Carmakers didn’t waste any time after World War 2 and got straight back to business making awesome machines.
Performance cars didn’t take long to evolve from small, underpowered machines to V8-driven muscle monsters and mid-engined V12-powered supercars.
We’ve created a list to celebrate the evolution of the automotive industry over five decades, from 1945 to 1995, highlighting some of the coolest, most iconic, and most influential models ever made.
1945: MG TC Midget
The MG TC Midget didn’t have the most politically correct name, but this little British post-war sports car played a crucial role in popularizing sports cars in the United States, even though it was only available in right-hand drive configuration.
Under the hood, the MG TC Midget had a 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine producing 55 hp. It doesn’t sound like much by today’s standards, but the Midget was lightweight and offered nimble handling, making it a fun car to drive. MG built 10,001 cars between September 1945 and November 1949 — more than any of the models that preceded it.
1946: Healey Elliott
Donald Healey was a British car designer, entrepreneur, and rally driver. In 1945, he teamed up with Sampietro and Ben Bowden to form the Donald Healey Motor Company Ltd. The company focused on quality, and their first car, the 1946 Healey Elliot, wasn’t cheap, but it was certainly fast.
The Healey Elliot won multiple races and became the world’s fastest production car when it recorded 104.65 mph over a flying quarter-mile.
1947: Cisitalia 202
In 1946, Piero Dusio founded Turin-based Cisitalia. From there, he went on to commission some of the leading car designers in Europe to work on his cars. In 1947, the Cisitalia 202 emerged at the Villa d’Este Gold Cup show in Como, featuring a handcrafted aluminum body by Pininfarina.
At the 1947 Paris Motor Show, Cisitalia displayed a 2-seat 202GT, which has since been praised as the car that raised the bar of automotive design in the postwar era.
1948: Tucker 48
The automotive scenery may have looked very different today if the Tucker 48 had been a success when it debuted in the late 1940s. There’s no denying that the 48 was a game-changer regarding innovation and safety features, but the company was soon drowned by a tidal wave of troubles.
The car itself wasn’t the problem; in fact, it was great. It had a center-mounted directional headlight, an integrated rollbar, and a padded dash. The Tucker was probably the safest car of the era. Unfortunately, Tucker was bombarded with bad publicity and also faced an SEC investigation of fraudulent stock allegations. In the end, the allegations turned out to be false, and Preston Tucker believed they were orchestrated by the Big Three carmakers. By then, it was too late, and the company collapsed.
1949: Ferrari 166 Inter
The Ferrari 166 Inter evolved from the 125 S and 166 S race cars. It was the first Ferrari built for the road rather than the racetrack, and it was a true grand tourer.
Ferrari would send a bare chassis to the coachbuilder of the customer’s choice. Most of them were built by Carrozzeria Touring, but Carrozzeria Ghia, Stabilimenti Farina, and Bertone were all commissioned to build them. Under the hood, the Ferrari 166 Inter had a 2.0-liter Colombo V12 engine that churned out around 90 hp, giving it a top speed of 93 mph.
1950: Maserati A6G 2000 Gran Turismo
Maserati first introduced the A6 series in 1947, and it remained in production until 1956. Early cars were powered by a 1.5-liter inline-six engine, but in 1950, Maserati replaced it with a 2.0-liter SOHC engine with triple carburetors, producing between 90 and 100 hp. That meant it could reach a top speed ranging from 99 to 112 mph.
Between 1950 and 1951, Maserati only built sixteen A6 cars. Nine had a 2+2 fastback body by Pininfarina, Frua built one coupe and five convertibles, and Giovanni Michelotti designed one with Vignale coupe bodywork.
1951: Nash-Healey
Remember Donald Healey, the man behind the Healey Elliot? The Nash-Healey was, as the name suggests, a collaboration between Nash Motors and Healey. Nash supplied the drivetrain, while Healey provided the chassis and bodies for the early models.
After its first year in production, Pininfarina restyled the Nash-Healey, and final assembly was now done in Italy. Its 3.8-liter inline-six engine produced 125 hp, giving it a 0 to 60 mph time of just under 12 seconds and a top speed of 103 mph. The Nash-Healey is commonly considered the first American sports car by a major manufacturer after the Great Depression.
