A sports car is a
car designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as
handling
Handling may refer to:
* Automobile handling, the turning characteristics of land vehicles
* Handling of stolen goods, a statutory offence in England and Wales and Northern Ireland
People
* Adam Handling (born 1988), British chef and restaura ...
, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving and
racing capability. Sports cars originated in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...
in the early 1900s and are currently produced by many manufacturers around the world.
Definition
Definitions of sports cars often relate to how the car design is optimised for dynamic performance, without any specific minimum requirements; both a
Triumph Spitfire and
Ferrari 488 Pista can be considered sports cars, despite vastly different levels of performance. Broader definitions of sports cars include cars "in which performance takes precedence over carrying capacity",
or that emphasise the "thrill of driving" or are marketed "using the excitement of speed and the glamour of the (race)track" However, other people have more specific definitions, such as "must be a two-seater or a 2+2 seater" or a car with two seats only.
In the United Kingdom, early recorded usage of the "sports car" was in ''The Times'' newspaper in 1919.
The first known use of the term in the United States was in 1928.
Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s. The term was originally used for two-seat
roadsters (cars without a fixed roof), however, since the 1970s the term has also been used for cars with a fixed roof (which were previously considered
grand tourers).
Attributing the definition of 'sports car' to any particular model can be controversial or the subject of debate among enthusiasts.
Authors and experts have often contributed their own ideas to capture a definition. Insurance companies have also attempted to use mathematical formulae to categorise sports cars, often charging more for insurance due to the inherent risk of performance driving.
There is no fixed distinction between sports cars and other categories of performance cars, such as
muscle cars and
grand tourers, with some cars being members of several categories.
Common characteristics
Seating layout
Traditionally, the most common layout for sports cars was a
roadster (a two-seat car without a fixed roof), however there are also several examples of early sports cars with four seats.
Sports cars are not usually intended to regularly transport more than two adult occupants, so most modern sports cars are usually two-seat layout or
2+2 layout (two smaller rear seats for children or occasional adult use). Larger cars with more spacious rear-seat accommodation are usually considered
sports sedans rather than sports cars.
The 1993-1998
McLaren F1 is notable for using a three-seat layout, where the front row consists of a centrally-located driver's seat.
Engine and drivetrain layout
The location of the engine and driven wheels significantly influence the
handling
Handling may refer to:
* Automobile handling, the turning characteristics of land vehicles
* Handling of stolen goods, a statutory offence in England and Wales and Northern Ireland
People
* Adam Handling (born 1988), British chef and restaura ...
characteristics of a car and are therefore important in the design of a sports car. Traditionally, most sports cars have used
rear-wheel drive
Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars.
Most rear-wheel ...
with the engine either located at the front of the car (
FR layout) or in the middle of the car (
MR layout). Examples of FR layout sports cars are the
Caterham 7,
Mazda MX-5
The Mazda MX-5 is a lightweight two-passenger Roadster (automobile), roadster sports car manufactured and marketed by Mazda with a Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout#Front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, front mid-engine, rear-wheel-driv ...
, and the
Dodge Viper. Examples of MR layout sports cars are the
Ferrari 488,
Ford GT and
Toyota MR2. To avoid a front-heavy
weight distribution, many FR layout sports cars are designed so that the engine is located further back in the engine bay, as close to the
firewall as possible.
Since the 1990s,
all-wheel drive
An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand.
The most common forms of all-wheel drive are:
;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one ...
has become more common in sports cars. All-wheel drive offers better acceleration and favorable handling characteristics (especially in slippery conditions), but is often heavier and more mechanically complex than traditional layouts. Examples of all-wheel drive sports cars are the
Lamborghini Huracan,
Bugatti Veyron
The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engine sports car, designed and developed in Germany by the Volkswagen Group and Bugatti and manufactured in Molsheim, France, by French automobile manufacturer Bugatti. It was named after the racing driver ...
, and
Nissan GT-R.
Rear engine layouts are not commonly used for sports cars, with the notable exception of the
Porsche 911.
Although
front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longi ...
with the engine at the front (
FF layout) is the most common layout for cars in general, it is not as common amongst traditional sports cars. Nonetheless, the FF layout is often used by
sport compacts and
hot hatches such as the
Mazdaspeed3. Examples of FF layout sports cars are the
Fiat Barchetta,
Saab Sonett, or
Opel Tigra.
