Reviving a famous name last used in the 1950s, the 1984 Ferrari Testarossa was a Pininfarina-designed, 12-cylinder two-seater. The early “red heads” had been racing machines, but this was a pure road car—sleek, very fast, and enormously expensive. Like many Ferrari Formula 1 engines of...
One of the most evocative names in the business, after more than 60 years on the road the Corvette is still very much the definitive American sports car. Originally intended as a rival for the UK’s Jaguar XK120, it cost almost twice as much as...
A true pocket-rocket, the 1980 Renault 5 Turbo was clearly related to the company’s popular Super Cinq, but in terms of engineering, construction, and performance it was a whole different beast. Intended primarily for rallying, and therefore pitted head to head with cars such as...
Named for an era when the world was caught up in the excitement of the international space race, the diminutive Cosmo 110S was a sophisticated, two-seater coupe designed to sit at the very top of the Mazda range. At its launch in 1967 it was...
The winner of the Rally World Championships in 1974,1975, and 1976, the Lancia Stratos was developed from a striking, fluorescent orange, wedge-shaped concept car designed by Bertone and launched at the Turin Motor Show in 1971. Swapping that model’s four-cylinder Lancia engine for Ferrari’s Dino...
Although Dodge was already well-established as a manufacturer of cars and trucks, it was its record-breaking achievements on the Bonneville Salt Flats in the 1950s that really got America sitting up and taking notice. Beneath a scorching sun the company smashed no fewer than 196...
The AC Ace was transformed into an international star when Texan racing driver Carroll Shelby conceived the idea of installing a large American V8 engine in a small, lightweight, British sports car. Although the Anglo-American hybrid was crude, it was sleek and effective, and enjoyed...
The most successful contender in an admittedly very small field, this German-built, amphibious vehicle was exported around the world in the 1960s. An undoubted oddball, it even developed a small cult following in the US, where around 3,000 examples were sold, and survivors are still...
Acclaimed former rally driver and engineer Donald Healey became a car manufacturer in his own right in 1946. He wanted to build a high-performance, inexpensive sports car, and achieved that with the Healey 100. Launched at the London Motor Show in 1952, the two-seater roadster...
With 11 distinct generations of car launched over a 50-year period, the Ford Thunderbird was not conceived as a sporty car like the Mustang, but rather as a personal luxury car. With an emphasis on style and sophistication for two rather than outright performance, it...