1952: Lancia Aurelia B20 GT
Lancia introduced the Aurelia in 1950, and production lasted until 1958. During this period, it was available with several body styles, and in 1951, the 2-door GT coupe arrived.
Its 60° 2.0-liter V6 engine was one of the first production V6s and churned out 75 hp. By 1952, the Aurelia coupé produced 80 hp thanks to a higher compression ratio and repositioned valves. It also received better brakes to help bring things to a halt.
1953: Chevrolet Corvette C1
In 1953, Chevrolet introduced what would eventually become one of the world’s most iconic sports cars—the Corvette. However, it was nearly canceled due to poor sales and mixed reviews, which were mostly due to its Blue Flame inline-6 engine and two-speed Powerglide automatic.
Luckily, Chevy decided to improve it rather than shut it down, and the rest is, as they say, history. Today, the early C1 Corvettes are highly sought after, even if performance is fairly anemic.
1954: Mercedes-Benz 300SL
Some gearheads refer to the M-B 300SL as the first supercar, and they may be right. Based on a proper race car, this gullwinged coupe with lightweight tubular frame construction and a powerful engine was impressive when it hit the market in 1954.
Under its sleek, long hood, the 300SL had a 3.0-liter overhead camshaft engine with mechanical direct fuel injection. It produced 212 hp, and with a top speed of 163 mph, it was the fastest production car of its time.
1955: Porsche 356
By 1955, the Porsche 356 had been around for years already. However, this was the year the 356A was introduced, and the only year it was badged “Continental” and “European.”
Max Hoffman, the US Porsche importer, wanted the cars to have a model name and not just a number, so he convinced Porsche to use the name “Continental” for US models. Since Ford/Lincoln owned that name, it was changed to “European,” but by January 1956, it was changed back to 356. Today, the Continental and European 356 Porsches are highly coveted.
1956: Aston Martin DB2/4 MkII
Aston Martin introduced the DB2/4 grand tourer in 1953, and it remained in production until 1957. In 1955, the MkII version arrived, with several changes from its predecessor.
While the standard 2.9-liter inline-six engine was good for 140 hp, buyers could order it with an optional large-valve, high-compression 165-hp engine. Like most Astons, the DB2/4 MkII was an excellent and luxurious grand tourer guaranteed to turn heads.
1957: Lotus Seven
Lotus founder Colin Chapman had a deep-rooted penchant for weight-saving measurements, which was made evident when the minimalist Seven arrived in 1957.
It only had a tiny, 40-hp 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine, but thanks to the lightweight construction, it offered exceptional handling and was an instant hit among track day and racing enthusiasts. In 1973, Caterham bought the rights to the Seven and still makes it today, but with much more powerful engines.
1958: Triumph TR3A
Triumph introduced the TR3 in 1955 and revised it in 1957. The new and improved model became so popular that the original panel press tooling wore out and had to be replaced.
Over 58,000 units were built between 1957 and 1962, but fewer than 10,000 are estimated to still exist. Thanks to its 100-hp 2.0-liter engine, excellent brakes, and great handling, the Triumph TR3A became a hit on the racing scene. Even today, it’s still competitive in the Sports Car Club of America’s E-production class vintage racing events.
1959: BMW 507
1959 marked the last year of the BMW 507. It was so expensive to make that it nearly bankrupted the Bavarian company. That said, some of the world’s richest and most famous people, including Elvis Presley and Fred Astaire, could be seen cruising around in the gorgeous, handbuilt, aluminum-bodied 507.
Its long hood hid a roaring 3.2-liter V8 engine that produced 150 h,p but it was nowhere near able to compete with the Mercedes 300SL. When production ended, only 252 BMW 507s were built, making it excruciatingly rare and expensive today.
1960: Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder SWB
Scaglietti unveiled the 250 GT California Spyder SWB at the 1960 Geneva Motor Show. It was based on the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB and received disc brakes and a 276-hp version of the 3.0-liter V12.
Around 55 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder SWBs were built. One car that was previously owned by actor James Coburn was sold to British radio DJ and (short-term) Top Gear host Chris Evans for £5.5 million. However, since then, these cars have been sold for much more, with one changing hands for $17.16 million.
1961: Jaguar E-Type
The Jaguar E-Type, or XK-E as it was known in the North American market, is one of the most beautiful cars ever made. It was more than just a pretty face, though.
