Let’s face it; the idea of getting a great, sporty car often goes out of the window when you settle down and have a family. Instead of racing down the motorway with the engine roaring, you end up casually driving around town in a people carrier, right?
Well, it doesn’t have to be like that and you don’t have to give up the dream of a fast car.
There are plenty of sports saloons out there that can act as a middle ground between your innate desire for power and the necessities of safety and comfort for the family. So, we thought we would take a look at 9 of our favourite sports saloons, so that you can find the ideal car for both aspects of your life.
Mercedes-AMG C63 S
Starting off this list of sports saloons with a bang, we have the Mercedes-AMG C63 S. This beast of a car obviously comes with the prestige of Mercedes and AMG, but also has the power to back it up!
To start with, the C63 S replaces the 6.2 litre V8 that was first utilised in its predecessor with a twin-turbocharged V8. Don’t let that fool you though, the engine gives of a great level of power, meaning you’ll have all the speed you need when out on the motorway.
That said, the Mercedes-AMG C63 S also comes with a great deal of comfort thrown in for good measure. The interior of the car will have more than enough space for your family, no matter how old your kids are. The boot space is also rather large, so you’ll be able to fit your weekly shopping or a folding pushchair in there too.
With that in mind, it is pretty clear that the Mercedes-AMG C63 S manages to merge the need for speed with the need for practicality. But safety is also a concern when it comes to buying a new family car. Thankfully, the C63 S delivers there too, with all of the safety features you would expect and need.
If you have the cash, you can do a lot worse than getting the Mercedes-AMG C63 S as your next family car. But it also isn’t the only great option out there!
BMW M340i xDrive
Next up, we shift gears and look at the BMW M340i xDrive; their delightful and aggressive 369 bhp monster of a saloon car. It comes with a turbocharged straight six engine under the hood, ready to blast you down the M1, whilst also having the incredible all-wheel handling that you would expect from BMW.
This means that you can have fun on the long commute to work but then also keep your family safe on country roads during a day out with the kids.
Speaking of handling and safety, the BMW M340i xDrive features M Sport suspension that is adaptively damped as standard, meaning that the car has been specifically tuned to go beyond the standards set by the regular 3-series models. So you can feel completely assured that your family will have a comfortable and secure ride.
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
Jumping over to Italy next, it’s time for us to look at the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. Once again, we’ll start with the engine because, let’s be realistic, if the engine didn’t matter to you then you wouldn’t be looking at sports saloons in the first place.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio comes equipped with a turbocharged V6 from none other than Ferrari! If that doesn’t immediately whet your whistle, then nothing will. Sure, it may not be quite as powerful as Mercedes-AMG C63 S, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio’s engine definitely boasted a strong heritage and more than enough BHP to get your heart racing.
Despite that, the Giulia Quadrifoglio’s handling is more than up to scratch too! Described by some as “balanced and sports-car-like”, it has been designed to take corners as smoothly as a knife cuts through butter. Yet, at the same time, the engagement you get from the road is through the roof, so you’ll be able to enjoy each and every journey – be it with your family or on your own.
Jaguar XF 3.0D S
Jaguar are world renowned for their sporting achievements and reputation. With a heritage built on large engines and rear-wheel drive saloons, the name is almost synonymous with sport saloons. With cars like the XJ becoming so big that it barely even counts as a sports saloon anymore, that offering has dwindled though.
Thankfully, there is still the 3 litre Jaguar XF out there for all of you sports saloon enthusiasts. The XF 3.0 D S comes equipped with a monstrous turbodiesel V6 engine but also the handling you would expect from a manufacturer such as Jaguar.
The intuitive steering means that you can easily take corners on winding roads, whilst the engine size allows you to put your foot down on straights. Admittedly, there may be a little less room in the XF 3.0 D S for things like pushchairs, but for a family where the kids are a little older, it can be a wonderful car! Plus, your kids will love pulling up to school in something as flashy as a Jaguar.
BMW M5 Competition
Diving back into BMW’s offerings in the sports saloon category, the M5 is one of the most well known saloon cars out there. If you’ve ever been a fan of BMW, you will know the 5 series without fail. However, BMW did eventually decide to drop sales of the standard edition of the M5 in the UK. Instead, it was replaced with the most beastly M5 Competition variant.
One of the key changes between the standard M5 and the BMW M5 Competition is the overhaul of the suspension. From lowering the springs to stiffening them too, as well as adding in increased negative wheel camber at the front of the car, BMW improved the handling of the M5 Competition massively. Adding even more to the safety and handling of this animal, BMW fitted brand new anti-roll bar mounting and a rigid rear suspension to make sure that you and your family will always be safe when driving around in the M5 Competition.
