30 Most Popular Sports Cars of All Time
The original sports cars date back to the 1900s, and over the years, these race-ready vehicles have evolved in both appearance and performance. With roots in Japan, Europe and right here in the U.S., many of these iconic sports cars became popular through performance, prestige and pop culture. If you’re an auto fanatic, check out some of the best sports cars of all time.
Acura NSX
Up until the Acura NSX’s introduction in 1990, exotic sports cars were solely a product of Europe. This Japanese car changed the sports car game by giving Ferrari and Porsche a run for their money.
Alfa Romeo 4C
Compared to many of the other cars on this list, the Alfa Romeo 4C is a newcomer — it debuted in 2015. However, the sports car earns its spot with a relatively affordable base price of $66,900, as well as the design and appearance of a much more expensive vehicle.
BMW M3 GTR
The BMW M3 GTR is the only car in motorsports to have won more titles than the Porsche 911, according to Unlimited Revs. It’s also the first BMW to feature a V-8 engine, according to BMWBlog. When it was released to the public in 2001, the car sold for 250,000 euros ($265,000) at the time.
Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4
“Top Gear” presenter Jeremy Clarkson declared the Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 “the greatest car ever made and the greatest car we will ever see in our lifetime.” In production from 2005 to 2011, this supercar can produce 1,000 horsepower, go from zero to 60 mph in 2.46 seconds and reach a top speed of 253 mph.
Chevrolet Corvette
The Corvette is known as “America’s sports car,” and it’s been in production pretty steadily for more than 60 years, CNBC reported.
Dodge Viper
The Dodge Viper remained in production for nearly two decades, from 1992 through 2010. This American sports car has no shortage of power, with a 400-horsepower, V-10 engine.
Ferrari 250 GTO
The Ferrari 250 GTO debuted in 1962. It was created by a team headed by automobile engineer Giotto Bizzarrini, and its lines were designed based on research conducted in wind tunnels.
Ferrari F40
The Ferrari F40, designed to celebrate Ferrari’s 40th anniversary, went into production in 1987. It was the fastest, most expensive car ever sold to the public at the time of its debut, according to Unlimited Revs.
Ford GT40
The Ford GT40 was created in 1964 to defeat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans — and it succeeded. It’s still the only American car to win the prestigious French race, according to Popular Mechanics.
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Jaguar C-Type
In production between 1951-53, the Jaguar C-Type was a lightweight sports car designed for racing. When it raced in 1951, the C-Type was the first British car to win Le Mans in almost 20 years, according to RM Sotheby’s.
Jaguar E-Type
The Jaguar E-Type went into production in 1961, and although it had the same long-nose/short-deck proportion as many of its predecessors did, its clean lines gave the car a beauty all its own.
Lamborghini Diablo
Manufactured from 1990 to 2001, the Diablo was the first Lamborghini capable of achieving a top speed of over 200 mph, according to Unlimited Revs.
Lamborghini Countach
The Lamborghini Countach might be the most iconic sports car of all time. Originally produced in 1974, the first Countach had a 370-horsepower, V-12 engine. The last model was produced in 1990, according to the John Hughes Blog.
Lamborghini Miura
Dating back to 1966, the Lamborghini Miura “redefined the concept of a sports car” with its central V-12 engine and “fascinating” body, according to Lamborghini. It was also the fastest production car in the world at the time of its debut, with a top speed of 280 kph and an acceleration of zero to 100 kph in 6.7 seconds.
Lotus Seven
Dating back to the 1950s, the Lotus Seven was built small to maximize speed. Edmunds named it one of the greatest cars of all time.
Mazda MX-5 Miata
The Miata has become “the world’s most beloved sports car,” according to Car.com. This small sports car is one of the bestselling convertibles of all time.
Mazda RX-7
This late ’70s sports car features two seats and a rotary engine. Three generations of the Mazda RX-7 were produced from 1978 to 2002. It has been featured in numerous films and video games, including “The Fast and the Furious” and Gran Turismo, according to Garage Dreams.
McLaren F1
In 1998, the McLaren F1 set a world record as the fastest production car, according to Unlimited Revs. It’s capable of reaching a top speed of 242.8 mph and can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds.
Mercedes-Benz SL
The Mercedes-Benz SL, introduced in 1954, was the first production car to feature fuel injection. It reached a top speed of over 160 mph, CNBC reported. The luxury roadster is still in production today.
MG T-Type
MG created a series of classic sports cars, including the TA, TB, TC, TD and TF. The TC dates back to the mid-1940s and marks the beginning of the British sports car invasion in America, according to Edmunds.
Nissan Skyline GT-R
The Nissan Skyline GT-R has evolved over the years, starting with the R32 Skyline GT-R introduced in 1989. This model had an all-wheel drive and could kick out 280 horsepower. A stripped-down version of the R32 won every race it started in during four seasons of the Japanese Touring Car Championship. The R34 was the next Skyline to be produced, debuting in 1998.
Nissan Z-Car
The original Nissan Z-Car was the 240Z, which debuted in 1969 and sold more than 100,000 units during the first three years it was available in North America, according to the John Hughes Blog. The Z-Car is now in its sixth generation, with the latest being the 370Z, which began production in 2009.
Pagani Zonda
The Pagani Zonda was first introduced in 1999. Though the model was officially retired in 2011, Pagani continues to create limited-edition Zondas, like 2016’s Zonda MD.
Porsche 911
Not much has changed about the design of the Porsche 911, which has remained in production for over 50 years, CNBC reported. But the price certainly has. The latest 911 Carrera S models start at $113,300.
Porsche Carrera GT
This two-door, midengined supercar was in production from 2004 to 2007. Unlimited Revs named it “the most aggressive Porsche ever produced,” boasting a 5.7-liter, V-10 engine with dual overhead camshafts and a top speed of 205 mph.
Porsche Cayman
The Porsche Cayman arrived on the scene for the 2006 model year, created to bridge the price gap between the Boxster and 911. Derived from the 987 Boxster, the Cayman shares 40% of its predecessor’s components, according to HowStuffWorks.
Porsche Spyder
The Porsche Spyder is perhaps best known as the car that actor James Dean was driving when he died in a crash in 1955. Despite its dark history, the low-riding, convertible Spyder remains in production today.
Shelby Cobra
This British-American hybrid is one of the most legendary sports cars of the 1960s. The Shelby Cobra is now one of the most expensive classic cars, with prices for an original topping $1 million, according to Hemmings.
Subaru Impreza WRX STi
Subaru debuted the Impreza WRX STi in 2007. The high-performance car’s distinguishing design details include its hood vent and rear spoiler. Although the Impreza WRX STi is technically a street car, it has racing performance-quality transmission, suspension and brakes.
Toyota Supra
The original Supra was the Toyota Celica Supra, which debuted in 1978 and featured an advanced in-line, six-cylinder engine. Toyota introduced new generations of its sports car through 1998, when it discontinued the Supra with the A80. Now, the sports car is back with the 2020 GR Supra, which starts at $49,990 and features a 3-liter, turbocharged engine that can produce 335 horsepower and 365 foot-pounds of torque.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 30 Most Popular Sports Cars of All Time