It was powered by a 3.8-liter inline-six engine, producing a very impressive 265 British stallions. That gave the gorgeous Jag a sub-7-second 0 to 60 mph time and it even managed a 150 mph top speed. Independent suspension front and rear provided exceptional handling, and the disc brakes did a great job at slowing it down.
1962: Shelby Cobra
Carroll Shelby wrote to AC Cars in 1961, asking if they could build a modified version of the AC Ace so he could drop a Ford V8 engine under the hood.
In 1962, AC exported completed cars without an engine and gearbox to Shelby. His team then installed 260 cu-in V8 engines in the first 75 Cobras, and the remaining 51 Mk1s received the larger 289 unit. A legend was born, and several Shelby Cobra kit cars are available to those of us who aren’t millionaires.
1963: Porsche 911
Porsche unveiled the now-legendary 911 in September 1963, and it entered production the following year. As we all know, it was an immediate success. The first 82 cars were badged as 901, but Peugeot claimed it had exclusive rights to car names consisting of three numbers with a zero in the middle, so Porsche changed it to 911.
Like the VW Beetle and Porsche 356 that came before it, the 911 had a rear-engine layout. Its 2.0-liter flat-six engine produced 130 German ponies, which made it a quick car for its time, but it has come a long way since then.
1964: Pontiac GTO
The 1964 Pontiac GTO wasn’t the first muscle car, but it’s definitely the model that started the muscle car craze. It featured a 389 cu in V8 engine producing 325 hp. However, when equipped with the “Tri-Power” option, power was bumped up to 350 hp thanks to three two-barrel Rochester 2G carburetors.
With its powerful engine and stylish design, the GTO became the benchmark for an entire generation of muscle cars.
1965: Shelby Mustang GT350
Ford unveiled the Mustang in 1964, and the following year, Carroll Shelby turned it into a proper monster. The 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350 featured a 289 cu in V8 engine that churned out 306 hp. It soon became known for its racing pedigree and aggressive performance and quickly became a favorite among enthusiasts.
The 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350 was a proper driver’s car without any luxuries. It looked like a race car, too, as all the 562 cars were painted Wimbledon White with Guardsman Blue rocker stripes, and roughly one-third of them had the optional Le Mans stripes.
1966: Lamborghini Miura
When Lamborghini unveiled the Miura in 1966, the sound of jaws hitting the floor reverberated throughout the automotive world. This stunning mid-engined Lambo looked like the prototype cars that raced at Le Mans, and most automotive enthusiasts agree that it’s the world’s first mid-engined supercar.
The Miura’s 3.9-liter V12 engine was mounted right behind the driver and produced 345 wild horses… Or perhaps raging bulls?! It changed the sports car segment forever, and mid-mounted engines soon became the standard for supercars.
1967: Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
It took Chevrolet a few years to catch up to the Ford Mustang, but when the Camaro arrived as a 1967 model year car, the two American auto manufacturers were locked in a battle for decades.
When fitted with the optional Z/28 Performance Package, the Camaro was eligible to compete in the SCCA Trans Am Series. The track-focused muscle car had a 302 cu in V8 engine, and Chevrolet claimed it only had 290 hp. While that claim is questionable, what we can say for sure is that the Camaro Z/28 was a formidable competitor on both the street and the track.
1968: Dodge Charger R/T
1968 marked the first year of the second-generation Dodge Charger. It was based on Chrysler’s B platform and received some cosmetic updates during its production run.
Under the hood, we find all the usual suspects, but the 440 and 426 units are the most desirable ones. The second-gen Charger even found on-screen fame, appearing in Bullitt, Dukes of Hazzard, and the Fast & Furious franchise.
1969: Ford Mustang Boss 429
Ford built the 1969 Mustang Boss 429 for NASCAR homologation, so they shoehorned a massive 375-horsepower 429 cu in V8 engine under the hood.
When we say shoehorned, we really mean they revised the entire front end as the engine was too big to fit. It was also a heavy lump, so Ford moved the battery to the rear to make it less nose-heavy. The Boss 429 was the first Mustang fitted with a rear sway bar, so it handled better than other ‘Stangs with large V8s. Only 859 were made, and it’s a highly sought-after icon today.
