We get it. The Porsche 911 is a great car. It has history, it’s fast, it drives supremely well, looks good, and will always impress a valet. For 2023, it gets an update to do everything better. But, we also know that a Porsche 911 isn’t for everyone.

Why is the Porsche 911 so loved?

The Porsche 911 gets so much love because, simply, it’s a great car. One of the major reasons Porschefiles love the car is because of its history. Since it debuted in 1964, the Porsche 911 has had the same shape and same configuration, with four seats, and a flat six-cylinder engine in the rear. Having the engine out back does a couple of things, it helps the steering feel because there’s no extra weight, and it helps the car put the power down because the weight is over the wheels.

The 911 also has decades of competition history that has endeared it to racing fans. Over the years, the car has grown into several versions and can be ordered as a grand tourer, a track day monster, or a top-down boulevard cruiser. Today’s  911 starts at $114,000, with top-line editions going for as much as $270,000 new.  For the rest of us, one of these six cars may fit the bill better than a $114,000 Stuttgart missile.

Chevrolet Corvette

We hear it all the time: no car brings more performance at this price point. A new Corvette Stingray starts at just $64,500, and that car comes with a 495-horsepower V8. The rattly interiors, stiff ride, and flimsy fiberglass bodies that these cars were known for were banished in 2000 with the introduction o the mid-engined C8. While the new car doesn’t have the classic long-nose short deck of every previous ‘Vette, it’s a lot more car for a lot less dough.

Aston Martin Vantage

Very few nameplates are as admired in rich-guy-land as Aston Martin. The Aston Martin Vantage matches the 911 in almost every way, except it has a giant V-8 (or v-12) up front with turbos that make 503 horsepower. Aston’s are also, well, stunning to behold with big wide haunches and long sleek hoods. Sure, it will cost you $165,000, but few cars make a statement like an Aston Martin Vantage, especially in Formula 1 racing green.

Jaguar F-Type

Like the Aston Martin, a Jaguar F-Type says something different about its owner. Though it looks a lot like the Aston, you can snag an F-Type R-Dynamic for $77,900 with a 450-horsepower 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 engine. If you need more power, and not many do, the F-Type R75 packs 567 horsepower from a supercharged version of the same engine. Inside is where the Jag shines, however, with rich leather, wood, and a very traditional layout certainly feels special.

BMW M4

Like the Porsche, the M Series cars from BMW have a competition history and a lot of history. Like other BMW competition cars, the M4 has a straight six, however, it’s mounted in the front.  The M4 puts down 473 horsepower and gets to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, per BMW.

Though you can daily drive a 911 and they’re comfortable for long drives, an M4 gets track-specific bits that make this a high-strung beast most suited to fast blasts in a canyon or a track day.

For those who want even more, though, the M4 CSL may be the hot ticket in M land.

Nissan GT-R

A Nissan in the same breath as a 911? You bet. The Nissan GT-R makes 565 horsepower, has all-wheel drive, a big blown V-6, and one of the most fun launch control systems ever, according to Car Throttle. Video game fans were introduced to the GTR in the 1990s and we begged Nissan to start importing the cars here. We finally got the GTR as a 2009 model.

Inside, the GR-R has an interior that’s befitting of a car that costs $116,000. For that, you get a world-class daily supercar that is comfortable, fast, and will shame many cars costing twice as much on the track.