp. It may have been front-wheel-drive, but the CL could be optioned with a manual and was a large, comfortable two-door model that is hard to come by these days. CL prices range from around $5,000 to $10,000, but manual models are hard to find.

The second generation Lexus SC was an odd-looking convertible that isn't fondly remembered. The first generation was a two-door luxury coupe, which was closely related to the Toyota Supra. The base SC300 was powered by a 225-hp 3.0-liter 2JZ inline-six, which was shared with the base Supra. The SC400 packed the 4.0-liter V8 from the LS sedan, producing 250 hp. Enthusiasts prefer the SC300 because it was sold with a manual transmission, and can be upgraded with turbos from the Supra. Pricesrange from around $3,000 to $10,000, but manual models are increasingly difficult to find.

Nissan experimented with a mid-size Altima Coupe in 2008 but killed the model off after the 2013 model year. Buyers could choose between a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 175 hp or a 3.5-liter V6 with 270 hp, both sending power to the front wheels. Most Altima coupes were fitted with a CVT, but a six-speed manual was also offered until 2011. Nissan even allowed buyers to option the manual transmission on SR models via a special order. Manual Altima Coupes can now be found for well under $13,000.

Honda, Nissan, and Toyota used to build mid-size coupes, but abandoned them as SUVs became more popular. The Accord Coupe and Altima Coupe both saw decent runs, but the Toyota Camry Solara lasted for a full decade from 1998 to 2008. Both generations were sold with four-cylinder and V6 engines, with four- and five-speed automatics as well as a rare five-speed manual. Even though the second-generation V6 model only produced 210 hp, Toyota did offer a TRD supercharger kit on the first-generation car, which increased output to around 260 hp. Manual Solara models are not difficult to find for less than $10,000, but that TRD supercharger kit may be a different story.

The Chevy Monte Carlo was once a cool, rear-wheel-drive sports coupe, but over time it became softer and lost its RWD layout. The Monte Carlo was discontinued in 2007, but GM finished production strong with an LS4-powered SS model with 303 hp. It was still front-wheel-drive, and the power went out through a lackluster four-speed automatic. It may not be a great sports car, but the Monte Carlo SS is a comfortable coupe that can now be found between $5,000 and $13,000.

Volvo's Polestar brand is about to reveal an awesome 600-hp luxury coupe, but the Volvo brand itself has been without a two-door model since 2013 when the C70 went out of production. Most people remember the second generation C70, which was only available as a hardtop convertible. The first generation C70 was sold as a coupe from 1997 to 2002 with a range of turbocharged five-cylinder engines, and only 135 manual models made their way to the US. C70 Coupes are increasingly rare, but can be found for less than $4,000.

The Subaru SVX (also called the Alcyone SVX in Japan) is one of the strangest cars on this list. The SVX was built from 1991 to 1996 and has mainly been forgotten even though it was designed by Giugiaro. Powering the car was a 3.3-liter boxer flat-six producing 236 hp going out to all-wheel drive. Enthusiasts shunned the SVX because it only came with a four-speed automatic, but it is a comfortable daily driver that will garner plenty of attention. Used prices range between $5,000 and $10,000 depending on condition and mileage.