The sports cars we totally forgot existed

A sports car needs more than just performance and pretty face to succeed.

AC Ace

One of the great might-have-beens, the England's AC Ace revived a famous name from the 1950s and hoped to emulate its illustrious predecessor’s charm and glamour. Sadly for AC, by the time it offered the Ace for sale in 1998 after a very lengthy gestation, few buyers were interested. The looks were too generic compared to a similarly priced Aston Martin DB7 and the 330 hp 4.6- or 5.0-liter Ford V8s lacked prestige and pace. 0-to-60mph acceleration in 6.2 seconds and 145mph lagged well behind the cheaper Porsche 911.

AC managed to shift a claimed 58 cars, but by then it had bankrupted the company due to its expensive production from composite materials and aluminium. There were also questions about its build quality, so the Ace faded into obscurity and has remained there since.

BMW Z1

For a car that sold 8000 units in period, the BMW Z1 loiters in the shadows of BMW history. At its launch in 1988, it was expensive at around $50,000 – more than double the price of a contemporary 325i Sport – but many were drawn in by its sleek looks and trademark drop-down doors.

The intervening years have witnesses the Z1 being somewhat overshadowed by its Z3M and Z4M descendants, not helped by the Z1’s slightly unfair reputation for stodgy handling and mild performance. Even so, it has a small but dedicated following to compensate for its overlooked stature.

Caparo T1

The fanfare surrounding the launch of the Caparo T1 in 2006 was deafening. Here was a road-legal car with Formula 1 levels of performance and it had been touched by the hand of none other than Gordon Murray, of McLaren F1 fame. With a detuned IndyCar engine, the 583 hp 3.5-liter V8 catapulted the T1 from rest to 60mph in 2.5 seconds and was said to top out at 190mph.

Then the problems set in. First there was a fire when the car was being tested by race car ace Jason Plato, followed by Jeremy Clarkson also experiencing faults. Buyer confidence plummeted and only 15 T1s had been built by 2012 when the project came to a halt.

Caterham 21

The UK's Caterham has never built a dud car, but the 21 came perilously close. The reason for this was not to do with the car itself but timing. Launched in 1996, the 21 was meant as a more civilised but no less engaging machine than a Caterham Seven. The only fly in the gear oil was Lotus also launched its all-new Elise at the same time and the 21 was forgotten about in the clamour of buyers to get their hands on the Lotus.

Using a composite body and the same Rover K-Series engines as the Seven, the 21 was quick and could cover 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds. It also handled superbly as it used much the same chassis as its pared down sister. However, this also mean the 21 wasn’t quite as civilised as some would have liked, so only 48 were built by the time production halted in 1999.

Evante

Updating the original 1960s Lotus Elan worked brilliantly for Mazda, but it proved a harder task for Vegantune boss George Robinson when he set up Evante. Based around a backbone chassis very similar to the Elan’s, the Evante was powered by a Vegantune 1.7-liter engine built around a Ford block with 142 hp. Performance was better than the original Lotus’ and so was build quality.

What did for the Evante was launching a $40,000 two-seater that looked like a classic Lotus at the height of the early ‘90s recession. Few showed interest and even less coughed up the money, so Evante only ever produced five of these hand-built machines.

Fiat Barchetta

With so much enthusiasm surrounding the Mazda MX-5, MG-F and Toyota MR-2, it can be difficult to recall Fiat was also a key player in the 1990s roadster revival. This keenly priced sports car with a revvy 132 hp 1.8-liter motor was very pretty and handled superbly. There was also great detailing and good quality construction.

With all of this in its favour, the Barchetta should have been a runaway success, yet it had two key problems. In the UK, it was only available with left-hand drive and few were prepared to opt for this when they could have an MX-5 or Z3 with the steering wheel on the right side, though a few diehards did convert them. The other niggle was front-wheel drive for the Fiat when its rivals all sported rear-drive for true sporting bragging rights. Fiat made 57,700 Barchettas, but spotting one today is a rare and welcome sight, though the model was never officially sold in the US.

Ginetta G33

Ginetta was busy trying to promote its turnkey G32 when the G33 became an unexpected sensation, helped by featuring on the cover of Autocar. The small company was overwhelmed by the interest in this TVR-baiting V8 two-seater and hurried to meet demand. As a result, build quality was not as good as it might be.

Yet there was nothing wrong with the fundamentals of the G33. It packed a 203 hp 3.9-liter Rover V8 engine in its more potent specification. That saw it from 0-60mph in 5.3 seconds and it handled very well. All this for around $30,000 made it a bit of a bargain, but cash flow problems for Ginetta meant the G33 lasted in production only from 1991 to 1992 with a tiny number sold.

