I’ll be the first to admit, I often catch myself daydreaming while flipping through pages of unobtainable supercars in the latest issue of Motor Trend and Car and Driver. While it’s satisfying to picture myself behind the wheel, the odds of one day taking ownership of one is less likely than scoring a date with Kate Upton.

Instead, I’ll have to settle for a 1:18 scale diecast model of the car on eBay or a new poster to hang in the man cave. Now that’s great and all, but what about taking my new Ferrari 458 Italia for a test drive? 

I fire up the Playstation and start button smashing on Gran Turismo of course! And just when you thought I didn’t have all of my bases covered…

While this lifestyle is certainly less damaging to my bank account, it never satisfies my craving to pilot a supercar. If you’re an automotive enthusiast like me, I’m willing to bet that you feel the same way.

Though many fail to realize it, you don’t have to have a six-figure income to score a set of keys. You don’t even have to be wealthy at all.

That’s because the C5 Corvette is one of Fast Lane’s best-kept secrets. It’s America’s most affordable blue-collar supercar and perhaps the best bang-for-your-buck value in the classic car industry.

You won’t have to take out a second mortgage on the house, and your children’s college education funds can remain completely intact. Best of all, you can drive away in one today for less than a loaded 2015 Toyota Camry. 

Tell the kids they can take the bus to school. Blame it on a midlife crisis! Regardless of your justification, the C5 Corvette is a stylish supercar that will surely turn heads wherever you drive it. That much is for sure.

A well-maintained C5 with its reliable and near-bulletproof 5.7-liter LS1 V8 requires far less maintenance than many of its foreign competitors. Not to mention, they’re extremely affordable to maintain if you have the self-discipline not to roast through a set of rear tires. Believe me, it’s easier to do than you think!

With 350 horsepower transmitted through a four-speed automatic or a smooth shifting six-speed manual, zero to 60 comes in just under five seconds and the quarter mile is completed in the low 13-second range. If that’s not enough for you, perhaps the track-ready Z06 is the C5 that best suits you.

A high-output LS6 with 405 horsepower lurks beneath the hood that pulls harder than an Iditarod-prepped Siberian Husky to the Z06’s 6500 rpm redline. With your neck pinned against the headrest, the speedometer registers 60 miles per hour in just four seconds flat and blazes through the quarter in 12.4 seconds according to Car and Driver. Its hydroformed box frame and race-inspired FE4 suspension enables the Z06 to stick to the pavement on a slalom course or even the curviest of highway entrance ramps. 

The C5 is available in a stylish coupe or soft-top convertible for summertime fun. Regardless of your choice, there will never be a dull moment in the driver’s seat. It might be time to cancel your magazine subscription, as the C5 Corvette could be the affordable supercar you’ve been looking for.