1970: Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6
The 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS is the most desirable of all the Chevelles. In fact, it’s one of the most desirable muscle cars. Period. Even the “regular” 454 had a 360-hp V8, but the LS6 was an absolute beast that sent 450 horses to the rear wheels, making it one of the most powerful muscle cars ever.
The 1970 Chevelle was based on the second-gen platform introduced in 1968, but it didn’t look anything like the 1969-year model. For 1971, it received new front and rear styling, making the 1970 Chevelle SS unique for that year.
1971: De Tomaso Pantera
De Tomaso introduced its Pantera in 1971, and the sports car remained in production for over 20 years, until it was discontinued in 1992. During that period, more than 7,000 Panteras were built.
The Italian mid-engine sports car was fitted with a very American powerplant — a Ford V8 engine you’d normally expect to find in a muscle car. Early models had a 5.8-liter Ford Cleveland 351 that produced 330 hp, which could send it to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds.
1972: BMW 3.0 CSL
BMW introduced the now-iconic 3.0 CSL in May 1972 as a homologation special built to compete in the European Touring Car Championship. Only 1,265 were built.
The “L” in its name meant leicht (light), and BMW went to great lengths to strip any unnecessary weight, including using thinner steel, making the doors, hood, and trunk lid from aluminum, and removing trim and soundproofing. The 3.0 CSL came with a massive wing in its trunk. Since the wing wasn’t road-legal in Germany, owners would have to fit it themselves. The wing was also the reason it was lovingly referred to as the “Batmobile.”
1973: Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SD-455
By 1973, the muscle car segment was dying. However, the Firebird refused to go down without a fight. Sales had slowed to the point where GM execs considered axing it, but some geniuses convinced them to give the Trans Am trim the performance it deserved instead. Like the Phoenix, the Firebird had risen from the ashes.
Not only was the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SD-455 the fastest pony car available in 1973, but it could even keep up with proper muscle cars and the legendary Corvette. Its 455 cu in was no run-of-the-mill production engine; it was a race-derived unit jam-packed with high-performance parts.
1974: Lamborghini Countach
After shocking the world when unveiling the Miura, Lamborghini dropped jaws once again when the 1974 Countach was revealed. It’s one of the models that pioneered the wedge shape design that was so popular in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
The Countach inherited the Miura’s 3.9-liter V12 engine, but it would later grow to 4.8 and 5.2 liters. Most Lambos are named after famous bulls and bullfighting, but not the Countach. There are many stories about its name, but it’s derived from the Piedmontese word contacc, an exclamation of astonishment.
1975: Ferrari 308 GTB
Ferrari unveiled the 308 GTB at the 1975 Paris Motor Show. It was designed by Pininfarina, and Carrozzeria Scaglietti took care of the bodywork. Interestingly, the early cars had bodies made entirely of GRP, keeping the weight down to just 2,315 lbs, but in 1977, Ferrari switched to steel body panels.
Behind the driver, the 308 GTB had a 2.9-liter V8 engine producing 255 hp (240 in American cars) and a glorious soundtrack that’s typical for cars built in Maranello.
1976: Lotus Esprit
The Lotus Esprit arrived in 1976 and remained in production until 2004. It had a wedge-shaped fiberglass body and a mid-mounted 2.0-liter engine that produced 160 hp.
In true Lotus fashion, the main focus was to keep the weight low for the best possible handling. However, some owners complained that the Esprit was underpowered, so later versions were given more powerful engines. Perhaps the early Esprit’s biggest claim to fame is its appearance in James Bond movies, and it had its own video game franchise.
1977: Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SE
Thanks to the hit movie Smokey and the Bandit, the 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was a huge success. Seemingly everyone wanted to be Burt Reynolds and drive the wheels off a black Trans Am with gold details.
Hidden beneath the Trans Am’s long hood, there was an L78 400 V8 engine as standard, but buyers could also choose between an optional W72 400 or the Oldsmobile-sourced L80 403. The W72 400 was the one enthusiasts wanted, as this 6.6-liter unit was given some performance upgrades to push power beyond the 200-hp mark, which was exceptional in the middle of the Malaise Era.
1978: Dodge Li’l Red Express / Midnite Express
As the Malaise Era wreaked havoc on the car scene, Dodge had a stroke of genius. Pickup trucks were exempt from the strict emissions regulations, and decades before the Ram SRT-10 or TRX existed, the Dodge Li’l Red Express was a high-performance truck that put the fear of God in sports car drivers.
