{"id":57785,"date":"2022-09-07T23:11:32","date_gmt":"2022-09-08T03:11:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/motor-junkie.com\/?p=57785"},"modified":"2022-09-17T11:36:32","modified_gmt":"2022-09-17T15:36:32","slug":"best-of-the-best-the-greatest-sports-cars-of-all-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.motor-junkie.com\/best-of-the-best-the-greatest-sports-cars-of-all-time\/57785\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Of The Best: The Greatest Sports Cars Of All Time"},"content":{"rendered":"
It’s unclear who built the first sports car, and when. The need for speed has been around since the dawn of cars. People soon started to recognize performance machines and the passion behind their engineering. During the 1950s and ’60s, the sports car market exploded, eventually giving birth to the greatest sports cars of all time.<\/p>\n
Today, after so many sports cars<\/a> have graced race circuits and streets, we can safely say that those machines created the automotive community. They inspired and excited so many drivers around the world. The sports car scene consists of expensive and affordable machines. Below are the most influential sports cars that will go down as the best in automotive history. These are the true greats, so remember them fondly right here.<\/p>\n The early 2000s supercar boost motivated many manufacturers to offer exotic cars, introduce new models, and revive old legendary names. Ford jumped on the bandwagon with a new retro-styled supercar simply called the GT, It was a clear and obvious successor to the fantastic Le Mans-winning GT40 from the late ’60s (via Auto Evolution<\/a>).<\/p>\n The heart of the Ford GT is Ford’s fabulous 5.4-liter supercharged V8 with 550 HP. The GT was capable of achieving a 0 to 60 mph time of just 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 205 mph. Although the Ford GT wasn’t constructed or designed with racing in mind, the car proved quite capable on the track in the hands of private teams.<\/p>\n The 3000 GT is another 1990s legend<\/a> forgotten by mainstream sports car enthusiasts, which is a shame. With pop-up headlights, rear panorama glass, and a big spoiler, the 3000 GT screams early ’90s car design. But there is much more about this car than contemporary nostalgia since it’s one serious driving machine (via Auto Evolution<\/a>).<\/p>\n Under the hood is a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 with 300 HP, which sends power to all four wheels over an intelligent AWD system. Maintenance can be expensive since the car<\/a> is an authentic technological tour de force, but we believe it’s well worth the trouble for the 3000GT. This small two-seater is one of the most recognizable wedge-shaped cars ever<\/a>. In the mid-’70s, Lancia wanted to go rally racing and made their first purpose-built rally car in the form of the Stratos (via Lancia Stratos<\/a>).<\/p>\n However, they had the design, not the engine, so the company borrowed a compact V6 from Ferrari. Lancia powered by Ferrari created a legend and became world champion in 1977. The Stratos combined several essential factors to be recognized as a nearly perfect driver’s car.<\/p>\n This little sports coupe has a signature flat-four engine that delivers 205 HP from 2.0 liters. The BRZ is a light and nimble coupe whose secret is in the engine’s position. Since Subaru uses a flat-four engine, the center of gravity is lower than regular inline four-cylinder motors (via Motor Trend<\/a>).<\/p>\n A lower center of gravity plants the car to the ground, improving the driving dynamics. This makes the BRZ easier to handle. It also has a six-speed manual gearbox, which helps the BRZ deliver a lively performance and engaging drive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When the Elise was introduced in 1996, it made a huge splash in the automotive world<\/a>. Such a compact yet beautiful roadster with a lightweight body and precise handling was unique on the market and influenced many big manufacturers to produce similar models (via Evo<\/a>).<\/p>\n The Lotus perfectly captured the essence of sports car dynamics and introduced it in a sleek and balanced package. The early models had a mid-mounted 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine<\/a> and just over 100 HP, but that was more than enough for a lively performance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The sports car world<\/a> was stunned when Audi presented the first-generation R8. Nobody expected such a bold move from Audi and a great sports car. The Audi R8 is a supercar with its mid-mounted V8 engine and design but at sports car prices that make it available to a broader audience (via Audi<\/a>).