Europe
1895–1917: Brass Era of cars
The basis for the sports car is traced to the early 20th century
touring cars and
roadsters, and the term 'sports car' would not be coined until after World War One.
A car considered to be "a sports-car years ahead of its time" is the 1903
Mercedes Simplex 60 hp, described at the time as a fast touring car and designed by
Wilhelm Maybach
Wilhelm Maybach (; 9 February 1846 – 29 December 1929) was an early German engine designer and industrialist. During the 1890s he was hailed in France, then the world centre for car production, as the "King of Designers".
From the late 19th ce ...
and
Paul Daimler
Paul Daimler (13 September 1869 – 15 December 1945) was a German mechanical engineer who designed automobiles. He was the eldest child of Gottlieb Daimler who founded Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and (with Wilhelm Maybach) invented the pet ...
. The Mercedes included pioneering features such as a pressed-steel chassis, a gated 4-speed transmission, pushrod-actuated
overhead inlet valves, a honeycomb radiator,
low-tension magneto ignition, a long wheelbase, a low
centre of mass and a very effective
suspension system. The overall result was a "safe and well-balanced machine" with a higher performance than any other contemporary production car.
At the
1903 Gordon Bennett Cup
The 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup, formally titled the IV Coupe Internationale, was a motor race held on 2 July 1903, on the Athy Circuit consisting of closed roads in Ireland. The race consisted of seven laps - alternating for six laps over a shorter ...
, a production Simplex 60 hp was entered only due to a specially-built 90 hp racing car being destroyed in a fire; the 60 hp famously went on to win the race.
The 1910
Austro-Daimler 27/80 is another early sports car which had success in motor racing.
The 27/80 was designed by
Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche (3 September 1875 – 30 January 1951) was an Austrian-German automotive engineer and founder of the Porsche AG. He is best known for creating the first gasoline– electric hybrid vehicle ( Lohner–Porsche), the Vol ...
, who drove the car to victory in the 1910 Prince Henry Tour motor race. The Vauxhall and Austro-Daimler— like the Mercedes Simplex 60 hp— were production fast touring cars. The 1912
Hispano-Suiza Alfonso XIII is also considered one of the earliest sports cars, as it was a "purpose built, high performance, two-seater production automobile".
The model was named after
King Alfonso XIII of Spain, a patron of the car's chief designer and an enthusiast for the marque.
Other early sports cars include the 1905
Isotta Fraschini Tipo D, the 1906
Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, the 1908
Delage, the 1910
Bugatti Type 13 and the 1912
DFP 12/15.
Early motor racing events included the 1903
Paris–Madrid race, the 1905-1907 Herkomer Trophy, the 1908-1911
Prince Henry Tour and the 1911–present
Monte Carlo Rally.
The Prince Henry Tours (which were similar to modern car rallies) were among the sporting events of the period, bringing renown to successful entrants. The Prince Henry Tours started the evolution of reasonably large and technically advanced production sports cars.
In England, development of sporting cars was inhibited by the
Motor Car Act 1903
The Motor Car Act 1903 (3 Edw.7, c. 36) was an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament that received royal assent on 14 August 1903, which introduced motor vehicle registration, driver licensing and increased the speed limit.
Context
The Act followe ...
, which imposed a speed limit of on all public roads. This led to the 1907 opening of the
Brooklands motor circuit, which inspired the development of performance cars such as the 1910
Vauxhall Prince Henry
The Vauxhall Prince Henry was a car manufactured by Vauxhall from 1911 to 1914. It had a length of around and a weight of depending on the model and the coachwork fitted.
It is often thought of as the first sports car insofar as its high perf ...
, 1910
Sunbeam 12/16, 1910
Talbot 25 hp, 1910
Straker-Squire 15 hp and 1913
Star 15.9 hp.
File:Bugatti 1913.JPG , Bugatti Type 22
The Bugatti Type 13 was the first true Bugatti car. Production of the Type 13, and later Types 15, 17, 22, and 23, began with the company's founding in 1910 and lasted through 1920, with 435 examples produced. Most road cars used an eight-valve ...
(1913)
File:Beaulieu National Motor Museum 18-09-2012.jpg , Sunbeam 12/16 (1914)
File:1912 Vauxhall Prince Henry.jpg , Vauxhall Prince Henry
The Vauxhall Prince Henry was a car manufactured by Vauxhall from 1911 to 1914. It had a length of around and a weight of depending on the model and the coachwork fitted.