In 1978, the Li’l Red Express was the fastest American vehicle on the market. With a 0 to 60 mph time of 7.5 seconds, it smashed Corvettes. The Li’l Red Express was, as its name suggests, painted red, and there was also the black Midnite Express. Whereas the red truck had a 360 V8, the black one was powered by the 440.
1979: Mazda RX-7
These days, Mazda is famous for its rotary engines. Sure, they’re not the most reliable units, but they do offer some benefits. The Series 1 RX-7 may only have a tiny 1.1-liter engine, but thanks to its twin-rotor design, it produced a whopping 100 hp. In a vehicle weighing only 2,300 lbs, drivers didn’t need a ton of power to enjoy the driving experience.
Design-wise, the first-gen RX-7 looked a bit like the Porsche 924, which wasn’t a bad thing, and probably helped to get more driving enthusiasts behind the wheel.
1980: Ferrari BB 512i
In 1973, Ferrari introduced the original Berlinetta Boxer (BB) as a replacement for the front-engined Daytona. It was the first road-going Ferrari with a mid-mounted flat-12 engine (although some will say it’s not a real flat-12) and the first mid-engined car to bear both the Ferrari name and prancing horse logo.
1980 saw the introduction of the BB 512i, often referred to as the 512 BBi, which featured Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection to lower emissions and improve driveability. It had around 340 hp, making it less powerful than the earlier cars.
1981: DeLorean DMC-12
Nobody has ever claimed that the DeLorean DMC-12 wasn’t a severely flawed sports car. Fortunately, this list is about coolness, not greatness, and it certainly was cool!
Featuring a stylish, stainless steel, wedge-shaped body, gullwing doors, and a rear-mounted 2.9-liter V6 engine, the DMC-12 could’ve been great. Unfortunately, it was let down by shoddy build quality and a gutless engine. Its appearance in the Back to the Future movie franchise ensured that the DeLorean will forever be fondly remembered by everyone who has never owned one.
1982: Porsche 944
Porsche manufactured the 944 from 1982 until 1991, and it was available in both coupe and convertible body styles. It was based on the 924 platform, and if you squint, the two do look somewhat similar.
However, the 944 was beefier and more powerful than the 924, and whereas the 924 is mostly overlooked or hated, the 944 was the most successful Porsche of its era, selling over 163,000 units. Early cars were powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, and with 150 hp, it offered decent performance and excellent handling.
1983: Audi Quattro
While Audi introduced the awesome Quattro to the European market in late 1980, Americans had to wait until 1983. Sadly, only 664 cars were sold in the US, and another 99 were sold in Canada.
The Audi Quattro sold on the North American market had some ECU changes, lowered boost pressure, a different cam, and a new emission control system that restricted the 2.1-liter engine’s power to a mere 160 horses. It was still an awesome performance car with plenty of potential, though.
1984: Ferrari 288 GTO
In the early 1980s, Ferrari decided they wanted to compete in the infamous Group B rally class, so they produced the GTO from 1984 to 1987 as a homologation version of the Ferrari 308 GTB.
Whereas the Ferrari 308 had a transversely mounted 2.9-liter V8 engine, the 288 GTO’s 2.85-liter was fitted longitudinally to make room for the two turbochargers and intercoolers. Its bodywork was also much more aggressive-looking than the 308’s. As Group B was deemed too dangerous by FIA and shut down, the 288 GTO was never raced in the series it was developed for.
1985: Ford RS200
Ford also needed a special car to take on the craziness that was the Group B rally, and so the mid-engined, all-wheel-drive RS200 was born. It was designed to comply with FIA homologation rules, which meant Ford had to produce 200 road-legal cars.
It was powered by a turbocharged 1.8-liter engine that produced 250 horses in road-going trim, but an upgrade kit was available that boosted this figure to over 300 horses. In 1985, the Ford RS200 had a £49,995 price tag, but these days, they sell for more than $500,000 at auctions.
1986: Porsche 959
Even Porsche wanted to compete in the Group B rally series, so the Germans designed the 959 as their homologation special. Unfortunately, Group B was canceled by the time the 959 was finished. However, it wasn’t all in vain, as this twin-turbocharged beast became the world’s fastest street-legal production car for a while, and Porsche also raced it in the Paris-Dakar rally and at the 24-Hours of Le Mans.