Of course, there is also the luxury aspect of the M5 Competition that is simply inherent with a BMW. Your family will be able to ride in style and comfort, with all of the added features and play things that they could possibly want.
As such, the BMW M5 Competition is definitely one of our picks for the best sports saloons for you and your family. Managing to tick all of the boxes for fun and family can be a difficult task, but the M5 Competition certainly manages it!
Audi S4 TDI Quattro
Looking back, it is rather intriguing to think that the S-series of Audi cars, especially the so-called “S-express” range, were considered business cars not too long ago. These days, Audi have completely overhauled that idea and focus, turning the range of cars into sporting derivatives.
One such switch over came with the Audi S4. The S4 TDI Quattro pretty much exemplifies the term “sports saloon” at this point. The turbocharged 3.0 litre V6 diesel engine comes with a 48-volt electrical architecture, meaning that it can produce up to 342 BHP. With that power, the S4 TDI Quattro can race off the mark, meaning the morning commute to work becomes nothing but a minor inconvenience.
In fact, the Audi S4 TDI Quattro boasts an acceleration from 0 to 60mph in just 4.6 seconds. This is thanks to the so-called “launch control system”, a system built into the car that helps control the torque to enable you to have full acceleration.
So, as you can see, the S4 TDI Quattro really does live up to the moniker of “sports saloon”, absolutely providing you with the speed and power you crave whilst also giving your family the room for everything they need too.
Alpina B7
Are you looking more for a comfortable and understated vehicle that hides a monster under the skin? If so, then the Alpina B7 might be the perfect car for you. Considered a “luxury performance limo” by some, the Alpina B7 will roar out of the garage with it’s 600 bhp, turning heads despite its subtle style.
On top of this, the Alpina B7 features a number of tweaks and improvements over it’s smaller brethren, the B5. With the addition and upgrade of new twin-scroll turbocharges, as well as better intercoolers and improved engine management systems, the Alpina B7 is more than just a step above the B5 – it’s already racing three flights of stairs ahead!
The B7 also features, as standard, height-adjustable air suspension and active anti-roll bars, sharpening the handling and making it a great choice for those long drives for family staycations. So whilst it may not be the most flashy on this list in terms of body styling, underneath the skin there’s a wild animal ready to let rip on the roads!
Peugeot 508 GT
This next entry might be a surprising one for you, as Peugeot don’t really have a reputation for sporty vehicles, especially sports saloons. However, the Peugeot 508 does have the GT variant that offers up 222 bhp, which isn’t something to be ignored. Sure, it may not be close to the engine sizes and horsepower of other cars on this list, but that’s not really where the focus on the Peugeot 508 GT is.
The car has a sportier engine than other 508 variants, to help quench your thirst for speed, but the main aspect of the 508 GT is the fact that it mixes this with handling and comfort exceedingly well. The GT series have been designed to really appeal to the driver through their handling, giving you just the right level of feedback from the road at all times.
This then has the secondary benefit of meaning you feel more in control of the car when your family is in the back seat. That way, your family can come along for the ride without worrying too much about you putting your foot down that little bit more than normal!
Tesla Model S Performance
What list of sports saloons would be complete without the Tesla Model S in them? Especially when there is the Model S Performance variant out there.
It is still strange to think that, at the time of writing this, the Tesla Model S has been around for just over 8 years. In that time, we have seen constant updates and upgrades, and the Model S Performance is no exception. The current variation of this electric monster gives you a car with more than 600 bhp but zero emissions. That is, to this date, still astonishing.
The battery life of the Tesla Model S Performance typically lasts for up to 400 miles and the car can accelerate from 0 to 60 in just 3 seconds on a full charge! Considering the fact that it is an electric car, that is incredible.
Plus, when it comes to family road trips, you’ll like have one of the most calm and relaxing journeys possible in a Model S Performance. Why? Well, Tesla fill their vehicles with so many gadgets and entertainment systems that everyone can enjoy themselves when inside it. At one point, they even managed to install video games onto the car’s systems!
So, if you regularly go for family trips and find yourself putting up with the kids getting bored, that could be reason enough to upgrade to a Tesla Model S Performance.
Getting Yourself A Sports Saloon
Well, there you have it. Those were 9 of our favourite sports saloons that are out on the market right now. Each one has its merits, but there is one downside to all of them – the cost.
Buying one of these sports saloons outright with cash would be a tall order. However, you could always look into a car lease. Through a car lease, you could be driving any one of these cars extremely soon, with much lower monthly payments than other finance options. So why not take a look at the car lease deals we have listed here and see if you can find one that suits you and your family as much as a sports saloon would?