It is often thought of as the first sports car insofar as its high perf ...
(1912)
1919-1929: Vintage Era cars
Following the halt in sports car production caused by
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, Europe returned to manufacturing automobiles from around 1920. It was around this time that the term 'Sports Car' began to appear in the motor catalogues, although the exact origin of the name is not known. After this, there had been much sufficient vehicles on our roads. We find that this might be the start to another era of the manufacturing of great cars who will thrive for centuries. E.g. Vintage cars at the time.
The decade which followed became known as the
vintage era and featured rapid technical advances over the preceding
Brass Era cars.
Engine performance benefited from the abandonment of "
tax horsepower" (where vehicles were taxed based on
bore
Bore or Bores often refer to:
*Boredom
* Drill
Relating to holes
* Boring (manufacturing), a machining process that enlarges a hole
** Bore (engine), the diameter of a cylinder in a piston engine or a steam locomotive
** Bore (wind instruments), ...
and number of cylinders, rather than actual power output)
and the introduction of
leaded fuel, which increased power by allowing for higher
compression ratios.
In the early 1920s, the cost to produce a racing car was not significantly higher than a road car, therefore several manufacturers used the design from the current year's racing car for the next year's sports car.
For example, the 1921
Ballot 2LS based on the racing car that finished third at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The
Benz 28/95PS was also a successful racing car, with victories including the 1921
Coppa Florio.
Another approach— such as used by Morris Garages— was to convert touring cars into sports cars.
The first
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans (french: link=no, 24 Heures du Mans) is an endurance-focused sports car race held annually near the town of Le Mans, France. It is the world's oldest active endurance racing event. Unlike fixed-distance races whose w ...
race for sports cars was held in 1923,
although the two-seat sports cars only competed in the smallest class, with the majority of cars entered being four-seat fast touring cars. "This race, together with the
Tourist Trophy Series of Races, organised after the first World War by the
R.A.C., appealed to the public imagination and offered to the manufacturers of the more sporting cars an excellent opportunity for boosting sales of their products."
The classic
Italian road races— the
Targa Florio, and the
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia (, ''Thousand Miles'') was an open-road, motorsport endurance race established in 1927 by the young Counts Francesco Mazzotti and Aymo Maggi, which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 (thirteen before Worl ...
(first held in 1927)— also captured the public's imagination.
By 1925, the higher profits available for four-seater cars resulted in production of two-seat sports cars being limited to smaller manufacturers such as
Aston-Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC is an English manufacturer of luxury sports cars and grand tourers. Its predecessor was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. Steered from 1947 by David Brown, it became associated with ...
(350 Astons built from 1921 to 1939) and
Frazer-Nash (323 cars built from 1924 to 1939).
Then by the late 1920s, the cost of producing racing cars (especially Grand Prix cars) escalated, causing more manufacturers to produce cars for the growing sports car market instead.
Significant manufacturers of sports cars in the late 1920s were
AC Cars
AC Cars, originally incorporated as Auto Carriers Ltd., is a British specialist automobile manufacturer and one of the oldest independent car makers founded in Britain. As a result of bad financial conditions over the years, the company was r ...
,
Alfa Romeo,
Alvis,
Amilcar, Bignan and Samson,
Chenard-Walcker,
Delage,
Hispano-Suiza,
Hotchkiss
Hotchkiss may refer to:
Places Canada
* Hotchkiss, Alberta
* Hotchkiss, Calgary
United States
* Hotchkiss, Colorado
* Hotchkiss, Virginia
* Hotchkiss, West Virginia
Business and industry
* Hotchkiss (car), a French automobile manufactu ...
,
Mercedes-Benz and
Nazzaro.
Two cars from the Vintage Era that would influence sports cars for many years were the
Austin Seven and
MG M-type "Midget".
Successful sports cars from Bentley during this era were the
Bentley 3 Litre (1921-1929) and the
Bentley Speed Six (1928-1930), with the former famously described by Bugatti's founder as "the fastest lorry in the world".