<\/p>\n The engine is a true art piece. It is a naturally aspirated 4.2 liter V8 with 420 HP. Packed in a lightweight body and mated to a perfect dual-clutch gearbox, the R8’s V8 was capable of attacking some Italian exotics with no problem.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Back in the mid-’80s, Toyota shocked the auto world<\/a> by introducing the MR2, a small mid-engined sports car with outstanding performance. The MR-2 also brought excellent road holding and an affordable price into the fold. In those days and today, Toyota was considered a dull manufacturer of economy models without any interesting cars for enthusiasts (via Toyota<\/a>).<\/p>\n The MR2 changed all that since it was different from other Toyota models and appealed to all fans of spirited driving and dynamic handling. The first generation MR2 was introduced in 1984. It featured 1.5-liter and 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines mounted centrally behind the driver and between the cabin and rear axle, which gave this little car fantastic handling.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The 1985-87 Nissan MID 4 is a courageous and competent mid-engine sports car concept<\/a> that unfortunately didn’t become a production model. Even though it’s mostly forgotten today, it is still a fascinating piece of engineering that deserves a better look (via Motor Trend<\/a>).<\/p>\n The MID 4 had a mid-mounted 3.0-liter V6 engine with around 200 HP, all-wheel drive, and a nearly perfect weight balance. Nissan envisioned it to fight sports cars from Ferrari and Porsche. Unfortunately, the company pulled the plug at the last moment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Back in the ’60s, the biggest<\/a> news amongst car engineers was the Wankel rotary engine. The innovative concept of a single piston engine, which was far lighter and smaller than conventional units but with more power and revving capacity, captivated several significant manufacturers’ imaginations (via Auto Week<\/a>).<\/p>\n One of the first companies that were brave and confident enough to introduce such an engine in mass production was Mazda with a little sports coupe called 110 S Cosmo, which debuted in 1967. It was a sharp-looking two-seater with a modern design and a tiny 982 cc engine with 110 or 130 HP in later versions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Back in the mid-’80s, motorsports were all about rallying and the famous, dangerous Group B. Group B was a part of the World Rally Championship, which featured factory prototypes loosely based on production cars<\/a> with insane turbocharged engines and all-wheel-drive systems. The vehicles were dangerous but still much-loved by fans worldwide (via Road and Track<\/a>).<\/p>\n One of the most prominent was the wild and crazy Ford RS200. Ford introduced<\/a> it in 1984 as a mid-engine, turbocharged sports car. It featured lightweight body construction, a 2.1-liter engine with 250 HP, and two seats. Thanks to the all-wheel drive, it was capable of jumping from 0 to 60 mph in just five seconds.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This car was introduced in 1967 and turned the eyes of the car world to a small company from war-torn Japan. All car magazines of the period praised the ride and driving dynamics. Despite having only 150 HP from a high-revving 2.0-liter six-cylinder, the 2000 GT had decent performance and almost racecar-like handling (via Toyota<\/a>).<\/p>\n Unfortunately, due to high prices and poor brand recognition, the number of 2000 GTs sold was very low – exactly 351 cars until 1970. But, we couldn’t call it a failure. The 2000 GT did precisely what it was supposed to do; it showed the world that the Japanese car<\/a> industry was the next big thing in the car landscape.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Japanese brands dominated the market for affordable performance models in the early ’80s. The CRX is the perfect example of one of the most memorable cars<\/a> from that era. Built from 1983 to 1991, the CRX was based on the Civic but with a lower and sportier body and only two seats. Since it was light, nimble, and precise, the CRX was a real sports car with front-wheel drive and up to 140 HP (via Road and Track<\/a>).