When it comes to automotive history, few countries can match what Britain has achieved in the last century. The UK automotive industry is known for providing us with premium automobiles from well-known manufacturers such as McLaren and Aston Martin, as well as smaller niche manufacturers such as Caterham, Ariel and Noble.
One type of vehicle that British automakers seem to be particularly good at building is Sports car. Over the years, British automakers have produced many iconic sports cars with exquisite design, great driving dynamics and enough power to dominate the road and track. Let’s dive into ten awesome British sports cars that are still having an impact on the industry today.
10 Jaguar E-Type
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If any transmission were asked to make a list of the most beautiful sports cars of all time, the E-Type would likely be among the top choices, if not the top choices. When Enzo Ferrari first saw the E-Type, he said it was the most beautiful car he had ever seen – kudos from a man who produced icons like the 250 GTO and Testarossa.
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The E-Type wasn’t just beautiful; it had the power to fit. It had a 3.8 liter V8 that developed 265 horsepower, enough to make it one of the fastest cars of the 1960s. The fact that companies like Eagle make E-Type restomods is testament to the car’s legendary status.
9 McLaren F1
Via the telegraph
After dominating the F1 racing scene for several decades, McLaren decided to use his racing experience to create a sports car that would end all sports cars. The result was the F1, an incredibly fast sports car that is considered the largest of the 1990s.
Via: Robb Report
The F1 immediately made history when it reached a top speed of 240.1 mph to become the fastest production car in the world – a title it held for more than a decade. This was made possible by a 6.1-liter V12 with 618 hp and various F1 technologies.
8th Jaguar XJ220
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When Jaguar introduced the XJ220 Concept at the British International Motor Show in 1988, every transmission was impressed. The XJ220 had a sleek, futuristic design and with a massive Jaguar V12 under the hood, it was the fastest car ever produced. Upon announcing the XJ220 concept, Jaguar immediately received more than 1,500 deposits and prompted them to put it into production.
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Unfortunately, the production XJ220 was a bit disappointing as Jaguar replaced the V12 engine with a turbocharged V6. Even so, with a top speed of 300 km / h, the XJ220 got off the line incredibly quickly and was the fastest car in the world for a while.
7th Aston Martin DB5
Via cnet.com
Aston Martin is known for making some of the most luxurious sports cars and the legendary DB5 is no different. The only thing that has earned the DB5 cult status is the fact that it is one of the most popular movie cars featured in James Bond films.
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The production DB5 didn’t have hidden machine guns and missiles like the movie car, but its 4.0-liter in-line six-cylinder with 282 hp made driving a joy. The DB5 is also one of the most beautiful Astons of all time, whether as a coupé or convertible.
6th Jensen Interceptor
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Introduced in 1966, the Interceptor was an exciting car. The handcrafted Grand Tourer had a fantastic design, luxurious interior, massive engine and one of the coolest names in any vehicle. After a warm welcome, Jensen introduced the FF version, and it was even better.
Via classic car garage
The Interceptor FF is considered to be way ahead of its time – it was one of the first performance sports cars to use all-wheel drive, traction control and an anti-lock braking system. Unfortunately, a high price tag made it a commercial failure.
5 McLaren P1
the way to myself
The P1 is another special car that McLaren built to show that it can compete and win against the world’s best sports cars. Introduced in 2013, the P1 was McLaren’s answer to the two best hypercars in the world at the time – the Porsche 918 Spyder and the Ferrari LaFerrari.
Via: Mclaren
The P1’s performance was exemplary thanks to a wide range of advanced technologies and 904 horses powered by a 3.8 liter twin turbo V8 and an electric motor. McLaren only produced 375 P1 with a seven-digit price tag.
4th Lotus elise
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One of the main ways Lotus makes money is by selling some of its revolutionary technologies to other manufacturers. In the mid-1990s, Lotus needed a new car to showcase some of the advanced technology it had been working on and built the Elise. The Elise was an ultra-light mid-engined sports car with a fiberglass body perched on a bonded aluminum chassis made of extruded aluminum.
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The Elise was powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 118 horsepower, which was enough to make the 1,500-pound sports car pretty fast.
3rd 1977 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
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When the V8 Vantage first hit the road in 1977, some auto journalists dubbed it “Britain’s first supercar” while others called it the “British muscle car”. This car was faster than the legendary Ferrari Daytona at 60 mph and had a top speed of 170 mph – almost unknown at the time.
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The V8 Vantage shared its engine with the Lagonda, but improvements like an increased compression ratio, larger carburetors, larger intake valves, and high-performance camshafts increased its output to 390 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque.
2 Lotus spirit
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Transmissions that grew up in the 70s to 80s have a soft spot for the Lotus Esprit. The Esprit had a wedge-shaped design that made it look like it was sent back from the future, making it one of the most popular poster cars. On top of that, the Esprit was a Bond car, and it was even able to transform into a submarine in the movie The Spy Who Loved Me.
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The Esprit wasn’t just about looks, it was also about a lot of power. A turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with nimble handling made driving a pleasure.
1 Jaguar XK120
Via: Rare Car Network
When Jaguar first introduced the XK120 concept at the London Motor Show in 1948, it was so exciting that Jaguar founder William Lyons decided to bring it into production. The XK120 had a wooden frame and aluminum body panels and was available as a coupe or convertible.
Via: Rare Car Network
To give it the power it needs, Jaguar equipped the XK120 with its brand new 3.4-liter in-line six-cylinder XK engine that develops 160 hp. The result was a top speed of 120 mph or more with the windshield removed, making it the fastest production car.
About the author
Martin Peter
(35 articles published)
Martin is a veteran content creator who has been writing about cars for over a decade and has fallen in love with them even longer. Growing up, Martin was surrounded by gears that instilled in him a deep love and understanding of cars at a young age. He loves learning and writing about all developments in the auto industry – especially in the EV space. When he’s not writing about cars, he enjoys spending time with his wife, children, and fur baby.
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