File:Rome Tuning Show 71.JPG , Alfa Romeo 6C (1929)
File:1929 Mercedes-Benz SSK photo10.JPG , Mercedes-Benz SSK (1929)
1930-1939: Pre-war Era cars
Sandwiched between the
Great Depression and the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, the
pre-war era was a period of decline in importance for sports car manufacturers,
although the period was not devoid of advances,
for example
streamlining. Cheap, light-weight family
sedans with independent front suspension— such as the
BMW 303,
Citroën Traction Avant and
Fiat 508— offered similar handling and comfort to the more expensive sports cars. Powerful, reliable and economical (although softly suspended) American saloons began to be imported to Europe in significant numbers. Sports car ownership was increased through models such as the
Austin 7
The Austin 7 is an economy car that was produced from 1923 until 1939 in the United Kingdom by Austin. It was nicknamed the "Baby Austin" and was at that time one of the most popular cars produced for the British market and sold well abroad ...
and
Wolseley Hornet six, however many of these sports cars did not offer any performance upgrades over the mass-produced cars upon which they were based.
The highest selling sports car company of the 1930s was
Morris Garages,
who produced 'MG Midget' models of the
M-Type,
J-Type,
P-Type and
T-Type
The T-Type name was used in a series of Buick automobiles that were popular during the 1980s. This marketing approach for Buick products was a revival of a similar approach used in the 1960s (and later revived in the 1990s) with the Buick GS de ...
. The K3 version of the
K-Type Magnette was a successful racing car, achieving success in the
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia (, ''Thousand Miles'') was an open-road, motorsport endurance race established in 1927 by the young Counts Francesco Mazzotti and Aymo Maggi, which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 (thirteen before Worl ...
,
Tourist Trophy and
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans (french: link=no, 24 Heures du Mans) is an endurance-focused sports car race held annually near the town of Le Mans, France. It is the world's oldest active endurance racing event. Unlike fixed-distance races whose w ...
.
The
Bugatti Type 57 (1934-1940) was another significant sports car of the pre-war era and is now among the most valuable cars in the world. The T57 was successful in sports car races, including winning the
1937 24 Hours of Le Mans and
1939 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans () was the 16th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place at Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, on 17 and 18 June 1939. The 1939 programme cover depicted the raising of six nations' flags: France, Italy, Great Bri ...
. Another successful Bugatti sports car was the
Bugatti Type 55 (1932-1935), which was based on the Type 51 Grand Prix racing car.
File:Riley Imp 000 000 1934-1935 1935 frontright 2012-04-08 A.jpg, Riley Nine
The Riley Nine was one of the most successful light sporting cars produced by the British motor industry in the inter war period. It was made by the Riley company of Coventry, England with a wide range of body styles between 1926 and 1938.
Desi ...
Imp (1935)
File:SS Jaguar 100 - 2½ Litre 1938.jpg, SS Jaguar 100 (1938)
File:BMW 328 1938.jpg, BMW 328 (1938)
1939-1959: Expansion following World War II
The decade following the Second World War saw an "immense growth of interest in the sports car, but also the most important and diverse technical developments
ndvery rapid and genuine improvement in the qualities of every modern production car; assisted by new design and manufacturing techniques a consistently higher level of handling properties has been achieved."
In Italy, a small but wealthy market segment allowed for the manufacture of a limited number of high-performance models directly allied to contemporary Grand Prix machines,
such as the 1948
Ferrari 166 S. A new concept altogether was the modern ''
Gran Turismo'' class from Italy, which was in effect unknown before the war: sustained high speed motoring from relatively modest engine size and compact closed or ''
berlinetta'' coachwork.
The 1947
Maserati A6 1500 two-seat berlinetta was the first production model from Maserati.
In Germany the motor industry was devastated by the war, but a small number of manufacturers returned it to prominence. In 1948, the
Porsche 356 was released as the debut model from Porsche. The significance of the Porsche 356 and its successors was described in 1957 as "future historians must see them as among the most important of mid-century production cars".
The 1954
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is another significant car from this era.
File:Jaguar XK 120 OTS SE 1953.jpg, Jaguar XK120 Roadster (1948-1954)
File:1961-ace-automobile-archives.jpg, AC Ace (1953-1963)
File:Triumph-tr2.jpg, Triumph TR2 (1953-1955)
File:Austin Healey 'Frogeye' Sprite - Flickr - exfordy.jpg, Austin-Healey Sprite (1958-1961)
File:'57 MG MGA Coupe (Hudson).JPG, MG MGA (1955-1959)
1960-1979: Lightweight roadsters, mid-engined supercars
The 1961
Jaguar E-Type is an iconic sports car of the early 1960s, due to its attractive styling and claimed top speed of . The E-type was produced for 14 years and was initially powered by a six-cylinder engine, followed by a V12 engine for the final generation.