<\/p>\n This model’s most significant selling points were its extremely light body, as the whole car weighed 1,800 pounds and a high-revving four-cylinder engine. Honda never repeated the success of the CRX, and the car is still remembered by enthusiasts<\/a> as a blast to drive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Dino was a big step for Ferrari even if it was the smallest model they had ever made. Introduced in the mid-’60s as the 206 Dino, it was an entry-level model with a V6 engine. Purists were outraged since this was the first sports car Ferrari made without the big V12 engine (via Ferrari<\/a>).<\/p>\n The 246 Dino was introduced in 1968, and sales picked up, making this little car responsible for financial stability, which Ferrari always needed. But most of all, Dino was a blast to drive even though it had a smaller engine with fewer cylinders. This car showed that sometimes, less is more.<\/p>\n This forgotten gem from Stuttgart is one of the best affordable sports cars<\/a> you can buy. Designed as an entry-level Porsche, the 944 had an attractive layout with a front-mounted engine and rear-mounted transaxle gearbox (via Porsche<\/a>).<\/p>\n It also had a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine that put out 250 HP. Due to its light weight, good transmission, and aerodynamics, the 944 Turbo was a fast car. The 0 to 60 mph time took only 5.9 seconds, and this car could top 162 mph. Even today, this little Porsche can outrun some modern sports cars.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The predecessor to the legendary Porsche 911, the 356, was the first proper sports car that<\/a> the iconic company produced. Introduced in 1948 and sold until 1965, the Porsche 356 had a four-cylinder boxer engine closely related to Volkswagen Beetle and T1 Van engines.<\/p>\n However, Porsche tuned this motor to produce much higher output and won numerous races with it. As you can expect, the flat-four sounded angry and aggressive even though it made modest power compared to later Porsche models (via Porsche<\/a>).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The 037 model was a pure racing car<\/a> with a mid-mounted supercharged engine delivering up to 350 HP in full racing spec. However, to homologate this car for the infamous Group B rally series in 1982, Lancia needed to produce at least 200 road-going examples, so the 037 Stradale was introduced later that year (via Motori Online<\/a>).<\/p>\n This street-legal car was almost as extreme as the racing model. The Stradale featured a lightweight plastic body, mid-mounted 2.0 or 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine with up to 280 HP depending on the tune. However, most components were unchanged. The Stradale still got stiff suspension, Spartan interior, racing seats, plastic windows, and much more.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you know a thing or two about Japanese sports cars, you’ll understand that the RX-7 has a special place in the nomenclature of performance cars from the “land of the rising Sun”. The reason is the engine, and in contrast to all other vehicles on the market with conventional piston engines, RX-7 had a rotary Wankel engine from the beginning (via Evo<\/a>).<\/p>\n The third generation was presented in 1992 and discontinued in 2002. It had from 252 to 276 HP and strong performance thanks to its small weight and perfect balance. They are still affordable today, so hurry up.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Car enthusiasts<\/a> respect this model since the 300 ZX was a proper sports coupe with the technology and performance which could rival much more expensive and exclusive cars. The twin-turbo V6 engine pumped 300 HP. That meant the 300 ZX could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds and top 150 mph (via Car and Driver<\/a>).<\/p>\n Since the ’90s, Japanese cars are slowly becoming more desirable. If you’re looking for a Nissan 300 ZX, you should find one as soon as possible since its value could skyrocket sometime soon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Esprit was produced from the early 1970s to the early 2000s. It was always a fantastic sports car despite having smaller engines than the competitors. The last and the best version was the V8, which featured 350 HP and a lightweight body that could outrun many competitors while retaining its classic wedge look (via Supercars<\/a>).