Bad car or just bad timing? Britain’s boutique auto industry has seen some ups and downs over the past few decades that some have genuinely underestimated Sports car pass under the radar.
Given the difficult choice of picking just ten often overlooked British cars, it’s not as easy as it sounds at first. Are you only opting for the obvious low volume sports cars and ignoring comfort or practicality? There are dozens of good reasons for choosing speed over comfort and sophistication, but that leaves out some great cars that have been overshadowed in the first place. And we haven’t even thought of older cars that were haunted by long-healed defects and flaws when they were launched.
In truth, the list of underrated British cars could be limitless if you have enough space, picking just ten is a real challenge, and no doubt we would pick ten different cars on any other day.
10
Rover P5B (1967-73)
About FavCars
Think any British luxury sedan, and the chances of Rover making the top ten are slim, yet VIPs and heads of state have owned or been chauffeured in the P5B for decades. Unconvinced? Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher used one in the 1970s, and to this day Queen Elizabeth has kept one hidden.
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Granted, an old Rover won’t make your pulse beat faster, with just 184bhp from its 3.5-liter Buick-based V8, but take one with you for a long road trip and the sumptuous interior and smooth handling will get you ask why rover? did not succeed.
9
Triumph stag (1970-77)
Via mecum auctions
Underestimated or Notoriously Unreliable? The Triumph Stag suffered a shockingly high number of breakdowns, mainly due to the tall water pump arrangement on the V8s developed by Triumph. A simple upgrade of the radiator and expansion tank cured most reliability problems.
Via mecum auctions
Overcome the pesky concerns of unplanned road stops, and the Stag is a surprisingly comfortable long-range cruiser. The much maligned 3-liter V8 from Triumph, although not particularly powerful with 145 hp, can still keep up with modern traffic and comes to sixty in 9.3 seconds.
8th
Lotus Elan M100 (1989-95)
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Launched in 1989, the Elan struggled to justify its name and place in the Lotus model lineup, and the high selling prices caused transmissions to look elsewhere for a cheaper two-seater sports car. The revival of the Elan name was a bold move made worse by the budget-conscious front-wheel drive layout.
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By any other name, it could have been a tumultuous success, the same problems that held Lotus back were Elan’s best qualities. Clever independent suspension made it one of the most manageable sports cars money could buy, and in SE form Isuzu 1.6-liter turbo engines made sure the Elan was fast too.
7th
TVR Tamora (2002-06)
Via Wikipedia
This was TVR’s idea of an entry-level car with an emphasis on practical and user-friendly. The Tamora was introduced in 2002, and although a little softer, it is anything but tame, maintaining the recipe of large engines and light weight.
Via Wikipedia
Think of the Tamora as a scaled-down T350 and you’re pretty on the money. With a slimmed-down chassis and a smaller 3.6-liter in-line six-cylinder with just 350 hp. A combination of poor reliability and a lack of interest that benefited the Tamora saw production of 350 cars before TVR pulled the plug.
6th
Rocket light car company
About Hemmings
The LCC Rocket was written by Gordon Murray of McLaren F1 and was a first attempt at the ultimate road legal lightweight sports car that ultimately flopped despite enthusiastic press reviews. High construction costs and a lack of potential buyers killed this underrated 1950s F1 racing car.
About Hemmings
A cozy two-seater, weighing 850 lbs, powered by a four-cylinder 1-liter Yamaha motorcycle engine that developed up to 165 horsepower, meant the Rocket had a power-to-weight ratio on par with the Ferrari F40. While its top speed of 143 mph was far from the F40’s record-breaking 200+ mph, the Rocket was faster in short sprints, reaching sixty in less than four seconds.
5
Jaguar S-Type R
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The big cat, with which no one wanted to be associated, a poorly conceived retro appearance that was supposed to imitate classic jaguars of the 1960s, went down with buyers like a lead balloon. It’s actually a shame, because under the skin the S-Type was a formidable luxury coupé with a serious bite, especially in the “R” trim.
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Packing a supercharged 4.2-liter V8 under the hood turned the only good one into a sublime M5 bait super sedan with 400 horsepower and 408 lb-ft of torque. Big numbers are only part of the story. When you hit the throttle, an instant burst of instantaneous acceleration pushes you into the seat, propelling you to sixty in 5.3 seconds.
4th
Lotus Evora 400 (2010-21)
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Updated with our second Lotus, the Evora is one of the best mid-engined sports cars money can buy and a serious alternative to owning a Porsche. Although widely praised by the press, Evora’s sales were only a fraction of its competitors.
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The name Lotus itself could have something to do with it, once the epitome of cheap sports cars with a fiberglass body and poor reliability. Introduced in 2010, the Evora changed all of that. It uses a lightweight aluminum and steel chassis with a composite body backed by a dependable supercharged Toyota 3.5 liter V6. The Evora is by no means perfect, but it is a strong contender for the best Lotus yet.
3
Ginetta G60 (2012-15)
Via Wallpaperflare
Introduced in 2012, the Ginetta G60 only lasted three years before production ended, with high manufacturing costs and poor sales cited as the reason for the little-known sports car’s disappearance. Many gearheads won’t have heard of Ginneta before the unveiling of the upcoming Akula supercar, but Ginetta is one of the most recognizable names in the club racing scene.
Via Wallpaperflare
A racing-style carbon tub, tubular steel chassis and composite body made up the G60. Powered by Ford Cyclone 3.7 liter V6 engines that deliver 310 hp that promise a competitive 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 165 mph, the biggest problem with this underrated sports car is its lack of brand awareness .
2
Zenos E10S (2012-17)
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Small, agile, affordable and unfortunately no longer up-to-date: the newcomers Zenos Cars came onto the market in 2012 with their highly acclaimed E10S range, which promises to be inexpensive to purchase and maintain. As with so many other promising startups, Cash King was temporarily put on hold in 2017 amid a large number of canceled orders from the E10.
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The Zenos E10S was developed by former Lotus and Caterham engineers and uses lightweight composite materials paired with a Ford in-line four-cylinder turbo engine with 250 hp. The E10S would crack sixty in four seconds and go up to 145 mph before it ran out of breath.
1
Bristol Fighters (2004-11)
Via the classic garage
Out of curiosity, the Bristol Fighter deserves to be featured here, so little is known from personal experience that underestimating it could be an injustice, we just don’t know. However, the lure of a quirky British muscle car with Viper-based V10 engines is too hard to resist.
Via the classic garage
The production details are a little blurry too, with sources fluctuating between 12-20 Fighters in total before production stopped in 2011. Listed for a staggering $ 650,000 when new, deep pocket gearboxes would have gotten at least some big horsepower numbers, the Fighter 8-liter engine developed 525 horsepower and promised a top speed of over 200 mph.
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About the author
Jason Garbutt
(353 published articles)
Growing up in a car-obsessed environment from an early age, generated a keen interest in everything to do with cars. primarily an F1 fan, but also an avid fan of other motorsports. Professional background who has worked closely with an established UK supercar manufacturer over the past few years.
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