In 1962, the
MG B
The MGB is a two-door sports car manufactured and marketed from 1962 until 1980 by the British Motor Corporation (BMC), later the ''Austin-Morris'' division of British Leyland, as a four-cylinder, soft-top sports car. It was announced and its det ...
introduced a new era of affordable lightweight four-cylinder roadsters. The MG B used a
unibody construction and was produced until 1980. Other successful lightweight roadsters include the
Triumph Spitfire (1962-1980) and the
Alfa Romeo Spider (1966-1993). The
Fiat X1/9 (1972-1989) was unusual for its use of a
mid-engine design in an affordable roadster model. A late entrant to the affordable roadster market was the 1975
Triumph TR7, however by the late 1970s the demand for this style of car was in decline, resulting in production ceasing in 1982.
The original
Lotus Elan (1962-1975) two-seat coupe and roadster models are an early commercial success for the philosophy of achieving performance through minimising weight, as has been rated as one of the top 10 sports cars of the 1960s. The Elan featured fibreglass bodies, a backbone chassis, and overhead camshaft engines.
A very different style of roadster was the
AC Cobra, released in 1962, which was fitted with V8 engines up to in size.
The
Porsche 911 was released in 1964 and has remained in production since. The 911 is notable for its use of the uncommon
rear-engine design and the use of a
flat-six engine. Another successful rear-engine sports car was the original
Alpine A110 (1961-1977), which was a successful rally car during the
Group 4 era.
In 1965, the
BMW New Class Coupes were released, leading to the
BMW 6 Series which remains in production to this day.
The
Lamborghini Miura (1966) and
Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (1967) mid-engined high performance cars are often cited as the first
supercars.
Other significant European models of the 1960s and 1970s which might be considered supercars today are the
Ferrari 250 GTO (1962-1964),
Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (1963-1964),
Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (1966-1968),
Maserati Ghibli (1967-1973),
Ferrari Daytona (1968-1973),
Dino 246 (1969-1974),
De Tomaso Pantera (1971-1993),
Ferrari 308 GTB (1975-1980) and
BMW M1 (1978-1981).
In 1966, the
Jensen FF became the first sports car to use
all-wheel drive
An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand.
The most common forms of all-wheel drive are:
;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one ...
.
The
Ford Capri is a 2+2 coupe that was produced from 1968 to 1986 and intended to be a smaller European equivalent of the Ford Mustang. A main rival to the Capri was
Opel Manta, which was produced from 1970 to 1988.
The 1973-1978
Lancia Stratos was a mid-engined two-seat coupe that was powered by a Ferrari V6 engine. This was an unusual arrangement for a car used to compete in rallying, nonetheless it was very successful and won the World Rally Championship in
1974,
1975 and
1976.
The
Lancia Montecarlo was produced from 1975 to 1981 and is a mid-engine two-seater, available as a coupé or a targa-top. Sold as Lancia Scorpion in the USA. Its racing variant, Montecarlo Turbo, won the
1979 World Championship for Makes in its division and overall for
1980 World Championship for Makes
The 1980 World Sportscar Championship season was the 28th season of FIA World Sportscar Championship motor racing. It featured the 1980 World Championship for Makes which was contested as a series running under both Fédération Internationale d ...
and
1981 World Endurance Championship for Makes
The 1981 World Sportscar Championship season was the 29th season of FIA World Sportscar Championship motor racing. It featured the 1981 FIA World Endurance Championship which was contested over a fifteen race series which ran from 31 January to 27 ...
. Montecarlo also won the 1980
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and
Giro d'Italia automobilistico marathon. The Montecarlo was a basis for the
silhouette racing car,
Lancia Rally 037.
