Nothing about the terms “luxury” and “performance” brings to mind affordability when car shopping. However, not every performance luxury car needs to drain your bank account with ownership costs. Here are Kelley Blue Book’s (KBB’s) picks for the cheapest performance luxury cars, like the BMW M3 and Porsche Taycan. 

• BMW M3
• Porsche Taycan
• Audi S6
• Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo

Is a BMW M3 worth buying?

The BMW M3 is a staple in European performance luxury cars, and the latest iteration is no different. The 2022 BMW M3 offers a responsive 473-horsepower six-cylinder engine with not one but two turbochargers. That’s sufficient to launch you and your shopping haul to sixty in just 4.1 seconds. However, opting for the M3 Competition will drop that number down to 3.8 seconds. 

Still, KBB says that even with the volcanic performance, the M3 is the cheapest luxury performance car to own. The German sedan has a five-year cost to own of $79,565, with the lowest depreciation in the segment. However, you’ll have to coexist with the controversial front fascia. 

What is the cheapest Porsche Taycan?

The entry-level Porsche Taycan Standard has a starting price of $84,050. While that may seem like quite a price tag, it gets you into an all-electric Porsche with seating for four. KBB says that the Taycan has a five-year cost of $82,056, putting it behind the BMW M3 but ahead of much of the segment. However, the real savings over the BMW is in the fuel costs; the Taycan could save you around $10,000 over the M3 in five years. 

How much does a 2022 Audi S6 cost?

A 2022 Audi S6 starts at $75,895 and goes up with the Prestige trim. According to KBB, the S6 has a five-year cost of $88,995. That puts it in third place on KBB’s list of the cheapest performance luxury cars on sale today. Depreciation is part of that high ownership cost; the S6 will depreciate around $48,398 in the first five years. 

Is the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo worth it?

The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo is the wagon variant of the Taycan, Porsche’s electric luxury sedan. According to Car and Driver, the 2022 Cross Turismo starts at $95,050, quite a bit more than the BMW M3 or non-wagon Taycan. As far as cost-to-own, the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo rounds out the list of the most affordable luxury performance cars to own. However, the Cross Turismo does depreciate quite a bit more than any other car on this list, to the tune of $56,431 in five years. 

Should you buy a BMW M3 or one of the other cheapest luxury performance cars?

The 2022 BMW M3 seamlessly marries performance, luxury, and pedigree if you can live with the looks. Also, with a starting price of $79,565, the powerful Bimmer ticks many boxes better than cars that cost nearly $100,000. However, if money isn’t an option, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S will obliterate a sprint to sixty in just 2.6 seconds. 

That said, a Turbo S will demand a starting price of $186,350. Ouch. Scroll down to the following article to read about luxury cars!