It doesn’t matter what era you were born into. If you’re an adrenaline junkie, you’ve probably dreamed about driving a sports car—and you’re not the only one. Sports cars have evolved over the years to satisfy people’s need for speed, featuring streamlined designs, powerful engine performance, and the ability to reach up to 300 mph or more!
Let’s go back in time and look at some of the best two-seater sports vehicles in history.
1953 Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet created the original Corvette in 1953. In its debut model year, only 300 Corvettes were made, all of which featured a Polo White exterior with a crimson interior. It can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under 11.5 seconds. It soon became one of the most sought-after sport car classics on the market.
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
When the DB4 Zagato rolled out in 1960, almost no one wanted it because it was as expensive as a house. With its 240-horsepower 3.7-liter straight-six engine, it held its own against the mighty Ferrari. It’s now worth more than $10M and is considered one of the most desirable sports cars ever made.
1969 Nissan Fairlady Z432
The Nissan Fairlady Z 432 rolled out in 1969. The 432 refers to its four valves per cylinder, three carburetors, and dual camshafts. It could go for as much as $200,000 at an auction today, though some of its submodels can fetch as much as $800,000. The automaker only built around 420 of them.
1971 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spyder
When it debuted in 1968, the Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spyder was stunning. Nicknamed “Daytona” in honor of Ferrari’s 24 Hours of Daytona win, the name stuck because it became more popular than simply “GTS/4.” It was one of the last Ferraris that were completely built by hand and its engine was among the greatest of its generation.
1978 BMW M1
The BMW M1 was the original BMW M model car, and it popularized race culture in the 80s. BMW developed it to compete in the motorsport series against legendary Porsches and other sports rivals. The M1 race car had a fiberglass body for speed, a mid-engine arrangement to distribute weight well, and a robust engine designed by Paul Rosche, a well-known engine manufacturer.
1996 Dodge Viper GTS
Dodge’s Viper GTS is a rear-wheel drive coupé motor vehicle with a front-mounted engine and an 8-liter naturally aspirated engine. While it was one of the first Vipers to feature cushy amenities, it remains a fierce Viper at its core with its impressive speed and powerful performance on the track. The two white stripes running the length of its body give this two-door roadster its iconic look.
2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder
The Toyota MR2 Spyder is one of the best Toyota sports cars ever manufactured, despite selling only 40,000 cars during its five-year stint. It comes equipped with a five-speed manual transmission and a transverse, mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout that makes it a joy to drive. It’s one of the most nimble and dangerous cars in the world.
2014 BMW i8
The 2014 BMW i8 is a two-door sports coupe that featured superb fuel economy for a sports car and 2+2 seating. It’s the second plug-in car from BMW’s new I sub-brand, which is all about reinventing the car for a new era of limited resources and embracing urban driving. Its impressive scissor-lift-style doors ensure that you’ll look great entering and leaving it.
2016 Porsche Cayman GT4
The 2016 Cayman S accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and has a maximum speed of 183 mph. It was launched as a high-performance car that added a touch of the race track to daily drives. The GT4 not only came ready to race, but it also looked the part with its lowered suspension and fixed rear wing.
2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
The 2019 ZR1 supercar advances Corvette’s performance legacy by offering impressive power, the best track performance, and the most sophisticated technologies in the company’s history. Its supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 delivers 755 horsepower to the rear wheels. The ZR1 can impressively hit 60 mph in 3.0 seconds, and its brakes can grab the road with race-car ferocity.
2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata
The Miata has been on the market for decades and continues to be one of the best value-for-money performance vehicles available today. Its 2022 release has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. It comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, although an automatic transmission is also available.
Automotive Features Reviewer at CarParts.com
Automotive and Tech Writers
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