Ken Okuyama KO7

When the designer behind the Ferrari Enzo and Maserati Quattroporte decides to launch his own sports car, you take notice. The world did just that when Ken Okuyama unveiled his KO7, which was a very successful update of the Lotus Seven idea. For the KO7, the engine was mid-mounted and was a 210 hp 2.0-liter borrowed from Toyota. It gave the 1738 lb KO7 vivid performance.

With plenty of interest in track day machines when it was launched in 2010, the exquisitely detailed KO7 should have been a hit. However, a projected price of £150,000 (around $250,000 at the time) sunk those hopes, though it hasn’t stopped Okuyama showing off various sports car ideas at subsequent Tokyo Motor Shows.

Marcos Mantula

Every Marcos is a rare machine, but most have achieved a small but loyal and vocal following. However, the Mantula and its Mantara and Mantaray derivatives are too easily ignored. That’s a shame when they offer much of the thrills of contemporary TVRs, helped by using the same Rover V8 engine for propulsion.

Offered in fully-built or kit form, the Mantula never quite shook off those kit car connotations for some potential buyers, even though the body, chassis and running gear were all very well made. Marcos made 289 Mantulas, so they do still appear for sale and deserve fair consideration for the performance and driving enjoyment they offer.

Midas

Harold Dermott’s Midas outfit could so easily have become a world-beater in the affordable sports car market. However, a devastating factory fire in 1989 put paid to that and the company folded shortly afterwards in 1989 despite huge acclaim for its compact cars.

The Bronze was launched in 1978 with a glassfibre monocoque body and was the first car with this construction to pass contemporary crash tests. With neat styling by Richard Oakes and aerodynamic design input from Gordon Murray, the later Gold was just getting into its sales stride when that fire destroyed all of the tooling. In all, 500 Bronze and Gold models were produced and they are slowly gaining recognition for their ground-breaking design.

Mitsubishi FTO

Mitsubishi launched the FTO in 1994 and plenty were quick to notice it and bring them to the UK as grey imports. There were officially imported cars from 1997, but by then interest in the FTO had tailed off as buyers found their thrills elsewhere. That seemed strange given the FTO’s specification included a 200 hp 2.0-liter V6 engine that liked to rev and it could hit 60mph from rest in 6.9 seconds.

However, the figures flattered to deceive as the FTO didn’t feel that quick or special, particularly up against cars like the Honda Integra Type-R or Ford Racing Puma.

MVS Venturi

Although it looks similar to the Renault Alpine A610, the MVS 260 and its Atlantique 300 sister were entirely independent products. Built by Manufacture de Voitures de Sport, they did use the Renault V6 engine in 260- and 302 hp forms but the motor was mid-mounted in the MVS. Performance was strong, but the MVS never made the Ferrari-rivalling impact the firm hoped for, even in its native France.

The 260 was made from 1984 to 1994, then superseded by the Atlantique that lasted until 2000. While quick, the handling wasn’t the same league as a Porsche 911’s, which cost almost exactly the same as the MVS.

Naylor TF

Naylor had built an enviable reputation for high quality restorations of classic MGs, so the idea of building its own MG TF with modern engine, gearbox and electrics seemed like a good idea. There was no faulting the high standards of the Naylor TF, though choosing a 78 hp British Leyland O-Series engine and four-speed manual gearbox didn’t inspire many buyers.

The real problem for Naylor, however, was cost as the TF was offered for £14,950 (around $28,000) in 1985 when a Toyota MR2 was cheaper, better to drive and more practical. Not even a test drive from Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher could drum up enough patriotic support to boost sales beyond 100 cars in total.

Nissan 200SX

The Nissan 200SX always represented great value for money, especially in its later S13 and S14 guises. For those in the know, it’s rightly regarded as a superb Japanese sports car, yet its faded fast from most people’s memories as the majority of 200SX succumbed to tuners, ditches or drifting. So, finding a stock standard example now is a Holy Grail mission.

It’s worth tracking one down, though, as the fourth and fifth generations especially are huge fun to drive. Nissan even rather cheekily ran an advert comparing the SX to a BMW 328i Coupe and listing all the advantages of the Japanese model.

Renault Sport Spider

The Lotus Elise put paid to a lot of rival car makers’ dreams of getting in on the simple sports car markets and Renault was one such victim. Its Sport Spider arrived in 1996, the same year as the Elise, but was heavier and slower, so even its fizzy 152 hp 2.0-liter motor borrowed from the Clio Williams couldn’t help improve on 0-60mph in a middling 7.4 seconds.