<\/p>\n The 3.5-liter V8 wasn’t particularly powerful compared to modern cars<\/a>, but it was installed in a light and aerodynamically efficient body, making the Esprit V8 a blast to drive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Alpine A110 is a small, lightweight sports coupe with a rear-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive. It provides driving excitement and unparalleled road holding. That was the idea behind the new Alpine A110 (via Top Gear<\/a>).<\/p>\n This small coupe weighs just over a ton and has a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder behind the driver powering the rear wheels. The power is adequate at 252 HP through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Most models produced in recent years are well known and sold in the U.S. However, there are a few models that flew under the radar. In fact, they never reached our shores, despite being fast. One of those cars is the Noble M600 (via Noble Cars<\/a>).<\/p>\n Using a 4.4-liter V8 from Volvo and bolting two turbochargers on it, Noble managed to squeeze 550 or 650 HP in a lightweight, sleek body. The idea behind the M600 was to produce a pure supercar without unnecessary electronic aids. Using all 650 HP, the M600 can reach 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds and top out at over 220 mph.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the most iconic Italian sports coupes is the gorgeous Alfa Romeo Giulia Coupe, often called the Tipo 105 Coupe for its chassis code. Introduced in 1963 under Giulia Sprint GT, this little Alfa stunned the car world with its sculptured lines and perfect stance. Four headlights, wider tail lights, and a 2000 GTV badge can recognize the final versions.<\/p>\n These cars have 136 HP and a glorious soundtrack thanks to the high-revving, all alloy engine (via Petrolicious<\/a>). For a long time, Alfa Romeo Tipo 105 Coupes were pretty cheap, but the price spike has affected this model in recent years.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The successor of the groundbreaking 246 GT was the 308 GT4 Dino, produced from 1973 to 1980. The 308 GT4 featured several exciting things such as an angular design by Bertone, not from Pininfarina as expected.<\/p>\n It also boasted the first Ferrari road-going V8 engine and a 2+2 seating configuration to give it more space (via Ferrari<\/a>). It was also considerably cheaper when new and intended as a Ferrari for everyday use.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The GT6 project started in the mid-’60s when Triumph realized they needed a coupe version of their popular roadster. So, Triumph engineers installed a 2.0-liter six-cylinder engine with 106 HP, providing the GT6 with more power and performance than the similar Spitfire (via Auto Express<\/a>).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The GT6 was never as popular as the Spitfire, but it was arguably a better car and a cool-looking alternative to all other sports coupes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Back in 1967, Fiat introduced the Dino, a coupe and a convertible sports car that featured<\/a> a Ferrari V6 engine straight from the 246 GT Dino. The coupe was designed by Bertone while Pininfarina styled the convertible. The two shared mechanics, motor, and performance, but the design was different (via FCA Heritage<\/a>).<\/p>\n The Fiat Dino Coupe was also officially sold in America, and one can be found in classified ads for as little as $15,000. That’s simply the cheapest way to own a piece of Ferrari magic for Ford Fiesta prices. Also, look for the later 2.4-liter V6 version since it’s better and faster than the earlier 2.0-liter model.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is quite possibly the craziest car on sale today<\/a> you can put license plates on. The Ariel Atom 500 V8 weighs 1200 pounds and has 500 hp from a V8 engine mounted directly behind the driver.<\/p>\n The car is a Go-Kart with a spoiler, some place for two people, no trunk, no body panels, and no fenders (via Arielna<\/a>). This amazing car is basically a bare chassis, a screaming V8 right behind you, 500 angry horses, a seven-speed sequential gearbox, and four tires.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In 2013, Alfa Romeo introduced the 4C. Nobody expected a car like this from Alfa Romeo. The 4C was a “junior supercar” with a carbon fiber tub, lightweight construction, a cramped interior, and a four-cylinder turbocharged engine (via Car and Driver<\/a>).