Check out the wonderful sub-£10k mile-munchers we found this week

The V10 engine is so often associated with rabid noise and F1-spec performance, which is what makes the C6-generation Audi S6 such a strange… experiment. Its 5.2-litre engine is borrowed from the Lamborghini Gallardo, but you’d struggle to tell given its wildly differing demeanour. That's not to say it's lacking in either the noise or performance departments, though. Interested? Check out this estate version.

How satisfyingly clean is this 2010 Jaguar XFR? The navy blue body and red brake calipers are a pleasant change from the usual colours and combine quite brilliantly with the cream interior. Oh, it’s also got a big, shouty, supercharged 5.0-litre V8 to waft you around. Just be ready to see some truly comical economy figures, as the writer of this story - and XFR financial black hole victim - will attest.

It’s crazy that barely 10 years ago, the third-generation BMW 640d was selling for over sixty grand at dealerships. Thanks to the almighty depreciation of fast German coupes, they have now started to slip beneath the £10,000 mark - here’s a great example for proof.

We opted for the CL500 over a similar period S500 for two reasons: the first is that it’s much rarer, so it comes with a bit more novelty. The second is that this example has a smidge over 43,500 miles on the clock, which has been racked up by a single owner since it left the factory in 2007.

You’ll struggle to find a W12-powered Phaeton within this budget, but heck, the 3.0-litre V6 is probably a better option for touring anyway. This one is now up for the exact budget and has more tech inside it than the Millennium Falcon. Perhaps Han Solo should’ve opted for one of these instead?

Time to break up the list with a few curveballs, and the first is a car that’s relatively short on tech but extremely erm, long, on styling and desirability: the Alfa Romeo 156 GTA. The ‘GTA’ part in particular is important here because it means it’s equipped with a 3.2-litre six-cylinder engine that’ll sing quite the song. Also, it has those Teledial alloys. Want. Want. Want. Perhaps not for continent crossing, though.

Want more of a curveball? This is a 307bhp Cadillac CTS with less than 40,000 miles to its name for under six grand. Sure, the interior may be a little (no, a lot) dated now, but does that really matter when most people just use their phone as an infotainment system anyway? Get yourself a good phone mount and a charging cable. 

Well, it’s this or an early fifth-generation Quattroporte. The Coupe is a little more focused when compared to its four-door sibling, but it still retains that comfort and proper GT ability. While perhaps not a particularly handsome car, this example does look special thanks to its blue-on-white colour scheme and trident badge.

OK, so it’s a little over budget, but a 444bhp Audi RS5 for £12k? You’d be crazy not to. With a bit of TLC and a brand new coat of paint to give it some personality, this first-generation RS5 quite quickly turns into the perfect super saloon on a budget. If you ask nicely, the seller may even throw in the private plate, too…