The British have left an indelible influence on the way we design, drive and perceive automobiles. They have a history of over a century of relentless innovation, famous cars and groundbreaking technologies. sports cars as a segment owe much of their popularity to British manufacturers, and when considering the history and genealogy of sports cars as a whole, the importance of British brands becomes clear.
The Italians may have tweaked the notion and the Japanese may have added accessibility and reliability to the equation. But it was the UK car industry that pioneered the concept and made it available to the public. In terms of build quality, styling, creative features and performance, England produces some of the best historic sports vehicles in the world.
The strange thing is that despite the UK’s small size and location in the Atlantic Ocean, the world knows British names such as Lotus, McLaren, Land Rover, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Bentley and Rolls-Royce . However, there are terrible lows to accompany these incredible peaks. Some sports vehicles have reliability issues, while others have seriously underpowered engines. Some sports cars can even catch fire! Whatever the reason, while some impressive cars kept showing up, there were a few that represented Britain’s worst sports cars.
ten Worst: Triumph TR7
Renowned Italian car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro first laid eyes on the TR7 in 1974. As tradition goes, he walked around the car, hesitated a bit, then exclaimed, “My God! They did the same on this side too. “His statements sum up a universe of emotions for TR7. While Triumph has excelled in motorcycle manufacturing, its 4-wheel history is full of ups and downs.
It was because the cars were so poorly built. There were more shorts than a mixer with a bong on it. To maintain balance and keep it running, the carburetors needed regular checks. The timing chains broke frequently. The 4-cylinder engines were also a downgrade of the TR6’s fantastic 6-cylinder engine.
9 Worst: Jensen SV-8
Jensen is a semi-legendary British sports car manufacturer. They unveiled the SV-8 at the 1998 British International Motor Show. 2001 was the last year for the two-door convertible. The company ceased operations for 22 years due to bankruptcy.
Production, on the other hand, was a disaster, with misaligned panel spaces and a parts tray interior that barely managed to hold together. Rub salt at will, the SV-8 had a look that would make even a grandma cringe.
8 Worst: DeLorean DMC-12
The infamous DeLorean is the greatest disappointment in vehicle history. Few would dispute that the DeLorean is a decent car if it weren’t for its presence in the Back to the Future movie. Due to financial problems, they abandoned the new chassis concept and moved the mid-engine to the rear.
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Renault, Peugeot and Volvo also designed this engine for family cars. Such an engine was clearly underpowered for a sports car. The resulting performance is a 0-60 mph time of 10.5 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 17.9 seconds at 76.5 mph.
seven Worst: TVR Sagaris
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The United States banned the car for safety reasons. Still, the manufacturer produced around 200 units for sale in Europe. This amount did not allow the struggling TVR company to remain solvent, and they shelved the project in 2006.
Considering their only major hit, Griffith, the fact that TVR still builds automobiles is a puzzle. Today’s overly styled sports vehicles like the Sagaris strive to look powerful and aggressive. On the contrary, they look over-designed and unattractive. This vehicle is like a kid trying to pull off a Corvette design.
6 Worst: MG Midget
The Midget is now considered a traditional British roadster. The small sports car attracted a large following. However, just because the Midget had a big cult following doesn’t mean it was great. Don’t let the Midget’s looks fool you; this roadster is far from fast.
The most powerful variant produced only 65 hp. Other than that, the Midgets had a terrible reputation for rust and poor performance. This “sports car” took about 20 seconds to go from zero to 100 km/h.
5 Worth every penny: JAGUAR XKSS
During his long career at Jaguar, Sir William Lyons had some major ups and downs. But the XKSS was the best he ever had. The road variant of the D-type Le Mans racing car, the XKSS, is exceptionally rare. A manufacturing fire destroyed nine of the original 25 automobiles.
Today there are only 16 left. Steve McQueen is one of the proud owners of this beauty. Besides flawless design and performance, XKSS’s main claim to fame is its ability to withstand legacy.
4 Worth Every Penny: Aston Martin DB5
Aston Martin only produced 1,021 of these iconic automobiles, despite James Bond’s backing. It was an evolution of the successful DB4 model. The DB5 had improved mechanics and exquisite styling by Italian design studio Carozzeria Superleggera.
It featured a 4-litre engine and was available in a limited amount of convertibles. Its in-line 6-cylinder engine delivers 282 horsepower to the rear wheels through a 5-speed ZF transmission. In the history of British motoring, the Aston Martin DB5 is essential.
3 Worth Every Penny: Jaguar E-Type
When we ask individuals to name the most beautiful car of all time, the Jaguar E-Type is the most cited. The Jaguar E-Type debuted at the Geneva Motor Show almost 60 years ago. They still consider it a style icon and one of the most admired sports vehicles in all of history.
Enzo Ferrari dubbed the Jaguar E-Type “the most beautiful car ever produced”. We believe he may still be right. It is a symbol of British pride that the rest of the world admires.
2 Worth Every Penny: Austin-Healey 3000
For its sleek aesthetics and exceptional road handling, the Austin-Healey 3000 has won a lot of admiration among aficionados. The 3000 remains attractive and eye-catching to this day. The Austin-Healey 3000 made its debut in the late 1950s. It is a powerful roadster with a 3.0-liter C-series inline six-cylinder engine that produces 124 horsepower.
It reached a top speed of around 114 mph. We know the Austin-Healey 3000 as the Big Healey. This is to distinguish it from the smaller Austin-Healey Sprite. This vehicle won its category in the rallies and competitions of Le Mans and Sebring.
1 Worth every penny: McLaren F1
There are supercars, and then there is the McLaren F1. This remarkable vehicle has fascinated the automotive community since its unveiling in May 1992. It is quite simply one of the best automobiles of all time.
Legendary F1 features include a center driver’s seat and the 641 horsepower induced by the naturally aspirated V-12. From 1992 to 2005, F1 represented the highest pinnacle of automotive engineering and design. And it was the fastest production automobile in the world.
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