<\/p>\n The heart of the 4C is a tiny, 1.8-liter engine with a turbocharger that delivers 238 HP to the rear wheels. The performance numbers are impressive. The Alfa Romeo 4C can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and top 160 mph.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This Honda model was a legitimate driver’s car<\/a> with all the essential features like lightweight construction, ideal weight distribution, a powerful engine, and razor-sharp handling in an elegant open-top package.<\/p>\n Under the hood was a 2.0 or 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine with 240 HP, which was the car’s main selling<\/a> point. Its gem of an engine featured a 9000 rpm red line, four valves per cylinder, and famous Honda’s V-Tec system, which provided all the power in high RPMs and a fantastic screaming sound (via Car Throttle<\/a>).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the most popular and typical British roadsters from the ’60s is the MG B. Introduced in 1962, B was the successor of MG A, which helped establish the roadster class in the US. By the day’s standards, MG B was a reasonably modern car with unibody construction, a roomy interior, and decent suspension and steering (via Hemmings<\/a>).<\/p>\n Some of the contemporary tests call MG B underpowered and 95 HP, but for those who want more power, MG introduced the model C with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder and 145 HP and the MG B GT with a 3.5-liter V8 engine available only in coupe form. The best thing about the MG B is that this is a simple car to maintain.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The TR6 was a successor to TR5 and US-market-only TR250, which all shared basic construction, dimensions, and design. The TR6 was introduced in 1968 and featured disc brakes, an independent suspension, and a 2.5-liter straight six engine with 145 HP. Thanks to the weight of just under 2200 lbs., the TR6 was pretty agile and was amongst the fastest power roadsters on the market in the late ’60s (via Auto Express<\/a>).<\/p>\n Production ended in 1976 after more than 90,000 were made, and today TR6 is a popular choice for classic roadster fans<\/a> that want old-school looks and feel but with decent performance and speed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The 928 was a Gran Turismo coupe with a powerful V8 engine in the front, a transaxle gearbox, ideal weight distribution, intelligent suspension, and space age design. In contrast to the 911, which still had some Volkswagen Beetle cues, the 928 looked like it came from another planet (via Porsche<\/a>).<\/p>\n For decades this model was in the shadow of the famous 911, but recently people started realizing just how good those coupes are. And, of course, prices started going up.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the newest and most exclusive American sports cars<\/a> is a new and sophisticated Equus Throwback. Under the highly-stylized body lies the Corvette C7 chassis and components. But Equus decided to improve every aspect of the car, from the suspension to its brakes, engine, and gearbox (via Road and Track<\/a>).<\/p>\n According to the press release, Throwback is available with an optional 1000 HP engine which gives the car 0 to 60 mph time of only 2.5 seconds and a top speed of over 220 mph.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Daytona debuted in 1968 as an essential Ferrari and advanced sports car. It featured four camshafts on an upgraded V12 engine, and an independent rear suspension (via Ferrari<\/a>).<\/p>\nFord GT<\/h2>\n
Mitsubishi 3000 GT<\/h2>\n
\n<\/p>\nLancia Stratos<\/h2>\n
Subaru BRZ<\/h2>\n
Lotus Elise<\/h2>\n
Audi R8<\/h2>\n
Toyota MR2<\/h2>\n
Nissan MID-4<\/h2>\n
Mazda 1100 Cosmo<\/h2>\n
Ford RS200<\/h2>\n
Toyota 2000 GT<\/h2>\n
Honda CRX<\/h2>\n
Ferrari 246 GT Dino<\/h2>\n
Porsche 944 Turbo<\/h2>\n
Porsche 356<\/h2>\n
Lancia 037 Stradale<\/h2>\n
Mazda RX-7<\/h2>\n
Nissan ZX 300 Twin Turbo<\/h2>\n
Lotus Espirit V8<\/h2>\n
Alpine A110<\/h2>\n
Noble M600<\/h2>\n
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV<\/h2>\n
Ferrari 308 GTB<\/h2>\n
Triumph GT6<\/h2>\n
Fiat Dino Coupe<\/h2>\n
Ariel Atom 500<\/h2>\n
Alfa Romeo 4C<\/h2>\n
Honda S2000<\/h2>\n
MG B<\/h2>\n
Triumph TR6<\/h2>\n
Porsche 928<\/h2>\n
Equus Throwback<\/h2>\n
Ferrari 365 GTB\/4 Daytona<\/h2>\n