2020 McLaren 570S ($192,500)

The McLaren 570S is a rounded road and track weapon, and it's as fierce as it looks. On top of that, the starting price for the 570S makes it one of the best entry-level supercars around. Power comes from a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 562 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque, and, unlike the cars below, drives just the rear wheels. The downside is that it's not as plush of a daily driver as the R8. While the 570S is McLaren's most junior machine, forming the basis of the Sports Series and technically rivaling the Porsche 911, the performance on offer is definitely in supercar territory.

This McLaren is lighter than any of its rivals, just a little over 1,400kg, and this, combined with superb launch control, gives it immense sprinting ability. 0-60mph is done in just 3.1secs, 100mph in 6.3secs and top speed is 204mph. Those acceleration times? Identical to those achieved by the fearsome and fabled F1...

Audi R8 ($169,900)

If there is a quintessential entry-level supercar, it has to be the Audi R8. A mid-mounted 5.2-liter V10 Lamborghini-derived engine powers it, with the 'base model' developing 562 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque and sending it to all four corners. The R8 is easy to drive day to day, but it also offers plenty of grip for days on the track, and that engine will howl all the way up to 8,700 rpm and crack 200 mph on a long enough straight. For the traffic light racer, it'll also hit 0-60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, with top track speed of 320kmph . Topping the R8 off is a minimalist yet luxurious interior, while the exterior styling can be summed up in a single word: iconic.

Ferrari F8 Spider ($274,280)

Ferrari is a brand that is arguably as recognizable as Coca-Cola. It's the ultimate supercar company, and although some may take issue with its impressive marketing and merchandising strategies, Ferrari still makes cars too, and brilliant ones at that. One of the latest is the F8 Spider, Maranello's answer to the McLaren 720S Spider and the Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder. With a 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8 born from the multiple-award-winning powerplant in the preceding 488 Spider, this 710-horsepower rear-wheel-drive drop-top is the ultimate compromise between hair-ruffling performance and Italian style. But still 720s Spider is arguably the best supercar in this bracket.

Lamborghini Huracan ($203,674)

Taking the baton from the most successful Lamborghini ever to be sold, the Gallardo, is a daunting task for the Lamborghini Huracan, launched in 2014. Luckily, all the right ingredients - and a host of new technologies - are there to make a fireball of a supercar. The Huracan is endowed with a 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine producing 602 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to all four wheels, but if you're after a purer experience than that offered in the LP610-4, the LP580-2 takes a cut in weight and power, producing 571 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque, sending all thrust to the rear wheels.

Corvette Stingray C8 ($58,900)

There have been long discussions around the office about whether the Corvette is a supercar for years. However, now that it has gone mid-engined, we can at least put the Corvette firmly in the entry-level supercar category. In the middle is a naturally aspirated V8 generating 490 horsepower (495 with the Z51 package) and 470 lb-ft of torque, the C8 still retains its heritage in the best ways. With top speed of 194mph, it goes 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds, although real-world tests have shown 2.8 seconds. On the road and track, the Corvette is already a serious contender, and before that we've even seen the forthcoming high-performance variants that will turn the Corvette into a supercar killer.