File:01-bonhams-ferrari-monterey-2014-1.jpg , Ferrari 250 GTO
(1962-1964)
File:SeriesoneJag.jpg , Jaguar E-Type
(1961-1968)
File:Lotus Elan Sprint.jpg , Lotus Elan Sprint (1970-1973)
1980-1999: Turbocharging and all-wheel drive emerge
Turbocharging became increasingly popular in the 1980s, from relatively affordable coupes such as the 1980-1986
Renault Fuego and 1992-1996
Rover 220 Coupé Turbo, to expensive supercars such as the 1984-1987
Ferrari 288 GTO and 1987-1992
Ferrari F40.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, several manufacturers developed supercars which competed for
production car top speed records. These cars included the 1986-1993
Porsche 959, 1991-1995
Bugatti EB 110, 1992-1994
Jaguar XJ220 and 1993-1998
McLaren F1.
The 1980-1995
Audi Quattro was a pioneering
all-wheel drive
An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand.
The most common forms of all-wheel drive are:
;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one ...
sports car. The 1995
Porsche 911 Turbo (993) saw the 911 Turbo model switch to all-wheel drive, a drivetrain layout that the model uses to this day.
The
BMW M3 was released in 1986 and has been produced for every generation since. The 1993-1996
Mercedes-Benz W124 E36 AMG was the mass-produced AMG model. Audi's equivalent division, called "RS", was launched in 1994 with the
Audi RS 2 Avant.
Ford Europe withdrew from the sports car market at the end of 1986 when the Capri was discontinued after a production run of nearly two decades. There was no direct successor, as Ford was concentrating on higher performance versions of its hatchback and saloon models at the time.
In 1989, a new generation of
Lotus Elan roadster was released which used a
front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longi ...
layout, a controversial choice for a "purist" sports car. The Elan sold poorly and was discontinued after three years. The 1996
Lotus Elise, a
mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster, was much more successful and remained in production until 2021.
Roadsters enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-1990s, including the 1989-present
Mazda MX-5
The Mazda MX-5 is a lightweight two-passenger Roadster (automobile), roadster sports car manufactured and marketed by Mazda with a Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout#Front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, front mid-engine, rear-wheel-driv ...
, the 1995-2002
BMW Z3 (succeeded by the 2002-2016 BMW Z4), the 1995-2002
MG F, the 1996–present
Porsche Boxster and the 1998–present
Audi TT.
The
Honda S2000 roadster was introduced in 1999 for the 2000 model year, and was noted for its high-revving 4 cylinder engine and its exceptionally high
specific output Specific output is a measure of internal combustion engine performance. It describes the efficiency of an engine in terms of the brake horsepower it outputs relative to its displacement. The measure enables the comparison of differently sized eng ...
of 125 horsepower per litre.
File:Ferrari F40 (7434297012).jpg , Ferrari F40
(1987-1992)
File:Lotus Elise front 20090806.jpg , Lotus Elise (Series 1)
(1996-2001)
File:2005 Audi TT Quattro 3.2 Front.jpg , Audi TT (Mk1)
(1998-2006)
2000-present: Turbos become dominant, hybrids emerge
The 2000–2021
Lotus Exige was introduced as a coupe version of Elise. Similarly,
Porsche Cayman (987) was introduced in 2006 as the coupe equivalent to the Porsche Boxster roadster. Lotus also expanded their model range with the 2009–2021
Lotus Evora, a larger four-seat coupe.
Audi's first mid-engined supercar is the 2006–present
Audi R8. Other sports cars of the 2000s were the 2005-2010
Alfa Romeo Brera/Spider, 2009-2015
Peugeot RCZ and the 2008-2017 reintroduction of the
Volkswagen Scirocco (a coupe based on the VW Golf platform).
Reflecting overall car industry trends, the mid-2010s saw
naturally aspirated engines being replaced by
turbocharged engines. Ferrari's first regular production turbocharged engine was used in the 2014-2017
Ferrari California T, followed by the 2015-2019
Ferrari 488. Similarly, in 2016, the
Porsche 911 (991.2) began to use turbocharging on all models and the
Porsche 982 Cayman/Boxster downsized from a six-cylinder engine to a turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
Also in the 2010s,
dual-clutch transmissions became more widespread, causing manual transmissions to decline in sales and no longer be offered on some models.
Hybrid-electric sports cars began to appear in the 2010s— notably the 2013-2016
LaFerrari, 2013-2015
McLaren P1, 2013-2015
Porsche 918 Spyder "hypercars". The 2014–present
BMW i8 was also an early plug-in hybrid sports car.
McLaren began permanent car manufacturing operations with the 2011-2014
McLaren 12C.