It was packed with technology, and even featured a crawling gear — after all, it was built to rally. Thanks to its 444 hp and advanced aerodynamics, the 959 managed a top speed of 197 mph, and some later variants even achieved 211 mph during tests.
1987: Ferrari F40
While Porsche went down the high-tech route with the 959, Ferrari decided to make a simpler and rawer supercar to celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary. In some ways, you could say that the legendary Ferrari F40 is an evolution of the 288 GTO. The engine was a bigger version of the one found in the 288 GTO, measuring 2,936cc rather than 2,855, and it now produced 471 hp.
The F40 was the last Ferrari road car that was approved and overseen by company founder Enzo Ferrari. It was designed by Pininfarina, and the body panels were made from kevlar, carbon fiber, and aluminum. The Ferrari F40 cemented its place in history when it became the first road car to smash through the 200 mph barrier.
1988: E30 BMW M3 Evolution II
BMW built the e30 M3 as a homologation special to race in touring car series, specifically DTM, but over the years, they had to update it to stay competitive. The Evo versions were probably as close to Group A race cars as a road-legal model could ever be.
In 1988, BMW released 501 examples of the Evolution II. It had a different camshaft, increased compression, an improved air intake, and a lighter flywheel, adding up to a total of 215 hp. On the outside, it had a new front spoiler, and the rear wing received a Gurney flap.
1989: Mazda Miata
Released in 1989, the Mazda Miata combined all the best features of classic British roadsters with modern Japanese reliability. This formula proved so popular that the Miata is now the world’s best-selling open-top two-seater.
Early cars had a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that churned out 116 hp. Enthusiasts know that it was never about the power; it was about having fun, and few cars will make you smile as much as the Miata.
1990: Acura NSX
When Honda/Acura launched the original NSX in 1990, it changed the whole supercar game and sent Ferrari back to the drawing board. It had an aluminum body, a 270-hp 3.0-liter V6 engine, and a suspension setup that Formula One legend Ayrton Senna helped develop.
The NSX made other supercars seem agricultural. It was almost as easy to drive, own, and maintain as a regular Honda Accord, but it was always somewhat overlooked until production ended. At that point, everybody wanted one, and now, an old NSX costs a fortune.
1991: Lamborghini Diablo
In 1990, Lamborghini introduced the Diablo as a replacement for the Countach. With a 202 mph top speed, it was the first production Lambo able to break the 200 mph barrier.
Behind the driver, there was a 485-hp 5.7-liter dual-DOHC V12 engine, which was an evolution of the unit that was found in the Miura and Countach.
1992: Dodge Viper RT/10
The first generation Dodge Viper was used as a pace car at the 1991 Indy 500, but Dodge didn’t make the car available to the public until January 1992.
Under the Viper’s long hood, there was a vicious, 400-hp 8.0-liter V10, and to make the car even deadlier, it didn’t offer any driver’s aids. The evil snake became a bit more mellow with time, but even the last cars from 2017 would still bite if not respected.
1993: Toyota Supra Mk IV
In 1993, Toyota brought out a brand-new fourth-generation Supra, but it wasn’t a huge success during its time on the market. However, once the first Fast and Furious movie hit theaters with a Supra in one of the starring roles, it became one of the most sought-after Japanese sports cars ever made.
For North American and European markets, Toyota upgraded the Supra turbo’s engine with different turbochargers and larger fuel injectors, among other things, which resulted in 320 hp, compared to the JDM version’s 276 hp.
1994: Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4
Mitsubishi first introduced gearheads to its flagship sports car, the 3000GT VR-4 in 1990. 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 a seriously impressive car. With a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine producing 320 thoroughbred Japanese ponies, it wasn’t lacking in the power department either.
1995: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R
Ford introduced a new generation of the Mustang in 1994, but the Cobra only had 240 hp that year. In 1995, the Blue Oval went all out and created a new Mustang SVT Cobra R, this time with a massive 5.8-liter V8 engine that produced 300 wild stallions.
The SVT Cobra R was a highly track-focused version of the Mustang, and it was built in limited numbers. Ford wanted to avoid having them all end up in the hands of collectors, so buyers were required to possess a racing license or own a race team.
Author: Andre Nalin
Expertise: Automotive
