5 Affordable RWD Coupes with Grand Tourer Qualities

A GT car serves a single, spectacular purpose. Waft its driver across great distances in comfort with the ability to swallow up enough baggage for a weekend away. Oh yeah, and it must be able to induce smiles at a moment’s notice and a stab of the throttle. More often than not, we associate specific brands with grand touring cars, like James Bond’s perennial favorite: Aston Martin. But that doesn’t mean the automaker most beloved by Agent 007 has a monopoly on all things GT—far from it.

Most automakers bookend the GT car segment. They either build sharp, two-seater sports cars or four-door, family-hauling passenger cars. As a result, many marques neglect to build distance-devouring coupes with grand touring acumen. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck if you want a two-door, continent-crushing grand tourer. Each of these athletic, rear-wheel drive coupes can tick your GT car boxes and light their rear tires upon request. Better yet, all of them will do the deed without demanding Aston Martin prices.

2026 Nissan Z Sport

Starting Price: $44,165

Nissan 

I know, I know. “Sport” is right there in the name. But, unlike smaller sports coupes (looking at you, Toyota GR86, Subaru BRZ, and Mazda MX-5), the 2026 Nissan Z Sport boasts more aptitude for GT car work. Most notably, the Z Sport, even at the base trim level, packs a furious twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. That mill is good for 400 horsepower, and 420 if you stretch to the track-focused Z NISMO trim.

Nissan

However, drivers looking for that reasonably priced grand tourer will want to stick with the Sport or Performance trims. Unlike the comparable and razor-sharp Toyota GR Supra, the Nissan Z’s standard-configuration suspension is a bit on the softer side. I found the Z NISMO’s rock-hard suspension to be happiest on the track, and altogether displeased with daily driver work. The Z Sport, on the other hand, does a much better job of soaking up imperfections, all the while offering instant gratification with the application of the throttle. Oh, and you can have it with a six-speed manual transmission. Who says your mile-crushing GT car companion can’t be fun, too?

2026 Nissan Z Sport Specs

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2026 Ford Mustang GT

Starting Price: $48,555

Ford

Everyone has a silly opinion about the Ford Mustang. It eats crowds and parked cars when leaving car shows. It’s a pony car, not a muscle car. But, at its core, the 2026 Ford Mustang has what it takes to be an affordable grand tourer. For starters, the S650 Ford Mustang GT packs a naturally aspirated V8 that sends power to the rear wheels. That’s the sort of powerplant you’d find under the bonnet of several past GT car staples, like the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and Jaguar XK X150.

Ford

Add an optional six-speed manual, and the Mustang is still fun, seven generations in. That said, the manual box is a Getrag unit with a spotty history— getting a TREMEC requires stretching to the pricier Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Still, even without the Dark Horse treatment, the Mustang GT’s 5.0-liter Coyote V8 produces a muscular 486 horsepower if you add Ford’s optional performance exhaust to the mix. Additionally, with up to 13.3 cubic feet of cargo volume and (tight) rear seats, a V8-powered Ford Mustang will happily accommodate a weekend away. Better still, opting for the GT Premium might add $4,520, but it also adds leather-wrapped refinement to the Mustang’s interior. The FX Package takes things even further for 2026, adding retro touches like plaid seat inserts.

2026 Ford Mustang GT Specs

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2025 Lexus RC 350

Starting Price: $49,725

Lexus

This is it. The Lexus RC will be no more after the 2025 model year. That leaves one last chance for Lexus fans to snag the brand’s most affordable coupe before it’s put out to pasture with the Porsche 718 Cayman and other discontinued models. In the meantime, though, buyers can still get a Lexus RC 350 and its 311-horsepower 3.5-liter V6. The naturally aspirated six-cylinder mill might not produce Mustang GT numbers, but it does motivate the posh Lexus coupe enough to qualify for GT car status. After all, a good GT car should offer an element of comfort and luxury– and the Lexus RC 350 does just that.

On the inside, the 2025 Lexus RC 350 is comfortable, isolated, and opulent beyond its starting price tag. Noise insulation is excellent, making for a serene, comfortable environment at highway speeds for hours on end. As for the ride, the Lexus RC soaks up imperfections in the road with aplomb. Granted, at around 10 cubic feet, cargo capacity isn’t exactly cavernous. However, occupants can fold down the rear seats to open up that much more space. Even without a big V8 under the hood, the Lexus RC ticks the rear-wheel-drive GT car boxes.

2025 Lexus RC 350 Specs

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2026 Dodge Charger R/T SIXPACK

Starting Price: $51,990

Dodge

Okay, so the 2026 Dodge Charger isn’t exactly, well, rear-wheel drive. Every gas-powered Charger rides on a standard all-wheel drive. There is, however, a caveat. Drivers seeking some tail-happy shenanigans can select the rear-wheel drive mode. Doing so turns the Dodge Charger R/T SIXPACK into a light-the-rear-tires affair. And under the hood? Dodge calls it a “Hurricane.” Don’t expect an eight-cylinder Hemi, though. In the entry-level SIXPACK S.O., the twin-turbocharged inline-six produces 420 horsepower, more than the previous generation, V8-powered Charger R/T. As such, Dodge estimates that the less potent six-cylinder Charger will hit 60 mph in around 5.0 seconds. The “High Output” model, on the other hand, will do the deed in 3.9 seconds.

Dodge

While some rigid fans won’t call the six-cylinder Dodge Charger a muscle car, the coupe’s dimensions say otherwise. Too big for the traditional sports car crowd, the Charger R/T SIXPACK has seating for five and a generous trunk. It’s more than enough to pack for a road trip states away from home. That said, speed fanatics with bragging rights in mind will have to stretch to the Charger Scat Pack SIXPACK and its 550-horsepower SIXPACK H.O. inline-six.

2026 Dodge Charger R/T SIXPACK Specs

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2026 BMW 430i Coupe

Starting Price: $53,775

BMW

The BMW 4 Series is into its second generation now, and the G22 4 Series remains one of the ultimate examples of an entry-level GT car. Granted, the cost of entry is a bit higher than that of a Ford Mustang or Lexus RC. The 2026 BMW 430i starts at around $53,775, and for that money, you don’t get one of BMW’s characteristic inline-six-cylinder engines. Still, the BMW 430i’s 255-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four and 48-volt hybrid system are good for up to 36 MPG on the highway. Not a bad number for a grand tourer with its sights set on long trips.

BMW

In addition to a dainty appetite for fuel, the four-cylinder 4 Series boasts a tastefully appointed interior. The coupe sibling to the tenured BMW 3 Series also offers enough cargo space for grocery runs, road trips, and everything in between– even without four doors. Of course, driving enthusiasts will almost certainly find more pleasure with the gutsier BMW M440i and its 386-horsepower turbocharged inline-six. However, the six-cylinder 4 Series starts at $67,475, a whopping $13,700 premium over the four-pot model.

2026 BMW 430i Coupe Specs

Sources: Ford Motor Company, Edmunds, CarBuzz, Car and Driver, DodgeGarage