Other drawbacks that buyers were not prepared to overlook were a lack of proper roof, though UK cars came with a windscreen as standard, and very basic cabin. Only 96 right-hookers made it the UK out of 1685 Sport Spiders made and it’s remained a motoring unicorn ever since.

When almost everyone else was abandoning the sports car market amid fears the USA would legislate them out of existence, Professor Anthony Stevens came up with the superb Cipher. Light and compact, it used a simple chassis, glassfibre body and 850cc Reliant engine. Autocar’s Steve Cropley praised it when he drove one and the Cipher helped inspire the Mazda MX-5.

Despite all of this, Stevens could not raise the funds to take the Cipher into production and only seven were ever completed. It’s the UK car industry’s loss the Cipher didn’t get the backing it deserved as was the right car at the right time.

Strathcarron SC-5A

The Strathcarron SC-5A was the result of a lifetime spent working in the automotive supply industry and as a motoring journalist. Lord David Strathcarron led the team that designed the SC-5A, which championed lightweight construction and fine handling. It used a Triumph three-cylinder motorcycle engine and was well received by those who drove it.

Again, however, the SC-5A came up against competition from the Lotus Elise as well as changes in regulations that made its motorcycle engine difficult to get through emissions tests. The car later morphed into the MMI Avocet with a 2.0-liter Ford engine, but sales remained as miniscule as the car itself.

Suzuki Cappuccino

Few of Japan’s Kei cars ever make it outside of Japan as official models, but the Suzuki Cappuccino is one of them. It arrived in 1991 shortly after the Mazda MX-5 had taken the world by storm and paved the way for the Suzuki to sell 28,010 globally during its six-year run.

Today, the Cappuccino is a rare spot but a car worth seeking out for its rev-happy 657cc turbocharged engine and 1595 lb all-up weight. The compact two-seater open-top offers 0-60mph in 8.2 seconds, but feels faster thanks to its tiny dimensions. It’s also keen value with prices from around £4000 ($5000) for good ones compared to an original list price of £11,995 in 1991.

There was no mistaking the Tommykaira ZZ’s intention to offer a modern take on the Lotus Seven. Its lightweight chassis and body were joined by a 179 hp 2.0-liter Nissan engine mounted in the middle of the cart. It was even built in Norfolk and the £30,800 (around $50,000 at the time) asking price in 1996 seemed reasonable for a car that could crack 0-60mph in 5.0 seconds.

However, just along the road, Lotus launched the Elise and the Tommykaira ZZ hit the buffers. Not even the considerable funds of company boss Yoshika Tomita could counter this and only a handful of ZZs were ever produced for the Japanese market.

UVA F33

The UVA Fugitive F33 Can-Am was born out of the earlier F30 that set the template for this minimalist vehicle with mid-mounted Rover V8 engine. Pre-dating the likes of the Ariel Atom by more than a decade, the F33 had some bare bones bodywork over a chassis inspired by UVA’s off-road sand rail buggies. The result was supercar pace when it was unveiled in 1986.

However, even the Ferrari Testarossa-style side intakes and rapid performance were not enough to convince more than 12 people to part with their cash for this slice of 1980s excess.

Zolfe Classic GTC4

It was 2006 when the Zolfe Orange made its debut and this car became the Classic GTC4 in 2008. The work of former Caterham man Jez Coates, the Zolfe tipped the scales at only 1536 lb. Power came from either a 188 hp Mazda 2.0-liter motor or a Ford 2.3-liter engine with 284 hp. With no traction control, ABS or power steering, this was raw, fast, back to basics entertainment.

With a proposed price of £27,500 (around $40,000 at the time) and sounds engineering behind it, the Zolfe looked poised to offer a similar package to the Ginetta G40 that followed it. However, it wasn’t to be as a global recession arrived and, sadly, customers stayed away.

Bricklin SV-1 (1974)

Buick Reatta (1988)

Chrysler TC by Maserati (1988)

Bitter CD (1971)

Zimmer Quicksilver (1984)

Panoz Roadster (1992)

Noble M10 (1999)

Trident Iceni (2008)

Fiat Dino (1967)

Iso Lele (1969)

Lamborghini Jarama (1970)

Monteverdi 375 (1967)

Rochdale Olympic (1960)

Monica 560 (1972)

Strathcarron SC-5A (2000)

Keinath GT (1996)

AC Frua (1968)

Tommykaira ZZ (1990)

Vemac RD180 (2000)