In 2013, the
Jaguar F-Type saw the brand return to two-seat sports car market, with the four-seat grand tourer Jaguar XK discontinued the following year.
The
BMW 2 Series coupe and convertible were introduced in 2013 to sit below the larger
BMW 4 Series models, with the new
BMW M2 high-performance model introduced in 2015.
The 2013–present
Alfa Romeo 4C two-seat coupe and roadster used a carbon-fibre body and became Alfa's first mid-engine sports car since the 1967-1969 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale.
Fiat had exited the roadster market with the end of
Fiat Barchetta production in 2005. The company resumed production of roadsters in 2016 with the
Fiat 124 Spider, which is based on the Mazda MX-5.
In 2017, Renault revived the Alpine brand for the 2017–present
Alpine A110 mid-engine coupe.
File:Porsche 918 Spyder IAA 2013 (Zuschnitt).jpg , Porsche 918 Spyder
(2013-2015)
File:Festival automobile international 2014 - Alfa Romeo 4C - 009.jpg , Alfa Romeo 4C
(2013-2018)
File:Fiat 124 Spider 1368cc registered September 2016.jpg , Fiat 124 Spider
(2016–present)
United States
During the 1910s and 1920s, American manufacturers of smaller sports cars included
Apperson,
Kissel, Marion, Midland, National,
Overland,
Stoddard-Dayton and Thomas; manufacturers of larger sports cars included Chadwick,
Mercer,
Stutz Motor Company,
and
Simplex
In geometry, a simplex (plural: simplexes or simplices) is a generalization of the notion of a triangle or tetrahedron to arbitrary dimensions. The simplex is so-named because it represents the simplest possible polytope in any given dimension ...
.
Since the 1960s, American performance cars have often been designed as
muscle cars rather than sports cars. However, several American two-seat sports cars have also been produced, such as the 1953–present
Chevrolet Corvette, 1962-1967
Shelby Cobra, 1983-1988
Pontiac Fiero and 2005-2006
Ford GT.
File:1912 Stutz Bearcat Speedster front quarter (7704047066).jpg , Stutz Bearcat Speedster
(1912-1916)
File:1913 Mercer Series J, Type 35 Raceabout (1418364979).jpg , Mercer Type 35 Raceabout
(1910-1913)
File:53 Corvette.jpg , Chevrolet Corvette (C1)
(1953-1962)
File:Warwick (Rhode Island, USA), Ford GT -- 2006 -- 1.jpg , Ford GT
(2005-2006)
Asia
1959—1968: Beginnings
The first Japanese sports car was the 1959-1960
Datsun 211, a two-seat roadster built on the chassis of a compact pickup truck and powered by a engine. Only 20 cars were built, and the 1963-1965
Datsun SP310— based on the chassis of a passenger sedan instead of a pickup truck— is often considered Datsun's first mass-production sports car.
Honda's first sports car was the 1963-1964
Honda S500, a two-seat roadster with independent suspension for all wheels and a DOHC engine. In 1965, Toyota joined the two-seat roadster market with the
Toyota Sports 800.
Mazda is noted for its use of
rotary engines, beginning in 1967 with the
Mazda Cosmo. The Cosmo was a two-seat coupe with a rotary engine producing up to . Mazda continued to produce sports cars with rotary engines (sometimes turbocharged) until the
Mazda RX-8 ended production in 2012.
The
Toyota 2000GT, produced from 1967 to 1970, was an expensive two-seat coupe that greatly changed overseas perceptions of the Japanese automotive industry. The 2000GT demonstrated that Japan was capable of producing high-end sports cars to rival the traditional European brands.
1969-1977: Mass-production begins
In 1969, Nissan introduced the
Nissan Fairlady Z / Datsun 240Z two-seat coupe, powered by a six-cylinder engine and described as providing similar performance to the Jaguar E-Type at a more affordable price.
The 240Z began the lineage of Nissan "Z cars" which continues through to today's
Nissan 370Z. In 1974, Nissan expanded their coupe range with the
Nissan Silvia 2+2 coupe, which was powered by a four-cylinder engine and produced until 2002.
