Over the years, carmakers have unleashed countless performance cars. The most memorable models are forever etched into gearheads’ minds, but many are all but forgotten.
The definition of a classic car varies wildly depending on whom you ask. We’ll use the basic definition that states that they must be older than 25 years, and we’ll count vintage cars as classic as well, even if some insurance companies separate the two.
These classics built the foundation of the modern sports cars we get to enjoy today, so we think they deserve an article to celebrate their existence.
Jaguar XK120
Jaguar introduced the XK120 in 1948 as its first sports car since the SS 100 production ended in 1939. It remained in production until 1954 and was highly successful in racing and rallying.
With a 3.4-liter inline-six engine producing between 160 and 220 hp, the XK120 was fast, too. In fact, it was the fastest production car of its time, setting multiple world records for speed and distance during its production run.
Jaguar XJR-15
In 1990, two years before Jaguar launched the now-sought-after XJ220, there was the much rarer XJR-15. Only 53 XJR-15s were made, so it’s no wonder that most car enthusiasts have never heard of it.
The XJR-15 was the first road car made entirely from carbon fiber, and if you think it resembles a Le Mans racer, it’s because it’s mechanically based on the Le Mans-winning XJR-9, but with a taller and wider cockpit. It also had a slightly higher ride height than the race car to fully take advantage of the under-body aerodynamics on the road. The XJR-15 could sprint to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, and its top speed was limited to 191 mph due to the gearing.
Maserati Ghibli
Maserati revealed the production version of the Ghibli in 1967. The previous year, the concept was shown as a 2-seater sports car, but Maserati added some basic rear seats turned it into a 2+2 fastback coupe grand tourer.
Thanks to its stylish design, sporty handling, and excellent engine, the Ghibli is regarded as one of the top-ten sports cars of the 1960s. Under the hood, it had a quad-cam 4.7-liter dry sump V8 engine producing 306 hp, which sent it to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds and gave it a top speed of 155 mph — serious numbers for a 1960s car.
De Tomaso Pantera
The De Tomaso Pantera was introduced in 1971, and it remained in production for over 20 years, as it was discontinued in 1992. During that period, more than 7,000 Panteras were built.
The Italian mid-engine sports car used a very American powerplant in the form of a Ford V8 engine you’d normally expect to find in a muscle car. Early models were fitted with a 5.8-liter Ford Cleveland 351 that produced 330 hp, enough to send it to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds.
Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4
1990 saw the introduction of Mitsubishi’s flagship sports car, the 3000GT VR-4. In 1994, the second generation arrived, and while it no longer featured pop-up headlights, it was now better than ever.
Packing a ton of fancy technology that wouldn’t become standard on production cars for another decade, the 3000GT VR-4 was an impressive car. With a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine producing 320 hp, it wasn’t lacking in the power department either.
Bugatti EB110
Back in the 1990s, the world was introduced to a new breed of supercars. Models such as the Jaguar XJ220 and the McLaren F1 turned everything up to 11. Molsheim’s finest decided to join them with the Bugatti EB110. It was named after the company’s founder, Ettore Bugatti, and 110 because it was produced 110 years after his birth.
The EB110 had a 3.5-liter quad-turbocharged V12 engine that produced 550 hp, and they even built an SS model with more than 600 horses. It would accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and had a top speed of 216 mph. Those are solid numbers, even by today’s standards.
Porsche Abarth 356B Carrera GTL
The 1960 Porsche Abarth 356B Carrera GTL is so rare that only the geekiest of Porsche nerds know about it. Abarth is best known for its work on fast Fiats, not for perfecting sports cars from Stuttgart. At Le Mans, the Abarth Carrera GTL was clocked doing 138 mph down the Mulsanne straight, and it was still accelerating as it passed the speed trap.
Porsche’s collaboration with Abarth resulted in 21 Porsche Abarth 356B Carrera GTLs. Experts believe they sold for roughly $6,500 in 1960. The price today is anyone’s guess, but they won’t be cheap.
Nissan R390
The one-off Nissan R390 GT1 was primarily built as a road-legal homologation special so Nissan could enter the 1997 and 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans. The road going R390 was built first, and the racing version was developed afterward.
The one and only R390 road car is kept at Nissan’s Zama facility. It should be noted that one of the race cars was later modified for road use. Nissan claimed the R390 road car could achieve 220 mph, but it was never proven as they struggled to find someone brave enough to test it.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé
The regular SL 300 was a proper beast in its day, but it was nothing compared to the Uhlenhaut. Only two Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupes were ever built. The stunning sports car was named after Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the creator, chief engineer, and automotive genius behind the car.
Uhlenhaut fitted a Formula 1-inspired 3.0-liter inline-eight under the hood of the 300 SLR Coupé, resulting in a car that produced 306 hp and 233 lb-ft of torque. In 2022, it became the most expensive car ever sold at auction, going under the hammer for $142.9 Million at RM Sotheby’s.
Bugatti Type 35
The Bugatti Type 35 may just be the most successful race car of all time. It’s estimated that the Type 35 has won more than 2,500 races. During its height, it racked up an incredible 14 races per week – which is unheard of in the sport of motor racing.
Bugatti’s Type 35 came in both naturally aspirated and supercharged form. Ettore Bugatti wasn’t a fan of forced induction, but it was hard to argue against its benefits. The most potent version produced 138 hp. Considering that these cars were produced from 1924 to 1930, it’s easy to understand how they dominated the racetracks.
Author: Andre Nalin
Expertise: Automotive
