The British auto industry, once the envy of the world, is long gone. In its place, a handful of specialist automakers make some of the coolest supercars we’ve ever seen, so it’s not all doom and gloom.
The slightest hint of supercars conjures up images of exotic Italians, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati, all of which are highly regarded dream machines, but there are growing numbers in the UK Supercar that are just as fast, beautiful, and desirable. Even more surprising is the fact that demand is growing, Lotus, McLaren and Aston Martin all recently launched new models, so business is definitely looking good. Smaller and cooler British supercars are here to stay, that leaves a tough choice of who builds the coolest car.
10
McLaren 765LT
Via McLaren Pressroom
Barely three years after the shocking arrival of McLaren’s brilliant 720S, another Woking-built supercar appeared that was longer, more powerful, and raised the bar higher than even its designers had expected.
Via McLaren Pressroom
The McLaren 765LT then looks like any other 720S at first glance, the same carbon fiber tube carries an almost identical body, that is, until you reach the rear, where a larger longtail spoiler sits on the targeted flanks of the longtail. Visual cues aside, the real story is under the hood, McLaren tweaked the twin-turbo M840T-V8 so it now delivers 755 horsepower.
9
Aston Martin V8 Vantage Le Mans
About William Loughran
Automakers make a big fuss about racing success and often take every opportunity to remind their customers how fast they could go if they joined the club. In 1999, just forty years after the Le Mans victory, Aston Martin launched the limited edition commemorative model.
About William Loughran
Rarely is something that weighs nearly two tons traveling so fast, Aston Martin claims a top speed of 199 mph, undoubtedly the aerodynamic drag is keeping the big coupe from going faster. Initially available with two engines, both based on the supercharged 5.3-liter V8 from Aston Martin with 550 or 600 hp.
8th
Lotus Esprit SE
Via mecum auctions
For much of its 28-year production period, the Lotus Esprit “coped with” a comparatively small 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine that didn’t match its wedge-shaped supercar profile at all, and finally received a long overdue V8 upgrade in 1996 More cylinders mean more power and more power, but the gains are not as big as you might think.
Via mecum auctions
In the lower range of the series, the Esprit S4 SE models benefited from a modified engine from the 910 series including “charge cooling”, which, under the right circumstances, could produce up to 280 hp in a short time. Sure, the V8 had more power, but also more weight – which contradicts the Lotus motto “simplify, then add more easily”.
7th
TVR Griffith 500
About Coys
By the time TVR finally brings the brand new Griffith into production it will have a huge reputation to live up to, TVR, if nothing else, always shows impressive performance and noise levels. No more than the Griffith 500, a simple recipe for a lightweight fiberglass body over a half-tubular steel backbone chassis that is equipped with a TVR-modified Rover V8.
About Coys
Increasing the displacement of the Rover V8 engine to 5 liters gave the Griffith 500 340 horsepower in a car with minimal weight and no safety equipment that will worry even the bravest of transmissions. With nerves of steel and a heavy right foot, the TVR is incredibly fast, going 60 mph in 4.1 seconds.
6th
Morgan Aeromax
About Tom Hartley Jnr
Morgan Cars, famous for its love of wood and everything traditional, turned a new page in 2000, with a newly announced Aero 8 claiming to be the brand’s first supercar while looking exactly like the original 1950s design. Progress at Morgan is slow.
About Tom Hartley Jnr
In 2005 the wick turned even higher, a special edition of the Aeromax essentially a more streamlined Aero 8 with a roof and new boat stern. Among the modernized retro curves, BMW engines support the automaker’s super sports car endeavors with a 4.8-liter V8 with 362 hp. Upgrading any classic comes at a price, thankfully with the Aeromax, which hits 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, any images that spoil the brand are quickly fading.
5
Gordon Murray Automotive T.50
About WSupercars
Gordon Murray, the automotive genius behind the original McLaren F1, is back on a mission to produce a modern supercar with a greater emphasis on driving enjoyment. Take a closer look and there is a lot more in common, the same seat design with three rows of seats, the center-mounted V12 layout and even the limitation of production to 106 copies like the F1.
View WSupercars
These points will inevitably lead to direct comparisons, but the T.50 is said to be driven on a daily basis despite having one of the most advanced V12 engines of all time. Gordon Murray Automotive chose the famous racing engine specialist Cosworth to develop a new 11,500 rpm 4 liter naturally aspirated engine with 654 hp.
4th
Ginetta Akula
About CarPixel
Be brave or go home! Ginetta, who clearly opted for the bold option for their new Akula supercar, which has more fins, grills and vents than any other supercar we’ve ever seen. UK based Ginnetta may not be a household name in the street car scene, but don’t let that put you off, years of racing experience have gone into the design of the Akula.
About CarPixel
Its layout also dares to be different, to mount its engine in front, but still keep its weight behind the front axle for better weight distribution and better handling. The engine itself is a lightweight, compact, all-alloy 6-liter V8 that produces 600 horsepower in a car weighing less than 2,600 lbs, with its designer claiming a top speed of 300 mph.
3
Jaguar Project 7
About NetCarShow
The limited edition Project 7 is the result of Jaguar giving its engineers some fun based on the stunning F-Type, Project 7 adds a little more bite to Jaguar’s fastest coupe.
About NetCarShow
Instead of a roof of any kind, the Project has an aerodynamic hump behind the driver’s seat, an allusion to Jaguar’s legendary historic D-Type racer of yore, weather protection comes in the form of a stowable hood in the trunk. In fact, a lightweight F-Type SVR that shares Jaguar’s 575bhp supercharged V8, speed is limited here to just 186 mph.
2
Noble M600
About Classic Driver
Introduced in 2011, the M600 was Noble’s ticket to the big leagues with true supercar rival performance with a touch of exclusivity around one of the UK’s most successful independent small car manufacturers.
About Classic Driver
Up until its launch, all Noble cars used modified Ford Duratec engines, the M600, which was converted to Yamaha-Volvo, developed 4.4-liter V8s and added a range of Garret fans with variable boost. In the city, the Boost only delivers 450hp, when full attack mode requires it to run at 12psi, the full 650hp is just a press of the accelerator pedal away.
1
Ultima GTR
About WSupercars
This is our kind of supercar that is shamelessly based on racing cars and offers the ultimate driving pleasure without compromise. Granted, practicality will be an issue for anyone planning a quick weekend getaway, although the Ultima GTR definitely puts an emphasis on speed.
About WSupercars
When it first launched in 1999, you could have the GTR in either turnkey or kit form, which, given its ability to go 60 mph in 2.6 seconds and a top speed of 231 mph, really anyone who needs going down the kit route to have a toolkit handy. Under the rear, Chevrolet small-block V8s are popular, which, depending on the tuning, produce up to 700 hp.
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About the author
Jason Garbutt
(320 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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