Also in 1969, Mitsubishi's first performance car was introduced, in the form of the
Mitsubishi Colt 11-F Super Sports coupe. The 11-F Super Sports was followed by the 1970-1977
Mitsubishi Galant GTO
The Mitsubishi Colt Galant GTO (Gran Turismo Omologato) was first shown as the Galant GTX-1 showcar at the 1969 Tokyo Motor Show. Sales began in November 1970, when it was the flagship hardtop variant of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries's then-new Colt ...
and 1971-1975
Mitsubishi Galant FTO, both based on a platform shared with the Galant sedan.
Toyota's mass-production 2+2 coupes of the 1970s consisted of the Celica, Supra, Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno. The
Celica was introduced in 1971 and remained in production until 2006. From 1979 to 1986, the
Supra name was used for six-cylinder versions of the Celica, until the Supra moved to a separate platform from 1986 to 2002. The
Corolla Levin / Sprinter Trueno were based on the Toyota Corolla hatchback platform and produced from 1972 to 2000.
The
Nissan Skyline GT-R was initially produced as a sedan for two years, before a coupe model was introduced in 1971. This first generation Skyline GT-R had rear-wheel drive, a six-cylinder engine and was produced until 1972.
1978-1988: Front-wheel drive introduced
The
Honda Prelude front-wheel drive 2+2 coupe was launched in 1978 and remained in production until 2001. The 1985-2006
Honda Integra was also a front-wheel drive 2+2 coupe produced by Honda. Other 2+2 models included the 1982-1989
Mitsubishi Starion (turbocharged and rear-wheel drive) and the 1985-1991
Subaru XT (available with a turbocharger and all-wheel drive). Subaru have produced few sports cars in their history, instead focussing on rally-influenced sedans/hatchbacks for their performance models, such as the Liberty RS and Imprezza WRX/STi models.
In 1984, the
Toyota MR2 two-seat coupe became Japan's first production
mid-engine car. The MR2 switched to a two-seat roadster body style for the final generation from 1999 to 2007.
The first Korean coupe model was the 1988
Hyundai Scoupe, which used front-wheel drive and was based on Excel hatchback. The Scoupe was followed by 1996-2008
Hyundai Tiburon and 2011-present
Hyundai Veloster.
1989-2011: All-wheel drive, first supercars
The Nissan Skyline GT-R was reintroduced in 1989-2002 (R32, R33 and R34 generations) which became famous for their use of turbocharging and all-wheel drive, which provided performance comparable with many more expensive sports cars. The latest generation (R35) started production in 2007 as the
Nissan GT-R.
The 1990-2005
Honda NSX is considered Japan's first supercar. The NSX was praised for being more reliable and user-friendly than contemporary European supercars. Aside from the NSX, the other Japanese supercar is the 2010-2012
Lexus LFA, a two-seat front-engine coupe powered by a V10 engine.
The
Honda S2000 is an
open top sports car was manufactured from 1999 to 2009. The S2000 is named for its engine displacement of two liters, carrying on in the tradition of the
S500,
S600, and
S800 roadsters of the 1960s. Its engine is notable for its high specific power output.
The
Mitsubishi GTO coupe/convertible was introduced in 1990. The base models used front-wheel drive and a
naturally aspirated V6 engine, however all-wheel drive and a turbocharged V6 engine were also available. To sit below the GTO in the model range, the
Mitsubishi FTO front-wheel drive coupe was introduced in 1994. Both the GTO and FTO were discontinued in 2000.
Suzuki's first sports car was the 1991-1998
Suzuki Cappuccino, a two-seat roadster
kei car with rear-wheel drive and a turbocharged engine.
2012-present: Declining popularity of coupes
The
Toyota 86 / Subaru BRZ is a 2+2 coupe that was introduced in 2012 and currently remains in production with a new model released for the 2022 model year. The 86/BRZ is a rare modern example of a relatively affordable rear-wheel drive sports car.
The 2016–present
Honda NSX (2nd generation) supercar marked a change in approach for Honda, by using all-wheel drive, a hybrid drivetrain, turbocharging and a dual-clutch transmission.
See also
*
List of sports car manufacturers
*
List of sports cars
*
Car classification
*
History of the automobile
*
Convertible
*
Coupe
*
Grand tourer
*
Hot hatch
*
Kit car
*
Muscle car
*
Roadster
*
Sport compact
*
Sports car racing
*
Sports sedan
*
Sport utility vehicle
*
Supercar
*
List of fastest production cars
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sports Car
Car classifications