The British have left an indelible mark on how we design, drive and perceive cars. They have a history of over a century of relentless innovation, famous cars and cutting-edge technology. sports car as a segment owe much of their popularity to British manufacturers, and when you look at the history and genealogy of sports cars as a whole, the importance of British brands becomes clear.
The Italians may have polished the term and the Japanese may have added accessibility and reliability to the equation. But it was the British auto industry that took the concept forward and brought it to the public. In terms of build quality, style, creative features and performance, England produces some of the finest historic sports cars in the world.
The odd thing is that despite Britain’s small size and location in the Atlantic Ocean, the globe is familiar with British names like Lotus, McLaren, Land Rover, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Bentley and Rolls-Royce. However, there are some terrible lows that come with these incredible peaks. Some sport vehicles have reliability concerns, while others have engines that are severely underpowered. A few sports cars can even catch fire! Regardless of the reason, while impressive cars continued to appear, there were some that represented the worst British sports cars.
10 Worst: Triumph TR7
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The famous Italian car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro first saw the TR7 in 1974. According to tradition, he walked around the car, hesitated a bit and then exclaimed: “My God! They did the same on this page. His statements encapsulated a universe of emotions for TR7. Although Triumph has excelled at making motorcycles, its history with four wheels is full of ups and downs.
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That was because the cars were so poorly designed. There were more shorts in it than a mixer with a bong spilled on it. To keep the balance and keep going, the carburetors had to be checked regularly. The timing chains would often tear. The 4-cylinder engines were also a downgrade from the TR6’s fantastic 6-cylinder engine.
9 Worst: Jensen SV-8
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Jensen is a semi-legendary British sports car manufacturer. They introduced the SV-8 at the 1998 British International Motor Show. 2001 was the last year of the two-door convertible. The company has been out of business for 22 years due to bankruptcy.
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Production, on the other hand, was a disaster, with misaligned plate gaps and a parts bin interior that could barely be held together. The SV-8 had a look that would make even a grandmother cringe.
8th Worst: DeLorean DMC-12
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The infamous DeLorean is the biggest disappointment in vehicle history. Few would dispute that the DeLorean is a decent car if it weren’t for the movie Back to the Future. For financial reasons, the new chassis concept was discarded and the engine was moved from the middle to the rear.
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Renault, Peugeot and Volvo also developed this engine for family cars. Such an engine was clearly underpowered for a sports car. The resulting performance is a 0-60 mph time in 10.5 seconds and a quarter mile time of 17.9 seconds at 76.5 mph.
7 Worst: TVR Sagaris
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The United States banned the car over safety concerns. Nevertheless, the manufacturer produced about 200 units for sale in Europe. That amount kept the ailing TVR company insolvent, and they shelved the project in 2006.
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Given their huge success, Griffith, the fact that TVR still makes cars is a mystery. Today’s overly styled sport vehicles, like the Sagaris, strive to appear powerful and aggressive. Rather, they appear overdesigned and unattractive. This vehicle resembles a child trying to pull a Corvette design.
6 Worst: MG Midget
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The Midget is now considered a traditional British roadster. The small sports car has a considerable fan base. However, since the Midget had a large cult following, that doesn’t mean it was great. Don’t be fooled by the dwarf’s appearance; This roadster is anything but fast.
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The most powerful variant made only 65 hp. That being said, Midgets had a terrible reputation for rust and poor performance. This “sports car” took about 20 seconds to accelerate from zero to sixty miles per hour.
5 Worth every penny: JAGUAR XKSS
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During his long career at Jaguar, Sir William Lyons experienced some great ups and downs. But the XKSS was the greatest he’d ever had. The road version of the Type D Le Mans racer, the XKSS, is exceptionally rare. A factory fire destroyed nine of the original 25 automobiles.
via Sports Car Digest
Now only 16 exist. Steve McQueen is one of the proud owners of this beauty. Aside from impeccable design and performance, XKSS’ main claim is its ability to live up to the legacy.
4 Worth every cent: Aston Martin DB5
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Aston Martin only produced 1,021 of these iconic automobiles, despite James Bond endorsement. It was an evolution of the successful DB4 model. The DB5 had improved mechanics and exquisite style created by the Italian design studio Carozzeria Superleggera.
via hippoprestige.co.uk
It came with a 4-litre engine and was available in a limited number of convertibles. Its 6-cylinder in-line engine delivers 282 hp to the rear wheels via a ZF 5-speed gearbox. In British motoring history, the Aston Martin DB5 is unavoidable.
3 Worth every penny: Jaguar E-Type
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When we ask individuals what is the most beautiful car of all time, the Jaguar E-Type comes up most often. The Jaguar E-Type made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show almost 60 years ago. They still consider it a style icon and one of the most admired sports cars of all time.
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Enzo Ferrari called the Jaguar E-Type “the most beautiful car ever produced”. We think he might still be right. It’s a symbol of British pride admired by the rest of the world.
2 Worth every penny: Austin-Healey 3000
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The Austin-Healey 3000 attracted much admiration from enthusiasts for its elegant aesthetics and excellent street manners. The 3000 remains attractive and eye-catching to this day. The Austin-Healey 3000 debuted in the late 1950s. It’s a power roadster with a 3.0-liter C-Series straight-six engine that produces 124 hp.
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It reached a top speed of approximately 114 miles per hour. We know the Austin-Healey 3000 as the Big Healey. It is intended to distinguish it from the smaller Austin-Healey Sprite. This vehicle won its category in rallies and competitions at Le Mans and Sebring.
1 Worth every penny: McLaren F1
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There are supercars and then there is the McLaren F1. This remarkable vehicle has captivated the automotive world since its unveiling in May 1992. It’s simply one of the best automobiles of all time.
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Legendary F1 features include a central driver’s seat and the power of 641 naturally aspirated V-12 horses. From 1992 to 2005, the F1 represented the pinnacle of automotive engineering and design. And it was the fastest production car in the world.
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About the author
Ramya Shah
(117 published articles)
Ramya is a computer engineering graduate with a lifelong love of automobiles. Likes all kinds of cars but has a special place in his heart for Japanese and Italian two-seater sports cars.
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