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I don’t have to tell you; eight-cylinder performance cars are a dying breed. Environmental concerns and the industry-wide acceptance that turbocharging and hybridization can replace displacement means fewer throaty V8s in the performance car market. Still, there are a few that not only defy the times; they do so without demanding six-figure starting prices. And if that’s bassy, petrol-powered music to your ears, these five vehicles represent the cheapest V8 cars of the 2024 model year.

The cheapest V8 cars of 2024 promise eight-cylinder, rear-wheel drive shenanigans with no less than 400 horsepower 

Model Starting price
2024 Chevrolet Camaro$40,395
2024 Ford Mustang GT$43,555
2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse$59,780
2024 Lexus IS 500$60,020
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray$69,995

Cue the collective sigh. It’s true; you can’t get a 2024-model year, V8-powered performance car in the American market for under $40,000. However, the doomed 2024 Chevrolet Camaro LT1 crosses the finish line with bragging rights. Specifically, the LT1 is the cheapest V8 car Americans can buy for the 2024 model year. The 455-horsepower, 6.2L V8 in the LT1 will outmuscle the previous generation Ford Mustang GT. Better yet, it will do so with a starting price of $40,395 (before delivery and dealer fees). Moreover, if the LT1 isn’t loaded enough for your liking, the 1SS has a similar starting price to the latest S650 Mustang GT.

A blue 2024 Ford Mustang GT, one of the cheapest V8 cars on the market, blasts down a city street.
2024 Ford Mustang GT | Ford

Tragically, the sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro is heading to discontinuation station following the 2024 model year. Conversely, the seventh-generation Ford Mustang got its start with the 2024 model. Better yet, the $43,555 Mustang GT is one of the cheapest V8 cars on the market. Furthermore, the 480-horsepower GT offers a performance exhaust option that pushes output to 486, the most powerful Mustang GT ever.

Still, if the rank-and-file Mustang GT isn’t enough, the range-topping Dark Horse starts at just under $60,000. Sure, the Dark Horse packs a 5.0L V8 like the GT. However, the Dark Horse produces a cool 500-horsepower, making it the most powerful V8-powered car under $73,000.

In a welcome bit of diversity among American nameplates, the 2024 Lexus IS 500 retains its naturally aspirated, 472-horsepower 5.0L V8 for the latest model year. Moreover, at $60,020, the luxurious Lexus performance sedan is one of the cheapest ways to get into a 2024-model year car with a thumping great V8.

No surprise here; the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is one of the most affordable V8 cars on the market. Specifically, the base model Corvette 1LT starts at $69,995 with the standard removable hardtop construction. However, adding a convertible hardtop to the 495-horsepower Corvette 1LT will set you back an extra $4,900.